Tunisia
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Tunisia in Turmoil after Chokri Belaid Killing
Between Anger and Grief
Tunisians are in shock, following the assassination of opposition politician, Chokri Belaid. Thousands of people took to the streets to call for the government to step down. Sarah Mersch reports
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Islamic Jurisprudence in Qatar
Putting the Gulf on the Legal Education Map
The small emirate of Qatar is extremely ambitious – and wants to position itself as a motor for the region, also in the field of jurisprudence. Laura Overmeyer spoke to the German legal expert Günter Frankenberg, who is aiming to set up an innovative legal research institute in Doha
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The Uprising of Women in the Arab World
Fighting Patriarchal Tyranny
The group "The uprising of women in the Arab world" is taking a courageous stand for gender equality. However, the activists face significant resistance: from old ways of thinking, patriarchal chauvinism – and even from Facebook. Laura Overmeyer reports
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The Arab Hip-Hop Sampler ''Khat Thaleth''
Looking for a Third Way
The hip-hop sampler Khat Thaleth is a compilation of the work of artists from across the Arab world. Contrary to what one might expect, although they rap about the revolution, they do not necessarily take the side of the rebels. Jannis Hagmann reports
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Interview with Ennahda Leader Rachid Ghannouchi
''The Old Regime Is Still Not Dead''
In an interview with Moncef Slimi, Rachid Ghannouchi, leader of the Islamic Ennahda Party, appeals to the Tunisians to defend the achievements of the revolution against the return of representatives of the old regime in a new guise
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Tunisia Two Years after Ben Ali
''The Revolution Is Like Yeast Dough''
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali ruled Tunisia with an iron fist for more than 20 years before he fled the country in January 2011. But two years later there is still little to celebrate for most Tunisians. Sarah Mersch reports from Tunis
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Egypt's and Tunisia's State Security Files
An Inaccessible Past
Two years after the Arab Spring started shaking up the political landscape of the Middle East, many secret police files are still kept locked up in the relevant ministries and therefore remain inaccessible. Christoph Dreyer reports
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Interview with Abdelwahab Meddeb
''The Islamists Are Not Ready for a Democratic Culture''
The Tunisian-French author Abdelwahab Meddeb is a critical observer of political developments in Tunisia and Egypt. In this interview with Ceyda Nurtsch, he explains why the Islamists are not creating a liberal culture of discussion and why he is sceptical about the concept of an Islamic democracy
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Refugees in Libya
Scapegoats for the Crimes of a Few
The oasis city of Tawerga was completely destroyed in the Libyan civil war. Its dark-skinned inhabitants are still on the run. Former rebels accuse them of war crimes and are carrying out vigilante justice. Markus Symank has the details
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The Impact of Crowd Dynamics on the Arab Spring
Like Dark Clouds Gathering before a Storm
In this essay, Sami Mahroum takes a closer look at the genesis, dynamics and impact of crowds in particular in the Arab world, where crowds – both spontaneous and those born through social media – have been shaping political processes since before the Arab Spring
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Clandestine Migration from Tunisia
Flight of the Hopeless
In view of Tunisia's persistent economic crisis and high jobless rate, also in the wake of the Jasmine Revolution, many young Tunisians are tempted to turn their backs on their homeland and seek their fortunes in Europe. This gives greater weight to projects aimed at improving prospects for the younger generation and persuading them to abandon plans to cross the Mediterranean. By Beat Stauffer
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Jewish Life in North Africa
Facing a Precarious Future
The once-large Jewish communities in Tunisia and Egypt have almost disappeared. Those who remain are treated with mistrust and suspicion by society. The Arab Spring has made their situation even more difficult. Andreas Gorzewski reports