Qantara Startseite Englisch - Dialogue with the Islamic world
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"Carmen" on the Egyptian stageRewritten to fit the patriarchal script
A stage production of "Carmen", adapted from Prosper Mérimée's French novella, has captured the attention of audiences and critics in Cairo. While the French novella portrayed Carmen as a free-spirited rebel, the Egyptian adaptation tells a different story.
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The "New Middle East"Pax Israelia or bellum aeternum?
With the support of the USA, Israel is reshaping the Middle East. Though framed as a path to stability, their strategy risks locking the region into a permanent conflict.
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German academiaWhen neutrality becomes complicity
German scholars of the Middle East often wear the mask of political neutrality. But both Western philosophy and the classical Islamic tradition insist that knowledge carries an ethical duty. A call for moral responsibility.
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Iran at warThe scapegoating of Afghan refugees
Amid conflict with Israel, Tehran's regime is fuelling mistrust of Afghan refugees. Yet they are among those most vulnerable to Israeli air strikes.
Politics
More about Politics-
Iran and Israel"A war of extremisms"
Both Israel and Iran are driven by dangerous forms of fundamentalism, says former IAEA analyst Behrooz Bayat. He explains how close Tehran is to developing a nuclear bomb and the logic behind Israel's attacks.
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Ismail Küpeli's "Graue Wölfe"A danger left unchecked
Thousands of right-wing extremists of Turkish origin live in Germany. Violent and deeply embedded, they remain largely ignored by politicians. In his book "Graue Wölfe" (Grey Wolves), Ismail Küpeli takes a closer look at the movement.
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Democracy and secularism in Syria's revolutionUnited, not homogenous
In Syria, secularism is a fiercely contested topic. Assad supporters are using the term to discredit the revolution, while their opponents seek to redefine it. Yet this debate must not overshadow the revolution's central demand: democratic participation.
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Israel in new Merkel memoir "Freedom"Merkel's reason of state
When Angela Merkel used the word "Staatsräson" in a 2008 speech to the Israeli Knesset, she may not have expected the enduring intensity of the debate it would ignite. In the new memoir "Freedom", the former chancellor reveals her idealised view of Israel, and her reluctance to acknowledge Palestinian perspectives.
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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.
Society
More about Society-
Syria after AssadTo stay, to leave, to return
As many refugees return to Syria, queues are forming outside passport offices as people try to leave. Four personal stories reflect the hopes, fears and unresolved questions of a country in transition.
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Islam and AITranslating the sacred
Technology can make life easier for believers, but its relationship with religion has fundamental limits. Artificial intelligence may be able to translate the Qur'an, but can it grasp its meaning?
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Southern LebanonReturning to find ruins
The Israeli army is slowly and partially withdrawing from southern Lebanon. Returning residents are confronted by the destruction of their homes and local infrastructure. A view from the ground.
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The search for Syria's missingWhere is Ahmed?
Since the fall of Assad, thousands of Syrians searching for disappeared relatives have been left feeling abandoned by the new rulers. Meanwhile, the process of collecting evidence of the regime's crimes remains unsystematic.
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Arab footballers in GermanyIs Marmoush following in Salah's footsteps?
The young Egyptian player Omar Marmoush has made headlines in the German Bundesliga and across Europe, drawing comparisons to his compatriot, the Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah.
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Post-Assad Syria"Let freedom of the press be enshrined as sacrosanct"
The collapse of the Assad regime must not only mark the end of an era steeped in fear and oppression, but it must also serve as the dawn of a new chapter in the country’s history. Syrian independent media outlets publish their demands to the new government.
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Podcast with Qantara author Emran Feroz"The question is: which human rights do the Taliban not violate?"
In August 2021, the USA and its allies withdrew from Afghanistan. Emran Feroz joins the "Deep Dive" podcast to shed light on the human rights situation in the country after three years of Taliban rule.
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ICC arrest warrantsWhat the Netanyahu warrant tells us about international law
Arrest warrants issued against Israeli leaders are putting international law to the test. Do Western states only support UN courts when it serves their interests? Can the "principle of universal jurisdiction" save international criminal justice?
Culture
More about Culture-
"Dis-orienting the Maghreb" by Sadik RddadPlural identities in colonial Morocco
In his new book, Moroccan scholar Sadik Rddad revisits colonial-era British and American travel writing, challenging Edward Said's view of Orientalism and its flattening of Maghrebi identities.
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Al-Hafiz Tarjok's "Friday of Death"A survivor's account of the Melilla massacre
In "Friday of Death", Sudanese activist al-Hafiz Tarjok recounts his survival of the deadly 2022 events at the Melilla border between Morocco and Spain. His book sheds light on the tragedy faced by thousands of Sudanese risking their lives to cross the desert in search of safety in Europe.
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FairuzSongs for a Lebanon that never existed
Lebanese singer Fairuz, now a 90-year-old icon, began her career 70 years ago with mould-breaking musical theatre. Setting artistic milestones alongside the Rahbani brothers, she soundtracked the history of Lebanon through an era marked by suffering and war.
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On fleeing to GermanyPoems that strike a blow for freedom
The new collection "Sei neben mir und sieh, was mir geschehen ist" (Be beside me and see what happened to me) features works by 29 poets who arrived in Germany as refugees. Their texts, written in German, Arabic, Kurdish, Persian, and Ukrainian, provide insights into their experiences.
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Comic book author Joe Sacco"Gaza was where the West went to die"
Trailblazing cartoonist and journalist Joe Sacco reflects on Western coverage of the war on Gaza, oral histories, and comics as a medium for critical journalism.
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Tunisia's Carthage Film FestivalDecolonial cinema
The Carthage Film Festival in Tunis aims to counter the Global North's dominance in the world of film. Until Sunday, a diverse range of films from Africa and West Asia will be screened. But can the festival truly fulfil its own ambitions?
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Palestinian director Dima Hamdan"There is no pride when gay men are blackmailed"
Winner of the prestigious Iris Film Prize, Dima Hamdan's short film "Blood like Water" addresses how Israel uses the social stigma of homosexuality in Palestinian society to blackmail gay men.
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Mahmoud Muna, editor of "Daybreak in Gaza""A book about hope, anger and anguish"
Mahmoud Muna is the owner of the Educational Bookshop in East Jerusalem and one of the editors of “Daybreak in Gaza: Stories of Palestinian Lives and Cultures”. The book collects testimonies and stories from over a hundred Gazans, documenting their lives before and during Israel’s ongoing war on the enclave.
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
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