Qantara Startseite Englisch - Dialogue with the Islamic world
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Syrians in TurkeyA home for Istanbul's refugees
Based in an inconspicuous room in Istanbul's Beyoğlu district, Addar offers Syrian refugees education, advice and community. But without proper funding, the initiative is struggling to survive.
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The murder of Ben BarkaNew revelations from Israel's archives
The book "L'Affaire Ben Barka" reveals new details about the assassination of Moroccan opposition leader Mehdi Ben Barka. Long-secret Israeli documents show the role of Mossad in one of the 20th century's most mysterious murders.
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Jafar Panahi's film "It Was Just an Accident"Humanism and humour
In the Iranian director's most critical film yet, Jafar Panahi presents a cross-section of society, takes aim at the practice of torture and shows fearless women claiming space. But there's still room for comedy.
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Historical photographs of SyriaAn obsessive archivist
Ahmed Hasan sold his house to pursue a passion for historical photographs. His collection traces Syria's history through everyday life.
Politics
More about Politics-
Syria's economyAusterity and liberalisation won't rebuild the country
Syria's government is pursuing economic growth through liberalisation, foreign investment and cuts to state spending. These moves benefit the new elite but won't lift the majority out of crisis.
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Religion in the armed forcesMilitary imams to be introduced in Germany
From 2026, Germany's Bundeswehr will recruit chaplains for Muslim soldiers, responding to calls from Islamic associations that go back over two decades.
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Interview with the Israeli historian Tom Segev″United Jerusalem is a myth″
In interview with Inge Günther, the prominent Israeli historian and journalist Tom Segev talks about life in the city where peace is impossible
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Israel in the mediaFighting the empty phrase
In Germany, public statements about Israel often lack quality. The quality of media discourse comes from knowledge and precise observation, but also from controversy and a diversity of voices. When it comes to Israel, something else sets the tone: the empty phrase
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Turkey′s general electionPeace a top priority
In elections in June, the AK Party lost its absolute majority in the Turkish parliament – and President Erdogan lost his grip on unrestrained power. His critics consider him one of the fomenters of the violent chaos now plaguing the country. By Timur Tinc
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Turkey's general electionOvershadowed by violence and political polarisation
Turkey is heading to a general election on 1 November in the aftermath of the country′s worst terror attack, renewed fighting with Kurdish rebels and with a society increasingly polarised. The snap election comes after the inconclusive June poll that ended the AKP Party′s 13-year parliamentary majority. But, as Dorian Jones writes from Istanbul, the country may be forced into entering a new era of political compromise
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Solutions to the Syrian conflictDiplomacy rather than deadlock
Only diplomatic negotiations can bring about an end to the bloodshed in Syria. These talks must take place now without preconditions and involve both the Assad regime and the authoritarian Russian leadership. A contribution to the debate from Niklas Kossow and Ilyas Saliba
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Israeli-Palestinian conflictThird intifada looming
Violence between Israelis and Palestinians is once again on the rise. Without renewed efforts to establish a two-state solution, no lasting peace will be forthcoming. An analysis from Jerusalem by Ingrid Ross
Society
More about Society-
Education in SyriaReturning pupils face language barrier
Eleven-year-old Ali spent six years in Germany. Now back in Syria, he is struggling with Arabic, his native language, as the new government appears overwhelmed by the task of reintegrating returning schoolchildren.
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Egyptian feminist Nawal El Saadawi"Intersectional long before the term was coined"
A seminal feminist text by Nawal El Saadawi has been translated into English and German for the first time, over five decades after it first appeared in Arabic. Publisher and translator Sophie Haesen explains why it should be essential reading worldwide.
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The destruction of Yemen's cultural heritageTreasures of humanity under threat
Ongoing airstrikes and the military conflict with the Houthi rebels bring the threat of further destruction of important historical buildings and cultural monuments in Yemen. By Amida Sholan
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The role of the HDP in the Turkish general electionBeacon of hope for women and LGBTs
In the Turkish election campaign, all eyes are on the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP). The party's success would fundamentally redraw the nation's political map. Within a short period of time, it has succeeded in gaining favour with an array of disadvantaged social groups. By Ceyda Nurtsch
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Book review: Khaled Diab's "Intimate Enemies: Living with Israelis and Palestinians in the Holy Land"Prioritising the people
At a time when Palestinian–Israeli relations are at a particularly low ebb, it might seem over-optimistic to argue that the divisions between the people on the two sides are less than they seem, and that a "people's peace process" could lead to a just solution. Yet this is what the Egyptian-Belgian journalist, author and blogger Khaled Diab does in his book "Intimate Enemies: Living with Israelis and Palestinians in the Holy Land". By Susannah Tarbush
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Ayaan Hirsi Ali's controversial theories on IslamHailed as a "female Luther"
Ayaan Hirsi Ali has just published her latest book "Heretic" in Germany. Her work has been received with enthusiasm in Germany, where she was courted by the media and even described as a "female Luther". She probably has more in common with him than is comfortable for many. By Emran Feroz
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Palmyra's ancient queenZenobia, secular Arab heroine
The city of Palmyra, which was recently seized by Islamic State (IS), was once ruled by Queen Zenobia, who became a source of inspiration for modern, secular Arabs and the Arab women's movement alike. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that articles in the Arab media are referring to Zenobia as a "prisoner of the jihadists". By Joseph Croitoru
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Book review: "What Makes a Man? Sex Talk in Beirut and Berlin"An honest and painful cultural exchange
In 2003, two authors – one from Germany, one from Lebanon – spent time in each other's company and countries as part of a cultural exchange programme. Twelve years on, a book resulting from this encounter has been published: one section of the book details the Lebanese author's reaction to meeting a homosexual; another is devoted to the German author's rebuttal of this account. According to Nahrain Al-Mousawi, it is an unsettling read on many levels
Culture
More about Culture-
Literature in YemenThe last bastion of beauty
Yemen's cultural scene has been hard hit by years of war, but not completely silenced. While many writers and intellectuals have left the country, the small literary club Alamaqah remains active, a testament to the resilience of Yemeni culture.
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Architecture in LibyaReclaiming a vanishing colonial heritage
As Benghazi’s Italian-era architecture slowly disappears, an exhibition brings together architects and artists rethinking the city’s history — reassessing the colonial past without celebrating it.
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Missing: the Syrian Film-maker Orwa NyrabiaThe Hunt for Awkward Cultural Activists
Last Thursday afternoon, Orwa Nyrabia, film-maker, festival organiser and activist, disappeared as he was on the way to board a flight from Damascus to Cairo. It is assumed that he was arrested at Damascus airport by the Syrian security services. But, as Charlotte Bank reports, the case is not unique
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Michael Muhammad Knight's Novel ''Taqwacore''Provocation as a Way of Life
Every movement has its pioneers. With his novel "Taqwacore", Michael Muhammad Knight created a blueprint for an individual youth protest culture in the US: "Muslim Punk". His book is both shocking and provocative. But "Taqwacore" has struck a chord with Muslim youngsters who say it reflects their own conflicts of identity. By Naima El Moussaoui
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Cinematic Arts in JordanEmpowering People to Tell Their Own Stories
Jordan does not have a long history of cinematic arts, but at the Red Sea Institute for Cinematic Arts in Aqaba students learn how to make films, being encouraged to critical debate and discourse. An interview with Paolo Remati, head of the institute
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Interview with the Lebanese Filmmaker Jocelyne Saab''My Country Was a Beautiful Garden''
Jocelyne Saab is one of Lebanon's most daring filmmakers. In this interview with Élena Eilmes, the artist and director talks about the Beirut-related symbolism of her most recent film, and the themes of violence, reading and love in her artwork
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Literature and Collective Trauma in AlgeriaMoving Beyond the Examination of History
Perception of Algerian literature is dominated by the complex thematic backdrop of violence and the processing of traumatic experience. What are the reasons for this? In a piece to mark the 50th anniversary of Algerian independence, Martina Sabra debates this issue
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Aleppo's Old TownWorld Cultural Heritage Threatened by Syria's Civil War
Large-scale destruction is being inflicted on the unique historical and cultural legacy of the Syrian commercial metropolis Aleppo. And the people of the city had actually only just begun to show an interest in that legacy. By Claudia Mende
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
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