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Ramadan TV specialsSyrian drama after Assad
Television dramas are a Ramadan staple in Syria. This year, for the first time, viewers watched series written in a post-Assad era, some confronting past trauma, others offering satirical critique, sparking fierce debate over how the country's stories should be told.
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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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Iran WarWill the Gulf states stand together?
Hard hit by Iranian attacks, the business model of the Gulf states is under attack. Yet they are far from defenceless: with coordination—and unity—they could establish themselves as powerful agents of change.
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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.
Politics
More about Politics-
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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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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After the Sousse attackUnited against terror
Following the attack on a beach hotel near Sousse, which claimed the lives of 38 and injured 39 others, many Tunisians took to the streets to demonstrate against Islamist terror in their country and call for a tightening of security laws. Report from Sousse by Karim El-Gawhary
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Interview with Alaya Allani, an expert on Islamism"The jihadists have no social base in Libya"
Alaya Allani, professor of contemporary history at the Monouba University in Tunis and a specialist on Islamist movements, does not expect that the IS terrorist militia will be able to establish itself in Libya over the long-term, although the jihadists have already successfully formed cells in some regions of the country. Beat Stauffer spoke to him in Tunis
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The civil war in SyriaWhen minorities become pawns in a power game
The Assad clan is exploiting the multi-religious composition of Syria and holding its minorities in a fatal grip of dependency. By Haid N. Haid and Bente Scheller
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The Assad regime and the civil war in SyriaClash of barbarisms
Over the past four years, Assad has razed Syria to the ground. According to Lebanese intellectual Elias Khoury, Assad's regime has reached the end of the line, and the region finds itself in a situation similar to that at the end of the Ottoman Empire
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Interview with Turkish political scientist Gulistan GurbeyLitmus test for Turkish democracy
Political scientist Gulistan Gurbey sees two consequences of the electoral success of the pro-Kurdish HDP: firstly, it has prevented the introduction of a presidential system favoured by President Erdogan and secondly, it will have positive impulses for Turkish democracy. Nevertheless, she believes that turbulent times lie ahead. Interview conducted by Basak Ozay
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The case of Al Jazeera journalist Ahmed MansourA politically motivated incident?
German authorities have released the prominent Egyptian journalist Ahmed Mansour after three days in detention, despite a request by the authorities in Egypt for his extradition. The case has triggered a bout of angry questions concerning press freedom and German-Egyptian relations. Karim El-Gawhary reports from Cairo
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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Qantara review 2014Your favourite articles of the year
This year, roughly 450 English-language articles were published on Qantara.de. These articles covered a huge variety of topics from the civil war in Syria, the rise of IS, and the Gaza conflict to elections in Tunisia, Turkey, India and Egypt. We also took a closer look at Islamophobia in Germany and worldwide, integration in Europe, and women's rights and freedom of speech in the Islamic world, not to mention a fascinating and colourful range of topics from the world of culture
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Interview with Zara Faris"Feminism is about stereotypes on how women should live"
Zara Faris is a British researcher and speaker of Kurdish/Pakistani descent. She has a quarrel with feminist theology, and her views on gender and Islam have provoked a lot of debate. Claudia Mende spoke to her about these subjects
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Research project into "spaces of participation"Hubs of political protest
From Casablanca to Manama, from Cairo to Istanbul: coffee shops, youth clubs mosques and public areas all play an important role in modern protest movements. A research project at the Centre for Modern Oriental Studies (ZMO) in Berlin is now taking a closer look at such spaces of resistance and hope. By Jannis Hagmann
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Documentary: "The Green Prince"A friendship that inspires hope
Green is the colour of Hamas. The documentary "The Green Prince" tells the story of a Palestinian who turned informer and worked for the Israeli secret service for years. Igal Avidan watched the film and spoke to its director, Nadav Schirman
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Launch of the digital television channel AlchemiyaA dose of positivity in dark times
A new London-based media start-up seeks to counter the warped portrayal of Islam. The digital television channel Alchemiya intends to showcase only positive content. Sounds a bit cheesy? Perhaps it is, says Jannis Hagmann, but it just might be a smart business idea and one that will catch on
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Nobel Peace Prize 2014Serving stereotypes about the subcontinent?
According to Florian Weigand, Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi richly deserved to win the Nobel Peace Prize this year. However, he adds that the Norwegian Nobel Committee's decision to honour a Pakistani and an Indian is symbolic politics; the international community has no idea how to achieve sustainable peace in South Asia
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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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.
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World's First Major Exhibition on the HajjDocumenting a Supreme Theological and Religious Experience
Over the past 18 months, the British Museum has organized three exhibitions on the subject of faith. The final exhibition in this series takes a closer look at both the personal and practical aspects of the Hajj and seeks to give visitors a sense of the experience of the Hajj and what the pilgrimage means. By Susannah Tarbush
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The Moroccan Fusion Singer Oum''I Am a Muslim, But I Make Decisions about My Life''
The Moroccan fusion singer Oum El Ghaith Benessahraoui, aka Oum, makes intentional references to her African identity in her songs. Morocco, she says, is the gateway between Africa and Europe. Martina Sabra met Oum in Casablanca
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The Cultural Scene in EgyptCreative Artists Are the Motor for Change
Creative artists in Arab countries are playing a key role in the revolutionary process. But their efforts are being hampered by poor infrastructure. This is where international cultural work can help, says Günther Hasenkamp, Programme Director at the Goethe Institute in Cairo
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The ''Roads of Arabia'' Exhibition at the Museum of Islamic ArtSaudi Arabia's Surprising Treasures
The exhibition ‘Roads of Arabia’, at the Museum of Islamic Art in Berlin, showcases Saudi Arabia's archaeological heritage. The collection contains surprising treasures and shows a desert kingdom in transition. By Marian Brehmer
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The Iranian Graphic Novel "Zahra's Paradise"An Artistic Insight into a Sinister World
More than two years after the Green Movement's protests, a graphic novel has captured the political and social state of the Islamic Republic in graphic images. The book's anonymous authors, Amir and Khalil, portray Iran as a sinister country full of darkness and contradictions. Marian Brehmer read the book
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Alaa al-Aswani's "On the State of Egypt"''Democracy Is the Solution''
A selection of columns published before the revolution by celebrated Egyptian writer Alaa al-Aswani show that even if the West was turning a blind eye to imminent political change in Egypt, many writers and intellectuals were making clear predictions of the seismic eruptions to come. By Andreas Pflitsch
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
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