Qantara Startseite Englisch - Dialogue with the Islamic world
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Comic book author Joe Sacco"Gaza was where the West went to die"
Trailblazing cartoonist and journalist Joe Sacco reflects on Western coverage of the war on Gaza, oral histories, and comics as a medium for critical journalism.
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Post-Assad Syria"Let freedom of the press be enshrined as sacrosanct"
The collapse of the Assad regime must not only mark the end of an era steeped in fear and oppression, but it must also serve as the dawn of a new chapter in the country’s history. Syrian independent media outlets publish their demands to the new government.
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ICC arrest warrantsWhat the Netanyahu warrant can teach us about international law
Arrest warrants issued against Israeli leaders are putting international law to the test. Do Western states only support UN courts when it serves their interests? Can the "principle of universal jurisdiction" save international criminal justice?
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Israel in new Merkel memoir "Freedom"Merkel's reason of state
When Angela Merkel used the word "Staatsräson" in a 2008 speech to the Israeli Knesset, she may not have expected the enduring intensity of the debate it would ignite. In the new memoir "Freedom", the former chancellor reveals her idealised view of Israel, and her reluctance to acknowledge Palestinian perspectives.
From our archive: Christmas in Islam
Politics
More about Politics-
Trump and the Gulf StatesSkeptical optimism in the Gulf
Saudi Arabia and the Emirates hope to reap economic benefits from the Trump presidency. But the Gulf has learned that Washington cannot be relied upon. Meanwhile, the Saudis could push Trump to take a tougher stance towards Israel.
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Dawn of a new eraZero hour in Syria
After more than half a century in power, the Assad regime has fallen. The end of one of recent history's most brutal dictatorships has sparked both joy and deep uncertainty about the country's future. Who are Syria's most powerful factions? And are there any "good guys"?
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Ahmad Shah MassoudAfghanistan's Cold War hero
9 September marked the 15th anniversary of the death of Ahmad Shah Massoud, revered as a war hero not only in his homeland, but also in the West. This is astonishing in view of the fact that he – just like all other Afghan warlords – can justifiably be described as a war criminal. By Emran Feroz
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Oil and development in the Middle EastA two-edged sword
When poor countries started producing oil, they thought that was the key to economic growth and prosperity. Since then, the impact of resource wealth on producing countries has been the subject of endless debate. By Nassir Djafari
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Palestine's Mohammed DahlanA finger in every pie
Formerly the Palestinian Authority′s head of security, Mohammed Dahlan is regarded not only as President Abbas′ arch-rival, but also as a political multi-talent with the best international connections. Many believe the ousted Fatah functionary is planning a return to the political stage. By Neville Teller
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Syrian civil warThe end of a dream
In Daraya, a town southwest of Damascus, Assad has triumphed. After four years of continuous bombing and starvation, the last 8,000 residents have capitulated and agreed to be resettled by the regime. By Kristin Helberg
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Fighting the Taliban in AfghanistanWhere the warlords still hold sway
The militias of Afghan warlords have always occupied a dubious position in the life of the country. But Kabul relies on them as allies in the battle against the Taliban – a strategy, however, that is having the opposite effect. By Emran Feroz
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Turkish involvement in SyriaMaking enemies
Ankara has invaded Syria to keep Islamic State fighters out of its own territory and prevent Kurdish territorial gains. In Turkey, the dual strategy has not only met with approval: critical voices are growing louder. By Andreas Gorzewski
Society
More about Society-
Podcast with Qantara author Emran Feroz"The question is: which human rights do the Taliban not violate?"
In August 2021, the USA and its allies withdrew from Afghanistan. Emran Feroz joins the "Deep Dive" podcast to shed light on the human rights situation in the country after three years of Taliban rule.
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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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Interview with the social scientist Edit SchlafferMothers Schools challenge extremism
The Austrian "Mothers Schools" programme aims to prevent the recruitment of potential jihadists. Edit Schlaffer, founder of the organisation "Women without Borders", has spent the last ten years researching the root causes of Islamist radicalisation. Her core finding: mothers play a key role. Interview by Iris Mostegel
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Islamic theology in GermanyMission accomplished?
Rarely does interest in a subject grow so fast. Introduced as a course of study at German universities just five years ago, Islamic theology is now being taught to 1,800 students at five centres around the country. Arnfrid Schenk takes stock
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Racial profiling in the USMuslim bashing: the new American norm
In the wake of the Brussels attacks, Republican frontrunner Donald Trump yet again repeated his call for a ban on all Muslims entering the United States of America. With ABC News primary exit polls on 15 March revealing that two-thirds of Republican voters feel Muslims would be better off elsewhere, the current tide of anti-Muslim sentiment has yet to turn. By Joseph Mayton
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Interview with the Islamic scholar Ebrahim MoosaThe reinvention of Islam
Concepts like apostasy or blasphemy reveal that Islamic theology is caught in a mode of imperial Islamic political thinking, says US-based scholar Ebrahim Moosa. What is needed is a process of critical appraisal. Moosa asks that Muslims rediscover the great lessons of diversity in their history rather than following the reductionist versions that masquerade as Muslim theology today. Interview by Claudia Mende
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Democracy and civil society in the Arab worldTalk is not a crime
With the violent radicalism and civil wars of the Middle East and North Africa capturing the world′s attention, the region′s grossly distorted legal systems are being given short shrift. Yet problematic laws like those criminalising defamation, which facilitate political and economic repression, undermine development – and destroy lives. By Daoud Kuttab
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″Afro-Iran″ photo bookThe Persian Gulf′s forgotten minority
For a long time, little was known about the Afro-Iranian minority in the Persian Gulf. German-Iranian photographer Mahdi Ehsaei has been documenting their lives in portraits – Marian Brehmer presents his book
Culture
More about Culture-
Tunisia's Carthage Film FestivalDecolonial cinema
The Carthage Film Festival in Tunis aims to counter the Global North's dominance in the world of film. Until Sunday, a diverse range of films from Africa and West Asia will be screened. But can the festival truly fulfil its own ambitions?
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Palestinian director Dima Hamdan"There is no pride when gay men are blackmailed"
Winner of the prestigious Iris Film Prize, Dima Hamdan's short film "Blood like Water" addresses how Israel uses the social stigma of homosexuality in Palestinian society to blackmail gay men.
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Sexual Repression in the Arab WorldAnguish, Love and Poetry
The film "The Source" tells the story of women living in a North African village who enter into a "love strike" because they are fed up with doing all the work. In conversation with Paul Katzenberger, director Radu Mihăileanu talks about marital rape, parallels with the West and the poetic qualities of the Arabic language. By Paul Katzenberger
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Tutankhamun – His Grave and His TreasuresReplicas that Dazzle and Impress
The treasures discovered in the tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun are some of the most significant finds in the history of archaeology. A replica of the pharaoh's burial chamber is now on display in the German city of Nuremberg. By Sonja Hegasy
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Interview with the Algerian Writer Boualem Sansal"Take Islam back from the Islamists!"
Are Europe's democracies too weak to curb Islamism? Controversial Algerian writer Boualem Sansal sounds a warning. The time for political debate has passed, he tells Aya Bach
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Revolutionary Films in the Arab WorldTaking Stock
What is the significance of film during and after revolutions? In recent years, many films have been made in Egypt and Tunisia, although the viewpoints of the filmmakers could hardly be more different. By Irit Neidhardt
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Interview with Habib Selmi"Tunisians Are Mature Enough"
The renowned Tunisian author and journalist Habib Selmi talks with Volker Kaminski about his most recent literary work and about the difficult situation of writers and artists in his homeland
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A Muslim Poetry SlamThe Five Pillars of i,Slam
Youssef Adlah and Younes Al-Amayra initiated the first Poetry Slam for Muslims in Germany. In it, respect for religion must be maintained – no matter what the theme. In this interview, the initiators talk about how their Muslim poetry slam can empower the Muslim community
From the Syria archive: Assad's regime of terror
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
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