Europe
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Joe Biden and U.S. policy on Turkey
No more special privileges for Recep Tayyip Erdogan
The foreign policy direction favoured by Washington's new incumbent is putting a strain on relations with Turkey. The two nations look set to clash over a whole host of issues, from human rights concerns to the S 400 Russian missile system, Ronald Meinardus writes in his analysis for Qantara.de
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"An Imaginary Racism: Islamophobia and Guilt"
Deeply ignorant – Pascal Bruckner's hateful verbal crusade
In his controversial book published in 2020, French author Pascal Bruckner describes anti-Muslim sentiment as a fiction, claiming that the term "Islamophobia" is being used to silence criticism of the religion. Alexandra Senfft responds by highlighting the contradictions in a popular view of Islam and Muslims that leaves little room for nuance
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Germany and the discussion surrounding "Political Islam"
Berlin 2021 is not Tehran 1979
Several media reports in recent weeks have focused on the potential threat presented by Islamist groups in Germany. The discourse is fraught with generalisations, both sides accusing the other of their inability to differentiate, writes Tayfun Guttstadt
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The Persian poetry of mathematics
From Omar Khayyam to Mirzakhani – Iran’s beautiful minds
Presenting a more nuanced vision of their common homeland, Iran, to Western imaginations, kindred spirits Omar Khayyam and Maryam Mirzakhani stand out against the twenty-first century backdrop of anti-Iranian sentiment and Islamophobia. By Hamid Dabashi
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Saman Haddad, cultural mediator in Germany
"Don’t talk about integration, just do it"
The child of Iraqi refugees, Saman Haddad arrived in Germany twenty-five years ago at the age of thirteen. Now a well-known cultural figure in Bonn, Haddad doesn't wait for others to take the initiative. Nor does he let others' reactions put him off. Profile by Philipp Jedicke
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Charting the history of Iran sanctions
The Islamic Republic's never-ending labour pains
The Islamic Republic of Iran has been subject to sanctions ever since its creation in 1979. The more the regime has entrenched itself and expanded its power in the region, the more sophisticated the sanctions have become, effectively crippling the country. Will they ever end? Ali Sadrzadeh traces their history
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Turkey seeks its role in the Middle East
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's foreign policy rethink
Turkey is largely isolated in the Middle East. Partners are few and far between. Its closest ally, Qatar, has just made peace with its neighbours. Together with the change of power in the USA, this is forcing Ankara to rethink. Background by Kersten Knipp
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Interview with Israeli philosopher Omri Boehm
The Haifa Republic – full equality for Middle East peace
Given that the political landscape in Israel is once more expected to shift to the right in the upcoming general elections, philosopher Omri Boehm argues in his forthcoming book – "A future for Israel" – for more open discussion on alternatives to the failed two-state solution, including the taboo concept of a Jewish state. Interview by Rene Wildangel for Qantara.de
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Gas resources in the Eastern Mediterranean
Detente between Greece and Turkey?
Ever since natural gas deposits were discovered in the eastern Mediterranean, Greece and Turkey have been mired in a fierce dispute over their exploitation. Now both sides are making a new attempt to resolve the conflict diplomatically. However, deep-seated enmity and age-old stereotypes make political rapprochement difficult, reports Ronald Meinardus from Istanbul
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Green hydrogen in Saudi Arabia
From oil giant to green powerhouse?
Although Saudi Arabia seeks to diversify its energy sector and economy away from fossil fuels, the OPEC leader is eager to maintain its status as a fuel exporter giant by leveraging cheap solar and wind power to produce green hydrogen. By Stasa Salacanin
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EU migration policy
Refugees face hopeless situation in Bosnia & Herzegovina
Tents, mud and cold: refugees contend with miserable conditions in Bosnia & Herzegovina. With the European Union demanding that Bosnia accommodate the asylum-seekers, its borders look set to remain tightly closed. Marina Strauss reports from Bihac
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Migrants and entrepreneurship in Germany
Uğur Şahin and Özlem Türeci – a rare success story?
When news broke that a vaccine against COVID-19 developed by a Turkish-born couple in Germany had promising results, many media reports placed the ethnic background of these scientists above the importance of the story itself. While migrant entrepreneurship might still be regarded as something rare in Germany, research shows that more and more migrants are launching their own businesses. By Sertan Sanderson