Articles

As many refugees return to Syria, queues are forming outside passport offices as people try to leave. Four personal stories reflect the hopes, fears and unresolved questions of a country in transition

Ahmed al-Sharaa promised a peaceful Syria, but violence continues to shape the country's transition. A genuine national dialogue, political participation and a strategy to integrate former fighters into the army are essential, says political scientist Rahaf Aldoughli

Prostitution, drugs and illegal money dealing: Syria's black market is flourishing in the wake of Assad's fall. A lack of regulations and clarity is deterring new investment in the formal economy

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is celebrated for liberating the country from the Assad regime. But the former militia leader has a dark past. Will the people, out of desperation, once again fall prey to a brutal dictator?

Four cultural figures in Syria and in exile discuss the future of art in the country

A visit to Kafranbel, a small Syrian town that became a hotspot of resistance. What remains of the spirit of the revolution?

Culture is greatly undervalued in Uganda. Women in the creative sector want to change that and are increasingly taking initiative themselves. They don't have it easy.

Concrete, brick, steel: Aref al-Swaidani wants to rebuild Syria from its ruins. In Weimar he’s conducting research on recycling building materials.

The team behind Enab Baladi, the revolutionary media organisation founded at the start of the 2011 uprising, has returned to Syria. Co-founder Kholoud Helmi explains why their presence in Damascus is more crucial than ever.

In Lagos, a small team is digitising dusty newspapers and forgotten magazines – and putting them online. Their mission: to save Nigeria's collective memory

How to get justice after the horrors Syria has witnessed? Sociologist Mohammed Bamyeh sees signs that the new leadership wants to come to terms with the past, but warns against selective justice

Under the Assad regime, tens of thousands of Syrians were tortured, some for years on end. Can a society ever overcome such trauma? A conversation with filmmaker Feras Fayyad