Joel Schalit / 04 Apr 2022
Making Use of Syrians
Russia’s Populist Exception
Twenty years ago today, it would have been the stuff of conspiracy theory.(...)
Turkey
Charlie Bertsch / 09 Feb 2022
German Labour Music
Songs of Gastarbeiter Vol. 2
To begin a compilation of decades-old tracks with a remix is a bold move. But Songs of Gastarbeiter Vol. 2 deploys it brilliantly. (...)
Filip Noubel / 06 Oct 2021
Turkey’s Abandonment of the Uyghurs
Why Erdoğan Gave In
Turkey has traditionally been an ally of the Uyghurs due to strong linguistic, cultural, and religious ties.(...)
Charlie Bertsch / 11 Mar 2021
When There is Here
The Glitterbeat Guide to Globalisation
Hamburg-based record label Glitterbeat provides a beacon of hope, not only for music lovers tired of hearing endless iterations of the tried-and-true, but for anyone who believes unapologetic cosmopolitanism is our only gateway to a brighter future.(...)
Joel Schalit / 24 Jul 2020
Berlin After Lockdown
Don’t Forget the Kurds
History was at a standstill. The two months that the German capital was under lockdown made its residents seem as though time had stopped. It felt like the end of the world was nigh. Sidewalks were empty. Stores were closed. The hum of traffic had even disappeared.(...)
Joel Schalit / 03 Jun 2020
Dinner is Ruined
Döner After Lockdown
When the government finally announced restaurants could serve takeout, it was like a rainbow appeared over Berlin. As long as we picked up dinner by six, we were safe.(...)
Joel Schalit / 15 May 2020
Blaming the Victim
Italy and Islam
Religion is not a country. But, if you're looking to burnish your nationalist credentials, savaging a young woman for converting to Islam means otherwise.(...)
John Foster / 17 Jan 2020
Playing for the Troops
Adrestia on Rojava
As far as band names go, Adrestia couldn't be better. The goddess of revolt in Greek mythology, it's astonishing no one used it until now. Leave it to a political punk group from Sweden, with a fondness for vintage death metal, to seize the day.(...)
Joel Schalit / 21 Oct 2019
If Not Now, When?
The Crisis in Rojava
When was the last time that Washington backed the good guys? Barack Obama's support for Syria's Kurds was always a fraught proposition.(...)
Anna Ahronheim / 24 Jul 2019
Letting Go of Turkey
Why The West Failed
It could have changed Europe. Negotiating to join the EU since 2005, Turkey's aspirations, though still a government priority, could not be further from reality today.(...)