Switzerland
All countries-
Isabelle Eberhardt
Writer, nomad and feminist
Rather than perpetuate the romanticised image of the Orient commonplace in 19th century literature, writer and nomad Isabelle Eberhardt traversed and explored the Maghreb with a critical eye. She not only condemned French colonialism, but also the established gender roles of her era. By Melanie Christina Mohr
-
Syrian oud player Bahur Ghazi
Hoping for a phoenix
Based in Switzerland, Syrian musician Bahur Ghazi has created an exciting synthesis of traditional Arabic music and jazz improvisation. Together with his band, Palmyra, he tells of his longing for peace in his homeland. By Stefan Franzen
-
Accusations against Tariq Ramadan
Yet to be proven
Following allegations of sexual assault, police in France took renowned Islam scholar Tariq Ramadan into custody for questioning last Wednesday. Two women say he raped them. By Bachir Amroune
-
World Cup 2022 and Qatari reforms
So much hot air
In a world where human rights are increasingly being put on the backburner, fears are growing among rights and trade union activists that Qatari promises of labour reform and greater liberalism are just that – mere promises. By James M. Dorsey
-
The Swiss handshake controversy
A mountain out of a molehill
We live in an era when minor issues can apparently become major scandals overnight. Two Syrian pupils refuse to shake hands with a female teacher in Switzerland and the whole of Europe takes offence. By Charlotte Wiedemann
-
Book review: ″The New Waw: Saharan Oasis″ by Ibrahim al-Koni
Cultivating the strange
Recognised with the 2015 National Translation Award last autumn, Ibrahim al-Koni′s novel ″The New Waw: Saharan Oasis″ may seem an odd choice. After all his latest work manages to flout Western literary conventions and confound reader expectations. And yet, argues Marcia Lynx Qualey, that is precisely its appeal
-
The Islam debate
The dual consciousness of Muslims
Muslims today can no longer think, or ultimately exist, outside the widespread lore about Islam, which links them to discussions about terror, violence and the separation of religion and society. They can never be free of the neverending stream of projections about Islam. An essay by Farid Hafez
-
Interview with filmmaker Samir
An Iraqi odyssey
In his impressive 3D documentary "Iraqi Odyssey", the Iraqi-born Swiss filmmaker Samir combines the personal stories of some of his relatives with archive footage of events in Iraq from the Ottoman Empire to the era of Saddam Hussein. Igal Avidan spoke to him in Berlin
-
Swiss referendum on immigration
The Swiss against the world
According to Robert Misik, Xenophobia was just one of the reasons why 50.3% of those who voted in Switzerland's recent referendum on immigration back strict quotas for immigration from European Union countries; a provincial mentality and anti-EU sentiment also played a role