Right-wing populism
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India's farmers vs. Narendra Modi
"Modi and the BJP are destroying the country"
In India, hundreds of thousands of farmers are fighting doggedly against laws passed by Narendra Modi’s government to liberalise agriculture. In a nationwide campaign, more than forty farmers’ organisations have called on Indian voters to deny the ruling BJP party their votes in future elections. Dominik Muller reports
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Book review: Constantin Schreiber's "Die Kandidatin"
Playing on fears of an Islamist takeover
Having already published a number of non-fiction books on the subject, German news anchor and journalist Constantin Schreiber has now written a novel that warns what could happen if Islamists are allowed to march unimpeded through German society. Stefan Buchen read the book
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Eroding confidence in the Fourth Estate
Narendra Modi declares war on India's free press
Freedom of the press is the mortar that binds together a free society. If Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to de-institutionalise what used to be a dynamic and independent Fourth Estate persist, public confidence in the media will steadily decline, along with confidence in Indian democracy, writes Shashi Tharoor
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Germany: Right-wing criminality at a record high
Violent and racist crimes are on the up in Germany, according to official statistics on politically motivated crimes. Crimes by right-wing extremists hit their highest levels since records began in 2001.
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Overpopulation and Sisi regime propaganda
Egypt's people – nothing but a burden and a nuisance
Looking to mobilise the Egyptians, Abdul Fattah al-Sisi and his ministers will refer to them as the "people". As soon as the Egyptians demand something of the state, however, they are a burden. Apparently, it is not the state that is accountable to the people, but the people who are accountable to the state, writes Shady Lewis Botros in his essay
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Repercussions of 9/11
The West and the Islamic world – mutually radicalised?
In his book "Ground Zero: 9/11 und die Geburt der Gegenwart" (Ground Zero: 9/11 and the Birth of the Present) Islamic scholar Stefan Weidner analyses the consequences of the attacks on the USA in September 2001. Kersten Knipp spoke with him about failures – as well as opportunities – in the West-East dialogue
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Burka bans in Europe
Why the burka is so important for right-wing populists
On 7 March, Switzerland became the latest European country to vote in favour of a so-called "burka" ban. It was yet another feather in the cap of the right-wing populist Swiss People's Party (SVP) on an issue that remains a perennial favourite with the Right across Europe. Essay by Daniel Bax
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Spotlight on bridge-builders: Rafik Schami
The story-teller from Damascus
Syrian-born Rafik Schami is a gifted storyteller and one of the most successful authors writing in German today. In his 50 years in exile in Germany, he has introduced the Arab art of storytelling to German literature and has been showered with prizes. But Schami is more than just a storyteller, he is also an outspoken critic of politicians and governments both in Europe and the Middle East. By Ceyda Nurtsch
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Islamophobia and anti-Semitism
Cancel Culture restricts freedom of expression in France?
In Grenoble, France, two professors have been pilloried in a dispute over the use – or otherwise – of the term Islamophobia. Is freedom of speech in jeopardy? By Stefan Dege and Heike Mund
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India and the farmers' protests
Solidarity mounts against Narendra Modi's BJP
The farmers' protests in India show no signs of abating – despite repressive measures. Government attempts to stigmatise the farmers have only prompted sections of the urban middle class to support the uprising. And the boundaries between the different religious identities, repeatedly invoked by the Hindu nationalists in the ruling party BJP, also appear to be softening. By Dominik Muller
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Arundhati Roy's "Azadi"
Narendra Modi is pushing Indian society to the brink
Arundhati Roy's recent volume of essays and lectures provides an eye-opening account of current political developments in India. Written during the run-up to the last general election, "Azadi" charts India's disturbing slide into authoritarianism. Richard Marcus read the book
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Islamisation, a racist conspiracy theory
The hatred of Hanau and its enablers
The Hanau terror attack showed just how dangerous racist conspiracy theories can be. And yet it is a threat that continues to be underestimated. Commentary by Daniel Bax