Qantara Startseite Englisch - Dialogue with the Islamic world
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Jan Dost on writing in Arabic and Kurdish"Like being caught between two magnets"
"Safe Corridor" is Jan Dost's first novel translated into English. The prolific Syrian writer explores the hardening impact of war on children and discusses the key differences between writing in Kurdish and Arabic.
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Sectarian massacre on Syrian coast"I am the sole survivor of my family"
Survivors of the violence unleashed in Syrian coastal cities in early March tell Qantara their stories. Warning: the testimonies contain details of the indiscriminate killings of Alawite civilians and may be disturbing.
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"Fighting the Flow" by Algerian author Saïd KhatibiThe weight of colonial memory
Saïd Khatibi's "Fighting the Flow" explores French colonialism's violent legacy in Algerian society after the War of Liberation. The novel poses the question: can individuals liberate themselves from their past?
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Civil society since the Arab SpringEurope must support the agents of change
Civil society organisations in West Asia and North Africa face widespread repression. But instead of supporting activists on the ground, European policymakers continue to prop up autocratic regimes.
Politics
More about Politics-
Erdoğan rival Ekrem İmamoğluDetained but defiant
Days before he was set to secure his official presidential candidacy, Ekrem İmamoğlu was arrested on corruption and terrorism charges. A relative unknown until he won Istanbul's mayoralty in 2019, how did he become Erdoğan's greatest rival?
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Syria after AssadA future built on citizenship and freedom
Syria's new leadership has not made a clear enough commitment to civil liberties. An inclusive understanding of citizenship, rooted in the history of Arab national movements, is needed to ensure that the goals of the 2011 uprising are not lost from view.
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Israeli hostages held by HamasWhat can Germany do?
Weeks of tough negotiations have led to an initial hostage deal between Hamas and Israel with Qatar playing a leading role in the mediation process. Bearing in mind Germany’s historic debt towards the Jews, what part could – or should – Germany play?
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Israel's war against Hamas"The Middle East conflict must be resolved at the roots"
Leading Palestinian intellectual Sari Nusseibeh on the Hamas massacres, Israel's war in Gaza and the distant dream of equal coexistence
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A different take on GazaGlobal South criticises Israel
Germany, the USA and the UK have stood firmly behind Israel following the Hamas attacks. The Global South, however, sees the Gaza conflict differently. Pro-Palestine voices can be heard across the region. By Kristin Palitza and Denis Duettmann, dpa
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Arab popular support for GazaHow pro-Palestinian protests threaten Middle East autocrats
In some Middle Eastern countries, pro-Palestinian rallies recall pro-democracy protests from 2011. Now, the region's authoritarian leaders are worried the conflict in Gaza could alter the political status quo at home
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Mustafa Barghouti of the Palestinian National Initiative"The only solution is the initiation of a true peace process"
Mustafa Barghouti, general-secretary of al-Mubadara – the Palestinian National Initiative – and leading civil rights activist, talks about the ongoing war in Gaza and his vision for peace
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Regional perspectives on the Gaza warThe Middle East conflict is back
In recent years the Israeli-Palestinian conflict had gradually become uncoupled from the other lines of conflict in the Middle East. This "encapsulation of the Middle East conflict" may be off the table for now, but it does nothing to change the parameters of the larger regional struggle for dominance
Society
More about Society-
Muslims in GermanyIn search of a political voice
Trust in politics has plummeted among German Muslims, as seen in recent voter turnout. While some online preachers argue voting is haram, imams in Berlin are actively campaigning for political participation.
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Women in SyriaCrafting independence
In Syria, women are reclaiming their independence through creative initiatives, from traditional crafts to community workshops. Four stories of perseverance and hope.
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Iran protestsTehran dismisses university lecturers
University lecturers critical of the regime are being dismissed, while those loyal to the regime are being rehired: Tehran's Islamic regime is apparently reshaping the country's universities even more strictly according to its own ideas. By Iman Aslani
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Libya flood victimsDerna – difficult search for missing migrants
Around 10% of the victims of the recent devastating floods in Libya were from other countries. Some were working there, others likely trying to leave for Europe. By Islam Alatrash in Libya and Cathrin Schaer
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Human rights in AsiaTajik women turn to polygamy to survive
Dire economic conditions are spurring an increasing number of women in Tajikistan to enter polygamous marriages. But it comes at a price. With few rights to underpin their existence, they bear a burden of social stigma that taints not only their lives but those of their children too. Madina Shogunbekova reports
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The Armenian genocide"Genocide is a feminist issue"
Dots, crosses, lines: tattoos like these were inked on surviving Armenian women after the genocide in the Ottoman Empire. Historian Elyse Semerdjian uses the tattoos to tell their story. Interview by Anna-Theresa Bachmann
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Financial crisis in LebanonBeirut's bank robber folk heroes
Desperation is driving some Lebanese to take matters into their own hands. These days, robbing a bank to access your own money is likely to make you a folk hero. Karim El-Gawhary met two such 'criminals' in Beirut
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Climate change in BangladeshThe sinking of a city
Chittagong in Bangladesh is one of the ten fastest-sinking coastal cities in the world. Many people moved there fleeing climate disasters elsewhere in the country. With large parts of Chittagong under water for several hours a day, they are likely to be displaced again. Rafiqul Islam Montu reports
Culture
More about Culture-
TV series "Muawiya"Historical Ramadan drama fuels controversy
The Saudi-produced television series “Muawiya” emerged as a talking point during Ramadan, sparking debate throughout the Middle East. Both Iran and Iraq have banned the show which charts the life of one of the most controversial figures in Islamic history.
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Stefan Weidner on pre-Islamic poetry"Poetry in its true fullness"
Stefan Weidner has gathered pre-Islamic poems and translated them into German. His new book "The Arabic Divan" revisits these centuries-old works and explores how their verses serve as a vibrant predecessor to today's social media.
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Istanbul's 42nd Film FestivalBetween two quakes
Other high-profile film festivals would be hard pushed to match the intensity with which cinematic art collides with reality at the Istanbul Film Festival. Stefan Weidner attended for Qantara.de
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Khaled Jarrar's documentary "Notes on Displacement"Putting faces to the nameless
Many films exist about the dangerous escape routes people have been taking to reach Europe since 2015 to escape war, conflict and precarious living conditions. In this very personal documentary, Palestinian artist Khaled Jarrar accompanies an old lady from Yarmouk, Syria, who was driven out of Nazareth as a child. By Rene Wildangel
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"Women Defining Women in Contemporary Art of the Middle East and Beyond"LA art exhibition on Middle East women opens
An exhibition of work by 42 female artists on women in the Middle East has opened in California. Challenging stereotypes about the region, it depicts what curators say are the personal and universal stories of women in Islamic societies.
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Golnar Shahyar's 'Tear Drop' and the Iran protests"A revolution of culture and thought"
Raised in Iran, Golnar Shahyar studied in Canada and has lived in Vienna since 2008. The singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist combines jazz, song-writing and Persian roots with strong lyrics. She talks to Stefan Franzen about her debut solo album "Tear Drop" and the Woman, Life, Freedom movement
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Middle EastWhy are Ramadan TV specials so controversial?
Every year, new TV series are released during the Muslim religious holiday. And every year, some cause controversy, upsetting clerics, governments or activists. Media analysts in the Middle East say they know why. Cathrin Schaer reports
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Art and the Iran protests"Painting is like breathing for me"
Iranian artist Raoof Haghighi's latest exhibition, including works in support of the women of Iran, presents an intriguing range of styles and media. From stark, striking pencil sketches to lush portraits in oils, the art show from 7-16 April promises to be visually, intellectually and emotionally stimulating. Interview by Richard Marcus
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
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