Pakistan
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Political rule before and after the ″Arabellion″
Internal colonialism and counter-revolution
When an elite ruling class controls state institutions and resources and uses them for its own benefit, this can be called ″internal colonialism″. Such systems exist in their worst form in the Arab world. The Syrian author Louay Safi believes, however, that all signs indicate that the Arab peoples will rid themselves of this colonialism and that the repressive military regimes will be smothered by their own crimes and corruption
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Interview with journalist Chris Woods on drone warfare
"It's not risk-free war, it's displaced war"
For more than a decade now, the US has been using drones in warfare. During this time, thousands of people, especially civilians, have been killed by the unmanned machines. In this interview, Chris Woods, one of the leading investigative journalists on drone warfare, explains to Emran Feroz why use of drones is on the rise and what the consequences are
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Media portrayals and geopolitics in the Near and Middle East
Who shapes our image of the world?
In this commentary, Charlotte Wiedemann considers how press freedom and the media are tethered to Western geopolitics
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Book review: "The Islam Quintet" by Tariq Ali
A wonderful reminder of Islam's contribution to world culture
Nearly 20 years in the writing, Tariq Ali's "The Islam Quintet" has just been reissued, redesigned and made available as a complete set by Verso Books. Written in response to a comment heard by the author during the first Gulf War suggesting Muslim's have no culture, the five books dip in and out of history disproving this proposition. Not only does the quintet successfully display the depth and variety of Islamic culture, it provides readers with a perspective on world events we rarely experience. By Richard Marcus
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The end of the line – the refugees trying to reach the UK from Calais
Calais has become a magnet for refugees trying to reach the UK. The reason for this is that the entrance to the Channel Tunnel (Eurotunnel) is situated there. Because migrants cannot simply board one of the many ferries crossing the channel, crossing illegally via the tunnel seems like a viable alternative. In recent weeks, the situation has escalated and become both dangerous and very difficult to manage
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The Baloch community in Pakistan and Iran
A forgotten conflict that is very much alive
Ever since colonial borders were drawn in Central Asia over 120 years ago, the Baloch people in both Iran and Pakistan have faced oppression and struggle – largely unnoticed by the international community. By Emran Feroz
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Interview with author and essayist Pankaj Mishra
"Secularisation has really created a void of understanding"
Societies around the world are in turmoil, with religious and social groups pitted against each other in many countries. Examples include the Arab Spring, social revolt against oppressive regimes, the rise of IS, the call from some in Europe for Islam to reform, and the emergence of right-wing movements such as Pegida. Julis Koch spoke to Indian author and essayist Pankaj Mishra about the root causes of this tension and lack of understanding
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The Virtual Iftar Project
"It is harder to ignore, vilify or harm those with whom we have broken bread"
The Virtual Dinner Guest Project is an international multimedia initiative that brings people across various cultures together at the dinner table. Breaking bread and barriers in one go, this platform launched the Virtual Iftar Project across Europe during the month of Ramadan, which has just ended. Roma Rajpal Weiß spoke to the project founder, Eric Maddox, about the project and about cultural tension between Muslims and non-Muslims
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The Kominas
More than just a Muslim punk band
Since setting up their band, The Kominas have come under fire from all sides: some punks say they aren't real punks, while conservatives are critical of their politics. But who decides what punk is anyway? Isn't the very essence of punk to push boundaries and upset the status quo? According to Richard Marcus, despite feeling ostracised by the white indie/punk scene and being the focus of media articles for reasons completely outside their control, the Kominas just keep on speaking their minds and making great music
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Curriculum initiative by British Muslims
Using religion to fight terrorism
On the initiative of the Islamic scholar Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, British Muslims have introduced an "anti-terror curriculum" designed to supply Muslim clerics with arguments against the misuse of theological arguments by terrorist organisations such as IS. By Stefan Weidner
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Fighting extremism through the medium of comics
"We needed to do more than just attend candlelight vigils"
"Paasban" (The Guardian) is a series of Pakistani comic books that seeks to fight extremism by raising awareness among young people. The books tell the story of a group of college friends who become worried when one of their number disappears. They later find out that he was recruited by an extremist organisation. Mustafa Hasnain, Gauhar Aftab and Yahya Ehsan came together to create "Paasban". Roma Rajpal Weiß spoke to Hasnain and Aftab about the series and the inspiration behind it
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Pakistan's gateway to another world
Far away from Pakistan's motorways and cities, there are regions of the country where centuries-old forts, imposing shrines and natural attractions – largely unknown to most travellers - are just waiting to be discovered. Julis Koch takes us on a photographic trip through Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan