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"Postmuslim" by Youssef RakhaOne author, multiple selves
"Postmuslim" is an intimate new collection of essays in English by Youssef Rakha. The Egyptian author explores his complex relationship with the West while tracing his intellectual evolution over several decades.
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Education and climate in YemenToo hot for class
In Houthi-controlled Yemen, the decision to schedule the school year by the Hijri calendar has pushed classes earlier into the harshest heat of summer. For students this has compounded the impact of climate change, posing health risks and driving up dropout rates.
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Turkish women's association Havle"White secular women do not have a monopoly on feminism"
The Muslim queer-feminist group Havle uses religious arguments to challenge discrimination. Facing growing hostility and, most recently, arrests, two members speak about the struggle for LGBTQ rights in the country.
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Detainees in northeast SyriaWhat will happen to the women and children of al-Roj camp?
Deteriorating conditions are fuelling tensions at al-Roj camp, where people with alleged links to IS have spent years in detention. As control of the camp shifts to the Syrian central government, uncertainty grows over their future and prospects of returning home.
Politics
More about Politics-
Gilbert Achcar on the impact of 9/11"The Iraq War shattered the promise of a new world order"
The attacks of 11 September 2001 fundamentally altered US foreign policy and triggered a series of wars that have reshaped the Middle East. 25 years on, Gilbert Achcar reflects on the US response to 9/11 and its enduring impact on the region.
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Taliban in AfghanistanPower consolidated, society reshaped
In the five years since regaining power, the Taliban have cemented their rule in Afghanistan, bringing armed conflict in the country to a relative lull. Their ambitions go beyond maintaining control: they are seeking to transform the country from the bottom up.
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Interview with Ralf Melzer''In Libya, the Transition Will Be Harder''
Three days after the death of Muammar al-Gaddafi in Libya, neighbouring Tunisia held elections for a constituent assembly. In an interview with Eva-Maria Verfürth, Ralf Melzer of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation discusses the political situation in both countries
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The Gulf Initiative and the Yemeni ConflictPutting the Cart before the Horse
The international community would do itself and Yemen a service if it looked beyond the parameters set by the Gulf initiative, which was signed by the Yemeni president and representatives of the opposition in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on 23 November 2011 writes Elham Manea
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The Role of Religion in Egyptian Society''Dictatorship is out in Egypt''
The eyes of the world are on Egypt in the run-up to the country's first free parliamentary elections in 30 years. Joseph Mayton examines the role played by religion in Egyptian society and its possible influence on the way Egyptians will vote
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Egypt's Parliamentary ElectionsMoving in the Wrong Direction?
The upcoming elections in Egypt will be the first free parliamentary poll after three decades of Mubarak's rule, and their outcome will have a key influence on the political future of this large Arab nation. But the process is being overshadowed by irritation at the complexity of electoral regulations, economic insecurity and recent unrest. Amira El Ahl reports from Cairo
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The Imprisoned Blogger Alaa Abdel FattahAn Open Letter from a Cairo Prison Cell
"Instead of arresting the murderer of the blogger Khaled Said, the military imprisoned me, just before the birth of my son. The only good thing is that the protests are continuing," writes Alaa Abdel Fattah, one of the Egyptian revolution's best-known bloggers and activists
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Fall of the Gaddafi ClanA Fresh Start for Libya?
The hunt is over. The last two representatives of the Gaddafi regime have been caught: Saif al-Islam, the last of Gaddafi's fugitive sons, and Abdullah al-Senussi, the head of the Libyan secret service, who was known for his brutality. Alfred Hackensberger reports from Tripoli
Society
More about Society-
Ahmed Isamaldin"Gold is directly connected to the violence in Sudan"
Artist and researcher Ahmed Isamaldin uses satellite imagery to trace how Sudan's gold industry has expanded during the war. His research reveals how the conflict is linked to global supply chains and the commodities we consume.
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Religious diversity in TunisiaThe Virgin Mary on the streets of Tunis
In Tunisia, a tradition is being revived: the Marian procession in La Goulette. Christians, Jews and Muslims from around the world are coming together to make a statement in favour of peaceful coexistence, in a country where the authorities are cracking down on migrants.
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Interview with Mouhanad Khorchide
"For Me, It's a Question of Finding a Contemporary Interpretation of Islam"
Mouhanad Khorchide, originally from Lebanon, has been appointed Professor of Islamic Religious Education Theory at the University of Münster, where he will take over from Sven Kalisch, a controversial figure in Muslim circles. Kersten Knipp interviewed the theologian
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The Niqab in Germany
An Unusual Perspective
What is it like to live as a woman who covers her face with a veil in Germany? How do people on the street react? Chamselassil Ayari wore a Muslim full-body covering garment for one day.
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Debate about Integration in Germany
The Nation State and Its Immigrants
The immigration debate is emotionally charged. Nevertheless, there is no place for sensitivities of this kind during discussions and debates. If the Germans want to embrace those who have immigrated to their country, they have to get more involved in the debate – and in an open and self-critical manner. An essay by Zafer Senocak
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Interview with Aatish Taseer
A Personal Quest for an Understanding of Modern Islam
Aatish Taseer is a British writer and journalist of British-Indian origin. In this interview with Richard Marcus, he talks about Islamic identity, the ailments of the Islamic world, and his most recent book, the highly acclaimed 'Stranger to History: A Son's Journey through Islamic Lands'
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Mohammed Abed al-Jabri
Pioneering Figure in a New Arab Enlightenment
The Moroccan philosopher Mohammed Abed Al-Jabri has died at the age of 76. His death robs the Arab world of one of its most influential critical voices in the debate over identity, history and politics. An obituary by Sonja Hegasy
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Muhammad Iqbal
A Spiritual Bridge between East and West
To this day, activists of various political hues still draw on the thinking of Muhammad Iqbal, Pakistan's spiritual father and influential 20th-century philosopher, to such an extent that he also looks set to play a significant role in the future of the country. Stephan Popp introduces the man known as the "Scholar"
Culture
More about Culture-
Arthouse film in MoroccoKeeping Tangier's cinematic history alive
20 years ago, the historic Cinema Rif in Tangier was renovated and reopened as the Cinémathèque de Tanger, one of the few arthouse cinemas in North Africa today. Elisa Pierandrei traces its history and place in Morocco's vibrant film culture.
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Remembering Sliman MansourThe artist behind a Palestinian icon
"Camel of Hardship" by Sliman Mansour, who died on 24 August, is one of the most recognisable images in Palestinian art. Asmaa al-Ghoul tells how it came to appear on walls across the country and why it remains deeply embedded in collective memory.
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Martin Jankowski and Agus R. Sarjono
Cross-Cultural Synergies
The poets Martin Jankowski und Agus R. Sarjono come from two utterly different worlds. By giving public readings together in Germany and Indonesia, they hope to provide each other the opportunity to reach new audiences. Lennart Lehmann reports
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Central Asia's New Art Scene
With Love from the Faraway Steppe
Central Asia has begun a revival of its old cultural roots. The avant-garde art scene has paved the way. And the undertaking is no small task, given that some nations in this region are still busy shaking off one and a half centuries of foreign rule. By Jesko Schmoller
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Contemporary Arab Literature in the West
"Lisan" – Paving the Way for an Underdog Literature
When in 2004 the Arabic world was the guest of honor at the world's largest book fair in Germany, hopes were soaring high that Arab literature might now find a larger readership. But as it turns out, it is still dependent on individual initiatives. Stephan Milich reports
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"The Tiger and the Snow"
Kitsch as Weapon
With the war in Iraq far from over, Roberto Benigni has already made a comedy about it. He is one of the very few filmmakers who raise the truly important questions these days: How is it possible, or permissible, to depict human suffering?
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Interview with Rolf Stehle
"We Are Not in the Business of Importing Culture"
In 1955, the very first Goethe Institute in the Arab world opened its doors in Beirut. Bernhard Hillenkamp spoke to Rolf Stehle, the current head of the Goethe Institute in Beirut, about successful cultural foreign policy under difficult circumstances
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Navid Kermani's "Metaphysical Revolts"
Is the Creator a Sadist?
In his new book Navid Kermani explores the question of divine justice and the meaning of suffering. His starting point is the Job motif and "The Book of Suffering" by the Persian mystic Fariduddin Attar. By Lewis Gropp
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
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