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Culture in GermanyThe politics of neutrality
This year’s Berlinale highlighted the tensions between art and supposedly neutral institutions. But state-funded cultural bodies don't operate outside politics; they set the terms of debate. Greater transparency about how boundaries are drawn could strengthen trust.
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Attacks on IranDid the Saudis want this war?
Saudi Arabia's calculations in the Iran war may be different from what many assume. Rockets and drones are flying towards Doha, Dubai and even Riyadh—yet the kingdom could still see opportunities in the conflict.
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German legal expert Kai Ambos on Iran war"International law is not a suggestion"
The attack on Iran by the US and Israel violates the UN Charter, says Kai Ambos. He argues that European powers cannot preach a rules-based order while failing to denounce clear violations, and warns of a slide towards global lawlessness.
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Mukabela in Bosnia and HerzegovinaA distinctive and enduring Ramadan tradition
For Bosnian Muslims, mukabela, the daily communal recitation of the Qur'an, is an essential part of Ramadan. The tradition dates back to the Prophet Muhammad, was popularised under Ottoman rule and has survived dictatorship and war.
Politics
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US-Israeli attacksThe perils of a power vacuum in Iran
The US believes removing Tehran's rulers will neutralise the nuclear threat. Yet destroying the Iranian state would not eliminate the danger of proliferation; it would decentralise it, making it elusive and impossible to monitor.
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Ahmadiyya persecutionThe weaponisation of Pakistan's blasphemy laws
A high-profile blasphemy case has ignited tensions between Pakistan's courts and hardline religious groups. The fallout reveals how religion continues to be used for political leverage at the expense of the country's minorities.
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Arab protest movementsThe brief Jordanian spring
Tunisia, Egypt, Syria: in 2010/2011 the Arab World was in uproar. Young people took to the streets; the demonstrations led to regime change, but also to civil war. In Jordan, however, the protests lasted only briefly – and generated few results. The Jordanian journalist Tamer Khorma took part in the protests at that time. He explains why things came to a head and talks about the current situation in the country
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Kristin Helberg goes on record about the Syrian conflict″We need an alternative to Assad″
At the recent EU summit on refugees, German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced that she was willing to take part in talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. In an interview with Wolfgang Dick, Middle East expert Kristin Helberg warns against misinterpretation
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Hindus and Muslims in IndiaWhy census data is a priority political issue
Years later than planned, the Indian government has finally released census data on religious affiliation. The published figures could be exploited by the country′s political parties for their own ends, thereby further straining relations between Hindus and Muslims. By Ronald Meinardus
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The Arab view of the European refugee crisisLudicrous squabbling
Syria’s Middle Eastern neighbours have to date absorbed four million Syrian refugees. For this reason the EU should make it plain that despite images of train stations full of refugees, Europe is only shouldering a relatively small part of the current burden. A contribution to the debate by Karim El-Gawhary
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The role of Qassem Soleimani in IraqReining in the lion
Until recently, General Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards "Quds" Force, was still being hailed as a military hero and man for the future. But more and more details are emerging concerning his destructive role in Iraq. By Ali Sadrzadeh
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Mahmoud Abbas and the PLOPalestine′s office-weary regent
Dissatisfaction with Mahmoud Abbas – including within his own party – is growing. His political programme has remained for the most part unsuccessful. Many politicians have therefore begun to consider the possible aftermath of the president′s political departure. An analysis by Ingrid Ross
Society
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Damascus book fairA new benchmark for freedom
Syria has held its first book fair since the fall of Assad. The landmark event sets a new standard against which the government and its cultural policy will be judged.
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Research on Jew-hatred in Germany"Antisemitism cannot be deported"
The concept of "imported antisemitism" is widespread in German politics but remains poorly researched. A new study provides nuance, context and data on antisemitism among both migrants and non-migrants. An interview with co-author Neta‑Paulina Wagner.
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The headscarf in the colonial periodRemove your veils!
As far back as over 100 years ago, people were already arguing that the headscarf was a symbol of male oppression and therefore incompatible with Western civilisation and its system of values. In the French colonies, authorities actually followed through on these ideas, forcing women to take off their veils. Historical insights from Susanne Kaiser
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Interview with Fereshta Ludin"The decision for or against the headscarf is wholly a matter for the woman herself"
Fereshta Ludin is probably one of the most famous teachers in Germany. Her battle to be allowed to wear the headscarf in the classroom began in 2003 – initially without success. But she is optimistic following the latest ruling from the judges at Germany's Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe. She spoke to Emran Feroz
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The headscarf ruling from Germany's Constitutional CourtHeated debate on all sides
The headscarf ruling handed down by the Karlsruhe judges on 13 March met with divided reactions. While some are calling it a landmark decision, others see it not as a solution but as a potential source of further problems. Canan Topcu outlines the various positions
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Interview with the political scientist Farid Hafez"An expression of institutional Islamophobia"
The most recent amendment to the Islam Law in Austria is also making waves in Germany. While some politicians at the conservative end of the spectrum would like to introduce a "German version" of the law, critics believe adopting it would be the wrong way to go. One of these critics is the Austrian political theorist Farid Hafez. Emran Feroz asked him about his objections to the new law
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Women's magazine "Zhin" in Iraqi KurdistanChallenging traditions
A number of female journalists in Iraqi Kurdistan are shaking up a male-dominated domain with a magazine that aims to highlight the problems and abuse many women still face. They are reporting on women's success stories and addressing controversial issues such as female genital mutilation. Melissa Tabeek visited the editorial team in Sulaymaniyah
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Interview with Ronja von Wurmb-Seibel"My life in Afghanistan is more normal than people assume"
Ronja von Wurmb-Seibel is a German journalist and author of "Ausgerechnet Kabul" (Kabul, of all places). Her book is an account of her time in Afghanistan and provides an insider's perspective on the country, going beyond the subjects of burqa, Taliban and the role of the German Army in the country. Roma Rajpal Weiss spoke to her about the war-torn country and the situation for women in Afghanistan
Culture
More about Culture-
Author Taleb AlrefaiA window into the Kuwaiti soul
Does the German literary scene have a blind spot when it comes to Arabic literature? Abdulrahman Afif makes the case for the works of Kuwaiti writer Taleb Alrefai, whose socially critical literature deftly side-steps orientalist expectations.
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New Arab cinemaA reality that calls for the surreal
Arab filmmakers have long adopted a social realist view of everday life. A new wave is now emerging, says Amin Farzanefar, marked by fantasy, uncanny symbols and repressed memories.
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Writers in IranFighting a Losing Battle
Decades of repression and the establishment of a conformist state culture are beginning to take their toll on independent writers. In an all-enveloping climate of fear, Iran's young writers are coming under increasing pressure to sacrifice their independence and exercise self-censorship. For their part, the all-powerful state censorship authorities are becoming ever more professional – and restrictive – in their methods. By Faraj Sarkohi
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Comics Artists in the Arab WorldSwimming against the Tide
Many of the Arab comics and graphic novels produced before and during the Arab Spring are both critical of society and politically provocative. Despite the uprisings in the region, difficult working conditions and the strict constraints of media censorship still pose a big problem for the rebellious artists. A report by Charlotte Bank
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Interview with the Lebanese Composer and Oud Player Mahmoud Turkmani''I'm Way Beyond Any Categorization''
The 47-year-old musician and composer Mahmoud Turkmani was a highly accomplished oud player as a boy. As a young man, he rebelled against his upbringing and became a Communist. He left Beirut during the civil war and studied classical guitar at the Moscow Conservatory. From his adoptive home in Switzerland, he now enriches both Western and Eastern music with unorthodox works that fuse traditional and experimental elements and defy all categorization. Stefan Franzen met the artist
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Interview with Atiq RahimiUnable to Move Forward
In an interview with Shikiba Babori, the exiled Afghan author Atiq Rahimi criticizes the West's donor mentality in reconstructing Afghanistan and the indolence of the Afghan people, who he says have grown too accustomed to depending on foreign aid
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Abdellah Taïa's Novel ''The Day of the King''The Bitter Taste of Injustice
In his most recent novel, Le jour du Roi (The Day of the King), which has just been published in German translation, the Moroccan author Abdellah Taïa once again takes the reader back to the "leaden years", Morocco's dark days under the former ruler Hassan II. Claudia Kramatschek sends us this review
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Interview with Etel Adnan''I React to What is Happening in the World''
Etel Adnan, the grand dame of Middle Eastern literature, is the epitome of cosmopolitanism: throughout her life, she has oscillated between one country, one language, and one genre and another. dOCUMENTA (13) dedicated an entire retrospective to this exceptional poet, writer, and painter. Vera Kern travelled to Kassel to meet the 87-year-old
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
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