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LebanonShia families struggle for shelter in divided Beirut
More than one million Lebanese have been displaced by Israeli strikes. Destruction and occupation have made return impossible for many from the south, including Shia families, who are stranded in Beirut with limited shelter amid deepening sectarian mistrust.
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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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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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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.
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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Terrorism and repression in the Arab worldOn Islam, anti-terrorism and fascism
One of the reasons why there is little outcry over the repression practised by secular governments in the Arab world is that there is a lack of empathy for those who are affected by it, writes Charlotte Wiedemann
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Turkey's first Communist mayorGreat expectations, even greater challenges
Turkey's first ever Communist mayor was elected on 30 March. Turkish Communist Party (TKP) candidate Fatih Macoglu won 36 per cent of the 1,812 votes cast in the small town of Ovacik. He believes in people power, popular assemblies and investing in agriculture and tourism. By Ekrem Guzeldere
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Turkey's secret serviceErdogan paves way for Turkish surveillance state
Turkey's government has submitted a bill to parliament in a bid to strengthen the position of the country's intelligence service and make it more independent of the judiciary. Critics say this will turn Turkey into a surveillance state. By Senada Sokollu
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Syrian opposition groupsTime to join forces
The well-known Syrian opposition figure and journalist Michel Kilo believes that only a national alliance of all rebel groups can break the terrorism perpetrated by the organisation Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) and the Assad regime
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Interview with Elif Shafak"There is a lack of democratic culture in Turkey"
The Turkish writer Elif Shafak is one of the country's best-selling authors and one of the best known Turkish writers worldwide. In her books, she intertwines sensitive Turkish issues with cosmopolitan stories and Sufism. In this interview, she talks to Ceyda Nurtsch about how she plays with language, the role of fiction and the democratisation of Turkey
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Muslims in German political partiesThe diversity trend
In Germany, both the Greens and the Christian Democrats have had working groups for Muslim members for some time now. In February, the Social Democrats followed suit. Are these new groups really and truly different? Or are Germany's main political parties simply jumping on the diversity trend bandwagon? By Ulrike Hummel
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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Interview with Pakistani Media Expert Fauzia ShaheenHow Pakistan's Media Is Defending Democracy
Fauzia Shaheen is a media expert, women's activist and president of the Women Media Centre in Pakistan. She would like to promote equal opportunities for women in Pakistan's media by training female journalists. Julie Schwannecke spoke to her about the current role of the media, press freedom and democracy in Pakistan
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German-Iranian RelationsMutual Understanding
More exchange in academia, the arts and sports would contribute to improving Germany's relations with Iran, experts say. Such exchange would strengthen civil society in Iran and boost mutual understanding. By Mareike Forchheim
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Young Muslims in GermanyTaking a Stand for Society
The first network made up of engaged, young, well-educated Muslims has been active in Germany now for more than three years. The network, called “Zahnräder” (Gear Wheels), has brought together Muslims from various disciplines and interests, regardless of ethnic background or internal Islamic differences. By Claudia Mende
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Media in SyriaOnline Radio Station Gives Syrians Hope
Baladna FM has one major goal: to give users hope in the midst of Syria's bloody civil war. Reporters recount stories of everyday life in Syrian cities and face invisible enemies on the Internet. Jan Bruck talked to the producers of Baladna FM
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Integration in GermanyTime for Majority Society to Change Its Attitude
In Germany, many Muslim women feel pressurised into re-defining and justifying their identities and their belongingness on a daily basis. Melahat Kişi feels strongly that instead of focusing on differences, the time has come to accept that all citizens of migrant origin in Germany belong to German society. No ifs, no buts
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After the Military Coup in EgyptState-tolerated Xenophobia
Egypt has been flooded by a wave of xenophobia. Not only Americans, but above all Palestinians and Syrians are suffering from regime-tolerated media agitation against foreigners. Matthias Sailer reports from Cairo
Culture
More about Culture-
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.
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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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Interview with Sinan AntoonUsing Irony to Tackle Trauma
According to the Iraqi writer Sinan Antoon, the current events in Iraq can only be understood in conjunction with the effects on the Iraqi psyche of Saddam Hussein's brutal dictatorship and the Iran-Iraq War. Ibtisam Azem talked to the author in Berlin
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A Visit to Mansoura ez-Eldin
In Search of a Literature of Intimacy
Manoura ez-Eldin, born in 1976, is one of the most promising of Egypt's young generation of writers. In her work, she paints an affectionate portrait of modern life in Egypt. Axel von Ernst visited her at work in Cairo
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Hans Christian Andersen's Trips to the Orient
"Treasures That Would Grace Any Hothouse in Europe"
The Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, whose 200th birthday is currently being celebrated around the world, was known for his extensive traveling. His lust for adventure led him as far away as Morocco. Christian Hauck recounts the author's impressions
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Historic Photographs of the Orient 1864-1970
With Camel and Camera
For decades, a unique collection of historic photographs of the Orient lay forgotten at the Hamburg Museum of Ethnology. Now, the stock of 18,000 pictures has been catalogued and made accessible to the public in the form of an exhibition. Nimet Seker reports
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Sabahattin Ali: "Madonna in a Fur Coat"
A Turkish Love Story in Berlin
The Turkish writer Sabahattin Ali lived in Germany from 1928 to 1930. His novel 'Kürk Mantolu Madonna' (Madonna in a Fur Coat) is a story of unrequited love set in 1920s Berlin, which shows a young man the way out of his loneliness. Volker Kaminski read the new German translation
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Palestinian-British Author Samir El-Youssef
The Language of a Lost Youth
The Palestinian writer Samir El-Youssef has found his identity in exile in London. Yet the idea of a homeland has always been alien to him. A portrait.
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