Qantara.de - Dialog mit der islamischen Welt

Not much remains of the euphoric mood and the hopes that drove the Arab Spring. A return to pre-2011 conditions is however out of the question. Commentary by Loay MudhoonMore

Considered one of the most renowned and experienced literary translators in the business, Nabil Al Haffar has received numerous awards for his work. He began translating from German into Arabic in 1974. Here he discusses his work as a translator and the challenges it presentsMore

Young people in the MENA region today are better educated than their parents' generation. But higher educational attainment does not open doors to better jobs. Many youngsters go from university straight into unemployment. By Nassir DjafariMore

Syrian historian Nasser Rabbat argues that the Arab Spring resulted mainly from social imbalance and the misery of large sections of the population within the Arab world. Moreover, as long as economic inequality persists, these states will continue to be plagued by instabilityMore

A lack of jobs and bleak social prospects for young people in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are undermining the political stability of what is already a deeply troubled region. The problem cannot be solved by simply modernising education and labour markets. By Nassir DjafariMore

Mahi Binebine's father spent 35 years at the court of the Moroccan King Hassan II, not as a diplomat or a minister, but as the king's jester. Although the storyline sounds like something straight out of the Arabian Nights, it is in fact based on real events. By Volker KaminskiMore

Any journey to southern Spain, to Al-Andalus, is akin to the start of a dream that finds its beguiling continuation beyond the Pillars of Hercules, in the Andalusian cities of northern Morocco – Tangiers, Chefchaouen, Tetouan, Fes, Meknes, Larache and Asilah. The relationship between Morocco and Spain is closer than we think. By Mourad KusserowMore