Qantara Startseite Englisch - Dialogue with the Islamic world
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Jina Khayyer's "In the Heart of the Cat"The Iran that Germany wants to see
A novel about Iran, full of errors, clichés and exoticism—yet lauded in Germany. "In the Heart of the Cat" exposes how readily the German market embraces stereotypes, as long as they fit readers' expectations.
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Zia Qasemi's "The Midnight Collector"Afghanistan – a restless country
A short life that represents an entire country: in "The Midnight Collector", Zia Qasemi recounts the life story of a man with a physical disability – and reveals why Afghanistan has much more to tell us than we often believe.
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Israel’s former intelligence chief on 7 October"Our actions are the result of fear"
Two years after the Hamas attack, Israel remains in shock, says Ami Ayalon. In this interview, the former intelligence chief explains why Israeli society has failed to learn the lessons of 7 October, why the Gaza war must end, and why he rejects allegations of genocide.
Politics
More about Politics-
Two years after October 7Making a case for a wide-ranging viewpoint
Two years after October 7, the need for honest analysis has never been more urgent. Real understanding can only emerge when we begin at the right place—by looking beyond recent events and the history of occupation of the Palestinian territories.
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Syrian newspaper Enab Baladi"We offer an alternative to propaganda and hate"
The team behind Enab Baladi, the revolutionary media organisation founded at the start of the 2011 uprising, has returned to Syria. Co-founder Kholoud Helmi explains why their presence in Damascus is more crucial than ever.
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Politics and economics in IranPie in the sky
Four months after the historic nuclear deal, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has been left practically empty-handed. UN sanctions against Iran have been largely lifted, but those still in force are so complex that few financial institutions in Europe are daring to conduct any business with Tehran, where there is a growing sense of disappointment – leaving rich pickings for the radicals. By Ali Sadrzadeh
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Political crisis in LibyaUnited we stand?
Four months after the signing of one of the UN-backed peace agreements between the conflict parties in Libya, the unity government may have arrived in the capital, but it is still uncertain when it will be able to fully assume power. Valerie Stocker reports from Tripoli
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Interview with the journalist and author Garance le CaisneCaesar and the butcher of Damascus
In her book ″Codename Caesar. Im Herzen der syrischen Todesmaschinerie″ (Codename Caesar. At the heart of the Syrian death machine), Garance le Caisne reveals Bashar al-Assad′s system of torture and the efforts of ″Caesar″ the photographer to put an end to the murder. Interview by Ruth Renee Reif
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Diyarbakir and the Turkish military offensiveThe spoils of urban warfare
The Turkish military operation brought death and destruction to the historic heart of Diyarbakir. Now, there has been a sudden decision to nationalise the neighbourhood – sounding alarm bells for its historic legacy. By Sonja Galler
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Tunisia's fight against ISCraving genuine alliance
Terrorism is threatening the only democracy to emerge from the Arab spring. Tunisia needs more support from the international community if it is to win the war on terror, writes Tawfik Jelassi
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AfD and its historical antecedentsWhose struggle is it anyway?
The call by the AfD for a ban on Muslims being able to practise their faith freely and publicly is an attack on the German constitutional right to freedom of religious expression. If people start calling for minarets to be erased from public life, then it is not unreasonable to expect that one day, those minarets will burn, says Stefan Buchen
Society
More about Society-
Deported from GermanyYazidi survivors confront the harsh reality of return
Thousands of Yazidis fled IS genocide and found refuge in Germany. Now, many have been ordered to return to Iraq, where they face dire living conditions, shattered infrastructure and the threat of further violence.
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"The Misguided Islam Debate" by Teseo La MarcaA plea for a pluralistic Islam
In his new book, Teseo La Marca argues that Germany's debate on Islam swings between extremes and calls for more nuance as an antidote to fundamentalism. But does he practise what he preaches?
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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
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The Islam debateThe dual consciousness of Muslims
Muslims today can no longer think, or ultimately exist, outside the widespread lore about Islam, which links them to discussions about terror, violence and the separation of religion and society. They can never be free of the neverending stream of projections about Islam. An essay by Farid Hafez
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Muslims in IndiaNothing like equal opportunities
Despite being India′s largest minority, the Muslim community is marginalised both economically and politically. Although Muslims are frequently targeted in acts of communal violence, the government and the population at large generally associate Islam with terrorism. Ghazala Jamil examines the quest of Indian Muslims for genuine participation and representation
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Prostitution in TunisiaThe big reveal
An art project exposes just how much the state controls sex workers in Tunisia. Such women not only have their freedom of movement restricted, they also face social isolation. Several brothels have been closed down since the Jasmine revolution. A report by Christina Omlin
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IS and its mediaCalling all suicide bombers
The media is playing its part in today's horror as "Islamic State" showcases its terrorists in magazines, videos and on the Internet to recruit new members. Joseph Croitoru examines how IS strategy has developed and evolved
Culture
More about Culture-
Documentary "The Moelln Letters"An indictment of forgetting
In 1992, shortly after German reunification, neo-Nazis in Mölln carried out an arson attack targeting Turkish families. "The Moelln Letters" follows the survivors, who just recently discovered the hundreds of letters of solidarity withheld from them for decades.
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Artists in SyriaReclaiming space, testing limits
Since Assad's fall, Syrian artists and intellectuals have been seeking ways to respond to a transformed reality. Four cultural workers reflect on the shape of the cultural sphere in the new Syria.
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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
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Interview with Syrian Writer Nihad SireesOn Literature's Honest Surrender
Syrian author Nihad Sirees has written seven novels and several plays and TV dramas. After increasing pressure from the Syrian government, Sirees left Aleppo in early 2012. Marcia Lynx Qualey met him at the Abu Dhabi Book Fair, just as he was leaving his exile in the US and moving to Egypt
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Film on the Case of Murat Kurnaz''A Scandal of Democracy''
"Five Years" examines the fate of the German Guantanamo prisoner Murat Kurnaz. Director Stefan Schaller's film exposes viewers to the horrific abuse of human rights endured by camp detainees. Jochen Kürten reports
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
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