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Language politicsCan English replace French in Algeria?
English is gaining ground in Algeria's education system, challenging the long-standing dominance of French, a remnant of colonial rule. But the shift is far from straightforward, testing the ability of schools and universities to adapt.
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Displacement in LebanonWhen war reached our building in Beirut
In Lebanon, war is felt differently across society, and displacement is a test of social cohesion. Manal Khader recounts how it reached her Beirut apartment block, and the responses of the residents' WhatsApp group in the Christian neighbourhood of Badaro.
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Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-SudaniIraq's economic reform experiment
Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani is banking on hands-on reforms and new infrastructure projects to restore trust in the state. His approach has delivered short-term stability and popularity. But Iraq's oil dependence and economic weaknesses remain.
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War and memoryGaza's lost photographs
Through years of war, many people in Gaza have lost their personal photo albums. Palestinian journalist Asmaa al-Ghoul reflects on her family's vanished images and what their absence means for personal and collective memory.
Politics
More about Politics-
Opposition figure Behrouz Farahani"The war has frozen Iran's protest movements"
The Iran war stems from two reactionary forces, the hegemonic ambitions of Iran’s Shia establishment and the Israeli vision of reshaping the Middle East, says Behrouz Farahani. A ceasefire is urgent, he argues, and real change must come from within.
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Israeli activist Yuli Novak"The system is based on violence"
In this interview, the head of Israeli NGO B’Tselem discusses the increasingly boundless violence in the region and argues that defending Palestinian rights is defending human rights worldwide. She urges Germany to lead in upholding international law.
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The personality cult of Egypt's former presidentNasser is everywhere
Hagiography on the Nile: the cult of Gamal Abdel Nasser continues to spread, in part because it serves the purposes of Egypt's incumbent president. By Joseph Croitoru
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The summer of 1988A dark chapter in Iranian history
In the summer of 1988, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a decree sentencing thousands of political prisoners to death. Monireh Baradaran was a left-wing activist in prison at the time and witnessed her cellmates being picked up for execution. Interview by Farhad Payar
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No stability without oppositionThe Maghrebʹs untenable status quo
As it seeks to support "stability" in North Africa, the international community needs to think less about strong states and more about strong opposition, says Max Gallien
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Slaves of Islamic StateThe fight to find the missing Yazidis
Islamic State is fighting its endgame with Yazidis waiting anxiously. Angered by Iraqi government silence following reports that IS killed 50 of their women, they are pushing for real action to find 3,000 of their own. By Judit Neurink
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Mass anti-president protests in AlgeriaNo more Bouteflika!
Demonstrations against the controversial presidential candidacy of ailing Algerian leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika are snowballing into a mass nationwide protest movement. The end of his clan's regency is only a matter of time. Sofian Philip Naceur reports from Algeria
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DW in-depthGerman arms feeding the Yemen conflict
A team of investigative journalists involving the Deutsche Welle have discovered that German weaponry and tech play a far greater role in the Yemen conflict than previously thought. Meanwhile the German government continues to feign ignorance. By Nina Werkhauser and Naomi Conrad
Society
More about Society-
Ralph Ghadban on Iran"The Islamic Republic is rooted in society"
Whether through appeasement or escalation, the West keeps making the same mistake with Iran, argues Islamic studies scholar Ralph Ghadban: it fails to recognise the regime's radical Shia ideological foundations.
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Jewish community in Syria"One day we’ll drive from Damascus to Jerusalem"
The fall of Assad has prompted the return of millions of Syrians, including a small Jewish minority. Under Henry Hamra, son of the country’s last chief rabbi, they are asking whether a lasting return is possible.
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Interview with the French-Turkish sociologist Nilufer GoleEurope's homegrown Turkish ethno-nationalists
According to prominent Turkish sociologist Nilufer Gole, many European countries have failed to integrate their Muslim and Turkish citizens. In interview with Luca Steinmann, Gole argues that this has served to deepen social polarisation in Europe
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Integration German-style?Blood sausage at Islam conference stirs controversy
Germany's Interior Ministry has apologised for serving pork sausage at an Islam conference in Berlin last week. The "#BloodSausageGate" scandal has sparked a debate over integration and tolerance. By Chase Winter
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Afghanistan's opium tradeA nice little earner – for everyone
Afghanistanʹs drug economy provides a regular income to rural communities in this extremely unstable country. With eighty-five percent of villages in the countryʹs south cultivating opium poppies, yield fluctuations have more to do with the weather than government policy. By Janet Kursawe
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Islam in GermanySome Muslims do indeed celebrate Christmas
As a Muslim I like to go to Christmas markets, eat Stollen and as a child I even got presents. Surprised? That's not the half of it. By Said Rezek
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Drug-related crime in IndonesiaDon Widodo's tilt with windmills
Anti-narcotics laws and their enforcement tend to be tough in Southeast Asia. In Indonesia, however, drug use is not in decline, despite attempts by President Widodo to crack down on durg dealers and cartels. By Edith Koesoemawiria
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Interview with Dina El Omari on feminism and Islam"Muslim women need space for critical self-reflection"
Is there such a thing as a feminist Islam? If there is, it is hard to define. Instead, there are different interpretations and above all female Muslim theologians who do not use the term "feminism" to describe what they do, namely interpret the Koran in a gender-equal way. An interview with theologian Dina El Omari
Culture
More about Culture-
Ramadan TV specialsSyrian drama after Assad
Television dramas are a Ramadan staple in Syria. This year, for the first time, viewers watched series written in a post-Assad era, some confronting past trauma, others offering satirical critique, sparking fierce debate over how the country's stories should be told.
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Syed Muhammad Naquib al-AttasA life rethinking the foundations of knowledge
Malaysian philosopher and polymath Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas has died aged 94. A lifelong critic of Western intellectual dominance, his work has shaped debates on modernity and education across the Muslim world.
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Album review: Trygve Seim′s ″Rumi Songs″Musical wanderlust
Couching the songs of Rumi in free-form jazz is doubtless a daring undertaking. Yet, listen with an open mind and heart, says Richard Marcus, and you will find this album to be both thought-provoking and emotionally fulfilling
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Bonn′s BeethovenfestSounds of the Arab Spring
Six composers from five Arab countries translated their impressions of the Arab Spring into music, providing the pianist Seda Roder with material for her multimedia ″Songs of Spring″ performance, rich in hope and disappointment. By Gaby Reucher
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Interview with Firas Alshater″Being a refugee is not my dream job″
″Who are these Germans?″ That′s the question Firas Alshater asks on his YouTube channel Zukar. Ula Brunner interviewed the Berlin-based Syrian filmmaker and refugee on acceptance and on what home and humour mean to him
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Poems by young refugeesHolding back the tears
A writing project has turned young refugees from Afghanistan into poets. The creative talents read their work at the International Literature Festival in Berlin, where many listeners found themselves fighting back the tears. By Sabine Peschel
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Portrait of the Sufi princess Noor Inayat KhanThe call of the one to the many
Idealistic, cosmopolitan and full of heroic courage. It is almost 75 years since the death of Sufi princess Noor Inayat Khan, who served as a secret agent in France during the Second World War and was ultimately murdered by the Nazis in Dachau concentration camp. A portrait by Eric Schumacher
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Pakistani film ″Dukhtar″Arthouse with a conscience
Afia Nathaniel's first full-length feature film "Dukhtar", has been enjoying a great deal of success on the international festival circuit – and causing quite a stir in her home country too. By Marian Brehmer
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
Most read articles
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Ralph Ghadban über den Iran
„Die Islamische Republik ist in der Gesellschaft verwurzelt”
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Sprache und Spracherwerb
Wie die Muttersprache unser Gehirn formt
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Vertreibung im Libanon
Wie der Krieg unsere Nachbarschaft verändert
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Israelische Menschenrechtlerin Yuli Novak
„Das System basiert auf Gewalt“
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Buchtipp: "Kurdistan + 100"
Erzählungen aus einer künftigen Republik
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Jüdische Gemeinde in Syrien
„Eines Tages fahren wir von Damaskus nach Jerusalem“