Qantara Startseite Englisch
-
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.
-
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.
-
Culture in GermanyThe politics of neutrality
This year’s Berlinale highlighted the tensions between art and supposedly neutral institutions. But state-funded cultural bodies don't operate outside politics; they set the terms of debate. Greater transparency about how boundaries are drawn could strengthen trust.
-
Iran WarWill the Gulf states stand together?
Hard hit by Iranian attacks, the business model of the Gulf states is under attack. Yet they are far from defenceless: with coordination—and unity—they could establish themselves as powerful agents of change.
Politics
More about Politics-
Attacks on IranDid the Saudis want this war?
Saudi Arabia's calculations in the Iran war may be different from what many assume. Rockets and drones are flying towards Doha, Dubai and even Riyadh—yet the kingdom could still see opportunities in the conflict.
-
German legal expert Kai Ambos on Iran war"International law is not a suggestion"
The attack on Iran by the US and Israel violates the UN Charter, says Kai Ambos. He argues that European powers cannot preach a rules-based order while failing to denounce clear violations, and warns of a slide towards global lawlessness.
-
The Syrian conflictA red-brown alliance for Syria
Neo-Nazis, Stalinists, Catholic fundamentalists and pacifists may seem like strange political bedfellows, but they have found common ground in a diffuse brand of anti-imperialism. This left-wing/right-wing alliance's online campaigning and its active support for the Assad regime have led to a lack of solidarity with the Syrian people not only in Italy but elsewhere in Europe too. By Germano Monti
-
Presidential election in AfghanistanDefying the Taliban
Last Saturday, around 12 million Afghans were called upon to vote for a successor to President Hamid Karzai. Although the Taliban warned that numerous attacks would take place on voting day, large numbers of Afghans refused to be deterred. Details from Emran Feroz in Kabul
-
Non-violent resistance in SyriaSowing the seeds of democracy
There is no nation-wide democracy movement in Syria, but there are local initiatives that are defying the war, strengthening civil society and preparing the ground for a free and pluralistic political system, writes Kristin Helberg
-
Local elections in TurkeyCarte blanche for a crackdown
The election result in Turkey was barely affected by last summer's Gezi Park protests, recent accusations of corruption against the ruling AKP and the on-going open conflict with the Gulen Movement. This is primarily due to the nation's economic situation and the fact that the AKP now controls most of the country's media outlets. By Ekrem Guezeldere in Istanbul
-
Book review: "Taksim is everywhere""This was a social uprising, not simply some demonstration"
Deniz Yuecel, a journalist for the German daily newspaper "taz", interviewed 96 different protesters for his first book, "Taksim ist Ueberall" (Taksim is Everywhere), which was recently published in Germany instead of in Turkey. In view of the fact that the writer Erol Oezkoray was taken to court for allegedly insulting Prime Minister Erdogan in his book on the Gezi phenomenon, this is perhaps a good thing. Luise Sammann introduces the book and its author
-
Book review: "The Wisdom of Syria's Waiting Game"How to stay in power against the odds
In her book "The Wisdom of Syria's Waiting Game", Bente Scheller analyses Syrian foreign policy since the Assad dynasty came to power in 1970. She believes that the special relationship between domestic and foreign policy is key to understanding Syria's power apparatus. By Martina Sabra
Society
More about Society-
Damascus book fairA new benchmark for freedom
Syria has held its first book fair since the fall of Assad. The landmark event sets a new standard against which the government and its cultural policy will be judged.
-
Research on Jew-hatred in Germany"Antisemitism cannot be deported"
The concept of "imported antisemitism" is widespread in German politics but remains poorly researched. A new study provides nuance, context and data on antisemitism among both migrants and non-migrants. An interview with co-author Neta‑Paulina Wagner.
-
Germany's Turkish Community and the Istanbul ProtestsDivided Community
Germany's Turkish community is keeping a close eye on events in Istanbul. Many hope the young people in Taksim Square will prevail. Others are saying nothing. By Naomi Conrad
-
Documentary on Integration Courses in GermanyHow to Become a German
Is it possible to learn integration? Germany thinks so. Since 2005, special courses have been helping immigrants become familiar with German language and culture. But do they really work? A Berlin film-maker wanted to find out. Melanie Lachner watched the resulting documentary
-
Gezi Protests in TurkeyA Libertarian and Unifying Movement
Parallels have been drawn between the Gezi movement, the Arab Spring and some Occupy movements in Europe. Nilüfer Göle looks at the causes of the Gezi protests and some of the protester's demands
-
Eco-Islam Pioneer Fazlun Khalid''Allah Does Not Love the Wasters''
It's not enough to simply pray for a better environment, you have to stand up and take action, says Fazlun Khalid, one of the world's leading eco-theologians. He believes religion can help save the planet. Interview by Franziska Badenschier
-
Interview with the Lebanese Artist Ghazi Kahwaji''I Believe that Several Paths Lead to God''
The Lebanese artist and writer Ghazi Kahwaji sees the revival of Mediterranean humanism as a basis for intercultural dialogue between Arab and European societies. An interview by Aladdin Sarhan
-
Tunisia's Economic CrisisThe Decline of the Middle Class
More than two years have passed since the start of the so-called "Arab Spring" in Tunisia. What began as a fight for social justice became an ideological tug-of-war between Islamists and secular forces. But while the elite engage in theoretical debate, the economic crisis deepens. Katharina Pfannkuch reports
Culture
More about Culture-
Author Taleb AlrefaiA window into the Kuwaiti soul
Does the German literary scene have a blind spot when it comes to Arabic literature? Abdulrahman Afif makes the case for the works of Kuwaiti writer Taleb Alrefai, whose socially critical literature deftly side-steps orientalist expectations.
-
Mukabela in Bosnia and HerzegovinaA distinctive and enduring Ramadan tradition
For Bosnian Muslims, mukabela, the daily communal recitation of the Qur'an, is an essential part of Ramadan. The tradition dates back to the Prophet Muhammad, was popularised under Ottoman rule and has survived dictatorship and war.
-
"Nathan the Wise": an Initiative for ToleranceReligions' Moral Potential
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing's Nathan the Wise is probably the most significant parable about tolerance between Islam, Christianity and Judaism. In a current project the newly restored silent film Nathan the Wise is being shown with life music by Rabih Abou-Khalil. Claudia Mende went along
-
"Transit Tehran "
Ninjas in Chadors, Hip-Hop in Farsi
Transit Tehran, a diverse anthology of images and texts, proves that there is much more to Iran than the image portrayed by the media leads us to believe. Angela Schader reports
-
The German-Turkish Author Ismet Elci
A Subway across the Kurdish Steppes
Fleeing eastern Turkey, living as a foreigner and asylum seeker in a strange land … for award-winning author Ismet Elci, this is more than just the stuff of which novels are made; it is also his own personal experience. Volker Kaminski spoke to the author in Berlin
-
Sherko Fatah: "The Dark Ship"
Man, a Shard in the Sand
Sherko Fatah's new novel tells of a young man who joins holy warriors in Iraq, only to turn his back on them and flee to Germany. But there the past catches up with him. Volker Kaminski reports on the book
-
Gazelle – A Multicultural Women's Magazine
For a Positive and Multi-faceted Image
After searching in vain for a magazine that appeals to the interests of female immigrants, Sineb El Masrar decided to found her own women's magazine. "Gazelle" is Germany's first multicultural women's magazine. Naima El Moussaoui introduces the new publication
-
Iranian Theatre
The Dead Cannot Be Censored
Roberto Ciulli has been organising exchanges between Iranian and German theatre companies for the past ten years. During the most recent visit by a group from Tehran to the "Theater an der Ruhr" in Mülheim the more oblique, indirect criticism was accompanied for the first time by open critical dissent. Peter Phillip reports
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
Most read articles
-
Interview mit dem iranischen Philosophen Abdolkarim Sorusch
"Sufis waren Propheten des Pluralismus"
-
„Mukabela“ in Bosnien und Herzegowina
Eine besondere Ramadan-Tradition
-
Die iranische Graphic Novel ''Zahra's Paradise''
Künstlerische Einblicke in einen düsteren Kosmos
-
Zehn Jahre Arabellion
Die Knospen des Arabischen Frühlings
-
"Qur'an and Woman“ von Amina Wadud neu gelesen
"Männer und Frauen sind im Islam gleichberechtigt“
-
Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Raschid al Maktum
Dubais Märchenprinz