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Hormuz and Bab el‑MandebCenturies of struggle for the Straits
Three colonial powers—the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British—gained, and then lost, control over the straits of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb. Today, as the US and Iran struggle over these vital chokepoints, history offers a warning.
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Anti-colonialism"Palestine reveals the limits of international solidarity"
Why do African publics stand so firmly with Palestine while many of their governments court Israel? Algerian researcher Raouf Farrah traces the answer to the continent's anti-colonial past, and to the gap between popular solidarity and state diplomacy.
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German state electionsMigrants face a shifting political reality
The far-right AfD made historic gains in September's state elections, while the Left Party came out on top in Berlin for the first time. Migrants across the country are now considering what the results could mean for their everyday lives and futures.
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"Postmuslim" by Youssef RakhaOne author, multiple selves
"Postmuslim" is an intimate new collection of essays in English by Youssef Rakha. The Egyptian author explores his complex relationship with the West while tracing his intellectual evolution over several decades.
Politics
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Gilbert Achcar on the impact of 9/11"The Iraq War shattered the promise of a new world order"
The attacks of 11 September 2001 fundamentally altered US foreign policy and triggered a series of wars that have reshaped the Middle East. 25 years on, Gilbert Achcar reflects on the US response to 9/11 and its enduring impact on the region.
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Taliban in AfghanistanPower consolidated, society reshaped
In the five years since regaining power, the Taliban have cemented their rule in Afghanistan, bringing armed conflict in the country to a relative lull. Their ambitions go beyond maintaining control: they are seeking to transform the country from the bottom up.
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Saudi-Iranian conflictSleepwalking into war
War between Iran and Saudi Arabia would be of no use to anyone, not even to the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Ben Salman in Riyadh or Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran. On the contrary: both men could conceivably find themselves ousted. Yet powerful political factions exist that are intent on warmongering. By Ali Sadrzadeh
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Israel 100 years after BalfourA case of moral degradation
2 November 2017 marked the centenary of the Balfour Declaration. This document promised to deliver a homeland for the Jews, yet also that "nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine". Has this promise been kept? Political analyst Peter Oborne reports
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Criticising ErdoganDon't romanticise the Kemalist legacy!
The narrative of an "enlightened" and generally democratic Turkey, a country that is currently in the process of being destroyed by Erdogan, should not go unchallenged, says Tayfun Guttstadt
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Yassin al-Haj Saleh's "The Impossible Revolution"The "Syrianisation" of the world
In his book "The Impossible Revolution – Making Sense of the Syrian Tragedy", Syrian dissident Yassin al-Haj Saleh chronicles the Syrian revolution and explains how it was destroyed. His analysis shows all too clearly how little the West knows about Syria to this day. By Emran Feroz
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Power play in Saudi ArabiaCharting a seismic shift
With an unprecedented wave of arrests, the young Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is trying to consolidate his power in the country. But he is making some dangerous enemies. An analysis by Karim El-Gawhary
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Voter apathy in JordanAn open invitation
Low voter turnout in local elections intended to de-centralise governance in Jordan disproportionately boosted Islamists′ fortunes – something which may ultimately have more impact than the intended decentralisation. Commentary by Kirk H. Sowell
Society
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Education and climate in YemenToo hot for class
In Houthi-controlled Yemen, the decision to schedule the school year by the Hijri calendar has pushed classes earlier into the harshest heat of summer. For students this has compounded the impact of climate change, posing health risks and driving up dropout rates.
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Turkish women's association Havle"White secular women do not have a monopoly on feminism"
The Muslim queer-feminist group Havle uses religious arguments to challenge discrimination. Facing growing hostility and, most recently, arrests, two members speak about the struggle for LGBTQ rights in the country.
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Islamic education in IndiaAll-female madrassas: Of women, by women and for women
A new breed of women-only Islamic seminaries in India are making the rarefied area of higher studies in Islamic theology accessible to girls, while introducing an eclectic blend of traditional religious studies and modern secular education. By Muhammed Nafih Wafy
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Europe and the USAWhen anti-Semitism and Islamophobia join hands: The racist vortex
The campaign against George Soros is fuelling a dangerous symbiosis between anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, argues political scientist Farid Hafez
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Hindu KushReconstruction in Afghanistan: The strong women of Darul Aman
Kabul's Darul Aman Palace was originally built to house Afghanistan's parliament. After four decades of war, it had become an ever-present reminder of violence and destruction. Now a team of architects and engineers, many of them women, are rebuilding the ruins. By Sandra Petersmann
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The refugee debateHow do we want to live?
The idea that refugees are either victims or invaders is having a major impact on public debate within Germany. In interview with Sarah Kanning, social scientist Heidrun Friese provides insights into her latest research
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Environmental protection in IslamPatterning nature
What indicators of environmental protection and species conservation can be found in Islamic theology, the Koran and other Islamic lore? Answers from Muna Tatari, professor at the Seminar for Islamic Theology at the University of Paderborn
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Interfaith dialogue in AlbaniaLoving their neighbours
Three houses of worship stand in close proximity – a mosque, a Catholic church and an Orthodox church: Elbasan's old town is a veritable symbol of religious tolerance in Albania. Extremists do not appreciate this image. By Lindita Arapi
Culture
More about Culture-
Arthouse film in MoroccoKeeping Tangier's cinematic history alive
20 years ago, the historic Cinema Rif in Tangier was renovated and reopened as the Cinémathèque de Tanger, one of the few arthouse cinemas in North Africa today. Elisa Pierandrei traces its history and place in Morocco's vibrant film culture.
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Remembering Sliman MansourThe artist behind a Palestinian icon
"Camel of Hardship" by Sliman Mansour, who died on 24 August, is one of the most recognisable images in Palestinian art. Asmaa al-Ghoul tells how it came to appear on walls across the country and why it remains deeply embedded in collective memory.
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Exhibition: Political Art and Resistance in TurkeyThe art of remembering
Protest art from Turkey, covering the period from the 1970s to the present day, is currently on show at the Neue Gesellschaft für bildende Kunst or nGbK (New Society for Visual Arts) in Berlin. But this exhibition is a little bit different in that it does not concern itself only with political resistance in Istanbul, but also with social protest in eastern Turkey. Ceyda Nurtsch took a look at the art on display and talked to the artists and the organisers
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Male belly dancers in TurkeyShimmying, swaying and gyrating to the beat
In Turkey, men are conquering the stage in the world of belly dance. The increasing popularity of male dancers is based on more than just the apparent novelty of their performances. In Istanbul, Cigdem Akyol met two belly dancers and spoke to them about their profession
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Portrait of the Indonesian author Linda Christanty"I want to write until I die"
Linda Christanty is one of the most admired writers in Indonesia. In 1989, she became the youngest author to win the annual short story prize from "Kompas", Indonesia's largest daily newspaper. In 2013, she won the prestigious Southeast Asian Writers Award. Christina Schott met her in Jakarta
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Interview with oboist Demetrios Karamintzas"These children deserve the same opportunities as children anywhere else"
Demetrios Karamintzas studied music at the Julliard School of Music in New York and is a professional oboist. Having worked with Daniel Barenboim's Barenboim-Said Foundation and the Al Kamandjati Music Schools in Palestine, he recently volunteered to teach at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music in Kabul. Ceyda Nurtsch talked to him about teaching music amid poverty and terror attacks
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Arabic bookshop in Istanbul"We want to be a cultural centre"
The first Arabic bookshop in Istanbul opened its doors in June. It is run by Syrian refugees, together with Turkish publishers. They want the shop to become a meeting place for Arabs and Turks. It already offers much more than just Arabic literature. Ekrem Guzeldere took a look around "Pages"
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Book review: "The Islam Quintet" by Tariq AliA wonderful reminder of Islam's contribution to world culture
Nearly 20 years in the writing, Tariq Ali's "The Islam Quintet" has just been reissued, redesigned and made available as a complete set by Verso Books. Written in response to a comment heard by the author during the first Gulf War suggesting Muslim's have no culture, the five books dip in and out of history disproving this proposition. Not only does the quintet successfully display the depth and variety of Islamic culture, it provides readers with a perspective on world events we rarely experience. By Richard Marcus
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
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