Ruud Koopman's "Das verfallene Haus des Islam"
Cherry-picking for a distorted image
Urban renewal under Erdogan
Istanbul shantytown residents in limbo
Parliamentary elections in Iran
Era of the Khamenei vassals
Interview with Selim Yildiz
When one dies, the next goes up into the mountains

Non-fiction: Ruud Koopman's "Das verfallene Haus des Islam"

Cherry-picking for a distorted image of Islam

Why are predominantly Muslim countries lagging behind when it comes to democracy and human rights? Dutch sociologist Ruud Koopmans uses a lot of figures to underpin his theory that it is all down to religion. According to Daniel Bax, however, his approach is rather too simplisticRead more

Arab Spring 2.0: The Middle East's fearless protestersVolker Perthes: "The end of the Middle East, as we know it": The end of Sykes-Picot?Interview with the Islamic scholar Ebrahim Moosa: The reinvention of IslamThe nature of Islam: Neither violence nor peace

Urban renewal under Erdogan

Istanbul shantytown residents in limbo

Amid recent fears of earthquakes, Turkey has rolled out a new urban renewal plan. But past plans have failed to helped quake-prone neighbourhoods, due to a market dominated by construction firm interests. Ayse Karabat reports from IstanbulRead more

The Arter, art and gentrification: Modern art makeover in Istanbul?Anti-construction protests in Turkey: ″Reclaim Istanbul!″ – policy vs. architectureThe Istanbul Canal project: Erdogan's dream, Istanbul's nightmare

Parliamentary elections in Iran

Era of the Khamenei vassals

Once again there was not much to vote for in the Islamic Republic. Half of the candidates were excluded anyway. But for Khamenei, the election was part of a larger plan, namely full-scale preparation for an uncertain future. By Ali SadrzadehRead more

The Republic of Iran turns forty: A theocracy at the crossroadsInterview with Nader Hashemi on the protests in Iran: Violence "reflects the Iranian regime's desperation"Protests in Iran: The spark that turned into a wildfire

Interview with Kurdish director Selim Yildiz

When one dies, the next goes up into the mountains

In his film “Dialogue“, Selim Yildiz addresses a social taboo which is a reality for many Kurds in Turkey: young men suddenly disappear and joined armed groups in the mountains. Interview by Semiran KayaRead more

Kurdish film-maker Ali Kemal Cinar: The power of tenacityHiner Saleem's "Dol": Artistic freedom in Iraqi KurdistanJames Joyce′ "Ulysses" in Kurdish: Across snotgrean seas

Politics

Egyptʹs former ruler Hosni Mubarak (photo: Reuters)

Obituary for Hosni Mubarak

Egypt's 'pharaoh' is dead

Egypt's former long-term president is dead. His ailing political and economic legacy is now in the hands of the country's present-day authoritarian rulers. An obituary from Cairo by Karim El-GawharyMore

Egypt holds funeral for former president Mubarak′Pharaoh′ Mubarak′s acquittal: Some are more equalTahrir Square's democracy activists: The forgotten heroes
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei attends a rally in Tehran at the beginning of January 2020 (photo: Reuters)

Parliamentary elections in Iran

Era of the Khamenei vassals

Once again there was not much to vote for in the Islamic Republic. Half of the candidates were excluded anyway. But for Khamenei, the election was part of a larger plan, namely full-scale preparation for an uncertain future. By Ali SadrzadehMore

The Republic of Iran turns forty: A theocracy at the crossroadsInterview with Nader Hashemi on the protests in Iran: Violence "reflects the Iranian regime's desperation"Protests in Iran: The spark that turned into a wildfire
Following the attack in Hanau: vigil for the victims (photo: picture-alliance/dpa/P. Kneffel)

Racist terror in Germany

ʺNever againʺ? Let’s hope so!

Nine victims of the right-wing extremist murderer of Hanau had a migration background. The motive for the crime is clear and unambiguous: racism. Sheila Mysorekar from the "Neue deutsche Medienmacher*innen" commentsMore

Racist attack on Hanau: Not the only Nazi ideologue...Right-wing extremism: Halle, Christchurch… a network of "lone wolves"Islamophobia: Criticism of religion? Blatant racism!
Spent bullet from the Hanau attacker's gun (photo: AP)

Racist attack on Hanau

Not the only Nazi ideologue...

The template of the mentally disturbed gunman doesn't fit. Seeing himself as a spearhead, heralding a new rise to power, the murderer of Hanau placed himself squarely in the Nazi tradition, says Stefan Buchen in his analysisMore

Right-wing extremism: Halle, Christchurch… a network of "lone wolves"Anti-Muslim racism: Merkel and "the danger of self-Islamisation"Islamophobia: Criticism of religion? Blatant racism!
more Politics »

Society

Dutch sociologist Ruud Koopmans (photo: picture-alliance/dpa/gbrci)

Non-fiction: Ruud Koopman's "Das verfallene Haus des Islam"

Cherry-picking for a distorted image of Islam

Why are predominantly Muslim countries lagging behind when it comes to democracy and human rights? Dutch sociologist Ruud Koopmans uses a lot of figures to underpin his theory that it is all down to religion. According to Daniel Bax, however, his approach is rather too simplisticMore

Arab Spring 2.0: The Middle East's fearless protestersVolker Perthes: "The end of the Middle East, as we know it": The end of Sykes-Picot?Interview with the Islamic scholar Ebrahim Moosa: The reinvention of IslamThe nature of Islam: Neither violence nor peace
Urban renewal in Istanbul (photo: Ayse Karabat)

Urban renewal under Erdogan

Istanbul shantytown residents in limbo

Amid recent fears of earthquakes, Turkey has rolled out a new urban renewal plan. But past plans have failed to helped quake-prone neighbourhoods, due to a market dominated by construction firm interests. Ayse Karabat reports from IstanbulMore

The Arter, art and gentrification: Modern art makeover in Istanbul?Anti-construction protests in Turkey: ″Reclaim Istanbul!″ – policy vs. architectureThe Istanbul Canal project: Erdogan's dream, Istanbul's nightmare
Uiguren protestieren in Istanbul gegen die Unterdrückung ihrer Angehörigen in China; Foto: AFP/Getty Images

Uighur repression in China

Beards and hijabs behind bars

A newly leaked document confirms how China is imprisoning Muslim minority Uighurs based solely on their religion. Naomi Conrad met with a whistle-blower and visited relatives of those held captiveMore

Interview with sinologist Kristin Shi-Kupfer: "The aim is to rob the Uighurs of their identity"Uighur repression: Pandering to President XiChinaʹs oppression of the Uighurs: Save our Turkic brothers, Mr. President!
Islamists protest the release of Asia Bibi in Pakistan (photo: AFP/Getty Images/A. Hassan)

Human rights in the Islamic world

Battle cry "blasphemy"

Many predominantly Muslim countries have penal laws against "blasphemy", "defamation of religion" and "apostasy". In practice they serve as highly effective weapons to settle personal animosities, family vendettas and land disputes. By Thomas KrapfMore

Abusing blasphemy legislation: Indonesia's slide towards identity politics'Finally free!' – Asia Bibi on Pakistan prison and life in exileInterview with the Islamic scholar Ebrahim Moosa: The reinvention of Islam
more Society »

Culture

Kurdish director Selim Yildiz (photo: Umay Isik)

Interview with Kurdish director Selim Yildiz

When one dies, the next goes up into the mountains

In his film “Dialogue“, Selim Yildiz addresses a social taboo which is a reality for many Kurds in Turkey: young men suddenly disappear and joined armed groups in the mountains. Interview by Semiran KayaMore

Kurdish film-maker Ali Kemal Cinar: The power of tenacityHiner Saleem's "Dol": Artistic freedom in Iraqi KurdistanJames Joyce′ "Ulysses" in Kurdish: Across snotgrean seas
Sama standing on ruins in Aleppo in 2016. She holds a placard which says "This is Aleppo. What's justice?" (source: "For Sama"/Waad al-Kateab)

Documentary film: "For Sama"

The girl from a country in ruins

"For Sama", the film by Waad al-Kateab and Edward Watts that was crowned best European documentary at the last European Film Awards, gives us a very personal view of the war in Syria and the suffering of the civilian population. By Schayan RiazMore

At the Oscars, 'The Cave' aims to provide hope to SyriaSyria’s White Helmets: Stigmatising savioursFighting for democracy and a free Syria: "Ideas cannot be killed with weapons" – remembering Raed Fares
Fajrina Razak references the Kaaba: her cube of batik cloth was surrounded by a neon circle, thereby representing the artist's spiritual quest. "This was simply me trying to find my inner self, my individuality. The batik alludes to my Javanese ancestry" (photo: Naima Morelli)

2020 Singapore Art Week

Of spirituality in a contemporary age

How to talk about spiritual matters in a highly secularised, hyper-pragmatic society? This was the question artists exhibiting at the Stamford Art Centre in Singapore grappled with during the 2020 Singapore Art Week. By Naima MorelliMore

Interview with Malaysian artist Nadiah Bamadhaj: Freeing the body from conservatism4th Qalandiya International art exhibition: Showing for Palestinian solidarityExhibition: Political art and resistance in Turkey: The art of remembering
Iranian bookshop owner Bijan Khalili from Los Angeles (photo: DW/Gero Schliess)

Contemporary Iranian literature

Reading outside the box

Mullahs, dictatorship, nuclear conflict – Iran could be reduced to these keywords if one were to rely only on the articles in the daily press. But to really understand a country better, you have to study its literature. And Iranian literature is just as diverse as the country itself. By Gerrit WustmannMore

Iran′s image in the West: Sheer incredulityBook review: Fariba Vafi′s "Der Traum von Tibet": Women suffering in silenceBook review: Amir Hassan Cheheltanʹs "Der standhafte Papagei": History of a revolution
more Culture »

In brief

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Most Recent Photo Essay

"Under siege": Pakistan's Hazara minority lives in fear and defiance

High walls around the neighbourhoods of Pakistan’s embattled Hazara community in the southwestern city of Quetta are designed to protect them from extremist militants, but also serve as a constant reminder of the threat they face. By Gul Yousufzai and Akthar Soomro

Mustafa Akyol: Muslims should disarm Islamophobia with kindness

Mustafa Akyol, author of "The Islamic Jesus", argues that the Koran has many verses that command a courteous response – even to a terrible insult about Islam.More

Anti-Muslim violence in Delhi serves Modi well

Women walk past charred vehicles following rioting in New Delhi, 27 February 2020 (photo: Reuters/A. Abidi)

The latest riots In Delhi have been driven by a ruling party intent on painting its largely peaceful opponents as seditious sectarians.More

Pew Research Center offers mini course on Muslims and Islam

(source: pewresearch.org)

With an estimated population of 1.8 billion, Muslims are the world’s second-largest religious group, after Christians. But our surveys have found that about half of Americans – as well as most Western Europeans – say they know little or nothing about Islam.More

Interview with Iranian activist Shaparak Shajarizadeh

Iranian activist and co-author of "Freedom is not a crime", Shaparak Shajarizadeh relates how she got "fed up with living a lie" and decided to take off her veil in Iran as an act of civil disobedience.More

Hosni Mubarak (1928–2020): The rise and fall of Egypt’s longest-ruling president

Former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak

Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has died at the age of 91. Mubarak was Egypt’s longest-serving president, ruling from 1981 until 2011 when he was ousted following a mass uprising against his rule.More

Food for thought: Providing jobs for Gaza’s widows

(photo: Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor)

Palestinian women prepare to make maftool, as part of a project to help widows in Gaza provide for their families.More

Hashtag Islam: How cyber-Islamic environments are transforming religious authority

Gary Bunt's "Hashtag Islam: How cyber-Islamic environments are transforming religious authority" (source: Wardah Books)

In "Hashtag Islam", Gary Bunt – a pioneer of the study of Islam and the Internet – provides readers with cutting edge analysis of how technology influences the dissemination of Islamic thought, mobilisation and networking.More