Social movements
All topics-
Egypt – a human rights crisis
No more "quiet diplomacy"
For years, EU states have held back from criticising Egypt’s military regime for its human rights crimes. NGOs and a European parliamentary initiative are now seeking to change that, urging the UN Human Rights Council to act. By Sofian Philip Naceur
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Sudan's popular resistance
The revolution will succeed
The struggle for civilian rule in Sudan is ongoing. Neighbourhood "resistance committees" are the driving force behind ongoing protests against the now-ruling military junta. Operating at a local, decentralised level, they have begun bundling their forces and coordinating nationally, with the aim of playing a role at the political level. Eduard Cousin reports for Qantara.de from Khartoum
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Sex education
The Arab Spring's greatest success?
People in Arab countries have been talking more openly about sex and sexuality for some time now, especially on social media. And for the first time ever, they have the vocabulary to discuss these topics. By Lena Bopp
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Tunisia's political future
Kais Saied's divisive online poll
Tunisia's first-ever digital survey on a new constitution is key to Tunisian President Kais Saied's path out of a political crisis. But as with Saied himself, reactions to the online innovation have been mixed. By Cathrin Schaer and Tarak Guizani
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Egypt, Alaa Abd El-Fattah and democracy
"You have not yet been defeated"
Alaa Abd el-Fattah, arguably Egypt’s most prominent democracy activist, has just been handed another lengthy prison sentence. Despite this, a book of his writing has recently been published. It reveals the former Tahrir Square activist as a reflective, left-wing intellectual. Jannis Hagmann read the book
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Arabic Network for Human Rights
Egypt's leading rights group forced to close
A prominent rights group in Egypt, the Arabic Network for Human Rights, is ending operations just as the country braces for a controversial NGO law. Is this the beginning of the end for civil society in Egypt? By Jennifer Holleis
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Kazakhstan
Tyrants of the steppe
Over 160 Kazakhs die as President Tomayev orders his security forces to "shoot to kill without warning". So what kind of country are we actually talking about? By Sonja Zekri
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Protests in Kazakhstan
Putin's nightmare?
Russia is seeking to shore up the government of Kazakhstan and is sending in the military. For President Putin, there is more at stake than simply his influence in a partner country that is currently being rocked by unrest. By Roman Goncharenko, Emily Sherwin and Olga Sosnytska
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Interview with Asef Bayat
Examining the Arab Spring revolutions from within
Asef Bayat, professor of Sociology at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, has been studying revolutions and how they affect people since 1979. In his recent book, "Revolutionary Life: The Everyday of the Arab Spring", Bayat takes a new approach to studying revolutions by focusing on how they affect citizens in their everyday lives. Tugrul von Mende spoke to him about how his understanding of revolutions has changed over the past 20 years
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The Gulf
Bahrain – where human rights don’t count
The catastrophic human rights situation in Bahrain is being largely ignored by the rest of the world. Despite all the damning evidence, which includes a Human Rights Watch report, the West is unlikely to apply any pressure on the regime due to geostrategic interests. By Diana Hodali
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Sudan anti-putsch protests
"We have to keep fighting"
The military in Sudan has never waged war against a neighbour, but it has already staged 17 coups. Tens of thousands of people are risking their lives to oust the military by peaceful means. About a revolution that is far from over. Bernd Dorries reports from Khartoum
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Interview with German anthropologist Dieter Haller
Tangier/Gibraltar: a tale of one city
In his new book, "Tangier/Gibraltar- A Tale of one city: An Ethnography", Dieter Haller looks at how shared experiences and practices have created a unique relationship and a sense of neighbourhood across the Straits of Gibraltar – a cultural area he calls "TanGib". Although "TanGib" has never been an administrative entity, the two cities and the surrounding regions have at times been inextricably linked. Fouzia Hayouh spoke to Prof Heller about his book and what the future could hold for the region