Authoritarian reinstatement in the Arab world
Whatʹs left of the Arab Spring
Birgit Svensson's "Murderous Freedom"
Between heaven and hell – fifteen years in Iraq
Bearing the brunt of the war
Yemeni families in dire straits
Salafism in Germany
Iʹll wear a niqab if I want

Authoritarian reinstatement in the Arab world

Whatʹs left of the Arab Spring

Not much remains of the euphoric mood and the hopes that drove the Arab Spring. A return to pre-2011 conditions is however out of the question. Commentary by Loay MudhoonRead more

What triggered the Middle Eastern revolts in 2011? The economics of ArabellionInterview with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Tawakkul Karman: "Bring back the Arab Spring!"Tyranny in the Islamic world: Keeping the tribe alive

Birgit Svensson's biographical account "Murderous Freedom"

Between heaven and hell – fifteen years in Iraq

Journalist Birgit Svensson arrived in Iraq in 2003 and never left, enjoying the dubious status of being the only German-language reporter in the country for much of the time since. Recently published in German, "Moerderische Freiheit" recounts her experiences, offering insights into Iraq that go beyond terrorism and war. By Christopher ReschRead more

From Basra to Baghdad: Young Iraqis rise up for a life worth livingIraqʹs political future: Entering a new eraWomen writers in Iraq: Writing to stay alive

Bearing the brunt of the war

Yemeni families in dire straits

War, famine and poverty are devastating Yemen. Millions of people are in dire need of food and medical supplies. Among the worst-affected are young mothers and their children. Gouri Sharma and Mohamed Hussein reportRead more

Bushra al-Maqtariʹs "Voices from a forgotten war-torn country": Yemenʹs chronicles of death and destruction untoldInterview with Wafa′a Alsaidy, co-ordinator of Medecins du Monde in Yemen: At the expense of the Yemeni peopleYemen′s Houthis: Defenders of the country?

Salafism in Germany

Iʹll wear a niqab if I want

Children's life choices are often difficult for parents to endure and even more difficult to understand. Especially when they embark on a path towards Islamism. An encounter with an affected mother. By Matthias von Hein and Esther FeldenRead more

Wahhabism and Salafism: Shared foundation – different methodsFrance's burka ban: Excluding the wrong peopleEssay by Sara Silvestri: Britain does not need a French-style Burqa ban

Politics

German journalist and author Birgt Svensson (source: screengrab, SWR mediathek)

Birgit Svensson's biographical account "Murderous Freedom"

Between heaven and hell – fifteen years in Iraq

Journalist Birgit Svensson arrived in Iraq in 2003 and never left, enjoying the dubious status of being the only German-language reporter in the country for much of the time since. Recently published in German, "Moerderische Freiheit" recounts her experiences, offering insights into Iraq that go beyond terrorism and war. By Christopher ReschMore

From Basra to Baghdad: Young Iraqis rise up for a life worth livingIraqʹs political future: Entering a new eraWomen writers in Iraq: Writing to stay alive
Demonstrators demand the resignation of Ben Ali in front of the Ministry of the Interior in Tunis on 14 January 2011 (photo: Fethi Belaid/AFP)

Authoritarian reinstatement in the Arab world

Whatʹs left of the Arab Spring

Not much remains of the euphoric mood and the hopes that drove the Arab Spring. A return to pre-2011 conditions is however out of the question. Commentary by Loay MudhoonMore

What triggered the Middle Eastern revolts in 2011? The economics of ArabellionInterview with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Tawakkul Karman: "Bring back the Arab Spring!"Tyranny in the Islamic world: Keeping the tribe alive
Protester wearing a mask of Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman demonstrates outside the Saudi Arabian embassy over the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, 10 October 2018, in Washington (photo: picture-alliance/AP Photo/J. Martin)

The world according to Mohammed bin Salman

Prove your loyalty, Saudis – deny reality

Saudi Arabia first denied the Khashoggi murder and then blamed it on rogue security agents. Neither version has enjoyed much credibility, but the ability to make the population repeat incredible claims is itself a form of power for Arab autocrats, argues Hannes BaumannMore

Trump, MbS and the aftermath: Did the global order die with Khashoggi?Tyranny in the Islamic world: Keeping the tribe aliveViolence in the Arab world: Born of a barbaric state
State-sponsored demonstration against the USA in Tehran on 04.11.2018, the anniversary of the storming of the U.S. embassy in Tehran in 1979 (photo: ILNA)

U.S. sanctions against Iran

The lonely "axis of evil"

In the new Cold War between the USA and the Islamic Republic the theocracy is taking on the status of the defunct Soviet Union, writes Ali Sadrzadeh. Tehranʹs powerbrokers have, however, come up with several strategies to counter Trump's tightened sanctions policyMore

Iran's President Rouhani warns of 'war situation' as sanctions resume U.S. policy on Iran: Middle East nightmare – made in WashingtonIran and the USA: Trump's UN debut: The axis of evil is back
more Politics »

Society

Many Yemeni children have stopped attending school and must work to support their families (photo: Ali Al Sunaidar)

Bearing the brunt of the war

Yemeni families in dire straits

War, famine and poverty are devastating Yemen. Millions of people are in dire need of food and medical supplies. Among the worst-affected are young mothers and their children. Gouri Sharma and Mohamed Hussein reportMore

Bushra al-Maqtariʹs "Voices from a forgotten war-torn country": Yemenʹs chronicles of death and destruction untoldInterview with Wafa′a Alsaidy, co-ordinator of Medecins du Monde in Yemen: At the expense of the Yemeni peopleYemen′s Houthis: Defenders of the country?
Portrait of a blue-eyed woman wearing a niqab (photo: picture-alliance/dpa/P. Ending)

Salafism in Germany

Iʹll wear a niqab if I want

Children's life choices are often difficult for parents to endure and even more difficult to understand. Especially when they embark on a path towards Islamism. An encounter with an affected mother. By Matthias von Hein and Esther FeldenMore

Wahhabism and Salafism: Shared foundation – different methodsFrance's burka ban: Excluding the wrong peopleEssay by Sara Silvestri: Britain does not need a French-style Burqa ban
Psychologist Burkhard Hofmann, author of "Und Gott schuf die Angst: Ein Psychogramm der arabischen Seele", And God created fear: A psychogram of the Arab soul (source: YouTube)

Burkhard Hofmann's "And God created fear"

A psychogram of the Arab soul

In "Und Gott schuf die Angst: Ein Psychogramm der arabischen Seele", psychologist Burkhard Hoffmann draws on his own caseload to present some of the uniquely Arab hang-ups plaguing individuals in the Gulf region, highlighting the urgent need of Islamic societies to recognise the value of psycho-anaylsis. Gunther Orth read the bookMore

Trauma in contemporary Arab literature: Translating oblivionTerrorism and repression in the Arab world: On Islam, anti-terrorism and fascismTyranny in the Islamic world: Keeping the tribe alive
Moroccan classroom in Rabat (photo: Reuters/Y. Boudial)

Moroccan school curricula

French, Arabic, Moroccan, Amazigh?

The debate about the status of Arabic in Moroccan schools continues unabated. With many of the existing colloquial dialects jockeying for recognition, Morocco faces a tough task when it comes to offering effective, balanced linguistic education for all. By Ali AnouzlaMore

Morocco′s Amazigh: The long road to recognitionMorocco's social gulf: The many faces of povertyConstitutional reform in Morocco: I am the reform!
more Society »

Culture

Turkish singer-songwriter Gaye Su Akyol (photo: Aylin Gungor)

Album review: Gaye Su Akyolʹs "Istikrarl Hayal Hakikattir"

Singing the revolution

Influenced by everything from California surf music of the 1960s to the songs of Anatolian singer Selda Bagcan and a hearty dose of 1990s grunge music, the thought behind Turkish singer-songwriter Gaye Su Akyolʹs latest album, "Istikrarl Hayal Hakikattir" (ʹconstant fantasy is realityʹ), is a little more ethereal. By Richard MarcusMore

Gaye Su Akyol's official websiteThe Turkish Oriental Dub Band "Baba Zula": Music from the fringes with a rebellious soulThe Turkish music collective Bandista: "Every resistance movement has its own voice"Fatih Akin's "Crossing the Bridge": Grunge, punk and hip-hop on the Bosphorus
Algerian film-maker Drifa Mezenner (source: Fcebook; Drifa Mezenner)

Algerian film-maker Drifa Mezenner on the generation gap

"Inshallah, if God lets us live that long"

For young women throughout the Arab world, everyday life is fraught with tension. In this piece Algerian writer and film-maker Drifa Mezenner presents her own take on conflicting generational expectations, societal pressures and the deeply felt desire to live a self-determined existenceMore

Egyptʹs generation gap: Not following in their parentsʹ footsteps!Stories from the Palestinian diaspora: My grandmother, the selfie generation, and ISexual repression in the Arab world: Anguish, love and poetry
The Christian Tony (Adel Karam) in Ziad Doueiriʹs film "The Insult" (source: Alpenrepublik Filmverleih)

Ziad Doueiriʹs film "The Insult"

A microcosm of Lebanese society

In Ziad Doueiri’s "The Insult", a Lebanese Christian and a Palestinian foreman in Beirut have an argument that lands them in court, and ultimately triggers civil war-like clashes between the two ethnic groups. By Schayan RiazMore

Interview with film director Samuel Maoz: Israeli "Foxtrot" pulls no punchesLebanon: from amnesty to amnesia: Lacking a culture of remembranceBook review ″Beirut Noir″: Chronicling life in the corrupt city
Archive photo: Turkish journalist and author Ahmet Altan attends a press conference having been awarded the 2009 Leipzig Media Prize, 08.10.2009 (photo: picture-alliance/dpa/J. Woitas)

Book review: Ahmet Altanʹs "Like a Sword Wound"

The rotten Empire

Ahmet Altanʹs "Like a Sword Wound", translated into English by Brendan Freely, reads like a grand adventure story: intrigue, suspense, romance and politics. Yet, each little incident, from the in-fighting in the palace to the conditions aboard Ottoman naval vessels, reveals a deep current of rot. Richard Marcus read the bookMore

Interview with Sanem Altan, daughter of Turkish detainee Ahmet Altan: ″The rule of law is disappearing″The last years of the Ottoman EmpireTurkish Literature: Gloriously resurrecting a bygone Istanbul
more Culture »

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