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Iran's Gulf regionMore than a strait
The Strait of Hormuz is at the centre of geopolitical tensions. But a closer look at the cultural landscape reveals a different picture: on Iran's southern coast, African, Indian and Arab influences converge, creating a cultural tapestry far removed from the image of a homogeneous theocratic state.
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Reconstruction in SyriaWhose land will major investors build on?
Syria is relying on competition and foreign investment to fund its reconstruction efforts. In Damascus, citizens are being asked to sell their land for a multi-billion property project. Yet many long to rebuild their own homes.
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Egyptian film "Asad"Slave drama sparks debate on national identity
In Egypt, a historical film has sparked a present-day controversy, with critics accusing "Asad" of distorting the past and promoting Afrocentric narratives. Beneath the political rhetoric, however, lies a deeper cultural dispute.
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Iranian author Shahrnush ParsipurWriting in defiance
With the death of Shahrnush Parsipur, Iran has lost one of its most indomitable literary voices. The author of "Women Without Men" confronted censorship and oppression throughout her life. Most recently, she refused to glorify the war against Iran as a liberation.
Politics
More about Politics-
Syria after AssadStriking deals with the old elites
The HTS regime presents itself as the "liberator of Syria" while collaborating with key figures from the Assad era. Instead of conducting a thorough reckoning with the past, the new elites are consolidating power with the help of the old.
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Saudi sports policyThe limits of Saudi Arabia's football ambitions
Saudi Arabia has emerged as an influential player in the politics of international sports, particularly football. The 2034 World Cup will be hosted by the Kingdom, but war in the Gulf could be jeopardising its ambitious goals.
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New Year′s Eve and Islam in GermanyA gift from the gods
What happened in Cologne is being instrumentalised on all sides. Islamist preachers such as Pierre Vogel and Muslim representatives in Germany are using the events to clalm that salvation lies, as ever, in the strict observance of religious rules. This is simply serving to widen the rift, writes Stefan Buchen
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Interview with the Islam scholar John Louis EspositoIslam′s image problem
In conversation with Habib El Mallouki, the renowned US Islam scholar John Louis Esposito talks about burgeoning Islamophobic and right-wing populist tendencies in Europe and the US as a consequence of the terrorist activities of radical Islamist groups
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Iran-Saudi conflictPlaying the sectarian card
Iran and Saudi Arabia are stoking the denominational conflict between Sunnis and Shias. Both sides are attempting to exploit an inner-Islamic conflict that has been raging for more than 1,300 years. And yet, as Andreas Gorzewski reports, it′s not always about religion
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Iran and Saudi Arabia:The impending storm
The rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia is not confessional in nature. Both lay claim to regional supremacy and also to the leading role in the Islamic world – maximalist positions that naturally provoke confrontation. An essay by Ali Fathollah-Nejad, political scientist with the German Council on Foreign Relations
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Iran and Saudi Arabia:A plea for Islamic tolerance
The escalating rivalries and animosities between Iran and Saudi Arabia have nothing to do with the Sunni-Shia divide in the Islamic theology, even less with the common fate and destiny of Iranians and Arabs among other nations in the region. An analysis by Hamid Dabashi
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Middle East conflictWhat prospect peace?
2015 closed in a wave of violence. Israel has continued consolidating its control of the West Bank and forged ahead with settlement building. Radical Palestinians have reacted to the increased repression with knife attacks. Details from Tel Aviv by Daniella Cheslow
Society
More about Society-
250 years of the USAHow enslaved African Muslims resisted bondage
The history of Islam in the U.S. does not begin with voluntary immigration. It can be traced back to the country's formative years, and to the millions of enslaved Africans, up to a third of whom are believed to have been Muslim.
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Femicide in TurkeyWhere is Gülistan Doku?
Years after a young Kurdish woman's femicide, new probes have led to arrests. The suspects are sons of civil servants. The case ignited a Turkish debate on state failure and alleged cover-up. Yet the wider issue of anti-Kurdish violence remains sidelined.
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Media portrayals and geopolitics in the Near and Middle EastWho shapes our image of the world?
In this commentary, Charlotte Wiedemann considers how press freedom and the media are tethered to Western geopolitics
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Interview with Shirin EbadiTime for a human rights deal in Iran
Following the recent nuclear agreement, Iranians are hoping not only for a boost to their country's economy, but also for improved rights. In this interview, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi explains why the time has come for the West to focus on the human rights situation in Iran. By Sharam Ahadi and Mitra Shodjaie
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Syrian refugee protest in Germany"We have to save the lives of our wives and children"
Although Syrian refugees have been promised a speedy asylum process in Germany, some have been in limbo for as long as eight months. Fed up with waiting, a group of Syrians has organised a protest camp in Dortmund. By Janina Semenova
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The IS manifesto for womenBaiting the jihadi brides
It is not only men who are joining the ranks of "Islamic State", women are too. Many are being encouraged to do so by the manifesto of the IS women's brigade al-Khansaa, which has been translated into English and German. Primarily aimed at Muslim women with limited education, the IS ideal is not very far removed from role models that prevailed in conservative social strata in the West until well into the twentieth century. By Stefan Weidner
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Abla Fahita: an Egyptian media phenomenonThe taboo-challenging puppet
The TV puppet Abla Fahita is causing a furore in Egypt. On her new show, "Live from the Duplex", she frequently and unashamedly addresses taboo topics – a fact that divides opinion in Egyptian society. Elisabeth Lehmann reports from Cairo
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The Virtual Iftar Project"It is harder to ignore, vilify or harm those with whom we have broken bread"
The Virtual Dinner Guest Project is an international multimedia initiative that brings people across various cultures together at the dinner table. Breaking bread and barriers in one go, this platform launched the Virtual Iftar Project across Europe during the month of Ramadan, which has just ended. Roma Rajpal Weiß spoke to the project founder, Eric Maddox, about the project and about cultural tension between Muslims and non-Muslims
Culture
More about Culture-
Lebanese literature in translationThe rediscovery of Alis al-Bustani
Published in 1891, Alis al-Bustani's only novel "Sa'iba" dismantles the comforting assumptions of Arab modernity. A new translation restores to view a woman writer long consigned to obscurity.
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Islamic history scholar Sabine Schmidtke"The Holocaust reshaped knowledge production about Islam"
Hedwig Klein's life and scholarship were cut short by the Holocaust in 1942. In her new book, Sabine Schmidtke traces Klein's intellectual legacy and sets the record straight on her involvement in Hans Wehr's Arabic dictionary.
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Interview with Filmmaker Lina al-Abed''I Believe in the Syrian People''
Lina al-Abed is a journalist and filmmaker who left her home in Damascus, Syria, to start a career in Beirut, Lebanon. In this interview with Irmgard Berner, she talks about women in the Arab film business and how the Syrian revolution has already in some ways liberated Syrians
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German-Israeli TiesStill Best of Friends?
Despite German Chancellor Angela Merkel's strong, traditional backing for Israel, some Germans are becoming more critical of the country and calling into question Germany's unequivocal support. By Daniella Cheslow
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Iranian Singer-Songwriter Mohsen NamjooThe Innovator
Mohsen Namjoo's visionary musical style has struck a chord with audiences both in Iran and beyond. Not only does the music break with tradition, it also reconciles Iran's young generation with the nation's classical musical heritage. By Marian Brehmer
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Interview with Daniel Barenboim''Mutual Appreciation Is Essential''
Pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim has founded an academy in Berlin for musicians from the Middle East, an effort at easing decades of conflict. Peter Zimmermann talked to him about the background and his hopes for the project
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Etgar Keret's ''Suddenly, A Knock on the Door''Following the Mysteries of Life into Hidden Corners
Etgar Keret has always refused to politicize his work, a fact illustrated by his dialogue collaboration with the Palestinian Samir el-Youssef on a book entitled "Gaza Blues". Volker Kaminski reviews Keret's new book of short stories, "Suddenly, A Knock on the Door"
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Ifa exhibition: Syrian Short Films and VideosSomwhere between Art and Activism
How have Syria's independent artists been addressing the escalating violence in their native country since the start of the uprising against the Assad regime? For the first time ever, the ifa-Galerie in Berlin is showing videos and short films by Syrian artists inspired by the revolution in an exhibition entitled "Bewegte Bilder" (Moving Images). By Charlotte Bank
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
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