Turkey
All countries-
Gaza war challenges Germany's culture of remembrance
"Decent people must take a stand!"
Germany is seeing a lurch to the right in its political discourse and minorities in society are being increasingly stigmatised. A new historical consciousness can counteract these trends, says historian Juergen Zimmerer in interview with Qantara.de
-
750th anniversary of Rumi's death – Part 6
Academic research and spiritual exploration
No Islamic mystic in the past two centuries has touched literary figures and academics in both East and West as much as Rumi. A look at the history of research into this hugely influential spiritual teacher
-
DAVA party woos ethnic Turks
Germany fears the "Erdogan party"
For days, Germany has been discussing the emergence of a new party. Its name: DAVA. Critics say it is the extended arm of Turkish President Erdogan. Who is behind DAVA and what are its aims?
-
750th anniversary of Rumi's death – Part 5
Iranians seek refuge in Rumi
For centuries, Rumi’s verses have been part of Persia’s spiritual heritage. In these uncertain times, Iranians are increasingly turning to the Sufi poet
-
Kurdistan + 100
Stories from a future republic
"Kurdistan + 100" is the third anthology in Comma Press's "future past" series, and a fourth – Egypt + 100 – is set to be published next year. Writers are asked to imagine a moment in the future connected to an event in their shared past
-
Turkey
"Red Buds" – a TV series divides the country
The Turkish media authority has imposed a two-week broadcasting ban and fine on the series "Red Buds", in which religious and liberal worlds collide. The series is apparently too close to the bone
-
Sunnis and Shias in Islam
How the Sunni-Shia split shaped the Islamic world throughout history
Toby Matthiesen's new book, "The Caliph and the Imam", explores both the origins of the Sunni-Shia divide, what the two branches of Islam have in common and how the split has shaped the Islamic world
-
Organised crime in Turkey
A haven for international criminals
Lax laws on money laundering, easy access to citizenship, insufficient prosecution – Turkey has grown more attractive for international criminal networks in recent years. In response, the new interior minister has declared a crackdown
-
Turkey's Gaza policy
Between a rock and a hard place
Between domestic pressure to take more action against Israel and pressure from the West regarding its stance on Hamas, Turkey is struggling to balance its Israel policy as it seeks permanent peace in the Middle East
-
Best of Qantara.de 2023
The top ten most-read articles on Qantara.de
As 2023 draws to a close, the team at Qantara.de once again takes a look at the stories that really stood out over the past year. Here is a list of the ten articles published in 2023 that piqued your interest most over the past twelve months. Happy New Year to all our readers!
-
Egypt's Muslim Brothers
"Who determines the future of the Brotherhood remains unclear"
Since the military coup in Egypt ten years ago, Abdul Fattah al-Sisi's government has cracked down on the country's Muslim Brotherhood. Abdelrahman Ayash talks about the impact of this crisis, and how the organisation has evolved since 2013
-
Turkey's "Noel Baba"
Questions and answers about St. Nicholas
The Feast of Saint Nicholas, observed on 6 December in Western Christian countries falls within the season of Advent. But who was this bringer of gifts?