Egypt's and Tunisia's State Security Files
Two years after the Arab Spring started shaking up the political landscape of the Middle East, many secret police files are still kept locked up in the relevant ministries and therefore remain inaccessible. Christoph Dreyer reports More »
Interview with Abdelwahab Meddeb
The Tunisian-French author Abdelwahab Meddeb is a critical observer of political developments in Tunisia and Egypt. In this interview with Ceyda Nurtsch, he explains why the Islamists are not creating a liberal culture of discussion and why he is sceptical about the concept of an Islamic democracy More »
Assad versus the Rebels
Whether Assad chooses "hell" or a democratic transition for his country, Syria's fate will likely be decided in 2013. Rebels smell victory. Yet opposition forces should be working now to avoid a second hell thereafter. By Conor Dillon More »
Refugees in Libya
The oasis city of Tawerga was completely destroyed in the Libyan civil war. Its dark-skinned inhabitants are still on the run. Former rebels accuse them of war crimes and are carrying out vigilante justice. Markus Symank has the details More »
Turkey's Syria Policy
The Syrian conflict is exposing the limitations of aspiring regional power Turkey, as the West repeatedly urges leaders in Ankara to exercise military restraint. Turkish public opinion is also putting the brakes on a possible intervention in neighbouring Syria. By Thomas Seibert More »
The Impact of Crowd Dynamics on the Arab Spring
In this essay, Sami Mahroum takes a closer look at the genesis, dynamics and impact of crowds in particular in the Arab world, where crowds – both spontaneous and those born through social media – have been shaping political processes since before the Arab Spring More »
Interview with the Israeli Peace Activist Uri Avnery
Despite growing international criticism, Israel is pressing ahead with the construction of new settlements in and around Jerusalem. In this interview with Diana Hodali, peace activist Uri Avnery says that the current Israeli government does not actually want a two-state solution, regardless of what it says More »
Egypt and Its New Constitution
President Morsi has failed. The divided nation now needs real dialogue. The majority of Egyptians is against a theological state, says diplomat and political analyst Ashraf Swelam More »
''Human Rights as an Alibi'' by Bahman Nirumand
In his new book, the German-Iranian journalist Bahman Nirumand appeals to the West to adopt a new foreign policy approach. Western politics should not align itself with the principles of realpolitik, but place much more emphasis on individual values. He says this is the only way to contribute to a stabilisation of the Middle East region. By Laura Overmeyer More »
The Rise of Populists in Moroccan Politics
The election of Hamid Chabat as secretary-general of Istiqlal, Morocco's oldest political party, at the end of September has brought attention to the resurgence in populism that is becoming a distinctive feature of Moroccan politics, writes Mohamed Jalid More »
