Qantara.de - Dialog mit der islamischen Welt

In their field journal “The Crack” photographer Carlos Spottorno and journalist Guillermo Abril report the unfolding of Europeʹs migrant crisis from Africa to the Arctic over the course of three years. Their aim? To identify the causes and consequences of Europeʹs identity crisis. Interview by Naima MorelliMore

Percussionist Habib Meftah has made an international name for himself with clubbable, acoustically altered folk music. But he also works with dancers and musicians from other genres. His versatility is based on the traditional musical culture of his southern Iranian origins. Interview by Bernd G. SchmitzMore

The idea of taking a group of US citizens from Trump's America on a free cultural exchange trip to Cairo, Egypt, sounds like either a lunatic plan or somebody's idea of a bad practical joke. Yet this is just what Tarek Mounib did. The film "Free Trip To Egypt" documents how he came up with the idea and implemented it. By Richard MarcusMore

On 20 November 1979, Islamic militants took over the Grand Mosque in Mecca, the holiest site in Islam. Hundreds were killed in the ensuing two-week siege. This pivotal event in modern Islamic history changed Saudi Arabia. It provides the backdrop for Raja Alem's new novel "Sarab", an extraordinary story of love, faith, violence and gender. By Marcia Lynx QualeyMore

Interest in the Iraqi-Jewish cultural heritage is growing – both in Israel and Iraq. Novels in which emigrants and their children evoke the lost world of their forefathers are proving especially popular. By Joseph CroitoruMore

This year has seen the publication of both Leila Slimani’s debut novel "Adele" and her essay collection "Warum so viel Hass?" in German. The Franco-Moroccan author‘s work addresses big issues such as upbringing, class and race. In conversation with Schayan Riaz, she talks about her reception in different countries, never censoring herself, and the readers’ right to interpretationMore

Mustafa Khalifaʹs "The Shell – Memoirs of a Hidden Observer", which has been translated into ten languages, is one of the most famous prison novels in Arabic literature. Khaled Salameh spoke to Khalifa about the world of the novel, his identity, his country and his exileMore

Consolidating its major party status in recent European elections, the AfD succeeded in part through the use of the arts in its campaigning. Critics fear that it is part of an ongoing push for "cultural hegemony". By Stuart BraunMore

Rania Mamounʹs 10-story collection – "Thirteen Months of Sunrise" – explores the connections and walls between people and communities. Marcia Lynx Qualey had a three-way discussion with Mamoun, the bookʹs Sudanese author, and its translator, Elisabeth Jaquette, who has rendered the book into vibrant, compelling EnglishMore