Arabist Tim Mackintosh-Smith
"Reading Arabic is a bit like playing chess"
Imam Benjamin Idriz
"We need to allow controversial discussion"
Turkey
Joint Kurdish plan? Turkish opposition hope for election boost
Najat El Hachmi’s "La filla estrangera"
An irrepressible desire for freedom

Arabist Tim Mackintosh-Smith

"Reading Arabic is a bit like playing chess"

Tim Mackintosh-Smith's latest book – "Arabs" – reveals how linguistic developments helped and hindered the progress of Arab history. In interview with Qantara.de, he talks to Elisabeth Knoblauch about how, even in today’s politically fractured post–Arab Spring environment, Arabic itself is still a source of unity and disunityRead more

The Arabic language: A better understandingThe Arab world: Arabic – the last tie that bindsTyranny in the Islamic world: Keeping the tribe aliveThe Koran as a text from Late Antiquity: A European approach
Benjamin Idriz is imam of the Islamic community in Penzberg and chairman of the "Munich Forum for Islam".

Islam in Germany

Imam Idriz – "We need to allow controversial discussion"

Benjamin Idriz, imam of the mosque in Penzberg near Munich, is one of the most prominent representatives of Islam in Germany. He sees his role as building bridges to mainstream society without surrendering his own Muslim identity. In interview with Claudia Mende for Qantara.de, he argues that the mosque should be a place of open discussion where controversial opinions are possibleRead more

Islamic scholar Mathias Rohe on the muezzin call: "Traditional religious practice is not political Islam"Interview with Imam Benjamin Idriz: Questioning traditionIslam in Germany: Countering the Islamisation hysteriaBenjamin Idriz's "Gruß Gott, Herr Imam": A contemporary interpretation of Islam

Turkey

Joint Kurdish plan? Turkish opposition hope for election boost

For the first time in 19 years, polls suggest Turkey's opposition could be on track to defeat President Erdogan at the next election. To boost their appeal to Kurdish voters, politicians are now talking openly about solving the Kurdish issue. But how sincere are they and how realistic their chances of success? Leyla Egeli reportsRead more

How much longer till Turkey's elections? President under pressure – Erdogan's popularity nosediveAnkara on the defensive: Pro-Kurdish faction in Recep Tayyip Erdogan's crosshairsThe Turkish-Kurdish conflict: Friend and foe

Najat El Hachmi’s "La filla estrangera"

An irrepressible desire for freedom

In her latest novel, Catalan-Moroccan writer Najat El Hachmi tells the story of a young migrant woman struggling to balance her desire for freedom and the demands of tradition and family. With great openness and a sensuous use of language, El Hachmi paints a picture of the timeless conflict encountered by young people striving for self-determination. Volker Kaminski read the book for Qantara.deRead more

Leila Slimani's "The Country of Others": Dreams in times of crisisSocial media fosters creative writing in the Maghreb: Published by FacebookMeryem Alaoui's "Straight from the Horse’s Mouth": A fiercely enjoyable feminist fairytaleQantara dossier: "Moroccan literature"

Politics

Turkey's Nation Alliance opposition leaders: Republican People's Party (CHP) chair Kemal Kilicdaroglu (left) and populist Good Party (IYI) chair Meral Aksener (photo: DHA)

Turkey

Joint Kurdish plan? Turkish opposition hope for election boost

For the first time in 19 years, polls suggest Turkey's opposition could be on track to defeat President Erdogan at the next election. To boost their appeal to Kurdish voters, politicians are now talking openly about solving the Kurdish issue. But how sincere are they and how realistic their chances of success? Leyla Egeli reportsMore

How much longer till Turkey's elections? President under pressure – Erdogan's popularity nosediveAnkara on the defensive: Pro-Kurdish faction in Recep Tayyip Erdogan's crosshairsThe Turkish-Kurdish conflict: Friend and foe
President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt; President Joe Biden of the United States of America (source. DW screenshot)

Egypt's National Human Rights Strategy

Propaganda tailored to the U.S.?

Abdul Fattah al-Sisi's National Human Rights Strategy smacks of the containment and sabotage tactics adopted by counter-revolutionaries during Egypt's 2011 revolution and its aftermath. Taqadum al-Khatib assesses the situation for Qantara.deMore

Eight years after the Arabellion: The Egyptian opposition's seven deadly sinsAuthoritarian reinstatement in the Arab world: Whatʹs left of the Arab SpringThe role of Egypt′s armed forces: A military empire
Alaattin Cakici - one of Turkey's most notorious mafia bosses, once again a free man (photo: picture-alliance/dpa/Str)

Mafia scandal in Turkey

Mafia ties run deep in AKP politics

Rarely have the links between Turkish politics and organised crime been as apparent as they are at present. Right-wing extremist mafia godfathers from the Grey Wolves are increasingly appearing in government circles. So what's behind all this? Daniel Derya Bellut has the detailsMore

Freedom of the press: Turkey's Pelican group – Erdoganʹs state within a state?Third anniversary of the attempted coup in Turkey: "A gift from Allah" for ErdoganTurkish ultranationalist, right-wing extremists: Germany's mission to muzzle the Grey WolvesCengiz Aktar's "The Turkish Malaise": Why is Erdogan gambling away Turkey's future?
Essawi Frej, 57, has been Minister of Regional Cooperation under Prime Minister Naftali Bennett since June (photo: AFP & Imago)

Interview with Arab Israeli MP Essawi Frej

"Israel is my country, the Palestinians are my people"

Essawi Frej, the first ever minister of Arab origin in an Israeli government, explains in interview with Markus Bickel what can be achieved in a coalition of oppositesMore

Interview with Israeli philosopher Omri Boehm: The Haifa Republic – full equality for Middle East peaceJoe Biden, Mahmoud Abbas – and the UN: The Palestinian ultimatumMiddle East conflict: "The Palestinians face repression on all sides"Interview with Mustafa Barghouti: Palestinians rediscover their sense of unityn profile: Hagit Ofran of Peace Now: The Zionist still holding a candle for peace and equality
more Politics »

Society

Arabist and author Tim Mackintosh-Smith (photo: YouTube screenshot)

Arabist Tim Mackintosh-Smith

"Reading Arabic is a bit like playing chess"

Tim Mackintosh-Smith's latest book – "Arabs" – reveals how linguistic developments helped and hindered the progress of Arab history. In interview with Qantara.de, he talks to Elisabeth Knoblauch about how, even in today’s politically fractured post–Arab Spring environment, Arabic itself is still a source of unity and disunityMore

The Arabic language: A better understandingThe Arab world: Arabic – the last tie that bindsTyranny in the Islamic world: Keeping the tribe aliveThe Koran as a text from Late Antiquity: A European approach
Benjamin Idriz is imam of the Islamic community in Penzberg and chairman of the "Munich Forum for Islam" (photo: Astrid Schmidhuber/imago images)

Islam in Germany

Imam Idriz – "We need to allow controversial discussion"

Benjamin Idriz, imam of the mosque in Penzberg near Munich, is one of the most prominent representatives of Islam in Germany. He sees his role as building bridges to mainstream society without surrendering his own Muslim identity. In interview with Claudia Mende for Qantara.de, he argues that the mosque should be a place of open discussion where controversial opinions are possibleMore

Islamic scholar Mathias Rohe on the muezzin call: "Traditional religious practice is not political Islam"Interview with Imam Benjamin Idriz: Questioning traditionIslam in Germany: Countering the Islamisation hysteriaBenjamin Idriz's "Gruß Gott, Herr Imam": A contemporary interpretation of Islam
Volunteers from Rabbis for Human Rights pick olives (photo: Tania Krämer/DW)

Middle East

West Bank: Palestinians harvest olives under rabbi protection

Almost every year, during olive harvest season, Palestinian farmers are at risk from settler-related violence. Israeli human rights organisations like Rabbis for Human Rights help with their presence. Tania Kraemer reportsMore

Attack on West Bank village Mufkara: Militant settlers sow the seeds of violenceInterview with Arab Israeli MP Essawi Frej: "Israel is my country, the Palestinians are my people"Interview with Israeli philosopher Omri Boehm: The Haifa Republic – full equality for Middle East peaceMiddle East conflict: "The Palestinians face repression on all sides"
The Shia scholar Allamah Tabatabayi (photo: Tabatabayi University Tehran; https://en.oldatu.ir)

40th anniversary of the death of Shia scholar Allameh Tabatabai

The modest scholar of Qom

Right up until his death, Allameh Tabatabai dedicated himself to the revival of Shia Islam’s intellectual traditions. But few in the West have even heard of this exceptional philosopher. A portrait by Marian BrehmerMore

Iranian scholars in exile: The Shia shakedownInterview with James Morris: Ibn Arabi's vision for a fully human global civilisationFrench philosopher Henry Corbin: Wherever the spirit guidesPhilosophy in Iran: Between critical rationalism and eastern wisdom
more Society »

Culture

Catalan-Moroccan author Najat El Hachmi (photo: Orlanda Verlag)

Najat El Hachmi’s "La filla estrangera"

An irrepressible desire for freedom

In her latest novel, Catalan-Moroccan writer Najat El Hachmi tells the story of a young migrant woman struggling to balance her desire for freedom and the demands of tradition and family. With great openness and a sensuous use of language, El Hachmi paints a picture of the timeless conflict encountered by young people striving for self-determination. Volker Kaminski read the book for Qantara.deMore

Leila Slimani's "The Country of Others": Dreams in times of crisisSocial media fosters creative writing in the Maghreb: Published by FacebookMeryem Alaoui's "Straight from the Horse’s Mouth": A fiercely enjoyable feminist fairytaleQantara dossier: "Moroccan literature"
Malaysian rising hip-hop star, SYA (photo: Mohd Rasfan/AFP)

Women in Malaysia

SYA, Def Jam's taboo-breaking female Malaysian rapper

The first female signing for label Def Jam – the label behind superstars from Jay-Z and Rihanna to BTS and Justin Bieber – in Southeast Asia, SYA's debut single "PrettyGirlBop" tackles misogyny and acceptance in her Muslim-majority homelandMore

Interview with Malaysian artist Nadiah Bamadhaj: Freeing the body from conservatism"Sisters in Islam" in Malaysia: Women working for reformIslam and politics in Malaysia: Islamist genie is out of the bottle
Afghan American author Nadia Hashimi (photo: Nahid Popal)

Book review: Nadia Hashimi's "Sparks like Stars"

Reclaiming memories long buried

In "Sparks Like Stars", Nadia Hashimi pulls the reader behind the curtain of modern history to peek backstage at the impact of war and terror on individual lives. Richard Marcus read the bookMore

Book review: Raihana Raha's "My Mother's Tales": Fairy tales depicting independent Afghan womenInterview with filmmaker Mariam Ghani: The power of propagandaInterview with Iranian-German author Siba Shakib: "The notion of home is bound up with loss"
Sitar player Hindol Deb (photo: Hindol Deb 2021)

Album review: Hindol Deb's "Essence of duality"

Beyond the exotic – for a new East-West dialogue

For Western listeners, the sound of the sitar is perhaps the most cliched musical symbol of India. Sitar player Hindol Deb, who lives in Cologne, Germany, has just released his debut album, which explores new ways of combining the Hindustani long-necked lute with jazz. Stefan Franzen had a listenMore

Album review: The Dosti Music Project′s ″Travelers″: Coming homeNew West-Eastern jazz divan: A humanist consensus for a multicultural societyElektro Hafiz: A musical maverickAlbum review: Misagh Joolaee's "Unknown Nearness": Silent yearnings
more Culture »

In brief

More

Most Recent Photo Essay

A modest initiative achieves great things: every weekday, Reden Roro Hendarti loads her tricycle with reading material and rides to the village of Muntang to accept rubbish from the children living there, which she exchanges for her books. A simple idea that is making a big difference, raising awareness about the environment among children in the region. Indonesia still has a huge problem with plastic waste, especially in remote rural regions

Indonesia's 'Trash Library': Plastic rubbish for books

On the Indonesian island of Java, one librarian has started a mobile library, lending books to children in exchange for plastic rubbish. The idea is that they will learn to take pride in their environment and read more at the same time. By Julie Huehnken

Editor's picks

Climate heroes in Iraq: A life for the trees

Mathias Rohe on the muezzin call: "Traditional religious practice is not political Islam"

Discrimination against black people in the MENA region: Not just a Western problem

Victim-blaming – a trope of the West's failure in Afghanistan

...More

Promoting human rights in the Middle East and North Africa

A woman bashes pan lids together during an anti-government demonstration in Algeria (photo: Getty Images/AFP/R. Kramdi)

With authoritarianism once more gaining ground in the Middle East and North Africa, the European Council on Foreign Relations explores how European diplomats can be more effective in promoting human rights and democratic values in the regionMore

SWP: Turkey’s Constitutional Court and the proposed ban on the pro-Kurdish HDP

Supporters of the pro-Kurdish HDP demonstrate against the proposed ban (photo: AFP)

An example of the entanglement of politics and the judiciary, and a bad omen for a peaceful solution to the Kurdish conflictMore

CARPO Research Forum: Road to World Cup 2022

CARPO reseearch forum poster (source: carpo-bonn.org)

The upcoming CARPO research forum on 30 November 2021 aims to shed more light on the role sport plays in the Gulf region, highlighting obstacles and grievances, while also examining opportunities for future social and political developmentMore

Egypt: a state serving the military

The Egyptian flag on the uniform of an Egyptian paratrooper (photo: Mike Pryor/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain)

Since the coup of 2013, there has been a process of structural change within the Egyptian state, where civilian institutions have fallen under the sway of the security apparatus.More

Banipal Translation Prize 2021: Shortlist of 5

Saif Ghobash Banipal Translation Prize logo (source: arablit.org)

Organisers of the Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation have announced this year’s shortlist. Three translators have made the shortlist for the first time in 2021: Sarah Enany (for Rasha Adly’s 'The Girl with the Braided Hair'), Sawad Hussain (for Shahla Ujayli’s 'A Bed for the King’s Daughter'), and Elisabeth Jaquette (for Dima Wannous’ 'The Frightened Ones').More

Berlin Mideast Podcast

Focus on the Middle East. Logo of the Berlin Mideast Podcast (photo:Konrad Adenauer Foundation)

Monthly German-language podcast series Berlin Mideast Podcast looks at the current situation and trends in the Middle East.More

"The invisible Muslim": On White privilege and Islam

Banner advertising Medina Tenour Whiteman's "The Invisible Muslim" (source: hurstpublishers.com)

"The Invisible Muslim" offers a topical read to better understand the anti-racism conversation raging across the world right now, as well as a case study of what it means to be a Muslim in the West in the 21st century.More