Qantara Startseite Englisch
-
Algerian rapper Losez"I get a lot of inspiration from raï"
Losez blends trap, punk and raï into a sound that's hard to label. He explains why raï is so formative, from synths that answer the singer's voice to its pioneering use of auto-tune, and why he no longer feels the need to spell out his Algerian identity.
-
10 years of Amal NewsNews for and by exiled communities
Amal News was founded in Germany in 2016 to platform exiled journalists and provide information to new arrivals in languages they understand. Now, as the far-right gains ground and disinformation spreads, its mission is still evolving.
-
Landmines in SyriaThe war hiding underground
"One victim every six hours": landmines and unexploded ordnance claim lives and cause injuries across Syria, preventing people from returning to their homes. Specialised teams are clearing mined areas, but awareness of the threat remains dangerously low.
-
Arab party Ra'am ahead of Israel's election"We want to be a party for all citizens"
Mansour Abbas wants his Arab-Islamic party Ra'am to help topple Netanyahu. In this interview, he discusses cooperation with Jewish Israelis, rising crime in Arab communities and why his party wants to govern rather than stay in opposition.
Politics
More about Politics-
War in the Persian GulfWhen data centres become targets
Backed by the US, Gulf states have invested heavily in AI infrastructure, giving Iran a strategic target: a single strike could disrupt banking, healthcare and public services. But there are ways to protect civilian computing infrastructure from attack.
-
Israeli election 2026Damage control
Israel votes on 27 October, with Netanyahu's far-right coalition facing an opposition bloc. Jonathan Shamir argues the opposition offers continuity, not change: it seeks to repair Israel's image, not end the violence or confront Palestinian suffering.
-
War in LebanonBint Jbeil – portrait of a decimated city
The Israeli army is demolishing entire towns in Lebanon, and with them, the rich history of the Shiite region in the country's south. The beleaguered town of Bint Jbeil offers a primer to the border region’s turbulent past.
-
Q&AWhat is happening in Sudan?
Since 2023, a brutal war has raged in Sudan, but the conflict receives little attention in the West. Who is fighting whom in the North African country, and what lies ahead?
-
Migration through BulgariaUnmarked graves on the EU border
Bulgaria has assumed a key role in controlling migration into the EU. People attempting to cross from Turkey to Bulgaria report violence, pushbacks and unanswered emergency calls. Dozens have been killed or gone missing.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
Society
More about Society-
Moroccan feminist Ghizlane Mamouni"Progress stops where equality begins"
Morocco has its first female head of government, and yet reforms on women's rights have stalled and a feminist is in custody because of a T-shirt. Her lawyer, human rights activist Ghizlane Mamouni, talks about the struggle for gender equality.
-
Energy in TunisiaA record-breaking summer forces a reckoning
This year saw Tunisia’s hottest-ever summer, putting unprecedented pressure on its electricity grid, exposing the country's vulnerability to climate change and dependence on imports. The crisis has underscored the need for lawmakers to rethink energy policy.
-
Libyan commander at the ICCThe "angel of death" on trial
The ICC has confirmed charges against Khaled El Hishri, accused of crimes against humanity at Tripoli's Mitiga prison. The first Libyan suspect to appear before the court, his trial could expose a wider system of abuse affecting Libyans, migrants and refugees.
-
Israel's high-tech warfareA new era of automated violence
In Gaza, mobile phones are both a lifeline and a threat, feeding algorithmic targeting systems while remaining essential for survival. Researcher Gihan AbouZeid examines how AI-driven surveillance technologies are reshaping the experience of war.
-
Iran's Gulf regionMore than a strait
The Strait of Hormuz is at the centre of geopolitical tensions. But a closer look at the cultural landscape reveals a different picture: on Iran's southern coast, African, Indian and Arab influences converge, creating a cultural tapestry far removed from the image of a homogeneous theocratic state.
-
Reconstruction in SyriaWhose land will major investors build on?
Syria is relying on competition and foreign investment to fund its reconstruction efforts. In Damascus, citizens are being asked to sell their land for a multi-billion property project. Yet many long to rebuild their own homes.
-
250 years of the USAHow enslaved African Muslims resisted bondage
The history of Islam in the U.S. does not begin with voluntary immigration. It can be traced back to the country's formative years, and to the millions of enslaved Africans, up to a third of whom are believed to have been Muslim.
-
Femicide in TurkeyWhere is Gülistan Doku?
Years after a young Kurdish woman's femicide, new probes have led to arrests. The suspects are sons of civil servants. The case ignited a Turkish debate on state failure and alleged cover-up. Yet the wider issue of anti-Kurdish violence remains sidelined.
Culture
More about Culture-
Iranian-American curator Negah Angha"Religious practice can take place anywhere"
Negah Angha's upcoming exhibition "Seen and Unseen – Sufi Life in Frankfurt" is an intimate peek into Sufi practice in Germany. Guided by her interest in encounters across cultural and religious boundaries, Angha brings together experience in art, research and policy.
-
Egyptian novel "The Passerby"Gender and society in transition
In Ibrahim Abdel Meguid's novel "The Passerby", the philosophy student Lamia becomes Hamza. His transition runs parallel to another: that of Egypt, caught between the brief freedom of 2011 and the grip of the security state.
-
Marrakesh and CasablancaTwo cities shaping contemporary art in Morocco
Morocco's art scene is diverse and growing, spanning independent spaces, commercial galleries and international fairs. While Marrakesh positions itself as a global hub, Casablanca's scene is closely tied to its history and political reality.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
Most read articles
-
Palästinenser in Deutschland
„Das ist nicht mehr mein Land“
-
Amazigh-Kultur in Algerien
Online lebt die Sprache auf
-
Arabische Partei bei Israel-Wahl 2026
„Wir verstehen, was auf beiden Seiten vor sich geht“
-
Rückzug der Anti-IS-Koalition
Wie weiter im Irak nach Abzug der US-Truppen?
-
Sex-Tourismus in Ägypten
Braut für einen Sommer
-
Soziale Kluft in Marokko
Die vielen Gesichter der Armut