Social movements

Indonesia's presidential election

K-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
Women's rights in Saudi Arabia

Aisha al-Mana – the first woman to drive a car in Riyadh

When people talk about feminism in the Middle East, they usually mean women in Cairo, Beirut or Damascus. Saudi-Arabia, on the other hand, rarely gets a mention. Local activist Aisha al-Mana proved a trailblazer for women in the region
Middle East misinformation

Tech firms struggle as Israel-Gaza falsehoods explode

From fake accounts impersonating journalists to war-themed video games fuelling false narratives, tech platforms are struggling to contain a tsunami of misinformation around Palestinian-Israeli hostilities after rolling back content moderation policies
Lessons from the earthquake in Morocco

Earthquake a turning point for Morocco?

A wave of solidarity swept across Moroccan society in the wake of the recent earthquake. However, the disaster also revealed serious shortcomings in the state's institutions. Political analyst Ali Anouzla explains what lessons can be learned
Iran and Mahsa Amini, one year on

Tehran's power base is fading

Prominent voices from within the Islamic Republic's inner circle of power – once spokesmen for the most radical factions – are now vehement in their criticism of Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader. They used the first anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death to drive home their condemnation. By Ali Sadrzadeh
Financial crisis in Lebanon

Beirut's bank robber folk heroes

Desperation is driving some Lebanese to take matters into their own hands. These days, robbing a bank to access your own money is likely to make you a folk hero. Karim El-Gawhary met two such 'criminals' in Beirut
Benjamin Netanyahu's judicial reforms

Israeli government and the Supreme Court at loggerheads

Benjamin Netanyahu's government is set on curtailing the powers of the judiciary. But the judges will not give up without a fight. What happens next will determine just how endangered Israel's democratic system really is. By Joseph Croitoru
Transnational repression

Why a friendlier Middle East is more dangerous for activists

Authoritarian governments often harass and hinder their critics, even if those people are outside the country. As former enemies become friends in the Middle East, will they cooperate to shut down opposition voices? By Cathrin Schaer
Music festivals in Turkey

Only "halal" festivals acceptable?

In Turkey, concerts and festivals by artists at odds with the government line are being cancelled with increasing frequency. Islamist and nationalist groups are often responsible. Elmas Topcu and Aynur Tekin report
Iranian cinema: "A Tale from Shemroon"

King of the night

Many reports on Iran focus on Tehran's middle classes, giving a rather one-sided impression of the country. New film release "A Tale from Shemroon" is also set in this milieu. So does it succeed in presenting a more multi-faceted picture? Lisa Neal watched the film for Qantara.de
Tunisian films about the Arab Spring

Rage, hope and desperation

Tunisian filmmakers are addressing the subject of the Arab Spring and its failure in Tunisia in their films. Shady Lewis Botros watched three of them for Qantara.de
Counterrevolution in the Arab world

Authoritarianism, a forever scenario?

Calls to normalise relations with the criminal Assad regime, which has killed and displaced millions of Syrians, marks a new phase, namely the victory of the counter-revolutionaries. The old-style Arab regime is back – more brutal and oppressive than ever, as Ali Anouzla explains