Qantara Startseite Englisch - Dialogue with the Islamic world
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Turkey's Gülen movementThe promise of Islamic moral governance
Though often portrayed as unique, the teachings and tactics of the Gülen movement have generally aligned with those of Turkey's Sunni mainstream. The movement's fraught relationship with the AKP reveals deeper tensions within the country's religious-political landscape. With both camps failing to establish a more ethical, Islam-based politics, a critical reassessment is overdue.
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Sudanese refugees in ChadAn uncertain future
More than half a million people have fled war in Sudan into neighbouring Chad. Humanitarian workers are scrambling to provide support amid overcrowding, limited funding and widespread trauma.
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Science Fiction from TurkeyA spark of reality in literary dystopia
Above the clouds, lies not just boundless freedom, but also dystopian visions of the future. With his collection Über den Wolken und andere Geschichten [Above the Clouds and Other Stories], editor Ünver Alibey shows that science fiction is no longer a solely Western genre.
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Northern Gaza under siege"Either we survive together or we all die together"
As the Israeli encirclement of North Gaza continues, the humanitarian situation is becoming increasingly dire. Trapped residents share their stories of daily life under siege.
Politics
More about Politics-
US election 2024What Trump's victory means for Iran
Donald Trump has won the US presidential election. Many Iranian opposition members hope that this will lead to the overthrow of the Islamic regime. But Trump's actions, especially in foreign policy, are not always predictable.
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US election 2024Time to vote for Trump? How the Democrats are losing Arab voters
Arab-Muslim voters in the US are turning away from the Democrats because of their support for Israel. In Michigan, a Democratic mayor has even endorsed Trump. The US election may well be decided in this state, which is home to about 240,000 Muslims.
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“From the river to the sea”How to interpret a slogan
The notion that the slogan is sweepingly anti-Semitic falls short of the mark. But extremist interpretations need to be condemned – on both the Israeli and the Palestinian side
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The discourse about Islam in German politicsFrom open to latent Islamophobia
Sociologist and Islamic studies expert Imad Mustafa was commissioned by the Group of Independent Experts on Islamophobia (UEM) to conduct the first academic study of the discourse around Islam in Germany's political parties. His findings have recently been published in book form
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German-Turkish relationsTowards a modern policy on Turkey
Political and diplomatic relations between Germany and Turkey are marked by dissent, but the numerous flashpoints in the Middle East are now bringing the two countries closer together. The German President's deft balancing act on his trip to Turkey points the way toward a pragmatic policy on Turkey
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Germany and the Netanyahu governmentDeath zone Gaza: Germany is complicit
For years, Germany has been Israel's second most important supplier of arms. As a result, German weapons have ended up being used in the Gaza war. As evidence piles up of serious legal violations by Israel, the question of whether the German government is complicit in this catastrophic situation must be asked
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Egypt's New CapitalCounter-revolution completed
With Abdul Fattah al-Sisi's move into his new presidential palace and the inauguration of the new administrative capital, the Egyptian military's counter-revolution of 30 June 2013 is complete
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Political transition wishful thinking in Libya?"Dangerous status quo" – UN Special Envoy resigns
After "stubborn resistance" by Libya's major political stakeholders, Abdoulaye Bathily, the UN special envoy for Libya, has resigned. Analysts say his replacement will need to disrupt the "dangerous" status quo
Society
More about Society-
Reform of Iraq's Personal Status LawAre Shiite forces on the verge of victory?
The Personal Status Law in Iraq encompasses regulations on marriage, divorce, child custody, inheritance and more. It could soon be amended, with dramatic consequences for women's and children's rights. Feminists and left-leaning political parties have mobilised to defend it.
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Tareq Sydiq’s book “The New Protest Culture”Can protests transform society?
From Iran to the Last Generation, citizens in democracies and dictatorships alike are taking to the streets. Tareq Sydiq analyses these uprisings and asks why some fail while others dramatically change the system.
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Rumi, mystic and poetMessage of love: Qantara series on the 750th anniversary of Rumi's death
Even after seven and a half centuries, Rumi's verses have lost nothing of their depth and transformative power. A series of articles by Qantara.de marking the 750th anniversary of the death of the Persian poet Rumi
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Women in IraqBreaking down barriers and pushing for independence
After two incredibly tough decades for women since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, it is now cool to be young and female in Iraq. A report from Baghdad
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AfghanistanIn the land of the hopeless
More than two years after the Taliban seized power, Afghans are battling psychological problems in response to the apparent hopelessness of the situation in their country. A report from Kabul
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750th anniversary of Rumi’s death – Part 7"Light your beacon!"
In Rumi's lifetime, too, people were frightened by war and uncertainty. His poetry has much to teach us about human nature
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Turkey local elections and Internet censorshipErdogan's grand plan
Ahead of the local elections in March 2024, Turkey is facing increased Internet censorship, with the government blocking web pages and VPN services. The move is part of Erdogan's strategy to regain control over major cities
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Indonesia's presidential electionK-Pop not Islam
This year's Valentine's Day saw a presidential election in Indonesia, the world's third-largest democracy. Conservative-Islamic morals and panic-mongering tactics took a back seat on social media channels filled with music, cat videos…and elderly presidential hopefuls dancing
Culture
More about Culture-
Çiğdem Akyols's novel on Germany’s guest workersClear-eyed and unsentimental
In her debut novel, Çiğdem Akyol tells the story of a family caught between Germany and Turkey. The journalist offers an unvarnished portrait of the guest-worker generation and their children and sheds light on their ruthless exploitation in Germany.
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Jewish composer Brigitte SchifferFleeing the Nazis and thriving in Cairo
Many Jewish musicians fled Nazi Germany in the 1930s and 1940s. Composer Brigitte Schiffer was one of the few who put down roots in Egypt. In this interview, the German music professor Matthias Pasdzierny charts her unusual story.
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Cinema showcase in MoroccoArab women filmmakers challenge Western preconceptions
Female filmmakers from across the Middle East are increasingly being recognised and celebrated. But the challenges they face are not always what you might expect
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Sofia Alaoui's film "Animalia"Aliens land in Morocco
Moroccan terrain has long proved a popular backdrop for American film productions. In "Animalia", director Sofia Alaoui highlights Morocco's scenery from a local and personal perspective, focusing in particular on the Atlas Mountains
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Turkey's 100th and contemporary artWhat's left of the 'Republican woman'?
The modern, well-educated, progressive woman was a key pillar of the Turkish Republic's social project when it was founded a hundred years ago. How have female visual artists engaged with this ideal and its reality?
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Bahla: 'City of djinns'Magical myths haunt ancient Omani oasis
Deep in Oman's parched interior, the ancient oasis town of Bahla abounds with myths of camel-eating, fire-mouthed hyenas and men turning into donkeys – a reputation for magic and mystery that persists to this day
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Music in Taliban AfghanistanForgotten sounds
Kharabat was once Kabul's sacred music district, but since the Taliban returned to Afghanistan, music has been banned. Yet those brought up for a life of performance have not given up hope
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Kurdistan + 100Stories from a future republic
"Kurdistan + 100" is the third anthology in Comma Press's "future past" series, and a fourth – Egypt + 100 – is set to be published next year. Writers are asked to imagine a moment in the future connected to an event in their shared past
Photo Essays on Qantara.de
Qantara.de: Building bridges to the Islamic world
Building Bridges Across Religions
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
Most read articles
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Gülen-Bewegung in der Türkei
Islamisch-moralische Führung: ein uneingelöstes Versprechen
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Drohender Haftbefehl gegen Israels Regierungschef
Deutschlands Dilemma mit der Staatsräson
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Sex-Tourismus in Ägypten
Braut für einen Sommer
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Türkisch-syrische Beziehungen
Wieder auf Kooperationskurs
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Sexuelle Aufklärung
Der größte Erfolg des Arabischen Frühlings?
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Prostitution in Tunesien
Das Verdeckte offenlegen