Interview with Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu
"Turkey Creates Balance in the Middle East"

Turkey's foreign policy has been under the spotlight in recent months, with many Western commentators expressing concern about a perceived swing toward a more Middle Eastern orientation. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu speaks to Ayşe Karabat about his country's new regional role

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Tahir ul-Qadri's Legal Opinion against Terror
Fatwa Falls on Deaf Ears

In his 600-page legal opinion, the Pakistani Islamic scholar Tahir ul-Qadri castigates Muslim suicide bombers as unbelievers destined for hell. But is his fatwa really an effective way to move extremists to reform? Answers from Albrecht Metzger

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Interview with Iran Expert Vali Nasr
The Power Lies in the Middle

Political scientist Vali Nasr is an advisor to US President Barack Obama and is viewed as one of the country's leading specialists on Iran. In his view, recent reform movements in the Islamic world are partially driven by a new middle class. Ramon Schack spoke to him

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The Transformation of Palestine
Divided, Shattered and Disoriented

The Heinrich Böll Foundation hosted a symposium on "The Transformation of Palestine" in Berlin. At the gathering, experts re-appraised the history of the Palestinians since the foundation of the state of Israel in 1948. Bettina Marx reports

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Domestic Violence against Women in the Gaza Strip
"A Woman Is Like a Carpet"

Since the war in January 2009, Domestic violence against women in the Gaza Strip has markedly increased. The strict rule by Hamas has only worsened the situation. Yet, with the assistance of NGO initiatives, afflicted women can once again experience hope. Ruth Kinet reports

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Motalakat Radio in Egypt
The Voice of Divorced Women

Mahasin Saber wants her "Radio for divorced women" to put the spotlight on the serious deficits in the male-dominated Egyptian society, and to make people aware of the discrimination suffered by women. So far, she's succeeding. Nelly Youssef visited her in Cairo

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"No Integration?!"
Concepts for a Cosmopolitan Europe

The concept of integration has dominated the immigration debate in recent years. Specialists in the field of migration say it's time to stop issuing the unilateral demand that immigrants fit in with the host society, and are calling for a new approach. By Holger Moos

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Interview with the Saudi Arabian Writer Abdo Khal
The Discovery of Arabic Literature in the Gulf

In an interview with Qantara.de the winner of this year's Arabic Booker Prize Abdo Khal talks about the significance of this major award for the Gulf region, as well as the division of Arab culture into a centre and a periphery. Loay Mudhoon spoke to him

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Alaa Al Aswany's "Friendly Fire"
The Fall of Man Revisited

Even Alaa Al Aswany's early works were shot with the brilliance for which he is now renowned. This collection of short stories centres on Hisham, soon to be a professor of surgery, who loses himself in cynicism and criticism of Egyptian culture. Angela Schader read the book

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The 19th Century Urdu Epic "Hoshruba"
A Literary Treasure from Hindu-Muslim Culture

"Hoshruba" is a fantasy epic written in 19th century Muslim India. Now Muhammad Ali Farooqi has produced the first ever translation of "Hoshruba" into any language. In this interview with Lewis Gropp he talks about this unique epic, Urdu literature, and the colonially induced Urdu-Hindi divide

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Sanctions against Iran
Is the West Getting Serious?

The international community feels threatened by Iran's nuclear activities, fearing that Tehran is trying to build a nuclear bomb. Iran disputes this view. Now the US says it intends to propose tough economic and political sanctions against the Islamic state in the UN Security Council. Three international experts discuss the matter in Quadriga, Deutsche Welle's International Talk Show

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