Political scientist Danny Postel warns in interview with Emran Feroz against the tendency of mainstream media to describe Middle Eastern politics in terms of absolutes. "Sectarianization: Mapping the New Politics of the Middle East", a collection of essays that he co-edited with Nader Hashemi, examines the topic in depthRead more
Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power, Indiaʹs approach to relations with Pakistan has been inconsistent and episodic, typified in the tensions at the recent UN General Assembly. Modiʹs government has no cohesive policy framework for dealing with Pakistan, much less a compelling vision for lasting peace. By Shashi TharoorRead more
Reinhard Kleist is regarded as one of Germany’s finest graphic-novel illustrators and has travelled the Arab world extensively, discovering a fascinating local comics sceneRead more
The abduction or even murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi would constitute a dangerous escalation in the Saudi government's campaign to clamp down on its critics. According to Guido Steinberg, the West should react with as much determination as it did towards Moscow following events in SalisburyRead more
Political scientist Danny Postel warns in interview with Emran Feroz against the tendency of mainstream media to describe Middle Eastern politics in terms of absolutes. "Sectarianization: Mapping the New Politics of the Middle East", a collection of essays that he co-edited with Nader Hashemi, examines the topic in depthMore
Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power, Indiaʹs approach to relations with Pakistan has been inconsistent and episodic, typified in the tensions at the recent UN General Assembly. Modiʹs government has no cohesive policy framework for dealing with Pakistan, much less a compelling vision for lasting peace. By Shashi TharoorMore
The abduction or even murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi would constitute a dangerous escalation in the Saudi government's campaign to clamp down on its critics. According to Guido Steinberg, the West should react with as much determination as it did towards Moscow following events in SalisburyMore
The decision by Caid Essebsi to end five years of consensus politics is likely to heighten sociopolitical tensions in the North African state and deepen a burgeoning economic crisis. Tunisian journalist Ismail Dbara analyses the reasons for the break-up and the consequences for democratisation within the countryMore
Young people in the MENA region today are better educated than their parents' generation. But higher educational attainment does not open doors to better jobs. Many youngsters go from university straight into unemployment. By Nassir DjafariMore
When members of a German Alt-Right NGO visited a Syrian refugee camp in Lebanon recently, it was ostensibly to offer aid to the destitute. But the visit served another purpose: playing out the Identitarian agenda of Fortress Europe to the home crowd. Anchal Vohra reports from the Bekaa ValleyMore
People have come to Egypt over the centuries for many reasons. Fleeing war, injustice, or simply in search of a better life. You would think Egyptʹs acceptance and ability to integrate would have been strengthened as a result. But the reality is different. By Aya NabilMore
The AfD, more known for its anti-Semitism, is looking to attract Jews. In his commentary, Armin Langer writes that Jews in Germany should distance themselves from right-wing populists and instead strive to ally themselves with other threatened minoritiesMore
Reinhard Kleist is regarded as one of Germany’s finest graphic-novel illustrators and has travelled the Arab world extensively, discovering a fascinating local comics sceneMore
Stella Gitanoʹs "Withered Flowers" is a powerful short story collection that showcases work from the very beginnings of an impressive and unusual literary career. The stories, now translated by Anthony Calderbank, centre on the lives of Sudanʹs marginalised and are elevated by bold, fearless imagery. Marcia Lynx Qualey read the bookMore
The fourth Qalandiya International exhibition opens with shows in the West Bank and Gaza, but also in Lebanon and Germany, crossing borders the Palestinians themselves can't pass. By Sarah Judith HofmannMore
In 2011, the year of the Syrian revolution, Dima Wannous left her homeland and moved to Beirut. At that point she had published a volume of short stories and a novel, but afterwards she suffered writerʹs block. Her new novel is something of a personal account about overcoming trauma in the wake of dictatorship and war. By Volker KaminskiMore
They pollute the roads and chug along at a snail's pace, but to their Pakistani owners the rickety trucks are moving pieces of art. And indeed, the trucks with their many garish portraits of flowers, Islamic art and snow-capped Himalayan peaks are now attracting global attention. By Caren Firouz and Jibran Ahmad
U.S.-Saudi relations under scrutiny
Following the alarming disappearance of Saudi journalist and political dissident Jamal Khashoggi, John Oliver examines America's uncomfortably comfortable relationship with Saudi Arabia.More
New Yorker: Did the Saudis murder Jamal Khashoggi?
Amnesty International has called reports of Khashoggiʹs assassination "an abysmal new low. Such an assassination within the grounds of the consulate, which is territory under Saudi Arabian jurisdiction, would amount to an extrajudicial execution. This case sends a shockwave among Saudi Arabian human rights defenders and dissidents everywhere, eroding any notion of seeking safe haven abroad"More
Modern art and antiques on show at Lebanon cube museum
Named after the Mesopotamian god of wisdom, the Nabu Museum opened in late September to showcase the cultural wealth of an ancient region devastated by conflict.More
The Intercept: How small bands of rescuers risk prison to save migrants
The number of refugees and migrants arriving by sea to Europe dropped in 2018, but this year has seen the highest mortality rate at sea for three years. Many aid workers attribute the increase to efforts by various authorities to prevent rescues at sea.More
How homosexuality became a crime in the Middle East
Colonialism, culture wars and fundamentalist politicians have restricted sexual freedom in the Middle East, explains The EconomistMore
Yazidi activist Nadia Murad awarded 2018 Nobel Peace Prize
Nadia Murad, a Yazidi activist, has been awarded the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize, a honour she shares with Denis Mukwege, a Congolese gynaecologist. Both have worked to place the spotlight on ending sexual violence in armed conflicts.More
Al-Jazeera: Edward Said, historian of the colonial narrative
Palestinian-American literary historian Edward Said showed how the West had the power to represent the colonial "other" – while simultaneously leaving them silent.More
Searching for the missing in Yemen
This Amnesty report details how scores of men have been subjected to enforced disappearance after being arbitrarily arrested and detained by United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Yemeni forces operating outside the command of their own government. Many have been tortured, with some feared to have died in custody.More
The German Islam Scholar Lamya Kaddor
Why I as a Muslim Woman Don't Wear a Headscarf
Jordan and the influx of refugees
The true Samaritans
Muslims in Liberal Democracies
Why the West Fears Islam
The decline of Islamic scientific thought
Don't blame it on al-Ghazali
The Media and ''The Innocence of Muslims''
Against the Islamisation of Muslims
Junaid Jamshed
"I Was a Sinner for Years"