Qantara Startseite Englisch - Dialogue with the Islamic world
-
The "New Middle East"Pax Israelia or bellum aeternum?
With the support of the USA, Israel is reshaping the Middle East. Though framed as a path to stability, their strategy risks locking the region into a permanent conflict.
-
German academiaWhen neutrality becomes complicity
German scholars of the Middle East often wear the mask of political neutrality. But both Western philosophy and the classical Islamic tradition insist that knowledge carries an ethical duty. A call for moral responsibility.
-
Iran at warThe scapegoating of Afghan refugees
Amid conflict with Israel, Tehran's regime is fuelling mistrust of Afghan refugees. Yet they are among those most vulnerable to Israeli air strikes.
-
Iran and Israel"A war of extremisms"
Both Israel and Iran are driven by dangerous forms of fundamentalism, says former IAEA analyst Behrooz Bayat. He explains how close Tehran is to developing a nuclear bomb and the logic behind Israel's attacks.
Politics
More about Politics-
Ismail Küpeli's "Graue Wölfe"A danger left unchecked
Thousands of right-wing extremists of Turkish origin live in Germany. Violent and deeply embedded, they remain largely ignored by politicians. In his book "Graue Wölfe" (Grey Wolves), Ismail Küpeli takes a closer look at the movement.
-
Abu Shabab in GazaA militia under Netanyahu's control
An armed group is making headlines in Gaza. Led by Abu Shabab, the militia stands accused of looting aid and attacking starving civilians, while enjoying quiet backing from Israel as a means to undermine Hamas.
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Pakistan and sectarianismThe enemy within
Pakistan′s generals blame their country′s cycle of political violence, including a recent bombing in the Baluch capital of Quetta, on groups in Afghanistan. The focus on external enemies complicates efforts to reduce political violence, ease inter-communal strains and facilitate easing of tensions with Pakistan′s neighbours. By James M. Dorsey
Society
More about Society-
Syria after AssadTo stay, to leave, to return
As many refugees return to Syria, queues are forming outside passport offices as people try to leave. Four personal stories reflect the hopes, fears and unresolved questions of a country in transition.
-
Islam and AITranslating the sacred
Technology can make life easier for believers, but its relationship with religion has fundamental limits. Artificial intelligence may be able to translate the Qur'an, but can it grasp its meaning?
-
Murdered Italian student in EgyptDisgraceful accusations
The murder of the Italian postgraduate and journalist, Giulio Regeni, in Cairo in February triggered a wave of international shock and protest. Claims that Regeni’s supervisors bear responsibility for sending him into danger are outrageous, writes the French Lebanese political scientist Gilbert Achcar
-
Interview with radical Islam expert Peter NeumannIslamic State′s looting economy
The political scientist and Islamism researcher Peter Neumann sees the so-called "Islamic State" as a "hybrid of insurgency group and state", the success of which is based on constant expansion and a looting-based economy. Interview by Michael Erhardt
-
Interview with Yasar Aydin on press freedom in TurkeyRepression reaches new heights
By seizing the newspaper "Zaman" and placing it under state control, the Turkish government has yet again compromised the rule of law and democracy, says Turkey expert Yasar Aydin in an interview with Helena Baers
-
The Berlin charity ″Morus 14″Dispelling alienation and prejudice
″Morus 14″ is a charitable organisation that aims to promote social integration based in Neukolln – one of Berlin′s more deprived neighbourhoods. Along with other volunteers, Jewish Israeli Hagar Levin manages the organisation′s successful drop-in project for Muslim children and teenagers. Interview by Igal Avidan
-
Religion and freedom of expressionThe birth of a new theocracy?
Following the Arabellion, controversial pluralistic debates on questions of morality or religion were no longer taboo in Egypt. But such discursive freedom has proved short-lived; the tide has turned. These days, the tone adopted by Egypt's regime is more highly charged with religious rhetoric than ever and the goal is clear: to wrest back control of social discourse. Meanwhile Egypt's justice system is playing along and restricting freedom of expression. Sofian Philip Naceur reports from Cairo
-
Trauma therapy in Iraqi Kurdistan″It is possible to build a peaceful society″
Iraq′s autonomous region of Kurdistan is home to approximately 2 million refugees from various backgrounds and religions. Since 2005, the Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights has been providing medical, psychotherapeutic and social support to survivors of torture, persecution and violence. Katja Dombrowski discussed matters with Salah Ahmad, the Foundation′s founder and president
Culture
More about Culture-
"Dis-orienting the Maghreb" by Sadik RddadPlural identities in colonial Morocco
In his new book, Moroccan scholar Sadik Rddad revisits colonial-era British and American travel writing, challenging Edward Said's view of Orientalism and its flattening of Maghrebi identities.
-
Al-Hafiz Tarjok's "Friday of Death"A survivor's account of the Melilla massacre
In "Friday of Death", Sudanese activist al-Hafiz Tarjok recounts his survival of the deadly 2022 events at the Melilla border between Morocco and Spain. His book sheds light on the tragedy faced by thousands of Sudanese risking their lives to cross the desert in search of safety in Europe.
-
Translations of Classical Islamic LiteratureFrom the Emotional Orient to the Distortion of Islam
Why does classical Oriental poetry still sound so ornate to western ears? Blame the translations. These are still following the model of the eighteenth century, when the myth arose that Islamic poets were sentimental geniuses in the realm of emotion and romance. An essay by Stefan Weidner
-
The Egyptian Author Safaa Abdelmenem"The Characters in My Novels Talk in Dialect"
Her love for the characters in her novels is boundless. The characters themselves provide the direction that the creative process takes. This is why Safaa Abdelmenem wrote her novel "Euphoric" completely in Egyptian, the language of her protagonists. By Mohamed El-Baaly
-
Caroline Link's Film "Exit Marrakech"Understanding the Cultural "Other"
With her exquisite and sensitive film "Exit Marrakech", Caroline Link demonstrates genuine openness towards Morocco – the beauty of its landscape, the social diversity, and the country's cultural wealth, as well as for its social extremes and contradictions. A review by Christoph Leisten
-
Interview with Yasmine Hamdan"I Am a Nomad"
Yasmine Hamdan is a rising star on the alternative electro-pop scene in Lebanon. In her solo debut album "Ya Nass", she has given classical Arabic music a modern twist. An interview by Juliane Metzker
-
Iraqi Pop MusicRaid Yousif – A Superstar in Limbo
After fleeing his native Iraq and settling in Germany, Raid Yousif is devoting himself to developing his music career. Despite setbacks, he's intent on breaking new ground. Eike Rüdebusch reports
-
Interview with Nacer KhemirIslam as a Culture of Reconciliation
Tunisian film-maker and visual artist Nacer Khemir criticises the cultural inertia, which he feels was caused by decades of dictatorship, and the growing religious fervour gripping his country. He spoke to Christina Omlin
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
Most read articles
-
Deutsche Nahostforschung
Zeigt endlich Haltung!
-
„Die vielen Leben des Ibrahim Nagui“ von Samia Mehrez
Gedenken ist Familiensache
-
Basra zehn Jahre nach dem Irak-Krieg
Die geschundene Stadt
-
Albaniens Bektaschi-Muslime
"Ob Allah oder Jesus spielt keine Rolle“
-
Cannabis und Islam
Eine vielschichtige Beziehung
-
Prostitution in Tunesien
Das Verdeckte offenlegen