Arab Spring
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Libya's Derna
A city known for rebellion – and neglect
Before the September 10 storm and flooding killed thousands, Libya's eastern port of Derna was best known for its revolutionary thinking, Islamist extremists and coastal scenery. Now the city is fighting for its very survival. By Cathrin Schaer
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Turkey's realpolitik in the Gulf
Dropping long-held convictions to seek deeper ties
Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to the Gulf states in July was his most productive so far, signing defence cooperation and other deals worth billions of dollars. But is a strategic partnership really possible while Turkey and the UAE continue to back conflicting sides in various regional crises? By Leyla Egeli
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Transnational repression
Why a friendlier Middle East is more dangerous for activists
Authoritarian governments often harass and hinder their critics, even if those people are outside the country. As former enemies become friends in the Middle East, will they cooperate to shut down opposition voices? By Cathrin Schaer
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10 years after Egypt's Rabaa massacre
Still waiting for justice
The massacre of protesters in Cairo under Abdul Fattah al-Sisi's watch was one of the worst in modern history – and one of the best documented. But 10 years on, no-one has been held accountable. By Cathrin Schaer
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Youth Activism in the Middle East and North Africa
How to re-engage Arab youth?
Recent public opinion surveys offer an opportunity to re-evaluate youth political engagement across the region, a decade after the 2011 Arab Uprisings and waves of subsequent protest movements. By Valerie Boutros
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Arab states in crisis
In search of a miracle cure
Given the political, economic and social challenges in Arab countries, fragmented individual measures are no longer enough. What is needed is comprehensive, far-reaching reform. Essay by Marwan Muasher
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The last Syrian
Dreaming of freedom
In his debut novel – "Le dernier Syrien" – Syrian journalist and author Omar Youssef Souleimane looks back on the protest movement of 2011, a time when many in Syria hoped for societal change and democratic structures. Volker Kaminski read the German-language version of the book for Qantara.de
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Assad's rehabilitation
Enforce sanctions instead of normalising the Assad regime
The Arab League's decision to bring Syria back into the fold after 12 years in isolation shocked Syrians the world over. Rebekka Rexhausen examines what led to this development and argues that the West must adhere to a human rights-centred foreign policy to address authoritarianism in Syria
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Tunisian films about the Arab Spring
Rage, hope and desperation
Tunisian filmmakers are addressing the subject of the Arab Spring and its failure in Tunisia in their films. Shady Lewis Botros watched three of them for Qantara.de
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Growing Arab dissatisfaction with the West
The Arab world tilts eastwards
Arab public opinion is shifting on the topic of great power competition in the Middle East, with implications for the future of the region. By Walid Al-Sheikh
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Magda Saleh, Egypt's first prima ballerina
Remembering the butterfly of ballet
In the early hours of 11 June 2023, Magda Saleh – Egypt’s first prima ballerina – died at the age of 78. She played a pioneering role in bringing classical ballet to Cairo. Mohammad al-Mansi takes a look back at her life
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10 years of Egypt's Sisi regime
Why are Egyptian human rights abuses ignored?
Egyptian activists complain the international community often talks about Egypt's crisis-ridden economy, but says far less about its dire human rights situation. Cathrin Schaer asks, why is one seen as more important than the other?