Islamism | Political Islam
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Leftist politics in Syria"I don't care whether Marx or Muhammad takes the credit"
Since Assad's fall in December 2024, Syrians have witnessed both displays of unity and renewed sectarian violence. A national identity that transcends sect and ideology is the key to a stable future, says Syrian leftist Sami Hadaya.
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Syrians in Germany"We have suffered at the hands of this regime, its fall unites us"
Stunned by the sudden collapse of the Assad regime, Syrians take their joy to the streets of Berlin. Some have already started planning their return home.
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Impressions from SyriaThe uncertainty of freedom
An abandoned Assad-regime torture chamber, Kalashnikov-wielding rebels and a fearful archbishop. Karim El-Gawhary reports from the "new Syria"—a snapshot of history.
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The rise of Israel's religious nationalist sectPolitical Islam, political Judaism
The 7 October Hamas attacks fanned the flames of a movement already virulent in Israel. Ever since, religious nationalists have been consolidating their influence. In Germany, where politicians prefer to focus solely on the dangers of Islamism, it is easier to ignore such developments
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Ahmadis persecuted in PakistanSacrificial animals – a political issue
In 1974, Ahmadi Muslims were declared a non-Muslim minority by the Pakistani parliament. Since then, it has become much harder for them to perform their religious duties
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Syrians in LebanonNot safe to stay, not safe to go home
Desperate Syrians are weighing up whether to stay in an increasingly hostile Lebanon or risk a precarious existence in areas held by the Syrian opposition. The return journey is deadly and conditions in Syria are tough
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Israel, the USA and the Islamic RepublicUnderstanding Iran's "offensive-defensive" strategy
April 2024 not only saw Iran's unprecedented direct assault on Israel but also a violent crackdown on women in Iran refusing to wear the hijab. So what is behind Tehran's conflicting sense of hubris and insecurity?
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Islamists in IdlibSyrian protesters rise up against Hayat Tahrir al-Sham
Opponents of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad seeking refuge in Idlib are now protesting against local Islamist hardliners Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The group is accused of becoming increasingly dictatorial
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Book review: Joseph Croitoru on HamasThe dark power of the "liberators"
How did Hamas come to rule over the Gaza Strip? And what developments led to 7 October? Historian Joseph Croitoru has the answers. His level-headed assessment of the facts lends this book a particular importance.
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War propaganda in Israel and the Arab worldSpewing poison in both directions
In addition to the actual warfare in Gaza, another, lesser known burden is weighing on the prospects for a better future in the Middle East. Influential media channels are lending support to the most radical forces on both sides of the conflict
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Indonesia's presidential electionK-Pop not Islam
This year's Valentine's Day saw a presidential election in Indonesia, the world's third-largest democracy. Conservative-Islamic morals and panic-mongering tactics took a back seat on social media channels filled with music, cat videos…and elderly presidential hopefuls dancing
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Turkey"Red Buds" – a TV series divides the country
The Turkish media authority has imposed a two-week broadcasting ban and fine on the series "Red Buds", in which religious and liberal worlds collide. The series is apparently too close to the bone