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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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The Syrian dissident Kamal al-Labwani''The true revolution won't come until Assad has gone''
The former Damascene Spring activist Kamal al-Labwani believes that following the ousting of the Baath dictatorship, the Syrian society mindset will need to be thoroughly revised if it is to tackle the challenges of reestablishing democracy. Laura Overmeyer profiles the man who has always been a thorn in the side of the Assad regime
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Turkey and GermanyA Unique Partnership
The expansion of economic ties, as well as growing cooperation in the field of foreign policy, have made Turkey and Germany crucial partners. But this new period also presents new challenges for Berlin. By Ayhan Simsek
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Protests against Assad in BeirutUnrest and Political Uncertainty in Lebanon
Lebanon remains in shock after the country's domestic intelligence chief was killed in a bomb attack. For the Lebanese opposition it was clear right away that those who planned the assassination were to be found in the Syrian capital Damascus. Mona Naggar reports from Beirut
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Palestinian Local ElectionsA Determined Democracy
Frustration with traditional parties has reached a zenith in the Palestinian territories. Israel forbids Palestinians in East Jerusalem from holding elections. But the latest round of local polls in the West Bank shows that faith in the democratic electoral process and the desire to participate remains unbroken. By René Wildangel
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Saudi Arabia's Foreign and Security PolicyCategorical Imperative
Saudi Arabia's political maxim is stability for the petrodollar monarchy. Everything else is of secondary importance for the powers that be in Riyadh. But as long as Wahhabism remains the absolute ideology of state, there can be no real unity or real stability in the Saudi Arabian nation. By Loay Mudhoon
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Assassination of Lebanese Intelligence Chief al-HassanLebanon in Syrian Captivity
After the assassination of Wissam al-Hassan, the head of intelligence of Lebanon's internal security forces, everything in Beirut points to an impending storm. Fears of a new civil war are rife. By Karim El-Gawhary
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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Mathias Rohe on Islamic Theology in GermanyTriggering Global Debates
In Germany, Islamic theology is being introduced as a university course – a much debated issue in academic terms, but also politically. In this interview, Mathias Rohe, Germany's most renowned academic expert on Sharia law, talks about what this means for the development of Islam in Germany and, potentially, on a global level
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Interview with Nilüfer GöleShifting Identities and the Stakes of Turkish Democracy
Turkey faces tough decisions at home and abroad, from how to handle heterogeneous identities as they become visible in the public sphere to the role it will play as a model for emerging Middle Eastern democracies. Juliana DeVries interviews the prominent Turkish sociologist Nilüfer Göle
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German Intellectuals and IslamCapitulation or Scaremongering?
When it comes to Islam, the German media appear to alternate between waves of criticism and waves of support. Society is deeply divided in its perception of this "immigrant religion", though mutual knowledge and understanding is gradually increasing, Gregor Taxacher says
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First Centre for Islamic TheologyOpening a New Chapter for Islam in Germany
The University of Tübingen is starting a course leading to a bachelor's degree to train imams and teachers of Islam. Until now, only a small proportion of those teaching Islam in Germany have had any training. Sabine Ripperger reports
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Nine Months After the Upheaval in the Arab WorldIs the Revolution Devouring Its Children?
The Arab World is no longer what it used to be. Nor are the rebellions; in many places the initial revolutionary euphoria is giving way to concerns about the future. Stephanie Doetzer sketches a picture of the mood in recent months
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Noorjahan Akbar on Women's Rights in Afghanistan''Women Are Nobodies''
The West has spoke out for women's rights in Afghanistan. Now, it can't simply pull out of the country, says Noorjahan Akbar, the Afghan human rights activist and co-founder of the independent women's organization "Young Women for Change" in an interview with Martin Gerner
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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Moroccan Artists' Collective "La Source du Lion"The Art of Orange Juice
That ambitious, thought-provoking art and socio-political commitment are not contradictory concepts, but in fact belong together, is a conviction that motivates members of the Casablanca artists' collective "La Source du Lion". By Martina Sabra
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Gnawa World Music Festival in Essaouira
A Kind of "Moroccan Woodstock"
The Gnawa World Music Festival in Essaouira has steadily grown in popularity, especially among the younger generation. Islamist guardians of public virtue are watching with disapproval as Morocco's youth let down their hair and dance. Details from David Siebert
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Abdulrazak Gurnah – "Pilgrim's Way"
As Foreign as a Drop of Oil in Water
In his novel Pilgrim's Way, Abdulrazak Gurnah, two-time Booker Prize nominee and native of Zanzibar, writes about migrants and their foreignness. The book is an angry postcolonial "coming to terms" with society. Review by Jan Valk
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The Boom in Nigerian Cinema
The Sinking of the Titanic in the Niger River
In multi-ethnic Nigeria, creative filmmakers have been able to productively fuse their own cultural identity with Western influences. Ariana Mirza spoke with the Nigerian director and producer Kabat Esosa Egbon about this phenomenon
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25 Years of "Rock the Casbah"
Anthem of US Marines
The British punk band "The Clash" stormed the charts 25 years ago with the legendary "Rock the Casbah". But Joe Strummer, the band’s cult singer, would never have imagined that his song could become the anthem of the Gulf War soldiers. By Amin Farzanefar
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Tahani Rashed on Her Movie "These Girls"
"My Film Does Not Smear the Reputation of Egypt!"
The Egyptian director, Tahani Rashed, has highlighted through her documentary film "These Girls" the problem of street girls. The film has been awarded a prize at Cannes. Nelly Youssef conducts the following interview with the director
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
Most read articles
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Sudan-Experte Scott Straus
„Alle Kriterien für einen Völkermord sind erfüllt“
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Sprache und Spracherwerb
Wie die Muttersprache unser Gehirn formt
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Libanon
Wie der Krieg meine Nachbarschaft verändert
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Interview mit Mohammad Mojtahed Shabestari
Warum Islam und Demokratie zusammen passen
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Wirtschaft im Irak
Der Fortschritt bleibt an der Oberfläche
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Neue Clubkultur
Das Stadtbild feiern