Topic: Satire

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Lebanese cartoonist Bernhard Hage (photo: screenshot /YouTube)

Lebanese cartoonist Bernard Hage

"I’m afraid you have Hezbollah"

Lebanese cartoonist Bernard Hage has made a name for himself in a very short space of time, both at home and abroad. Now he sees no future for himself in Lebanon, and is about to make the move to Berlin. By Lena BoppMore

One year after the Beirut port blast: Young activists fight for a new LebanonBeirut in crisis: Can things get any worse for the people of Lebanon?Book review: Riad Sattouf’s graphic novel "The Arab of the Future": Between worlds Lebanese comic artist Rawand Issa and "Not from Mars": Being illegal is unbearable
Politically deeply divided: Turkish President Erdogan (left) and French President Macron during a state visit. Archive image from 2018 (photo: picture-alliance/AP/L. Marin)

Muhammad cartoon controversy

Macron and the Muhammad tempest in a Twitter teapot

French President Macron's statements that caricatures of Muhammad may still be published have triggered outrage in a number of Muslim states. Turkish President Erdogan is among the most vocal critics. Karim El-Gawhary reportsMore

Turkey condemns French caricature featuring ErdoganLaicism and the death of Samuel Paty: Emmanuel Macron leads France in fight against IslamismFrance's "anti-separatism" drive: Emmanuel Macron's plan to protect French values alienates Muslims
People march in Paris in tribute to Samuel Paty (photo: Michel Euler/AP/picture-alliance)

Islamist terror in France

The agitators are right next door

"Je suis Prof": in the wake of the horrific murder of teacher Samuel Paty, thousands of people took to the streets in cities across France in a show of support for the values of the Republic and in honour of the deceased. Details from Leo Klimm in ParisMore

More police operations underway over killing of French teacherCharlie Hebdo trial in Paris: Will justice bring relief?France's "anti-separatism" drive: Emmanuel Macron's plan to protect French values alienates Muslims
Salafism recruitment symbolic image (picture-alliance/dpa/R. Peters)

Islamism in Germany

Fighting Salafists with YouTube satire

The state government of North Rhine-Westphalia is relying on wit and humour as an antidote to Islamist extremism. "Jihadi-Fool" is the name of a new YouTube channel targeting young people. By Louisa WrightMore

Fighting Islamic State with satire and black humour: Terribly funny Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef: Jihadists, please blow here!Preventing Islamism in Belgium: Shaking the terrorist image
Lebanese-British satirist Karl Sharro (photo: James Berry)

Interview with Lebanese-British satirist Karl Sharro

"Politicising Muslim identity is counter-productive"

Lebanese-British satirist Karl Sharro, with his alter ego Karl reMarks, is a fast-rising star of online comedy. Now he has published his first book, "And Then God Created the Middle East and Said ʹLet There be Breaking Newsʹ". Interview by Susannah TarbushMore

Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef: Jihadists, please blow here!The Lebanese satirical magazine "Ad-Dabbour": Hornets' nest in BeirutFighting Islamic State with satire and black humour :Terribly funny
Turkish actor Baris Atay (photo: private)

Turkish actor Baris Atay

Defy the dictators!

Turkish actor Baris Atay plays a dictator in a one-man show that is intended to get audiences thinking. The play has been banned in several Turkish cities, but Atay remains defiant. By Gezal AcerMore

Interview with Turkish artist Ozge Samanci: ″Pressure on artists in Turkey is increasing″Flouting freedoms in Turkey: Self-censorship thrivingArtists in Turkey: Artists against Erdogan's censorship
Bassem Youssef's "Democracy Handbook": "Rebranding Arabs" episode (source: YouTube)

Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef

Jihadists, please blow here!

During the Arab Spring, satirist Bassem Youssef was loved and feared. Then he fled the country. Now he′s mocking in America. By Dunja RamadanMore

TV satirist Bassem Youssef: "People should be able to listen to different opinions"Sara Taksler′s documentary ″Tickling Giants″: Running the satirical gauntletBassem Youssef: All the world's a stage for Egyptian satire star
Graphic novelist Riad Sattouf (photo: picture-alliance/dpa/R. Vennenbernd)

Interview with graphic novelist Riad Sattouf

The eternal fascination with coming-of-age

The French graphic novelist Riad Sattouf is best known for his memoir, "The Arab of the Future". Bettina Baumann met him to discuss his latest series, "Esther's Notebooks", which tells stories from the perspective of a young girlMore

Lebanese comic artist Zeina Abirached: Seeing war through the eyes of a childMarvel comics: New Muslim superheroine The Lebanese graphic designer Maya Zankoul: Illustrations against ignorance and oblivion
Turkish satirical magazine Bayan Yani (source: Bayan Yani)

Turkish satirical magazine Bayan Yani

Fuelling Turkish feminism

Bayan Yani is a satirical magazine led by women in a country which is becoming increasingly hostile to them. For more than six years, cartoonists and writers in Turkey have combined their talents to make readers not only think, but also laugh in a feminist way. By Clement GirardotMore

slamic satirical magazine "Cafcaf" from Istanbul: "No, nothing has been forgiven!"Interview with the Turkish author Baris Uygur: "Even we're lost for words sometimes"Turkey′s critical cartoonists
Bassem Youssef′s satirical show ″Al Bernameg″ (source: Al Bernameg)

Sara Taksler′s documentary ″Tickling Giants″

Running the satirical gauntlet

His cutting humour led to Bassem Youssef becoming a comedy star throughout the Arab world in the wake of the Arab Spring in Egypt. Yet, the spring of freedom was short-lived: by the end of 2013, his popular show was abruptly cancelled. An American documentary film portrays the legendary satirist. By Rene WildangelMore

Egypt in turmoil: Against the tide of hatredTV Satirist Bassem Youssef: "People should be able to listen to different opinions"Photo essay: Bassem Youssef: Satire in the service of democracy
Symbolbild "Noktara - Nachrichten aus dem Morgenland, schon heute!"; Quelle: noktara.de

Satirical news website Noktara

A laughing matter

A satirical website by and for German Muslims! Seriously? Well, yes and no. The people behind the German satirical news website Noktara are out to make people laugh and dispel a few cliches. To find out more, Dunja Ramadan spoke to Soufian El Khayari and Derya Sami SaydjariMore

Website "Noktara - Nachrichten aus dem Morgenland, schon heute!"Fighting Islamic State with satire and black humour:Terribly funny Interview with Firas Alshater: ″Being a refugee is not my dream job″Islamic satirical magazine "Cafcaf" from Istanbul: "No, nothing has been forgiven!"
Visitors to the German stand at the International Book Fair in Istanbul (photo: dpa/picture-alliance)

Germany at the Istanbul Book Fair

Solidarity with readers

Germany was this year′s guest of honour at the Istanbul International Book Fair. This could not have happened at a better time – despite or perhaps because of the political dissonance. By Karen KrugerMore

Interview with Turkish author Elif Shafak: Democracy in a downward spiralThe #siirsokakta movement in Turkey: The poem is on the streetArabic bookshop in Istanbul: "We want to be a cultural centre"
Firas Alshater, Syrian film-maker (photo: Wikipedia)

Interview with Firas Alshater

″Being a refugee is not my dream job″

″Who are these Germans?″ That′s the question Firas Alshater asks on his YouTube channel Zukar. Ula Brunner interviewed the Berlin-based Syrian filmmaker and refugee on acceptance and on what home and humour mean to himMore

Syrian refugee Nather Henafe Alali: Part II: ″Why I am here″Rafik Schami on integration: ″To the haters, they′re all faceless Muslims″ Germany′s refugee policy: Four words for humanity
(photo: Goethe-Institute Kairo/ Sameh Fayez)

Cartoon museum in Egypt

"Provisions" for travellers to Tunis Village

A cartoon museum in rural Egypt preserves a cultural heritage and opens up new prospects for the villagers. By Sameh FayezMore

Caricaturists in Iraq: Walking a satirical tightrope″Art of Freedom. Freedom of Art″ in Tunisia: Carving out a niche between terror and bureaucracyExhibition of IS cartoons in Tehran: Iran battles its enemies with cartoons
Baris Uygur, Turkish author and publisher of the satirical magazine Uykusuz (photo: Binooki publishers)

Interview with the Turkish author Baris Uygur

"Even we're lost for words sometimes"

With a circulation of around 80,000, ″Uykusuz″ is Turkey's most popular satirical magazine. Writer Baris Uygur is one of its publishers. Here he talks to Ceyda Nurtsch about satirical magazines in Turkey, getting around censorship regulations and the popularity of crime fictionMore

Islamic satirical magazine "Cafcaf" from Istanbul: "No, nothing has been forgiven!"Interview with the cartoonist Khalil: "There is nothing that can justify this sort of violence"The Lebanese satirical magazine "Ad-Dabbour": Hornets' nest in Beirut
The last German emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm II (photo: picture-alliance/dpa)

″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 PfeilschifterMore

Germans and Ottomans in the First World War: A partnership of privilegeQantara dossier: "Caricatures, satire and Islam"The 100th anniversary of Karl May's death: Literary genius or man of legendary hubris?

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