Syria
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Interview with political scientist Abdalhadi Alijla
Trust in the state is a precious commodity
In his most recent book, "Trust in Divided Societies: State, Institutions and Governance in Lebanon, Syria and Palestine", political scientist Abdalhadi Alijla writes that not culture, but the failure of state institutions is what is causing the crisis of statehood in the Middle East. In this interview with Tugrul von Mende, Alijla argues for the reconfiguration of incompetent state bodies as a means of regaining the public's trust
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10 years of Arabellion
The buds of the Arab Spring
Ten years after the start of the Arabellion in North Africa and the Middle East, many view the movement as a failure. But rather than being over, it has now entered a more mature phase with new forms of protest. An assessment by Claudia Mende
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U.S.-Turkey relations in 2021
Biden and Erdogan – how much carrot, how much stick?
Initial statements by the Biden administration indicate it will follow a carrot and stick policy towards Turkey. Ankara believes its role in negotiations on various issues could strengthen its hand when it comes to ties with the new man in the White House. Ayse Karabat reports from Istanbul
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Exclusive – Germany's universal jurisdiction
The chances of indicting Syria's Assad for war crimes
Investigations by German federal prosecutors into the evidence of chemical warfare in Syria are ongoing. Deutsche Welle and Der Spiegel gained exclusive access to witnesses and documents that form part of the landmark inquiry. By Lewis Sanders IV, Birgitta Schulke-Gill & Julia Bayer
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U.S.-Russian diplomatic tug-of-war
How will Syria's unending war play out in the northeast?
Facing the various divergent interests of external players such as Russia, the United States, not to mention Turkey and Iran, the future of northeast Syria remains anything but certain. By Stasa Salacanin
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Turkish views on Erdogan's feud with Macron
"Religion is the President's last resort"
Relations between Ankara and Paris have reached a new low, with presidential communications contributing to the escalation. To describe recent bilateral exchanges as undiplomatic would be the height of diplomacy. By Ronald Meinardus
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U.S election and the Middle East
Saudi Arabia finally congratulates Joe Biden on his win
Saudi Arabia finally congratulated Joe Biden on Sunday over his election victory, more than 24 hours after he defeated Donald Trump, who had close personal ties with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
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Treading the Turkish tightrope
The European Union risks empowering Erdogan at its peril
Fraught with disagreement, relations between the EU and Turkey under Erdogan have rarely been easy. Bearing in mind recent developments, the Union needs to present a clear and united front in its dealings with Ankara. By Marc Pierini
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Art and liberation
Modern Arab art and the depiction of blue collar workers
The rise of liberation movements in the Arab World during the 20th century brought with them an array of complimentary works from the creative sector. Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi examines the phenomenon
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On the death of Matthias Wagner, founder of the Oriental Summer Academy
Mecca of Arab music in south-western Germany
Musicians from Morocco to Iraq have been crossing paths at the Oriental Summer Academy in south-western Germany for ten years. Matthias Wagner, who founded and directed the academy, recently passed away after a brief serious illness at the age of 68. An obituary by Stefan Franzen
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Human Rights Film Festival Berlin
Lives in limbo
The Human Rights Film Festival Berlin has been held for the third time in 2020 under the patronage of Nadia Murad. In just a short time, this festival, which was initiated by the NGO Action Against Hunger, has evolved into a highlight in the German film calendar. By René Wildangel
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Interview with author Ronya Othmann
Fighting the obliteration of Kurdish-Yazidi identity
Ronya Othmann's novel "Die Sommer" (The Summers) tells the story of Leyla – the daughter of a German and a Yazidi Kurd – who visits her grandparents' Yazidi village in northern Syria every summer until the village ceases to exist. Schayan Riaz spoke to the author