Colonialism
All topics-
″Simplicissimus″ and the Palestine issue
Satire's timeless appeal
Although the barbed satirical content of ″Simplicissimus″ was widely tolerated by the German Empire, the editors went too far with their ″Palestine issue″ which featured a merciless send-up of Wilhelm II and his pilgrimage to the Holy Land. By Christine Pfeilschifter
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The Egyptian economy
Going, going, gone
Rather than trying to rescue his country′s foundering economy, Egypt′s president, Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, has been forced to relinquish territory to Saudi Arabia in return for financial aid. It′s a decision that has sparked a public outcry and widespread derision. By Barak Barfi
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The crisis of the Arab nation state
Reconstructed reality
A world war turned the Ottoman Arab provinces into modern nation states a century ago, but today they are being unravelled by many, highly localised wars that have yet to run their course. Their causes long predate the Arab Spring, asserts Yezid Sayigh
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Agatha Christie and the Orient
When murder came to Mesopotamia
Hydrangea hedges, village gossip and high tea form the backdrop for Agatha Christie′s detective stories, which, sold in their millions worldwide, shape our image of England. But many of these typically English stereotypes and settings were actually created in the Middle East. By Christine Pfeilschifter
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New Year′s Eve assaults on women
The Cologne outcry
The perpetrators involved in the attacks in Cologne, Dusseldorf and Hamburg must be brought to book, regardless of their origins. Those using the suffering of the New Year′s Eve victims to foment popular prejudice against individuals who have fled inhumane suffering, however, compromise their own humanity. An essay by Raphael Sartorius
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Trauma in contemporary Arab literature
Translating oblivion
Until recently, modern research into trauma concentrated on cases in the ″white″ and Western world, taking as its point of reference everyday realities in industrial societies. But which forms and kinds of traumas develop in colonised or post-colonial societies? By Stefan Milich
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Muslims in India
Nothing like equal opportunities
Despite being India′s largest minority, the Muslim community is marginalised both economically and politically. Although Muslims are frequently targeted in acts of communal violence, the government and the population at large generally associate Islam with terrorism. Ghazala Jamil examines the quest of Indian Muslims for genuine participation and representation
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Obituary: Fatima Mernissi
Icon of Arab feminism
The world famous Moroccan sociologist and writer Fatima Mernissi was a mediator between cultures and a charismatic advocate for a genuine Arab feminism. She died on 30 November 2015 at the age of 75
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The French crime writer Karim Miske in interview
″There are no simple solutions″
In the wake of the Paris attacks, the question is how such an outbreak of hate and violence could have happened in France. French crime novelist Karim Miske described life in the desolate banlieues of Paris in his novel ″Arab Jazz″. In interview with Claudia Mende he advises against simplistic answers and talks about the difficulties French society has in accepting its immigrants, who feel more French than Arab
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Victims of terror
Do we care about Arab lives?
The world was plunged into mourning following the attacks on Paris – but what about those who were blown up in Lebanon just one day before? The blog penned by Elie Fares hit a nerve
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Volker Perthes: "The end of the Middle East, as we know it"
The end of Sykes-Picot?
Almost a century ago, France and Britain carved up large swathes of the Middle East between them. Now the order imposed by the Sykes-Picot Agreement in 1916 appears to be disintegrating. In his new essay, Volker Perthes outlines the reasons for this development and suggests potential scenarios for the region. A review by Anne Allmeling
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Alaa Al Aswany′s novel ″The Automobile Club of Egypt″
Microcosm of tyranny
In his new novel "The Automobile Club of Egypt", the best-selling Egyptian author Alaa Al Aswany paints a picture of a deeply divided, bigoted society and recalls the oriental despotism of the 1940s under King Farouk. A review by Arian Fariborz