Qantara Startseite Englisch - Dialogue with the Islamic world
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Films on SudanStories from elsewhere
The war in Sudan has made displacement a fact of life for millions. Two new films, with Sudanese women at their core, reflect this reality through very different lenses. A review of "Aisha Can't Fly Away" and "Cotton Queen".
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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.
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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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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The Syrian conflict and the advance of ISISAssad and the myth of the lesser evil
Assad has used chemical weapons and laid waste to entire neighbourhoods and regions with barrel bombs. However, in the West, fears of what ISIS Islamists could achieve loom so large that Syria's dictator continues to be seen as a smaller part of the problem. By Bente Scheller
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Interview with the political scientist Abdel Mottaleb El-HusseiniLebanon: "A mixture of vacuum and volcano"
A million Syrian refugees, a catastrophic economy and increasing domestic hostility towards Hezbollah: the war in Syria is pushing neighbouring Lebanon to the limit. Mona Sarkis spoke to the Lebanese journalist Abdel Mottaleb el-Husseini about the current political situation in his country
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The Iraq crisis and the WestThe ugly new order in the "Fertile Crescent"
Iraq is in the grip of a devastating inner-Islamic religious war. The conflict has an inherent dynamic that cannot be stopped by presidential wishful thinking or a hurried visit to Baghdad by US foreign minister John Kerry. Stefan Buchen comments
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Iran's role in the Iraq conflictAn ally, but not a puppet
For many Sunnis in Iraq, the country's Shia prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, is a puppet of Iran. In the West too, the view that Tehran is pulling the strings in Iraqi politics is widely held. But what influence does Tehran really have in Iraq, and what role is it playing in the current crisis? Answers from Ulrich von Schwerin
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Interview with the Egyptian human rights activist Gamal EidA warning shot for civil society
Egyptian security forces have seized the current edition the magazine "Wasla", which is published by the Arab Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI). In conversation with Abbas Al-Khashali, ANHRI Chairman Gamal Eid explains the potential political fallout of curtailing freedom of expression in Egypt
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The Israeli army in the West BankThe punishment of Palestinian citizens
Israel's heavy-handed acts of retaliation against both Hamas and Palestinian civilians are threatening to provoke a new escalation of violence. The Israeli military deployment in the West Bank is the biggest since the end of the second Intifada in 2005. A commentary by René Wildangel
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.
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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.
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Debate on European IslamA Mined Terrain
The concept of European Islam has proved to be a constant source of controversy. For some it embodies the deliverance of Islam from everything that is perceived as backward looking and pre-modern. Others fear that a European Islam is a watered-down religion, a kind of government-controlled "state Islam", prepared to fully accommodate to the wishes of the authorities. By Claudia Mende
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Islamophobia and Racism in FranceShocking Indifference
Attacks on Muslim establishments are on the increase in France. Most recently, the Grand Mosquée in Paris was daubed with racist slogans. Islamophobia and xenophobia are also featuring more prominently in the public discourse. Bernhard Schmid reports
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Mohammed HelmyFirst Arab Honoured by Israel for Rescuing Jewish Family from the Nazis
Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial institute for the first time granted an award to an Egyptian for rescuing a Jewish family during World War II in Berlin. Igal Avidan spoke to Irena Steinfeldt, director of the Department for the Righteous Among the Nations in Yad Vashem
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Muslims in BritainSeeking to Combat Extremism
The brutal killing of Lee Rigby in London in May by two Muslim converts was widely condemned by Muslim religious leaders, but still led to a rise in threats made against Muslims and mosques. Many Muslims in Britain, however, work to try and counter extremism. Joanna Impey reports
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Islamic environmentalismThe call to eco-jihad
Gradually – and unnoticed by most Muslims – Muslim intellectuals and scholars have, since the late 1960s, been developing an Islamic environmental theology. Their aim is to examine green principles such as sustainability, environmental protection, animal welfare, and biodiversity in terms of their compatibility with Islam. By Monika Zbidi
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Muslims in GermanyNice and Mild Sharia
Muslims should engage and transform this society. This would require them, however, to overcome the fear of being liked by some. Or is the only good Muslim a rejected Muslim? An essay by Charlotte Wiedemann
Culture
More about Culture-
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.
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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.
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Yasmina KhadraLove and Nostalgia in Times of War
In Yasmina Khadra's new novel, years of unfulfilled desire between a French woman and an Algerian man reflect the dramatic relationship between the Occident and Orient; two worlds that bring so much suffering upon each other yet struggle so desperately for reconciliation. A review by Volker Kaminski
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The Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra
The Orient in the Mirror of Western Compositions
Many composers have been drawn to the world of "1001 Nights" as if by magic. Some of them are now highlighted on the debut CD of the "Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra." Klaus Gehrke introduces the album and the musicians
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Afghanistan's Bactrian Gold
An Ancient Heritage of Diversity
A current exhibition in Amsterdam is showing visitors a very different, unfamiliar image of Afghanistan. The 250 archaeological objects on display shine a light on the former glory of Afghanistan's ancient ruling dynasties. Nasim Saber reports
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The Aga Khan Collection
Shedding New Light on Islamic Art
An extensive collection of Islamic artwork is making its way around the globe. Its organizers hope that it will arouse an interest in Islamic culture and foster understanding between Muslims and the western world. Silke Bartlick reports
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Caricature Museum in the Egyptian Oasis of Fayoum
Satirical Digs against Despots
Surrounded by the desert and in the middle of the idyllic oasis of Fayoum is Mohamed Abla's Caricature Museum – the first such museum in the Middle East. The museum enjoys the reputation of being a special place for creativity, but also sees itself as a response to the unspeakable caricature controversy. A report by Amira El Ahl
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Interview with the Saudi Arabian Writer Abdo Khal
The Discovery of Arabic Literature in the Gulf
In an interview with Qantara.de the winner of this year's Arabic Booker Prize Abdo Khal talks about the significance of this major award for the Gulf region, as well as the division of Arab culture into a centre and a periphery. Loay Mudhoon spoke to him
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
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Sex-Tourismus in Ägypten
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Ja zur Nostalgie – ja zum Krieg
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Familiengeheimnisse am Nil
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Die ägyptische Frauen-Metal Band ''Mascara''
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Prostitution in Tunesien
Das Verdeckte offenlegen
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Das Kopftuch im kolonialen Zeitalter
Entschleiert euch!