Qantara Startseite Englisch - Dialogue with the Islamic world
-
Morocco-Algeria arms race"The solution requires political courage"
Tensions between Morocco and Algeria are fuelling a frantic arms race. Moroccan researcher Hicham Mouatadid traces the roots of the rivalry and calls for a solution that goes beyond the Western Sahara conflict to address regional security as a whole.
-
Lebanese Civil WarThe postwar that never was
Fifty years since its outbreak, Lebanon's Civil War continues to shape its society and political system. The postwar era has been marked by violence, foreign occupation, political paralysis and economic crisis—raising the question: did the war ever truly end?
-
"Carmen" on the Egyptian stageRewritten to fit the patriarchal script
A stage production of "Carmen", adapted from Prosper Mérimée's French novella, has captured the attention of audiences and critics in Cairo. While the French novella portrayed Carmen as a free-spirited rebel, the Egyptian adaptation tells a different story.
-
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.
Politics
More about Politics-
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.
-
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.
-
Turkey′s media crackdownNo freedom. No press.
The crackdown on media critical of the Turkish president and his government continues unabated with the official seizure of the country′s bestselling ″Zaman″ newspaper. With international criticism muted, many government critics fear the lights are about to finally go out for independent media. By Dorian Jones in Istanbul
-
Lebanon: from amnesty to amnesiaLacking a culture of remembrance
"In Lebanon, repression has become a permanent state of mind," says the journalist and Orientalist Monika Borgmann. With the archive "UMAM Documentation & Research", founded in 2004, she attempts to fill the gaps in the country's collective memory. Interview by Juliane Pfordte
-
Saudi Arabia and IranDefeat Islamic State - or become it
The dawn of 2016 has brought a new round of doomsday predictions that Saudi Arabia’s ruling Al Saud family cannot sustain its autocratic grip on power. The kingdom, pessimists argue, is caught in a perfect storm with economic problems, social challenges and foreign policy crises all converging at the same time. By James M. Dorsey
-
Syria: human rights violations and tortureThe toll of the missing
Since war broke out, the Assad regime has caused hundreds of thousands of people to disappear. Such abductions are a useful means of intimidating the opposition. A German of Syrian origin is searching for his missing father. By Hasan Hussain
-
Elections in IranA lesson for the powerful and the disempowered
Granted, elections in Iran have little impact on the real political conditions in the Islamic Republic, where to this day the leader of the revolution retains his hold on the reins of power. But even so, the latest round of voting has highlighted the atmosphere among large sections of the civilian population. An analysis by Ali Sadrzadeh
-
Tony Blair and the Iraq warA case of smoke and mirrors
We don't need to wait for Chilcot, Blair lied to us about Iraq, asserts Peter Oborne, former political editor-in-chief with the British "Daily Telegraph"
Society
More about Society-
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.
-
Juergen Habermas awarded Kluge Prize for Philosophy″Asylum is a human right″
What holds society together and what's our role in it? Philosophers Juergen Habermas and Charles Taylor have recently been honoured in the US for their work on these issues. By Klaus Kraemer and Stefan Reccius
-
Portrait of the Syrian intellectual Sadiq al-AzmCritical philosopher and political activist
Though Damascene born and bred, al-Azm is a true cosmopolitan - with no nostalgia for his mother′s baking, no tears shed over the good old days, and no longing for the fresh scent of jasmine so reminiscent of Damascus. He has always preferred personal freedom with all its associated risks to the comfort of a familiar environment. By Yassin al-Haj Saleh
-
Anti-construction protests in Turkey″Reclaim Istanbul!″ – policy vs. architecture
Turkey′s construction industry is booming. As a key pillar of the nation's economy, President Erdogan's ambitious goal is to ensure it catapults Turkey into the world's top ten economies by 2023. But the AKP's ″urban transformation project″ has many downsides. By Ceyda Nurtsch
-
Eco-Islam: Noor al-Hussein speaks outIslam, faith and climate change
The Islamic Declaration on Climate Change, endorsed in August by Islamic scholars from around the world, calls on countries to phase out greenhouse gas emissions and switch to 100% renewable energy. With 1.6 billion Muslims worldwide, the collective statement sends a strong signal ahead of the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit later this month, and the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris in December. By Noor al-Hussein, Queen of Jordan
-
Non-fiction: ″Angst ums Abendland″ by Daniel BaxThe apocalyptics of the West
In his book "Angst ums Abendland" (Fears For the West), taz journalist Daniel Bax presents a detailed examination of why contemporary Europe should not be afraid of Muslims, but of Islamophobes. A review by Emran Feroz
-
Islamic bankingSeattle's initiative has Muslims hopeful
Seattle’s city council is launching a programme of Sharia-compliant loans with the aim of improving the long-term prospects of the local Muslim community. Those forced to live in high-cost rental property are now in a position to consider the alternatives. By Joseph Mayton
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.
-
The Arab Hip-Hop Sampler ''Khat Thaleth''Looking for a Third Way
The hip-hop sampler Khat Thaleth is a compilation of the work of artists from across the Arab world. Contrary to what one might expect, although they rap about the revolution, they do not necessarily take the side of the rebels. Jannis Hagmann reports
-
Saladin Ahmed's ''Throne of the Crescent Moon''An Arab-American Fantasy Epic
Saladin Ahmed's fantasy novel "Throne of the Crescent Moon" is inspired by One Thousand and One Nights. In his review, Richard Marcus says the epic adds much needed diversity to the fantasy genre
-
Portrait of the Egyptian TV Satirist Bassem YoussefFighting over the ''Pantie Revolution''
The Egyptian TV satirist Bassem Youssef has cult status in his country thanks to his wit and biting criticism. Nothing is sacred for him, and so his enemies are always trying to drag him before the courts. By Joseph Croitoru
-
The Franco-Algerian artist Dalila Dalléas BouzarPulling away the Veil from Memory
In her project "Algeria, Year Zero – the pieced together past of the future", Berlin-based Franco-Algerian artist Dalila Dalléas Bouzar focused on the collective traumas experienced by Algerian society. Martina Sabra spoke with the artist in Berlin
-
Turkish Television Series: Muhteşem YüzyilToo Much Sex, Too Little Heroism
Millions of viewers in Turkey are hooked on a television series about the Ottoman ruler Suleiman the Magnificent. Prime Minister Erdogan, on the other hand, wants the series taken off air. Jürgen Gottschlich reports from Istanbul
-
Qalandiya International – the first Palestinian BiennaleAgainst the Flow
In today's Palestine, art does not reflect politics – art is politics. That, at least, is the conviction of Qalandiya International – the first Palestinian Biennale. Alia Rayyan shares her impressions from this unusual art event
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
Most read articles
-
Libanons Bürgerkrieg
Eine Nachkriegszeit gab es nie
-
Gnaoua in Marokko
Aus der Sufi-Nische zum Festival-Hit
-
Geschlechterrollen in der arabischen Welt
"Die Idee männlicher Dominanz ist in der Krise“
-
Konflikt im Nordkaukasus
Welche Rolle spielt die Religion?
-
Sex-Tourismus in Ägypten
Braut für einen Sommer
-
Öl und Entwicklung im Mittleren und Nahen Osten
Fluch und Segen