Muslim Brotherhood

Saudi Arabia’s divided anti-Houthi coalition

Rescuing the state of Yemen

United Yemen’s future looks increasingly doubtful. August 2022 saw fierce fighting between members of Saudi Arabia's anti-Houthi coalition forces in the southern Yemen governorate of Shabwa. By Stasa Salacanin
Khaled Hroub on Hamas

"A project of resistance"?

Hamas' influence may be on the rise, but as yet the movement has failed to assume national leadership. Palestinian political analyst Khaled Hroub examines the factors at play with Michael Young
Egyptian army and the Muslim Brotherhood

Competitors in common

Sara Tonsy’s latest book "The Egyptian Army and the Muslim Brotherhood: Contemporary Political Power Dynamics" examines the long-standing rivalry between these two highly influential factions. In interview with Tugrul von Mende she focuses on the relationship between them and what it means for Egyptian society
Egypt's Ramadan series "El-Ekhteyar 3"

At Abdul Fattah al-Sisi's expense

In the third series of "El-Ekhteyar", actor Yasser Galal delivers a remarkable performance in the role of Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, attracting admiration and ridicule in equal measure. By Shady Lewis Botros
Diwan and the dialogue of cultures

Nadia Wassef's bookshop memoir – a chronicle of Egypt's upheaval

Egyptian author Nadia Wassef talks about opening the first independent bookstore in her home country; and her latest book in which she celebrates books and booksellers. By Manasi Gopalakrishnan
Turkey

Erdogan's search for partners in the Middle East

Ankara is seeking to improve its relations with several states in the Middle East – such as the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Israel. There are several reasons for this. Meanwhile, those being approached are not averse to the idea. By Kersten Knipp
Interview with Islamic reformer Mustafa Akyol

"Islam needs its own enlightenment"

Turkish author and journalist Mustafa Akyol is one of the foremost pioneers of an Islam reconciled with modernity. Musa Bagrac spoke with Akyol for Qantara.de about his new book "Reopening Muslim Minds: A Return to Reason, Freedom, and Tolerance" and the chances for Islamic reform
Egypt's National Human Rights Strategy

Propaganda tailored to the U.S.?

Abdul Fattah al-Sisi's National Human Rights Strategy smacks of the containment and sabotage tactics adopted by counter-revolutionaries during Egypt's 2011 revolution and its aftermath. Taqadum al-Khatib assesses the situation for Qantara.de
Afghanistan

Victim-blaming – a trope of the West's failure in Afghanistan

One prominent narrative relating to the defeat of the western-led military intervention in Afghanistan is that it was a mistake to try to build a modern democracy in a society steeped in "mediaeval traditions" and "tribal attitudes". Hans Dembowski condemns this self-serving and condescending standpoint, which persists in ignoring the serious flaws in the West's engagement, while blaming the victims for its failure
Death sentences against Muslim Brotherhood members in Egypt

An act of reckoning

Attracting little attention from the world at large, Egypt's military regime has been mercilessly going after dissidents. Now, the first executions of prominent members of the Muslim Brotherhood loom. All the while, the true extent of the crackdown remains unknown. By Jannis Hagmann
Germany and the discussion surrounding "Political Islam"

Berlin 2021 is not Tehran 1979

Several media reports in recent weeks have focused on the potential threat presented by Islamist groups in Germany. The discourse is fraught with generalisations, both sides accusing the other of their inability to differentiate, writes Tayfun Guttstadt
Turkey's handle on soft power

Hit TV series from Turkey conquer the Arab world

Televised Turkish dramas are all the rage in the Middle East. A young Ottoman TV Empire has been expanding its soft power by harnessing regional dialects, Arabic names and viewers' desire for racy-yet-traditional plots. By Jennifer Holleis