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Reconstruction in SyriaWhose land will major investors build on?
Syria is relying on competition and foreign investment to fund its reconstruction efforts. In Damascus, citizens are being asked to sell their land for a multi-billion property project. Yet many long to rebuild their own homes.
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Egyptian film "Asad"Slave drama sparks debate on national identity
In Egypt, a historical film has sparked a present-day controversy, with critics accusing "Asad" of distorting the past and promoting Afrocentric narratives. Beneath the political rhetoric, however, lies a deeper cultural dispute.
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Iranian author Shahrnush ParsipurWriting in defiance
With the death of Shahrnush Parsipur, Iran has lost one of its most indomitable literary voices. The author of "Women Without Men" confronted censorship and oppression throughout her life. Most recently, she refused to glorify the war against Iran as a liberation.
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Syria after AssadStriking deals with the old elites
The HTS regime presents itself as the "liberator of Syria" while collaborating with key figures from the Assad era. Instead of conducting a thorough reckoning with the past, the new elites are consolidating power with the help of the old.
Politics
More about Politics-
Saudi sports policyThe limits of Saudi Arabia's football ambitions
Saudi Arabia has emerged as an influential player in the politics of international sports, particularly football. The 2034 World Cup will be hosted by the Kingdom, but war in the Gulf could be jeopardising its ambitious goals.
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Israeli filmmaker Netalie Braun"There's room for everyone between the river and the sea"
What does it take to make anti-militarist cinema in a country where, as Netalie Braun puts it, the army "resides in the DNA of society"? In this interview, she discusses navigating censorship, boycotts and the challenges of imagining peace amid violence.
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Countdown to the Turkish electionErdogan beats the nationalist drum
Elected Mayor of Istanbul in 1994, Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged not blame Turkeyʹs problems on "outside powers, outside forces, or foreigners". Years later, with the weight of the presidency and a struggling currency upon him, that pledge is long gone. By Tom Stevenson
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Clashes along the Israeli-Gazan borderWhat hope for the Palestinians?
For months people in Gaza have been taking to the streets in protest at their intractable predicament. But the Palestinians have lost all their advocates, says Bettina Marx from the Heinrich Boll Foundation in Ramallah
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Protests in Jordan"The status quo has to go"
Last week thousands of people filled the streets of Jordan to protest about the countryʹs ongoing economic woes and the governmentʹs lack of accountability. Among them was Jordanian journalist Lina Shannak, who now hopes the new administration will bring about tangible change
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European trade with Iran"Now we're backpedalling"
The United States has begun pressurising European companies to halt doing business with Iran. Many companies have already acted to avoid the threat of U.S. sanctions in the event of "prohibited business". Details from Stefan Buchen
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Malaysiaʹs Mahathir targets corruptionGraft links to the Gulf
Newly elected Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir is adopting policies that could re-shape the southeast Asian nationʹs relations with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. By James M. Dorsey
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Rescuing the nuclear deal with IranEurope should negotiate without the U.S.
After Donald Trumpʹs breach of the nuclear agreement with Iran, Germany, France and Great Britain should negotiate a comprehensive security framework with Iran based on the existing agreement, says Volker Perthes
Society
More about Society-
250 years of the USAHow enslaved African Muslims resisted bondage
The history of Islam in the U.S. does not begin with voluntary immigration. It can be traced back to the country's formative years, and to the millions of enslaved Africans, up to a third of whom are believed to have been Muslim.
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Femicide in TurkeyWhere is Gülistan Doku?
Years after a young Kurdish woman's femicide, new probes have led to arrests. The suspects are sons of civil servants. The case ignited a Turkish debate on state failure and alleged cover-up. Yet the wider issue of anti-Kurdish violence remains sidelined.
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Stories from the Palestinian diasporaMy grandmother, the selfie generation, and I
If young people without immigrant parents have fallen into disrepute for disengaging and emancipating themselves from and rebelling against old traditions and conventions, then even more so those with a hybrid identity. Those whose parents originate from more distant regions of the world. Those like me. By Jenin Elena Abbas
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Interview with the sociologist Armin NassehiThe token politics of "Heimat"
What is meant by "Heimat"? "A place where you can be without having to justify yourself for being there," says the sociologist Armin Nassehi in interview with Klaus Kramer and explains in the process the absurdity of the homeland ministry concept
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Rights for the disabled in TunisiaInching towards inclusion
Intuition plays an important role in the life of Yassine Rihani. The 34-year-old Tunisian lost his eyesight in 2006 and has been working as a physiotherapist ever since. As a human rights activist, he also has a feel for the pressure points in society and works to promote the rights of people with disabilities. By Wolfgang Kuhnle
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Hedwig Klein and "Mein Kampf"The unknown Arabist
During the Nazi period, Hedwig Klein worked on a dictionary intended to help with the translation of Hitler's diatribe "Mein Kampf" into Arabic. But it didn't help the Arabist: she was murdered in Auschwitz in 1942. The dictionary, however, remains a bestseller – with no mention of Klein’s fate. By Stefan Buchen
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Islamophobia in Germany"We need a new debate about racism"
Why are people bothered when an academic wears a headscarf, but don't mind one worn by a cleaning lady? Extremism researchers are studying how and why attitudes towards Muslims are changing. The rise of the AfD is viewed as an important factor. By Kay Alexander Scholz
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Pashtun freedom fighter Khan Abdul Ghaffar KhanIslam's forgotten "Gandhi"
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was the founder of the world’s first professional non-violent army. Here in the West, the Islamic Gandhi is little known – but today his legacy is more relevant than ever. A portrait of the Pashtun "Badshah Khan" by Marian Brehmer
Culture
More about Culture-
Lebanese literature in translationThe rediscovery of Alis al-Bustani
Published in 1891, Alis al-Bustani's only novel "Sa'iba" dismantles the comforting assumptions of Arab modernity. A new translation restores to view a woman writer long consigned to obscurity.
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Islamic history scholar Sabine Schmidtke"The Holocaust reshaped knowledge production about Islam"
Hedwig Klein's life and scholarship were cut short by the Holocaust in 1942. In her new book, Sabine Schmidtke traces Klein's intellectual legacy and sets the record straight on her involvement in Hans Wehr's Arabic dictionary.
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Interview with Palestinian film maker Hanna Atallah"Culture is our best bet"
Hanna Atallah is one of a group of Palestinians that is aiming to bring arthouse cinema to the Arab world. No small feat, in regions where the necessary infrastructure is lacking and the majority are more likely to stay home and watch television. Attending the Berlinale in February, he was interviewed by Rene Wildangel
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Goethe and IslamReligion has no nationality
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe may have had his reservations about Islam – as he did about Christianity – and he certainly wasn′t shy of criticising it, but his credo was without doubt built on the foundations of non-negotiable tolerance. By Melanie Christina Mohr
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Saudi Arabia: Janadriyah Festival of CultureA population ruled by fear
As was revealed at the culture festival in Riyadh, the Kingdom finds itself in a precarious position – not least because women are still excluded from podium discussions. Open debate about politics and religion did, however, take place at the fringes. Stefan Weidner reports from Riyadh
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Book review: ″Vanished″ by Ahmed MasoudThe youngest detective
Ahmed Masoud′s debut novel is a nuanced chronicle of one of the world′s most troubled regions. Reflecting the way children are forced to grow up before their time in the beleaguered Gaza Strip, this whodunnit centres on a child detective. Nahrain Al-Mousawi read the book
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Berlinale 2016: Interview with Saudi director Mahmoud Sabbagh″Testing the water... to make a change"
Newcomer Mahmoud Sabbagh′s offering is pacy, anarchic and – unexpectedly for Saudi Arabia – a romantic comedy. A love story set against the vibrant youth culture of Jeddah, ″Barakah meets Barakah″ presents a new generation of social media-savvy Saudis and their very real expectations. Rene Wildangel met and interviewed Mahmoud Sabbagh at the Berlinale
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Germany′s BerlinaleWhere film meets reality
As refugees have dominated the news in recent months, Berlin's International Film Festival is also focusing on their stories. It's not just a politically correct trend: the event's social commitment has deep roots. By Jochen Kurten
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
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