Qantara Startseite Englisch - Dialogue with the Islamic world
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Radical Islamist groups in TunisiaTunisian-style jihad
The recent high-profile attack on the Bardo National Museum in Tunis shines a spotlight on the radical Islamist network that has emerged in Tunisia since the fall of the Ben Ali regime. An analysis by Hanspeter Mattes of the GIGA Institute for Middle East Studies
-
Iranian foreign policyIran, Assad and the endless war
A nuclear agreement with Iran could also mean hope for the settlement of the Syrian conflict. An essay by Charlotte Wiedemann
-
Nuclear talks with IranThe long hoped-for breakthrough
The framework agreement reached at the end of the long negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme in Lausanne goes much further and is much more specific than latterly expected. Iran has pledged to drastically reduce uranium enrichment and made clear concessions concerning the duration of the planned deal and in the phased lifting of sanctions. By Ulrich von Schwerin
-
Interview with Rami G. KhouriFragmentation of the Arab world
The Palestinian-Jordanian political scientist and writer Rami G. Khouri sees links between increasing religious fanaticism and the reinvigoration of the old elites after the Arabellion. In an interview with Juliane Metzker, he looks back at four years of transformation, stagnation and instability in the Arab states.
-
The crisis in YemenHistory can help us to understand
Yemen continues to struggle with its worst crisis in years, as conflicting parties fight for control of the nation. The UN's special advisor says the country has been pushed to the brink of civil war, in a tussle that has serious implications for the region and the security of the West. By Elham Manea
-
After the attack on the Bardo MuseumTunisia's darkest hour
The attack on the Bardo Museum has put Tunisia's young democracy to a crucial test. Conservative forces demand a severe crackdown against Islamists and thereby threaten to limit basic rights and freedoms. Attempts to address the real causes of terrorism are increasingly being overlooked in the process - with devastating consequences. By Ilyas Saliba
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.
-
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.
-
Syrian anti-war video "To Our Countries"Embarrassing media hype
Syrian sisters Faia and Rihan Younan, residents of Sweden since 2003, have triggered a global hype with their peace song "To Our Countries". While western media reaction to the video has been for the most part enthusiastic, the response in the Arab world has been one of scorn. By Martina Sabra
-
The culture and faith of the YazidisDemonised and eternally misunderstood
Their persecution by Islamic State has put the Yazidis in the international spotlight. In her book on the Yazidis, Birgul Acikyildiz provides insights into the culture and faith of this endangered community. By Ulrich von Schwerin
-
Independent media in SyriaFlourishing despite the violence
The vibrant alternative media landscape that has developed in the rebel-controlled areas of Syria in recent years is a thorn in the side of both the Assad regime and the radical Islamists. By Joseph Croitoru
-
The abduction of women by ISTraded like cattle
Amsha is a young Yazidi woman and mother who was abducted by IS and sold to an armed fighter from the city of Mosul. She told Qantara.de the horrific story of her 25-day captivity at the hands of IS and her successful escape. By Karim El-Gawhary in Dohuk
-
Interview with Yasmine Merei from the women's magazine "Saiedet Souria"A new, more self-confident Syrian woman
The magazine "Saiedet Souria" would like to be the mouthpiece for a new generation of Syrian women. Juliane Metzker spoke with editor-in-chief Yasmine Merei about the battle for equal rights under the Assad regime before and after the uprisings in 2011
-
Syria's cultural heritage under threat"Virtually nothing is left"
It is now plain for all to see that the destruction of Syria's cultural heritage is far worse than anyone expected. Michel al-Maqdissi, director of the Archaeological Excavations Department at the Syrian Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums from 2000 to 2012, tells Mona Sarkis how dire things really are and of the mistakes made by UNESCO
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.
-
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.
-
The Iranian ''Encyclopaedia for Children and Young People''Re-Appropriating a Problematic Persian Heritage
In Iran, most of the encyclopaedias are translated from foreign languages. Touran Mirhadi therefore decided to publish an encyclopaedia with a decidedly Persian perspective. But there are no plans to include a chapter on the Holocaust. Alessandro Topa visited Mirhadi and her team in Tehran
-
Social Protest and Young Arab ArtWinds of Change
The output of young artists in the Arab world is clear evidence that young people here have for a long time been grappling with prevailing social conditions in their particular nations. Observations by Charlotte Bank
-
Asghar Farhadi's ''Nader und Simin''Flight from the middle class
Ever since his triumph at the Berlinale Film Festival, Asghar Farhadi has found himself compared to film greats such as Bergman, Antonioni, Cassavetes and Altman. But the main characteristic of Farhadi's films is that they are a seismograph of social crisis in Iran. Amin Farzanefar reports
-
Iran and the Legacy of the PersiansPersepolis: A Political Compass
Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, an Ahmadinejad loyalist, is trying to inspire Iranian society with new ideas. To do so, he is plundering Iran's pre-Islamic history. Why is it that every year, more and more Iranians come to Persepolis, the ancient city of the Persian Empire? Is it pride? Is it nostalgia? Elisabeth Kiderlen investigates
-
The German Women Jazz OrchestraJazz Premiere in Gaza
The German Women Jazz Orchestra has ended its tour of the Middle East with a high-profile concert. It was not only the first time a German jazz ensemble has ever played in Gaza City, but also one of the very few music concerts to be held in Gaza since Hamas came to power. Tania Kraemer reports
-
Interview with Rafik Schami''The Rebellion's Perseverance Surprises Me''
In the opinion of the German-Syrian writer Rafik Schami, the Syrian opposition is a temporary "front" that is united only in its desire to topple Assad. As soon as the regime begins to weaken, there is a risk of civil war. Anne Allmeling spoke to Schami about the protests in Syria.
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
Most read articles
-
Mordfall Ben Barka
Neues aus israelischen Archiven
-
Seelsorge bei der Bundeswehr
Erste Militärimame für die Truppe
-
Syrer in der Türkei
Wo Geflüchtete ein Zuhause finden
-
Sex-Tourismus in Ägypten
Braut für einen Sommer
-
Iranisches Kino
Mit Humanismus und Humor
-
Prostitution in Tunesien
Das Verdeckte offenlegen