Free speech and censorship
All topics-
Chinaʹs oppression of the Uighurs
Save our Turkic brothers, Mr. President!
Following a long silence, the Turkish government yielded to pressure from its nationalist voter base in February – arguably in a bid to garner local election votes – and criticised the persecution of the Uighur people by China. Yet how to strike a balance between Turkic solidarity and pressing economic interests? By Ulrich von Schwerin
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Egyptian film-maker Youssef Chahine
The great visionary of Arab cinema
Obsessive, argumentative, yet well ahead his time artistically and in terms of the subject matter his films addressed: 11 years after his death director Youssef Chahine remains a lodestar for the emerging Arab independent film scene. Christopher Resch explains why
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Egyptʹs political future
Generalissimo Sisi
Proposed amendments to Egyptʹs constitution will enshrine the militaryʹs position above the state by giving it greater legal means to intervene against elected governments and prosecute political opponents. Egypt is set to become a military dictatorship in name as well as deed. By Maged Mandour
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Inauguration of the AUC Tahrir Cultural Center
Manifesting the unseen
New work by Huda Lufti and Sherin Guirguis explores the poetics of revolution and repression at a pair of exhibitions marking the inauguration of the Tahrir Cultural Center at the downtown campus of the American University in Cairo. By Mahmoud Saber and Jacob Wirtschafter
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Social media fosters creative writing in the Maghreb
Published by Facebook
Social media has democratised literary publishing, paving the way for young Moroccan writers to publish works which previously would not have enjoyed publication through traditional outlets. By Ismail Azzam
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Western news coverage
The white perspective
Cultural arrogance has long been a feature of Western journalism and it continues to flourish. But can journalists really describe the world from the perspective of a Yemeni housewife, a shepherdess in Bhutan or an elderly Senegalese fisherman? By Charlotte Wiedemann
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Not-so-splendid isolation
Erdogan's geopolitical nightmare
Turkey’s emergence as a regional power has provoked suspicion, shaking the balance of power in the Middle East and beyond. As a result, relations with many regional players have deteriorated over the last decade. With diplomatic ties to the West currently at an historic low, is Turkey likely to end up out on a limb? By Stasa Salacanin
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Palestinians criticise Internet censorship in Israel
"They are afraid of the truth"
Israel is censoring an increasing number of online posts from Palestinians and isn't shying away from arrests. Palestinians are desperate to preserve their freedom of expression and are fighting for their digital rights. By Tessa Fox
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Media and politics in the Arab world
The despotsʹ henchmen
The murder of well-known Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi highlights the difficulties facing media in post-revolutionary Arab states. The freedoms temporarily gained after 2011 have long since fallen victim to the authoritarian restoration. By Loay Mudhoon
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Interview with Turkish Islamic scholar Professor Mustafa Ozturk
"Religious groups need to be transparent"
Mustafa Ozturk, a professor specialising in "tafsir" – Koranic exegesis – at Istanbulʹs Marmara University was recently accused of blasphemy. Convinced that various Islamic groups seeking to influence Turkish politics are responsible, Ozturk is actively considering self-imposed exile. Interview by Ayse Karabat
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Artists in Turkey
Erdogan′s new targets
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is cracking down on artists, strongly rejecting any criticism, even from those with conservative backing. But what does he hope to gain from the increasingly aggressive tirades? By Aram Ekin Duran
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Eight years after the Jasmine Revolution
Young Tunisians see red
Inspired by Franceʹs "gilets jaunes", the Tunisian "red vest" movement reflects the widespread discontent in the North African country, where protests against spiralling living costs, unemployment, mismanagement and corruption are once again on the increase. By Alessandra Bajec