Istanbul
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Book review: Elif Shafak′s ″Three Daughters of Eve″
Straddling worlds
In her latest novel, ″Three Daughters of Eve″, best-selling Turkish author Elif Shafak follows the life of a young woman from Istanbul who is torn between tradition and secularisation as she pursues a degree at Oxford University – and is plunged into deep personal and religious conflicts as a result. Volker Kaminski read the book
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Elektro Hafiz
A musical maverick
His sound may be a mix of psychedelic, arabesque and rock but, behind the anarchic facade, all "Elektro Hafiz" wants to do is touch people with his music. Ceyda Nurtsch on a musical maverick who constantly reinvents himself while remaining true to his Turkish roots
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Flouting freedoms in Turkey
Self-censorship thriving
Turkey welcomes private investment in its arts and culture. But freedom for artists and journalists is largely restricted. The alternative arts scene has slipped into the background. By Ceyda Nurtsch
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Book review: Orhan Pamuk's novel "A Strangeness in my mind"
A journey through time to a lost world
Opinion in Turkey is divided over Orhan Pamuk. For some, the Nobel laureate is a shining star among Turkish writers. Others view him as a plagiarist and even denounce him as a traitor. His new novel has once again fanned the flames of the debate concerning the author and his work. Ceyda Nurtsch read the book
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Photography: Ara Güler retrospective
The man who photographed Istanbul
The exhibition "Ara Güler: Photographs 1950–2005" at the Willi Brandt House in Berlin runs until 1 February 2015. The focus of the exhibition is the Turkish metropolis Istanbul, a city that Güler has spent his entire life documenting. Felix Koltermann visited the retrospective
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Germans and Ottomans in the First World War
A partnership of privilege
When the First World War began 100 years ago, German advisers in the Ottoman Empire were a common sight. The Ottomans hoped their alliance with the military power Germany would help them reverse their waning military fortunes. In the end, however, they lost their entire empire as a result of the conflict. By Jakob Krais
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The Istanbul Biennial
A Missed Opportunity for Art
As the art biennial opens, the smell of violence once again lies in the air in Istanbul. Can a major exhibition respond to the language of the street and fulfil its promise of a free and modern society? By Catrin Lorch
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Protests in Turkey
The Intolerance of Others
While police and demonstrators argue over who was responsible for the death of a protestor in Antakya, female students in Istanbul are abused for wearing headscarves – by other female students. Turkey is struggling with a wave of intolerance that is afflicting all camps. Michael Martens reports from Istanbul
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Interview with the Kurdish Singer Aynur Dogan
Resisting the Wind
Aynur Dogan sings in Turkish and Kurdish, the political tone of her songs is deliberately provocative. Her last album "Rewend" focuses on itinerancy and connection to the homeland. Marian Brehmer spoke to her
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The Piano Man of Taksim Square
Playing for Peace
Davide Martello was on a world tour with his custom-built electric piano when he made a spontaneous decision to play Istanbul's Taksim Square. His music became the soundtrack of the Turkish protests. He has since continued his tour with a new message: peace
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Germany's Turkish Community and the Istanbul Protests
Divided Community
Germany's Turkish community is keeping a close eye on events in Istanbul. Many hope the young people in Taksim Square will prevail. Others are saying nothing. By Naomi Conrad
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Protests in Turkey
Civil Society Versus Father State
For the first time in the history of Turkey, an increasingly confident civil society is peacefully calling for more freedom and, so far, the military has not got involved. This is a completely new experience for Turkey, writes Cemal Karakas