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Political scientist Scott Straus on Sudan"All the fundamentals of genocide are present"
Genocide scholar Scott Straus has spent decades studying the causes of mass violence. He examines the dynamics of violence in Darfur, arguing that international inaction on Sudan highlights a broader crisis in genocide prevention.
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Saudi poetry todayBetween nomadic past and digital present
The new poetry anthology "Tracing the Ether" brings together 26 poets responding to a rapidly changing Saudi Arabia. It offers a rare glimpse of a literary scene whose breadth has yet to be fully reflected in English translation.
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Club culture in GermanySounds of the "Stadtbild"
In Hamburg, Berlin and Cologne, "SWANA"-focused events are filling clubs. DJs and organisers are forging hybrid sounds drawn from South-West Asian and North African musical traditions, asserting identity in the face of exclusionary political rhetoric on migration.
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Language politicsCan English replace French in Algeria?
English is gaining ground in Algeria's education system, challenging the long-standing dominance of French, a remnant of colonial rule. But the shift is far from straightforward, testing the ability of schools and universities to adapt.
Politics
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Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-SudaniIraq's economic reform experiment
Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani is banking on hands-on reforms and new infrastructure projects to restore trust in the state. His approach has delivered short-term stability and popularity. But Iraq's oil dependence and economic weaknesses remain.
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Lebanese writer Hazem Saghieh"Hezbollah has never protected Lebanon from Israel"
Hazem Saghieh says that the renewed war between Israel and Hezbollah has revealed deep divisions within Lebanese society rather than fostering unity. He warns that Israel's intervention to disarm Hezbollah risks paving the way for a new occupation.
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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
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Five years after Iran's "Green Movement"Past and present
On 12 June 2009, millions of Iranians began protesting against President Ahmadinejad's re-election. Five years after these protests were violently crushed and the "Green Movement" failed, this chapter of modern Iranian history is still not closed. By Faraj Sarkohi
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Nouri al-Maliki and the Iraqi crisisNot the right guy for Iraq
The terror in Iraq is a Sunni rebellion against Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, writes Birgit Svensson in Baghdad, who lays the blame for the country's dire straits squarely at the door of its Shia head of government
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One year on from Rouhani's election victorySurprise and disenchantment
A year on from his election victory, the Iranian president Hassan Rouhani has a success story to show for himself that barely anyone would have expected him to pull off: the breakthrough in the nuclear talks with the West. However, Iran's economic situation remains difficult and there have been few improvements in terms of freedom of speech and human rights. By Ulrich von Schwerin
Society
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LebanonWhen war reached my Beirut home
In Lebanon, war is a test of social cohesion. Beirut-based author Manal Khader recounts how fear and uncertainty spread through her neighbourhood. Her building's WhatsApp group came to life—first with updates and practical questions, then the tone shifted.
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War and memoryGaza's lost photographs
Through years of war, many people in Gaza have lost their personal photo albums. Palestinian journalist Asmaa al-Ghoul reflects on her family's vanished images and what their absence means for personal and collective memory.
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Turkish Victims of the NSU Murders in GermanyA Victim's Daughter Testifies
When she appears in court, Gamze Kubasik will testify in the presence of those accused of killing her father. She hopes for composure. She also seeks justice and a sense of "inner peace" that vanished in April 2006. Andrea Grunau reports
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Oriental Christians in GermanyProviding a Diplomatic Bridge
A new central council of oriental Christians has been formed in Germany to raise public awareness of the problems Arab Christians are facing in conflict-ridden countries like Syria, Egypt and Iraq. Günther Birkenstock reports
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The Democratic Process in EgyptThe Success of Democracy is Not a Question of Education
Although she recognises the dangers inherent in an uneducated society, Egyptian author Mansoura Ez-Eldin disputes the political belief that it takes a learned population to create a democracy. The problem is more a fundamental lack of political education and a poor understanding of democratic principles at all levels
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Mona El-Naggar on Her Film "Istislam"Close-Up on the Muslim Brotherhood's Grassroots Work
Mona El-Naggar's documentary "Submission" offers an astonishingly close look at how the long-time secret organization conveys its ideology at the grassroots level and among Egypt's youth in particular. An interview with the film's director, Mona El-Naggar, by Martina Sabra
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TurkeyGrowing Popularity of Islamic Banks
Can religious faith, God and money ever be brought into a harmonious co-existence? Yes, they can, say the acolytes of Islamic banking. Islamic banks are becoming ever more popular in Turkey, even if not everyone is particularly enthusiastic about the development.
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Open Letter to a Border GuardDefending Our Borders against the Scum
In Germany, helpers of Syrian refugees are being put on trial. These lifesavers are being treated like enemies of the state. In his polemic, Stefan Buchen addresses a German border guard and encourages him to prevent the misery of the Syrian civil war from spilling over into Europe
Culture
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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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Syed Muhammad Naquib al-AttasA life rethinking the foundations of knowledge
Malaysian philosopher and polymath Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas has died aged 94. A lifelong critic of Western intellectual dominance, his work has shaped debates on modernity and education across the Muslim world.
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Caricature Museum in the Egyptian Oasis of FayoumSatirical 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
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The 19th Century Urdu Epic "Hoshruba"
A Literary Treasure from Hindu-Muslim Culture
"Hoshruba" is a fantasy epic written in 19th century Muslim India. Now Muhammad Ali Farooqi has produced the first ever translation of "Hoshruba" into any language. In this interview with Lewis Gropp he talks about this unique epic, Urdu literature, and the colonially induced Urdu-Hindi divide
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Hubert Haddad's Novel "Palestine"
Caught between the Israeli Army and the Palestinian Underground
An Israeli soldier almost turns into a Palestinian underground fighter. This remarkable transformation is the subject of a novel by the Tunisian-French author Hubert Haddad. The motif may have something to do with the author's dual allegiances – Haddad is an Arab Jew. Kersten Knipp reviews his novel "Palestine"
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The Turkish Art Scene
"Offside, But a Goal!"
Contemporary Turkish art is little known in outside of Turkey, and inside of Turkey as well, for that matter. A new publication shows just how hard the Turkish art scene struggles about its internationalization. By Necmi Sönmez
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International Theatre Forum in Alexandria
Silicone Bombs Hit the Stage
In the place where the largest library of the classical antiquity once burned to the ground, its spirit of openness and dialogue is now being revived. Young creative people from the theatre scenes in Europe and the Mediterranean region are performing their work in Alexandria. Susanne Schanda reports
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
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