Mashriq
All countries-
Political crisis in Lebanon
Time is running out for Saad Hariri
In Lebanon, protests continue against the government. Prime Minister Saad Hariri has already lost a coalition partner. His power appears to be eroding. Diana Hodali reports from Beirut
-
Book review: Stefan Weidner's ʺ1001 Books. The Literatures of the Orientʺ
The Middle East – a rich vein of world literature
Recently published in German, Stefan Weidner's new book issues an invitation to all those who would like to be better acquainted with the literature of the Middle East – a profoundly fascinating journey through the works of Arab, Persian and Turkish authors. By Gerrit Wustmann
-
An enduring stereotype
The West's gleeful obsession with the 'oppressed Arab woman'
The stereotype of the oppressed Arab woman continues to dominate public discourse throughout Europe. Not only is this skewed image altering the perception of changing notions of family and roles within the Arab world, it is also an expression of our own cultural insecurity, writes Claudia Mende
-
Goethe anniversary
Orient and Occident
Two hundred years of the "West-Eastern Divan": "North and West and South shatter, thrones burst and empires tremble" – why Islam is part of German literature. By Heinrich Detering
-
Revenge is not the answer!
Prosecuting tyranny in the Arab world
In the wake of the Arab Spring, not one Arab dictator has faced charges for creating a police state and inducing terror among citizens. Similarly, none has been prosecuted for destroying state institutions, the essentials of citizenship, or the means of social advancement. Analysis by Shafiq Nazim Ghabra
-
Women's rights in Lebanon
Campaign exposes "victim-blaming" attitudes to rape
Most abusive and discriminatory acts against women and girls in Lebanon are the direct result of unequal treatment of men and women within the Lebanese law and the influence of a patriarchal society that thrives on the control and oppression of women. By Narod Haroutunian
-
Europe's policies in the Middle East
Late-colonial convulsions
The UK has stopped an Iranian tanker in Gibraltar. Italy and France are supporting opposing parties at war in Libya. Germany has other priorities. Europe is doing almost exactly what it did 100 years ago. An essay by Stefan Buchen
-
Economic crisis in Iraq
Trump's Iran embargo impacts Iraqis
As a result of U.S. sanctions, Iranians can no longer afford the yearly pilgrimage to Iraq's Shia shrines. The holy city of Najaf is bearing the economic brunt. By Judit Neurink
-
Atheism in the Arab world
Moroccoʹs atheists find a home on the Internet
The Internet has made it possible for some to declare and even to promote their atheism by criticising Islam and other religions. Ismail Azzam spoke to some young Moroccans who have left their Muslim faith behind
-
Military dictatorships in the Middle East
The real enemies of the Arab Spring
For people in the Arab world to be able to throw off the yoke of military rule, a new balance must be struck between political and social forces and the military. Though it is now years since the Arab Spring, this goal still seems a long way off. By Ali Anouzla
-
Book review: Susannah Heschel on "Jewish Islam"
Jewish Orientalism?
In her book Susannah Heschel investigates the role of Islam in the emergence of a Jewish identity and seeks to pay tribute to the academic legacy of Jewish-German scholars of Islam of the 19th and 20th centuries. But the romantic narrative of a somewhat different kind of Orientalism has its pitfalls. By Ozan Keskinkilic
-
The Levant
Jordan's fragile stability
Jordan is considered an anchor of stability in a region shaken by crises. Yet one year on from the protests of May 2018, the country continues to face massive economic and political challenges. With youth unemployment on the rise – feeding massive social frustration – criticism of poor governance in the kingdom is growing. By Claudia Mende