Qantara Startseite Englisch - Dialogue with the Islamic world
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Sumud FlotillaTunisia at the forefront of global convoy to Gaza
More than 50 boats are set to sail to Gaza in an attempt to break Israel's blockade. While European activists dominate headlines, the mission unites participants from over 40 countries, including many from Tunisia, where solidarity with Palestine runs deep.
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New print issueWhat will become of Syria?
The question of Syria's future is the focus of the latest issue of Kulturaustausch, who we've partnered with for the first time. The answers come from our Syrian contributors. Articles are now available online in English.
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Artists in SyriaReclaiming space, testing limits
Since Assad's fall, Syrian artists and intellectuals have been seeking ways to respond to a transformed reality. Four cultural workers reflect on the shape of the cultural sphere in the new Syria.
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Egypt's TikTok crackdownSuzy el-Ordoneya and the politics of social media fame
A police crackdown in Egypt is targeting TikTok influencers. Among them is Suzy el-Ordoneya (Suzy the Jordanian), whose rapid rise has brought her into conflict with official state morality.
Politics
More about Politics-
The new SyriaA history of violence
For the first time in eleven years, Yassin al-Haj Saleh returned to his homeland. The Syrian writer and dissident found a country torn apart by internal conflicts and beset by worries about the return of tyranny. A historical analysis.
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Tunisia under Kais SaiedCivil society in survival mode
Since his re-election last year, Tunisian President Kais Saied has consolidated his authoritarian rule, silencing dissent and attacking marginalised groups. The EU must support Tunisian civil society rather than reinforcing Saied's populist narrative.
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Trump and the Gulf StatesSkeptical optimism in the Gulf
Saudi Arabia and the Emirates hope to reap economic benefits from the Trump presidency. But the Gulf has learned that Washington cannot be relied upon. Meanwhile, the Saudis could push Trump to take a tougher stance towards Israel.
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Dawn of a new eraZero hour in Syria
After more than half a century in power, the Assad regime has fallen. The end of one of recent history's most brutal dictatorships has sparked both joy and deep uncertainty about the country's future. Who are Syria's most powerful factions? And are there any "good guys"?
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Kuwait’s political futureCan semi-democracy survive?
Six months after Kuwait's new emir dissolved parliament, its members have yet to resume their work. Still, there are strong indications that the country’s unique parliamentary system will prevail.
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Syrian-Kurdish politician Elham Ahmed"Syria should be governed federally like Iraq or the UAE"
Elham Ahmed, the foreign representative of northeast Syria, voices concern for minorities in Aleppo following the city’s recent capture. In an interview with Qantara, she outlines her vision of a decentralised Syria and comments on the German debate over the deportation of criminal refugees.
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Support for Palestine in GermanyA nation gripped by moral panic
The Bundestag has passed a new resolution against antisemitism, which critics warn could endanger freedom of expression. Sociologist Donatella della Porta examines recent debates on antisemitism in Germany, arguing that a moral panic has resulted in the construction of an administrative apparatus that suppresses progressive voices.
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German resolution on antisemitism in educationA brazen act of state repression
German lawmakers are considering a new draft resolution that claims to combat antisemitism in educational institutions. Instead, it presents a one-dimensional view of Jewish life and erases crucial space for debate on Israeli politics and Germany's role in Gaza.
Society
More about Society-
Kafr Nabl, SyriaTraces of the revolution
When the Syrian revolution began in 2011, Kafr Nabl went from a sleepy, provincial town to a hub of resistance. Today, it resembles a ghost town. Its story may help ensure the revolution's original ideals are not forgotten.
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Economic hardship in SudanWar demands unconvential strategies
As the war continues in Sudan, survival has become a daily test of resilience for millions in the country. Business has to adapt and focuses on necessities: food, electricity, fuel and internet.
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Syrians in Germany"We have suffered at the hands of this regime, its fall unites us"
Stunned by the sudden collapse of the Assad regime, Syrians take their joy to the streets of Berlin. Some have already started planning their return home.
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Impressions from SyriaThe uncertainty of freedom
An abandoned Assad-regime torture chamber, Kalashnikov-wielding rebels and a fearful archbishop. Karim El-Gawhary reports from the "new Syria"—a snapshot of history.
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Video discussion with Eva Illouz and Michael BrennerComplex thinking in conflictual times
Simplistic, decontextualized narratives must be challenged to truly understand the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and identify potential paths toward resolution.
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Iranian civil societySilenced under the pretext of war
Iran and Israel are engaged in an unprecedented open military conflict. The regime is using the threat of war as a weapon against its own population. Activists from the "Women, Life, Freedom" movement are branded "soldiers of Israel".
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Palestinian critique of HamasReclaiming the narrative of resistance
Palestinians have the right to defend themselves against Israel's occupation. But that doesn't have to mean following Hamas—a group whose political vision has resulted in Gaza's systematic destruction. It's time to envision a different future.
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Sudanese refugees in ChadAn uncertain future
More than half a million people have fled war in Sudan into neighbouring Chad. Humanitarian workers are scrambling to provide support amid overcrowding, limited funding and widespread trauma.
Culture
More about Culture-
Afghan poet Matiullah TurabA critical voice even the Taliban listened to
Afghan poet Matiullah Turab has unexpectedly died. Turab saw himself as the modest voice of a tormented people—and even the extremists listened.
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Books on Israel-PalestineThe perennial question of the West
New publications on the Israel-Palestine conflict: Alena Jabarine writes about inequality and arbitrary violence in the West Bank, Omar El Akkad settles scores with the West and Gilbert Achcar analyses the ideological roots of Hamas and Zionism.
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Nathan Thrall's book "A Day in the Life of Abed Salama"What a bus accident can tell us about the occupation
At once empathic and analytic, Nathan Thrall’s “A Day in the Life of Abed Salama” shines a light on life in Palestine under Israeli occupation. Highly recommended.
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Short stories by Moussa AbadiMulti-religious life in the Jewish Quarter of Damascus
Syrian author Moussa Abadi depicts peaceful coexistence in the Jewish Quarter of 1920s Damascus in ‘The Queen and the Calligrapher’. The characters may be quirky and the stories bizarre, but they show us that the Damascus of yesterday could be a model for our own time.
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Restoring the IS-destruction of cultural heritageKey to overcome the past
A decade after Islamic State militants tried to destroy the rich history of Iraq and Syria, the hard work to rebuild the nations' cultural heritage continues. The ancient city of Hatra succumbed to an attack by Islamic State fighters. It’s now being repaired.
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30 essays trace a problem that affects society as a wholeEveryday Anti-Semitism in Turkey
What is the origin of anti-Semitic ideologies in politics, media and society in Turkey? And what impact does this have on today's politics? A new book provides answers.
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New Choukri translationThe absurdist frame
In Mohamed Choukri's varied and experimental collection "Tales of Tangier" the hyperreal meets the bizarre. The off-kilter stories put forward by the late author seem to be set spinning on their edges, so fast and wild they might just fly off the page
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The animals of Istanbul – a literary homageA dog barks, a seagull mews
Istanbul's kings and queens are its seagulls, the cats and dogs in its alleyways, the pigeons on Taksim Square. The city's animals are also an essential component of its literature. A new anthology of short stories by Turkish-language authors offers up a narrative tribute to the city's non-human inhabitants
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
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