Qantara Startseite Englisch - Dialogue with the Islamic world
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Pankaj Mishra on Germany, Israel and Palestine"An anarchic, nihilistic world"
The West, particularly Germany, has instrumentalised Holocaust remembrance to justify state violence, argues Pankaj Mishra. A conversation on suppressed colonial histories, Western complicity in Gaza and Germany's role in the erosion of international law.
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Anti-Erdoğan protestsTurkey at the crossroads
The March arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has sparked widespread protests demanding his release and fresh presidential elections. Successful or not, the protests point to a changing face of Turkish society.
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Two years of war in SudanA fractured nation on the brink of partition
Two years in, Sudan's war shows no signs of resolution. As both sides push to establish rival governments, civilians bear the brunt of the violence, and national divisions threaten to become permanent.
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Christians in SyriaFear lingers in an ancient community
In the predominantly Christian town of Maaloula, residents hold differing views on al-Sharaa and the safety of their community in the new Syria. For many, memories of the 2013 Nusra Front attack remain—and mistrust runs deep.
Politics
More about Politics-
UGTT in crisisThe decline of Tunisia's most powerful trade union
Plagued by internal divisions, Tunisia's UGTT union is losing the political influence it gained after the 2011 revolution. What is behind the crisis—and how has President Kais Saied capitalised?
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Civil society since the Arab SpringEurope must support the agents of change
Civil society organisations in West Asia and North Africa face widespread repression. But instead of supporting activists on the ground, European policymakers continue to prop up autocratic regimes.
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Turkey in NATORelationship status difficult
A more active role for Turkey in NATO, as demanded by the Turkish government, would be appropriate in view of the geopolitical challenges, but is meeting resistance within the alliance. How can the defence alliance achieve greater unity?
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A new phase in the Middle East conflictHistory and the war on Gaza
According to the Palestinian-American historian Rashid Khalidi, the Middle East conflict and the war in Gaza are in many ways a consequence of imperial interventions. “Resolution can only be based on dismantling entrenched structures of supremacy and discrimination”, he asserts. Only in this way a two-state solution can be realised.
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Relations with the Middle EastEurope can still make a difference
The European Union is faced with the challenge of finding a common line towards the Middle East that both takes into account the different national positions and promotes a coherent foreign policy. How can this be realized?
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What is anti-Semitism?How do you differentiate?
A new anthology sheds light on the various forms of anti-Semitism and the academic debate surrounding it in the light of current controversial debates
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The rise of Israel's religious nationalist sectPolitical Islam, political Judaism
The 7 October Hamas attacks fanned the flames of a movement already virulent in Israel. Ever since, religious nationalists have been consolidating their influence. In Germany, where politicians prefer to focus solely on the dangers of Islamism, it is easier to ignore such developments
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Iraq's autonomous KurdistanKurds drifting away from democracy
In Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan, regional elections are being repeatedly postponed, institutions weakened and structures are becoming more autocratic
Society
More about Society-
Christianity and IslamThe Muslim Jesus
Both Muslims and Christians revere Jesus, but they have different interpretations of his life, mission and role in salvation. At Easter, shared themes of resurrection and hope offer space for dialogue.
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Sudan's Emergency Response RoomsA revolutionary aid network
Born from Sudan's 2018-19 revolution, the volunteer-led Emergency Response Rooms have become a lifeline to millions, coordinating aid where international efforts have failed. Their decentralised model offers a blueprint for grassroots humanitarian relief.
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Animal welfare in TurkeyWhat fate for Turkey's stray dogs?
The Turkish government's draft bill seeking euthanasia for stray dogs en masse has raised concerns among animal rights activists and many in the country. But some say attacks by dogs are increasingly alarming and that such danger must be removed from the streets.
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Africans in PakistanMagical Karachi
Juergen Wasim Frembgen's new book, "Bambasa Street", is a fascinating account of the traditions of the African diaspora in Pakistan's largest metropolis
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Ahmadis persecuted in PakistanSacrificial animals – a political issue
In 1974, Ahmadi Muslims were declared a non-Muslim minority by the Pakistani parliament. Since then, it has become much harder for them to perform their religious duties
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German coverage of the Middle East"Germany's reputation is suffering"
Media expert Kai Hafez talks to Qantara.de about German coverage of the Gaza war, traditional narratives and the link to Islamophobic attitudes within society
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Syrians in LebanonNot safe to stay, not safe to go home
Desperate Syrians are weighing up whether to stay in an increasingly hostile Lebanon or risk a precarious existence in areas held by the Syrian opposition. The return journey is deadly and conditions in Syria are tough
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Muslim month of pilgrimageHajj – a vision of interfaith solidarity
When Muslims turn to the Kaaba as a common centre point, they are reminded of their sacred bond with the entire human race and their special relationship with the other Abrahamic religions
Culture
More about Culture-
Jan Dost on writing in Arabic and Kurdish"Like being caught between two magnets"
"Safe Corridor" is Jan Dost's first novel translated into English. The prolific Syrian writer explores the hardening impact of war on children and discusses the key differences between writing in Kurdish and Arabic.
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"Fighting the Flow" by Algerian author Saïd KhatibiThe weight of colonial memory
Saïd Khatibi's "Fighting the Flow" explores French colonialism's violent legacy in Algerian society after the War of Liberation. The novel poses the question: can individuals liberate themselves from their past?
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Kurdish singer Hani MojtahediMyths re-imagined
Kurdish singer Hani Mojtahedi and German electro legend Andi Toma of Mouse On Mars have collaborated on an album that also pays homage to Mojtahedi’s grandfather, a Sufi master
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Aziza Brahim's "Mawja"The voice of Western Sahara
Aziza Brahim's childhood as a Sahrawi refugee in Algeria naturally shaped her music, but as her latest album, "Mawja" shows, while she has not forgotten where she comes from, she has long since tuned her ears to a world beyond the camp perimeters
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Najat Abed Alsamad's "Kein Wasser stillt ihren Durst"Searching for life
Najat Abed Alsamad's award-winning novel, "La Ma'a Yarwiha", has been published in German translation as "Kein Wasser stillt ihren Durst" (No water quenches her thirst). In it, she tells the story of a young Druze woman who roundly rejects the traditional rules imposed on her by her parents and relatives and begins a long fight for her freedom
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Zakaria Tamer's "Sour Grapes"Always subversive
Playing with language in his short-short collection "Sour Grapes" – now in English translation – Syrian writer Zakaria Tamer doesn't hesitate to employ the winking humour, quick reversals and archetypes that are a part of his wide appeal
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Palestinian-Chilean singerElyanna poised to take Arabic pop global
Singing in Arabic wasn't part of Elyanna's original plan. Yet it's helping the 22-year-old Palestinian-Chilean singer make history, even as she walks a fine line against the backdrop of current events
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Iranian protest literatureEhtesham-Zadeh and the inner revolution
"Zan", Suzi Ehtesham-Zadeh's short story collection, tells of Iranian women during the uprising in Iran, and of women in exile grappling in diverse ways with their identity and roots. A book about women, life and freedom that has arrived at exactly the right moment
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
Most read articles
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Pankaj Mishra über Deutschland und den Gazakrieg
„Eine zunehmend anarchische, nihilistische Welt“
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Prostitution in Tunesien
Das Verdeckte offenlegen
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Völkermord an den Armeniern
Der Widerstand der jungen Kreativen
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Sex-Tourismus in Ägypten
Braut für einen Sommer
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Cannabis und Islam
Eine vielschichtige Beziehung
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Identitätspolitik
Die blutige Teilung des indischen Subkontinents