Libya
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Interview with director Gini Reticker
"These women do not need to be saved, they need to be heard"
A new project highlighting women in the MENA region and their struggle during and after the Arab Spring goes against the usual Western image of the docile, oppressed Arab woman. Instead, "The Trials of Spring" shows women in the region as they are: strong, active, committed participants and well-informed activists. The project features six short films about Arab women. Joseph Mayton spoke to Academy Award-nominated producer Gini Reticker about the project
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Europe's refugee policy
Anything is better than the status quo
Using military force to combat people-smugglers also increases the risks for refugees. How can Europe reform its refugee policy without lying to itself? By Julian Lehmann
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After the upheaval in the Arab world
Escalating wars
The violence unleashed in Arab countries in the last four years may turn out to be just a first taste of what is to come. Escalating brutality and the actions of governments have put Arab citizens under immense pressure. Without a change of course, the outcome could easily be further conflict and a new wave of uprisings – this time not peaceful. By Maha Yahya
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Interview with Alaya Allani, an expert on Islamism
"The jihadists have no social base in Libya"
Alaya Allani, professor of contemporary history at the Monouba University in Tunis and a specialist on Islamist movements, does not expect that the IS terrorist militia will be able to establish itself in Libya over the long-term, although the jihadists have already successfully formed cells in some regions of the country. Beat Stauffer spoke to him in Tunis
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Crowdfunding for translations of Arabic literature
A new way to reach a wider readership
The "A Bird is not a Stone" crowdfunding campaign may not have gotten as much press as British scientists seeking to fund a moon landing through online donations, but it certainly made a ripple among Arabic literary translators. The success of this campaign showed that crowdfunding can be an important tool in bringing Arabic literature into European languages. By Marcia Lynx Qualey
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Military intervention in the Islamic world
What good is an Arab military alliance?
If new Arab military alliances want to avoid the mistakes of past interventions, their members will have to re-assess their approach and address the structural deficits that led to previous failures. By Omar Ashour
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Interview with Rami G. Khouri
Fragmentation of the Arab world
The Palestinian-Jordanian political scientist and writer Rami G. Khouri sees links between increasing religious fanaticism and the reinvigoration of the old elites after the Arabellion. In an interview with Juliane Metzker, he looks back at four years of transformation, stagnation and instability in the Arab states.
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Civil war in Libya
A stateless society
The political divide in Libya continues to grow. Amal El-Obeidi, professor of Comparative Politics at the University of Benghazi, cites two historical causes for the current situation: the absence of a Libyan identity and the tribal structure of society in the North African country. By Laura Overmeyer
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Six lessons learned from Tunisia's recent elections
"Religion is God's, but democracy belongs to everyone!"
The most recent elections in Tunisia have made it clear that, in spite of numerous setbacks over the last three years, the Arab Spring continues to bear fruit. According to Egyptian journalist and professor Khalil al-Anani, the Tunisian experiment once again proves that Tunisia is a long way ahead of the other Arab countries undergoing transformation
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Interview with Andreas Dittmann
"Libyans themselves are destroying their country"
Three years after the overthrow of Muammar al-Gaddafi, Libya is at risk of becoming a failed state. The country is threatened by both militias and groups of jihadis made up of disaffected young Libyans with a radical agenda. Kersten Knipp spoke to Professor Andreas Dittmann about the current conflict
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Journalists in Libya
Caught in the crossfire
As their country slides into a fully fledged civil war, an increasing number of Libyans are seeking shelter abroad. Among them are many journalists who are perceived as being representatives of opposing political forces and are increasingly coming under fire. By Valerie Stocker in Tunis
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The fight against IS
No alternative to civil and human rights in the Arab world
In the battle against Islamic State, the religious leaders of Islam have failed; the onus is now on secular forces to fight the jihadi terrorists. To this end, the West must support the beleaguered rebels and civil society's campaign for civil and human rights in the Arab world. A commentary by Markus Bickel