Racism | discrimination

German coverage of the Middle East

"Germany's reputation is suffering"

Media expert Kai Hafez talks to Qantara.de about German coverage of the Gaza war, traditional narratives and the link to Islamophobic attitudes within society
Syrians in Lebanon

Not safe to stay, not safe to go home

Desperate Syrians are weighing up whether to stay in an increasingly hostile Lebanon or risk a precarious existence in areas held by the Syrian opposition. The return journey is deadly and conditions in Syria are tough
Grammy-winning producer Ian Brennan

Recording Rohingyas' raw emotion

Brennan's "Once We Had A Home" is a searing document of the reality faced by Rohingya refugees squeezed into the massive Kutupalong refugee camp near Cox's Bazar on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border
Germany's multicultural society

Racism 'on the rise' 20 years after NSU bombing

On 9 June 2004, a nail bomb exploded in the heart of a bustling Turkish community in Cologne. German officials quickly rejected the notion that the attack was motivated by racism – and they accused the victims instead
The discourse about Islam in German politics

From 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
“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
German culture scene unites against far-right

"The Many" against the AfD

Germany's right-wing AfD continues to gain ground in the polls. Many involved in the country's cultural scene fear the party will restrict artistic freedoms following the next election and have therefore launched their own campaign
Germany and the Gaza war

Jewish and Muslim communities search for solidarity

Six months of Israeli retaliation in Gaza for the October 7 Hamas terror attacks have put Jewish-Muslim relations in particular peril. Germany's hypersensitivity to anti-Semitism adds an extra layer of difficulty
Germany and the Netanyahu government

Death 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
General election in Modi's India

"Muslims are the principal target"

With elections on 19 April, India looks set to re-elect Narendra Modi's BJP party, greenlighting an ongoing process of Hinduisation on the subcontinent. The persecution of Muslims and other minorities will intensify. Yet India has little to fear in the way of criticism from its Western allies, says political scientist Achin Vanaik
Migration and the white majority

Racism can make you sick

If you've experienced racial discrimination, you'll know how it feels. Racism can cause high blood pressure, excess weight and mental health problems
German academia and the war in Gaza

Universities must remain places of dialogue

Discussions about the Middle East conflict naturally tend towards polarisation. In Germany, showing empathy for victims of political violence in Israel while drawing attention to the suffering of Gazan and West Bank Palestinians, who bear the brunt of any major confrontation, is a tricky balancing act