Middle East
After Assad’s fall, Syria’s musicians rebuild from the rubble
Spaces Between the Beats — Following decades of dictatorship and 14 years of civil war, the country’s classical and creative scenes have an opportunity to build from scratch. Andrei Popviciu speaks to the people hoping for a flourishing new era of art and sound.
Written by: Andrei Popoviciu
The intricate, intimate interiors of Middle Eastern homes
Living Rooms — Drawn from photographs made over the span of three decades, Middle East Archive has compiled a photobook that explores the insides of homes across the region, spotlighting its family intimacy and hospitality.
Written by: Miss Rosen
BODUR: “I’ve always spoken out rather than assimilating”
What Made Me — In this series, we ask artists and rebels about the forces and experiences that shaped who they are. Today, it’s SWANA-championing pop experimentalist BODUR.
Written by: BODUR
Exploring the football fanatic culture of the Middle East
New photo book ‘Football كرة القدم’ draws together pictures from over a dozen photographers to explore the region’s vibrant football culture.
Written by: Isaac Muk
The everyday voices silenced in our coverage of the Middle East
Until women and young people are heard, we won’t break this cycle of destruction and dehumanisation, argues director Maysoon Pachachi.
Written by: Maysoon Pachachi
The rise of Ben-Gvir is the product of Israeli apartheid
Free Palestine — While the ascension of far-right politicians in Israel has been met with outrage by the British Jewish press, it is merely the logical conclusion of Israeli colonialism, writes Emily Hilton.
Written by: Emily Hilton
The skatepark providing refuge to Amman’s youth
In a city sorely lacking in public space, 7Hills skatepark is transforming the lives of people in Jordan’s capital.
Written by: Aisha Kherallah and Tom Critchley
A year after the Beirut blast, the fight for justice continues
Rebuilding from the rubble — On 4 August 2020, a large quantity of ammonium nitrate exploded in the port of Beirut, killing 218 people and injuring 7000 others. A year on, protestors still fighting for answers gathered together on the streets.
Written by: Matt Kynaston
The fight to boycott Israel – inside occupied Palestine
#PalestineEconomicWeek — It has long been assumed that Palestinians living inside the apartheid system have an inherently weaker capacity to mobilise. But a new campaign is educating Palestinians about the importance, and feasibility, of boycotting Israeli goods from the inside to corrode colonial-economic structures.
Written by: Amal Nazzal
A Gaza resident on life after the ceasefire
‘Without hope we cannot live’ — A Palestinian medical project coordinator who has lived in Gaza for the last two decades recounts the horrors of the past few weeks, which saw hundreds killed by Israeli airstrikes, and what must happen next to secure peace.
Written by: Jessie Williams (interview)
The project reviving Beirut’s forgotten trans history
Treat Me Like Your Mother — Combining studio shoots, interviews and archival imagery, a new book documents the untold stories of 11 trans women living in Beirut and rewrites the queer history of a war-torn city.
Written by: Gunseli Yalcinkaya
Beirut’s skate scene is rebuilding from the rubble
After the blast — For those living in the Lebanese capital, the explosion was simply the tip of the iceberg. As the city grapples with the aftermath, a group of skaters are fighting to save their scene – because for them, it’s the only way to escape the pressures of everyday life.
Written by: Victoria Schneider
