Qantara Startseite Englisch - Dialogue with the Islamic world
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Pankaj Mishra on Germany, Israel and Palestine"An anarchic, nihilistic world"
The West, particularly Germany, has instrumentalised Holocaust remembrance to justify state violence, argues Pankaj Mishra. A conversation on suppressed colonial histories, Western complicity in Gaza and Germany's role in the erosion of international law.
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Anti-Erdoğan protestsTurkey at the crossroads
The March arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has sparked widespread protests demanding his release and fresh presidential elections. Successful or not, the protests point to a changing face of Turkish society.
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Two years of war in SudanA fractured nation on the brink of partition
Two years in, Sudan's war shows no signs of resolution. As both sides push to establish rival governments, civilians bear the brunt of the violence, and national divisions threaten to become permanent.
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Christians in SyriaFear lingers in an ancient community
In the predominantly Christian town of Maaloula, residents hold differing views on al-Sharaa and the safety of their community in the new Syria. For many, memories of the 2013 Nusra Front attack remain—and mistrust runs deep.
Politics
More about Politics-
UGTT in crisisThe decline of Tunisia's most powerful trade union
Plagued by internal divisions, Tunisia's UGTT union is losing the political influence it gained after the 2011 revolution. What is behind the crisis—and how has President Kais Saied capitalised?
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Civil society since the Arab SpringEurope must support the agents of change
Civil society organisations in West Asia and North Africa face widespread repression. But instead of supporting activists on the ground, European policymakers continue to prop up autocratic regimes.
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Interview with the Egyptian author Alaa Al Aswany″I write to defend democracy″
Best-selling novelist Alaa Al Aswany was one of the main protagonists in the 2011 Egyptian uprising and remains a high-profile government critic. Interview by Sabine Peschel
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Western Sahara – the last colony in Africa″Armed resistance is their only choice″
With Rabat′s latest Dakhla proposal promising even deeper economic penetration of Western Sahara, many Sahrawis are left wondering if a referendum favouring independence can ever undo Morocco′s presence in the territory. Report from Dakhla by Matthew Greene
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Rafik Schami on integration″To the haters, they′re all faceless Muslims″
In this article, the Syrian-German writer Rafik Schami outlines his idea of integration and hospitality.
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Pakistan′s struggle with sectarianismEnough is enough
In recent years, Pakistan, a country with a rich and varied multi-ethnic and multi-religious history, has become a hostile place for minorities. Aurangzeb Qureshi, writer and political commentator, examines how Pakistan might quell its burgeoning sectarianism
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Sadiq Khan′s LondonDemocracy wins out
Pakistani by origin, Muslim by faith and newly elected Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan is the man of the hour in the United Kingdom, if not in Europe. As Bernard-Henri Levy argues, his victory sends a highly positive signal
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Sykes-Picot and the role of Gertrude BellMidwife of the Middle East
The order of nation states in the Middle East has been disintegrating since Islamic State fighters overran the Syrian border in 2014 – a border that dates back to 1916 and a secret agreement between the diplomats Sir Mark Sykes and Francois Georges-Picot. Yet one woman also played a key role: the British national Gertrude Bell. Birgit Svensson visited her grave in Baghdad
Society
More about Society-
Christianity and IslamThe Muslim Jesus
Both Muslims and Christians revere Jesus, but they have different interpretations of his life, mission and role in salvation. At Easter, shared themes of resurrection and hope offer space for dialogue.
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Sudan's Emergency Response RoomsA revolutionary aid network
Born from Sudan's 2018-19 revolution, the volunteer-led Emergency Response Rooms have become a lifeline to millions, coordinating aid where international efforts have failed. Their decentralised model offers a blueprint for grassroots humanitarian relief.
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How German textbooks present Islam and immigration"Diversity is part of everyday life"
In conversation with Arnd Zickgraf, Viola B. Georgi from the University of Hildesheim explains why German textbooks are behind the times in their treatment of Islam and immigration
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Interview with Mouhanad Khorchide"Religion seeks to touch people′s hearts"
The new book by Islamic Studies scholar Mouhanad Khorchide argues for a modern understanding of the Koran and considers the relationship between God and humanity. "The Koran aims to bring up mature human beings, who develop their own religious nature", says Khorchide. Interview by Canan Topcu
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A central Museum of Migration in GermanyRecording the history of modern migration
DOMiD, the Documentation Center and Museum of Migration in Germany, has been collecting stories and personal objects from migrants for the past 25 years. Now, the association feels that the time has come to open a central museum of migration in Germany. By Stefan Dege
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Violence against womenYoung Arab men fight for women′s rights
Fifteen years after Security Council Resolution 1325 called on all parties to protect women and girls from gender-based violence, such violence remains widespread throughout the Arab world. The good news is that ever more young Arab men are joining women′s rights organisations. By Katja Dombrowski
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Judaism in AfghanistanKabul's one remaining Jew
Afghanistan's Jewish minority currently consists of one single Jewish man. But the nation on the Hindu Kush has a unique Jewish history that has been largely forgotten after years of conflict. By Emran Feroz
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Book review: ″Auf der Flucht″ by Karim El Gawhary and Mathilde SchwabenederBorn in the wrong place
″Auf der Flucht″ by Karim El Gawhary and Mathilde Schwabeneder tells stirring and disturbing real-life tales of people who have lost everything. Martina Sabra read the book
Culture
More about Culture-
Jan Dost on writing in Arabic and Kurdish"Like being caught between two magnets"
"Safe Corridor" is Jan Dost's first novel translated into English. The prolific Syrian writer explores the hardening impact of war on children and discusses the key differences between writing in Kurdish and Arabic.
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"Fighting the Flow" by Algerian author Saïd KhatibiThe weight of colonial memory
Saïd Khatibi's "Fighting the Flow" explores French colonialism's violent legacy in Algerian society after the War of Liberation. The novel poses the question: can individuals liberate themselves from their past?
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Interview with Egyptian Writer Khaled Alkhamissi''We Are Living in a Vibrant Social Era in Egypt''
Best-selling author and journalist Khaled Alkhamissi is one of the sharpest observers of Egyptian society. In his novels Taxi and Noah's Ark he foretold the fall of the Mubarak regime. Bettina Kolb spoke to him about a revolution that is far from over
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Musicians in IranAn Uphill Struggle All the Way
With heavy censorship and no copyright laws, being a musician in Iran is a thankless job. Bamdad Esmaili spoke to a number of Iranian musicians about the manifold challenges they face
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Baghdad: Arab Capital of Culture 2013Normality Still a Distant Dream
Terrorist attacks, corruption and scandals are casting a dark shadow over the celebrations to mark Baghdad's year as Arab Capital of Culture, as Birgit Svensson reports from Iraq's capital
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Interview with the Syrian Writer Rosa Yassin HassanTouched by Magic
Until a few months ago, Rosa Yassin Hassan was filing daily reports on the war in Syria in her blog, "Diary of the Syrian Revolution". Her accounts detailed both the suffering of civilians and the brutal acts committed by both the regime and the opposition. Persecuted by the regime, she fled to Germany in the autumn of 2012. Laura Overmeyer spoke to her
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Mohammed Rasoulof's ''Manuscripts Don't Burn''Iranian Agents as Killers
The Islamic Republic's intelligence service is unmasked for the first time in a film based on a series of murders of Iranian writers and intellectuals in the late 1990s. Stefan Buchen introduces the new movie by director Mohammed Rasoulof
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Islam in European Classical MusicAs-salam alaykum Resounding from the Minaret
We cannot say precisely when the musical penetration of East and West began, but one thing is certain: composers like Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and others could not resist the fascination of the Orient. Thus elements of Turkish music, Persian poetry and Arabic storytelling found their way straight to the heart of European culture. By Nadja Kayali
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
Most read articles
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Pankaj Mishra über Deutschland und den Gazakrieg
„Eine zunehmend anarchische, nihilistische Welt“
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Prostitution in Tunesien
Das Verdeckte offenlegen
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Völkermord an den Armeniern
Der Widerstand der jungen Kreativen
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Sex-Tourismus in Ägypten
Braut für einen Sommer
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Cannabis und Islam
Eine vielschichtige Beziehung
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Islamisch-jüdischer Dialog
"Humor kann Spannungen entschärfen"