You are here: Homepage Sections World dispatch Foto: Erika Goldring/Getty Images Mardi Gras | LouisianaThe muses of New Orleans For years, Louisiana’s grand carnival was a men-only domain – until the Krewe of Muses was founded and women took the parade by storm By Morgane Llanque05/02/2025 Photo: NurPhoto / Getty Images Press freedom | PolandAn uncertain future After coming to power in 2015, the Polish PiS transformed public television in Poland into a propaganda machine. In 2023, the new Prime Minister Donald Tusk immediately set about restoring the independence of the state media. But the dismantling of democratic controls had been thorough By Jacek Lepiarz12/09/2024 Photo: Getty Images Conflict | NigeriaSchools under attack For ten years, Boko Haram has been kidnapping people in northern Nigeria, including countless schoolchildren. But why are authorities so powerless? By Eromo Egbejule11/11/2024 Photo: Hussam Al-Qoliaa Freedom of the press | YemenAssassinated, imprisoned, exiled A complex civil war with international involvement has been raging in Yemen for years. It is extremely dangerous for journalists to pursue their profession, Yemeni journalists still pay a heavy price for the civil war. Many have left the country and young reporters with no training are taking their place By Samia al-Aghbary10/17/2024 Photo: Max Hart Nibbrig Remembrance | NetherlandsA house of loss For a very long time, the Netherlands had no national memorial to the victims of the Shoah. For the recently opened National Holocaust Museum in Amsterdam, the team led by director Emile Schrijver developed a new approach to commemorating the genocide By Senay Boztas09/09/2024 Illustration: Daniel Barreto Notes and observations | MexicoA journey into the heart of Mexico City The average “chilango”, or resident of Mexico City, spends around one and a half hours a day on public transport. An essay on public and semi-public transport in the Mexican capital By Mateo García Elizondo09/07/2024 Photo: Miguel Tovar for KULTURAUSTAUSCH Vox pop | MexicoMexico’s fourth transformation Mexico’s outgoing president launched extensive social reforms, and his successor Claudia Sheinbaum promises to continue his work. What has changed so far? A snapshot of the prevailing mood in Mexico City By Paula Mónaco Felipe09/07/2024 Photo: Nhan Ngo Club culture | VietnamElectronic sounds from Vietnam Vietnamese club culture has long been dominated by expats and tourists. But in recent years, local collectives and DJs have increasingly become involved in the scene - and their engagement goes beyond music and parties By Sivaraj Pragasm08/29/2024 Photo: Natalia Bronny Trade unions | PakistanInvisible women workers in Pakistan Women working from home are an important economic factor in Pakistan, but they are often isolated and deprived of their rights. The Home Based Women Workers Federation campaigns for change By Hannah El-Hitami04/30/2024 Interview Photo: Maciej Zienkiewicz New Global OrderAn era of uncertainty The old order is breaking down: historian Anne Applebaum reflects on the profound changes of our time Interview with Anne Applebaum05/03/2025 Foto: Lars Hübner Shift to the right„People want faster solutions“ In Europe and the USA, right-wing parties are increasingly gaining influence, while resistance to them is waning. Anthropologist Arjun Appadurai diagnoses a collective democratic fatigue Interview with Arjun Appadurai04/08/2025 Photo: Noah Emrich Photography | InternationalTwilight In his digital travel miniatures, New York photographer Sam Youkilis documents the decline of our analog culture Interview with Sam Youkilis01/22/2025 Photo: Mittul Vahanvati Solomon Islands | Climate change"Nature-based solutions are for the long term" Informal settlements in particular can benefit from nature-based solutions. Researchers Darryn McEvoy and Mittul Vahanvati explain how planting the right grasses is helping a community in the Pacific region Interview with Darryn McEvoy, Mittul Vahanvati01/01/2025 Photo: Mayar Attia Language | LibanonBoundlessly queer For the first time, ‘The Queer Arab Glossary’ is a compilation of Arabic slang from the scene - from affectionate to derogatory. A conversation with the editor Interview with Marwan Kaabour11/27/2024 Photo: Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/ Getty Images Informal Settlements | Worldwide“The first slums were in Europe” Many people think of informal settlements as something that only exists in the Global South - but there are also slums in Europe. Geoscientist Monika Kuffer maps these areas all over the world, making the invisible visible Interview with Monika Kuffer11/27/2024 Photo: Ole Witt for Kulturaustausch Politics | InternationalPolitainment for all Arun Chaudhary made a name for himself as Barack Obama's ‘First Cameraman’. Today, he advises political parties in many countries on their digital strategies. A conversation about the fine line between authenticity and spectacle Interview with Arun Chaudhary11/27/2024 Photo: private via qantara.de Conflict | Israel“We have to get them back now” Or Levy was abducted by Hamas from the Nova music festival on 7 October 2023. In this interview, his brother Michael discusses his family’s experience over the last twelve months, his hopes and fears for the future, and the ongoing campaign to free Or from captivity 10/07/2024 Photo: Arlene Mejorado Gender roles | Mexico“It’s okay to be flamboyant if you’re macho” The Texan Mexican artist José Villalobos focuses on the clothing of Mexican Norteño culture. It’s extravagant and camp but is also seen as the epitome of masculinity Interview with José Villalobos09/14/2024 First person Photo: Tong Niu End of the West | ChinaThey continue to dream Unlike in the West, people in the East still believe in the future, says Xiaolu Guo. The author and director, who commutes between Europe and China By Xiaolu Guo05/03/2025 Photo: Urban Think Tank Empowerment South Africa | ReblockingBuilding a house in two days The social organization Ikhayalami is trying to make informal dwelling in South Africa safer and healthier. How do they do it? By Andrea Bolnick01/01/2025 Photo: private Literature | Personal historyLiving words The writer Helon Habila grew up in Nigeria, later moved to the UK and now lives in the USA. In his books he revisits the people, places and politics he has experienced first-hand By Helon Habila12/19/2024 Photo: Ole Witt for KULTURAUSTAUSCH Personal history | North KoreaFleeing North Korea Choi Song Hui served as a loyal soldier in North Korea’s army, but then fled across the border river. She now lives in Seoul where she continues to fight for human rights in her home country By Choi Song Hui11/04/2024 Photo: Gary Doak / Alamy Manifesto | MexicoMy president For the first time in history Mexico voted for a female president. Following Claudia Sheinbaum’s landslide win, the writer Gabriela Jauregui lists her demands for the new Presidenta By Gabriela Jauregui05/29/2024 Photo: Rasmus Berg Indigenous rights | NorwayWind turbines on Saami land Norway spent decades trying to force the Saami to assimilate. The activist Ida Helene Benonisen is fighting for indigenous rights – in the tradition of her forefathers By Ida Helene Benonisen04/03/2024 Portrait: Victor Boyko / Getty Images Personal history | BrazilA new world in every film The Brazilian filmmaker Karim Aïnouz has always been drawn to distant horizons. From Brazil via New York, he found his way to Berlin By Karim Aïnouz03/14/2024 Photo: Ole Witt Personal history | Myanmar“I always knew what I wanted” Doctor and author, Ma Thida, spent a long time in prison as a result of fighting for democracy in Myanmar. Regardless, she hopes to return to her country soon By Ma Thida02/26/2024 Photo: Rosemary Gilliat Eaton / Library and Archives Canada Inuit | CanadaNunavik, my icy homeland In northern Canada, the indigenous population has always lived in balance with nature - but then Europeans found their way to the icy desert. The newcomers harvested its raw materials. A personal story about life on the periphery of North America By Sheila Watt-Cloutier02/16/2024 Books Photo: private Literature | Personal historyLiving words The writer Helon Habila grew up in Nigeria, later moved to the UK and now lives in the USA. In his books he revisits the people, places and politics he has experienced first-hand By Helon Habila12/19/2024 Photo: Dirk Skiba Literature l SlovakiaThe seamstress’s story Slovakian author Katarína Kucbelová spent two years visiting the seamstress Iľka in a remote village. Her episodic novel “The Bonnet” talks about tradition and village life, hidden racism and the social exclusion of Roma people Interview with Katarína Kucbelová08/29/2024 Photo: Evening Standard / Hulton Archive / Getty Images Fiction | Great Britain”I want to bring Black female writers into the spotlight“ More than half a century ago, Margaret Busby became Britain’s first black woman publisher, upending the literary scene. Five decades later, her work is far from done Interview with Margaret Busby06/01/2023 Photo: Getty Images Fiction | Hong KongA magical metropolisXi Xi’s novel “My City” takes readers back to Hong Kong in the 1970s. By Thomas Hummitzsch06/01/2023 Photo: John McDonnell / Getty Images Books | InequalityAn invisible hierarchyContemporary society has all but eradicated the caste system, right? Far from it, argues U.S. journalist Isabel Wilkerson By Sieglinde Geisel06/01/2023 Photo: Iqra Shabaz Fiction | USA“Americans blame poverty on the poor” In his debut novel, Jakob Guanzon explores the reality of the “working poor” in the US. An interview about fathers and sons, money troubles and the dangerous legacy of the American Dream Interview with Jakob Guanzon06/01/2023 Photo: C.H. Beck, München World atlasCartology and clichéA new historical world atlas claims to break away from a purely Eurocentric view of the world. It almost succeeds By Birte Förster01/09/2023 Photo: Uendel Galter Fiction | BrazilThe fight of the quilombolasPolitics clashes with everyday life in Brazil, in a story of sisterhood, race and religion. Itamar Vieira Junior’s debut novel thrives on this colourful mix By Michael Ebmeyer01/09/2023 Photo: Christa Boaz / Getty Images Fiction | South KoreaDiving into the pastCheon Myeong-kwan's expansive novel “The Whale” retells South Korea's 20th-century history as a feminist fairy tale. Twenty years after its Korean publication, European readers can finally access a modern masterpiece By Thomas Hummitzsch10/01/2022 Snapshot Photo: Atikah Zata Flying visit | IndonesiaSpinach or football? Things are getting tight for small farmers in Indonesia’s capital. The rapid growth of the infrastructure makes them fear for their fields By Atikah Zata09/07/2024 Photo: Abigail Varney Flying visit | AustraliaThe hunt for opals in Australia Coober Pedy in the Australian outback is considered the world capital of opals. That does not make it a glamorous place, though By Abigail Varney04/30/2024Media | IranIranians do not trust state television By Omid Rezaee01/26/2024 Photo: Emile Ducke Day trip | RussiaIcy marathon on Lake Baikal Every year at the beginning of March, extreme sports enthusiasts gather on Lake Baikal to take part in the “Winteriade”. Here, the athletes can also try their hand at disciplines such as ice fishing or ice golf By Kai Schnier01/10/2024 Photo: Dario Lehner Pop culture | TurkeyProtest songs from the car radio When screenwriter Cem Kaya reflects on his childhood, he remembers the long car journeys from Germany to Turkey - and the music of the “Aşiks”. On the travelling singers of Anatolia and their links to pop music by immigrant workers in Germany By Cem Kaya12/15/2023 Photo: Ivanna Oksenyuk Talking point | AIHow dangerous is Artificial Intelligence? What is the most threatening about artificial intelligence? Author Rebecca Giblin points out where the dangers lie. A commentary By Rebecca Giblin12/06/2023 Photo: Maryam Mumladze for Kulturaustausch Flying visit | GeorgiaA house in Georgia In the Georgian capital Tbilisi, there’s a house on a leafy street corner that is like a museum. A visit By Maryam Mumladze11/30/2023 Photo: Luisa Dörr Day trip | BoliviaA skate park in Cochabamba Smashing stereotypes: Young women in traditional dress meet to skateboard in the Pacata Alta neighbourhood in the north of Cochabamba By Luisa Dörr11/30/2023 Photo: James Bort Talking point | MusicWhy go to the opera?Opera: outmoded and out of touch or timeless and eternal? We ask the soprano singer Fatma Said By Fatma Said06/01/2023 Photo essay Photo: M’hammed Kilito Environment | MoroccoDesert oases under threat Oasis ecosystems are perfectly adapted to the harsh desert environment. Today, many are threatened by drought and mismanagement. Photographer M’hammed Kilito zooms in on the people working to save them Interview with M’hammed Kilito01/25/2024 Photo: Tami Xiang Family | China“Millions of children live apart from their parents” Chinese migrant workers are often denied official residency. Many parents leave their children behind in the villages. Photographer Tami Xiang visited some of them. A conversation Interview with Tami Xiang11/25/2023 Photo: Saurabh Narang Indigenous culture | IndiaKeeping an African identity in contemporary India The Siddi ethnic group migrated to India from East Africa centuries ago. Since then, their communities have cultivated their very own culture By Saurabh Narang11/20/2023 Photo: H. C. Kwok History | TaiwanIn the shadow of the dictator Under the regime of dictator Chiang Kai-Shek, tens of thousands of people were arrested and killed in Taiwan between 1948 and 1987. However, the country has never come to terms with the “White Terror”. Photographer H. C. Kwok wants to change that with his pictures by giving the victims a voice. By Billy HC Kwok06/01/2023 Photo: Antoine Bruy DropoutsBeyond civilisation In search of people who have had enough of big city life, the French photographer Antoine Bruy has traveled through Europe and North America. The result is the visually stunning photo series “Scrublands,” in which he documents people who opt out of society, depicting their everyday lives By Antoine Bruy01/09/2023 Photo: Mustafah Abdulaziz Climate | Photography“Water is like a mirror”Droughts, forest fires, floods: humanity is quietly heading for a climate crisis. With his photo series on water, Mustafah Abdulaziz holds a mirror up to what’s happening. A conversation Interview with Mustafah Abdulaziz07/01/2022 Photo: Natalia Kepesz, from the Niewybuch series Notes and observations | Poland“When photographing, I had to wear protective goggles”Polish photographer Natalia Kepesz travelled to her hometown of Złotoryja in southwestern Poland for her latest works. She also documented a new Polish trend, military summer camps for local children Interview with Natalia Kepesz07/01/2021 Playlist Photo: Mai Sararporn Music | ThailandThe Sound of Khlong Toei The rapper Kasidech Saengjan voices the struggles of people in Thai slums. In this playlist, he gives his personal soundtrack to day-to-day life in Khlong Toei By Kasidech Saengjan01/11/2025 Photo: El Rey de Aragón Pop culture | MexicoThe sound of Mexico Paulina Sotomayor sang in a mariachi band for years, but today she mixes electro with Mexican folk music, cumbia, conga and afrobeats. This is her personal playlist to celebrate female empowerment By Paulina Sotomayor09/07/2024 Foto: Leeor Wild Playlist | Canada & GreenlandThe Sound of the Inuit Raucous vocals, nature-loving lyrics, love songs or simply some proper rock: the Inuit playlist by Canadian musician Elisapie Isaac By Elisapie Isaac03/14/2024 Source: Ole Witt Playlist | MongoliaThe sound of the Gobi Desert Songs about camels, sandstorms and minerals: The Gobi Desert is a rich source of inspiration for the Mongolian music scene. A playlist By Pau Szczap01/06/2024 Photo: Nicolas Datiche / Getty Images Playlist | Taiwan“Heavy metal saved my life”Heavy metal star - and politician - Freddy Lim knows Taiwan's music scene inside out. A conversation about Taiwanese music and the ten songs you need to decipher it Interview with Freddy Lim 06/01/2023 Photo: Julija Goyd Playlist | MinimalismPared-down soundIn music, forgoing excess often stands for minimalist innovation. Rarely has less been so much more than in the nine piano pieces that the musician Malakoff Kowalski handpicked for this playlist By Malakoff Kowalski01/09/2023 Photo: Getty Images Playlist | Afghanistan„I have brought your prophets into the world“Ever since the Taliban returned, music has been banned and it has been forbidden for woman to sing. Yet a number of female Afghan musicians continue their careers in exile. Introducing a selection of famous singers - and and their songs. By Farhot10/01/2022 Opinion Opinion | NairobiI think that Fitness should be straightforward again The pressure of social media can quickly become overwhelming. But fitness doesn’t have to be expensive, complicated or perfect By Kylie Kiunguyu04/30/2024 Photo: Ivanna Oksenyuk Talking point | AIHow dangerous is Artificial Intelligence? What is the most threatening about artificial intelligence? Author Rebecca Giblin points out where the dangers lie. A commentary By Rebecca Giblin12/06/2023 Photo: Barbara Zanon / Getty Images Literature | TaiwanSex and politics: Taiwan’s last taboosTaiwan is often portrayed as a model Asian democracy by the West. But how free and open-minded is the country really? Author Li Ang on a question she’s been asking for decades By Li Ang06/01/2023 Photo: Antoine Midant Media | GermanyBeyond the European bubble German media outlets are often indifferent when it comes to reporting from outside Europe. German journalist Mohamed Amjahid has realised that writing about sex helps break down barriers By Mohamed Amjahid06/01/2023 Photo: Taiwan FactCheck Center Media | Taiwan“We’re in the middle of an information war”Manipulated images, cyberattacks and viral fake news: digital disinformation is commonplace in Taiwan. Ho Hui-An of the Taiwan FactCheck Center on fighting against the tide Interview with Ho Hui-An06/01/2023 Photo: DeAgostin / Getty Images Minimalism | InternationalKeeping it simpleWhat makes a building a beautiful structure? Ornamentation on the front? Or is a building beautiful if it houses as many people as possible? Can we separate the aesthetic evaluation of a building from its construction circumstances and the ecological and human price it cost? By Ayelet Gundar-Goshen01/09/2023 Foto: Lam Yik Fei / Getty Images Digital life | TaiwanTears in the matrixIn Taiwan, the digital world is displacing the physical one. Even tradition is migrating to the cloud. Our author sets out in search of a lost era By Chen Hao-Jen01/09/2023Literature | InternationalI think that art needs time to emergeIn a world of fast-moving news about the War in Ukraine and climate change, it is often hard to focus and take time to create art. But literature works on a different clock: It needs time to form and silence to emerge. By Cécile Wajsbrot01/09/2023 Illustration: Musonda Kabwe Historical literature | NamibiaWhite lies and the voids of history Both the genocide of the Herero in Namibia and the Boer War in South Africa were brutal events, but the history books only tell of “heroes”. Can historical fiction give the victims a voice? By Lauri Kubuitsile08/14/2022 Fiction Women’s rights | MexicoHe said, she Brutal violence against women is not uncommon in Mexico. The writer Gabriela Jauregui has collected quotes from perpetrators in court, creating a harrowing poem By Gabriela Jauregui09/07/2024Short fiction | WaterThirst, Knowledge and LoveThree new works of short fiction By Ben Okri07/01/2022Short fiction | WaterOn Präsenzer LakeA woman is sitting alone on a bench on a shore in spring, waiting for her lover. A tale about a secret place by the water By Katerina Poladjan07/01/2022Short fiction | Life undergroundIn the stomach of the cityA man from the countryside starts a new life in the tunnels beneath an Indian metropolis. A story. By Shumona Sinha01/07/2022
Foto: Erika Goldring/Getty Images Mardi Gras | LouisianaThe muses of New Orleans For years, Louisiana’s grand carnival was a men-only domain – until the Krewe of Muses was founded and women took the parade by storm By Morgane Llanque05/02/2025
Photo: NurPhoto / Getty Images Press freedom | PolandAn uncertain future After coming to power in 2015, the Polish PiS transformed public television in Poland into a propaganda machine. In 2023, the new Prime Minister Donald Tusk immediately set about restoring the independence of the state media. But the dismantling of democratic controls had been thorough By Jacek Lepiarz12/09/2024
Photo: Getty Images Conflict | NigeriaSchools under attack For ten years, Boko Haram has been kidnapping people in northern Nigeria, including countless schoolchildren. But why are authorities so powerless? By Eromo Egbejule11/11/2024
Photo: Hussam Al-Qoliaa Freedom of the press | YemenAssassinated, imprisoned, exiled A complex civil war with international involvement has been raging in Yemen for years. It is extremely dangerous for journalists to pursue their profession, Yemeni journalists still pay a heavy price for the civil war. Many have left the country and young reporters with no training are taking their place By Samia al-Aghbary10/17/2024
Photo: Max Hart Nibbrig Remembrance | NetherlandsA house of loss For a very long time, the Netherlands had no national memorial to the victims of the Shoah. For the recently opened National Holocaust Museum in Amsterdam, the team led by director Emile Schrijver developed a new approach to commemorating the genocide By Senay Boztas09/09/2024
Illustration: Daniel Barreto Notes and observations | MexicoA journey into the heart of Mexico City The average “chilango”, or resident of Mexico City, spends around one and a half hours a day on public transport. An essay on public and semi-public transport in the Mexican capital By Mateo García Elizondo09/07/2024
Photo: Miguel Tovar for KULTURAUSTAUSCH Vox pop | MexicoMexico’s fourth transformation Mexico’s outgoing president launched extensive social reforms, and his successor Claudia Sheinbaum promises to continue his work. What has changed so far? A snapshot of the prevailing mood in Mexico City By Paula Mónaco Felipe09/07/2024
Photo: Nhan Ngo Club culture | VietnamElectronic sounds from Vietnam Vietnamese club culture has long been dominated by expats and tourists. But in recent years, local collectives and DJs have increasingly become involved in the scene - and their engagement goes beyond music and parties By Sivaraj Pragasm08/29/2024
Photo: Natalia Bronny Trade unions | PakistanInvisible women workers in Pakistan Women working from home are an important economic factor in Pakistan, but they are often isolated and deprived of their rights. The Home Based Women Workers Federation campaigns for change By Hannah El-Hitami04/30/2024
Photo: Maciej Zienkiewicz New Global OrderAn era of uncertainty The old order is breaking down: historian Anne Applebaum reflects on the profound changes of our time Interview with Anne Applebaum05/03/2025
Foto: Lars Hübner Shift to the right„People want faster solutions“ In Europe and the USA, right-wing parties are increasingly gaining influence, while resistance to them is waning. Anthropologist Arjun Appadurai diagnoses a collective democratic fatigue Interview with Arjun Appadurai04/08/2025
Photo: Noah Emrich Photography | InternationalTwilight In his digital travel miniatures, New York photographer Sam Youkilis documents the decline of our analog culture Interview with Sam Youkilis01/22/2025
Photo: Mittul Vahanvati Solomon Islands | Climate change"Nature-based solutions are for the long term" Informal settlements in particular can benefit from nature-based solutions. Researchers Darryn McEvoy and Mittul Vahanvati explain how planting the right grasses is helping a community in the Pacific region Interview with Darryn McEvoy, Mittul Vahanvati01/01/2025
Photo: Mayar Attia Language | LibanonBoundlessly queer For the first time, ‘The Queer Arab Glossary’ is a compilation of Arabic slang from the scene - from affectionate to derogatory. A conversation with the editor Interview with Marwan Kaabour11/27/2024
Photo: Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/ Getty Images Informal Settlements | Worldwide“The first slums were in Europe” Many people think of informal settlements as something that only exists in the Global South - but there are also slums in Europe. Geoscientist Monika Kuffer maps these areas all over the world, making the invisible visible Interview with Monika Kuffer11/27/2024
Photo: Ole Witt for Kulturaustausch Politics | InternationalPolitainment for all Arun Chaudhary made a name for himself as Barack Obama's ‘First Cameraman’. Today, he advises political parties in many countries on their digital strategies. A conversation about the fine line between authenticity and spectacle Interview with Arun Chaudhary11/27/2024
Photo: private via qantara.de Conflict | Israel“We have to get them back now” Or Levy was abducted by Hamas from the Nova music festival on 7 October 2023. In this interview, his brother Michael discusses his family’s experience over the last twelve months, his hopes and fears for the future, and the ongoing campaign to free Or from captivity 10/07/2024
Photo: Arlene Mejorado Gender roles | Mexico“It’s okay to be flamboyant if you’re macho” The Texan Mexican artist José Villalobos focuses on the clothing of Mexican Norteño culture. It’s extravagant and camp but is also seen as the epitome of masculinity Interview with José Villalobos09/14/2024
Photo: Tong Niu End of the West | ChinaThey continue to dream Unlike in the West, people in the East still believe in the future, says Xiaolu Guo. The author and director, who commutes between Europe and China By Xiaolu Guo05/03/2025
Photo: Urban Think Tank Empowerment South Africa | ReblockingBuilding a house in two days The social organization Ikhayalami is trying to make informal dwelling in South Africa safer and healthier. How do they do it? By Andrea Bolnick01/01/2025
Photo: private Literature | Personal historyLiving words The writer Helon Habila grew up in Nigeria, later moved to the UK and now lives in the USA. In his books he revisits the people, places and politics he has experienced first-hand By Helon Habila12/19/2024
Photo: Ole Witt for KULTURAUSTAUSCH Personal history | North KoreaFleeing North Korea Choi Song Hui served as a loyal soldier in North Korea’s army, but then fled across the border river. She now lives in Seoul where she continues to fight for human rights in her home country By Choi Song Hui11/04/2024
Photo: Gary Doak / Alamy Manifesto | MexicoMy president For the first time in history Mexico voted for a female president. Following Claudia Sheinbaum’s landslide win, the writer Gabriela Jauregui lists her demands for the new Presidenta By Gabriela Jauregui05/29/2024
Photo: Rasmus Berg Indigenous rights | NorwayWind turbines on Saami land Norway spent decades trying to force the Saami to assimilate. The activist Ida Helene Benonisen is fighting for indigenous rights – in the tradition of her forefathers By Ida Helene Benonisen04/03/2024
Portrait: Victor Boyko / Getty Images Personal history | BrazilA new world in every film The Brazilian filmmaker Karim Aïnouz has always been drawn to distant horizons. From Brazil via New York, he found his way to Berlin By Karim Aïnouz03/14/2024
Photo: Ole Witt Personal history | Myanmar“I always knew what I wanted” Doctor and author, Ma Thida, spent a long time in prison as a result of fighting for democracy in Myanmar. Regardless, she hopes to return to her country soon By Ma Thida02/26/2024
Photo: Rosemary Gilliat Eaton / Library and Archives Canada Inuit | CanadaNunavik, my icy homeland In northern Canada, the indigenous population has always lived in balance with nature - but then Europeans found their way to the icy desert. The newcomers harvested its raw materials. A personal story about life on the periphery of North America By Sheila Watt-Cloutier02/16/2024
Photo: private Literature | Personal historyLiving words The writer Helon Habila grew up in Nigeria, later moved to the UK and now lives in the USA. In his books he revisits the people, places and politics he has experienced first-hand By Helon Habila12/19/2024
Photo: Dirk Skiba Literature l SlovakiaThe seamstress’s story Slovakian author Katarína Kucbelová spent two years visiting the seamstress Iľka in a remote village. Her episodic novel “The Bonnet” talks about tradition and village life, hidden racism and the social exclusion of Roma people Interview with Katarína Kucbelová08/29/2024
Photo: Evening Standard / Hulton Archive / Getty Images Fiction | Great Britain”I want to bring Black female writers into the spotlight“ More than half a century ago, Margaret Busby became Britain’s first black woman publisher, upending the literary scene. Five decades later, her work is far from done Interview with Margaret Busby06/01/2023
Photo: Getty Images Fiction | Hong KongA magical metropolisXi Xi’s novel “My City” takes readers back to Hong Kong in the 1970s. By Thomas Hummitzsch06/01/2023
Photo: John McDonnell / Getty Images Books | InequalityAn invisible hierarchyContemporary society has all but eradicated the caste system, right? Far from it, argues U.S. journalist Isabel Wilkerson By Sieglinde Geisel06/01/2023
Photo: Iqra Shabaz Fiction | USA“Americans blame poverty on the poor” In his debut novel, Jakob Guanzon explores the reality of the “working poor” in the US. An interview about fathers and sons, money troubles and the dangerous legacy of the American Dream Interview with Jakob Guanzon06/01/2023
Photo: C.H. Beck, München World atlasCartology and clichéA new historical world atlas claims to break away from a purely Eurocentric view of the world. It almost succeeds By Birte Förster01/09/2023
Photo: Uendel Galter Fiction | BrazilThe fight of the quilombolasPolitics clashes with everyday life in Brazil, in a story of sisterhood, race and religion. Itamar Vieira Junior’s debut novel thrives on this colourful mix By Michael Ebmeyer01/09/2023
Photo: Christa Boaz / Getty Images Fiction | South KoreaDiving into the pastCheon Myeong-kwan's expansive novel “The Whale” retells South Korea's 20th-century history as a feminist fairy tale. Twenty years after its Korean publication, European readers can finally access a modern masterpiece By Thomas Hummitzsch10/01/2022
Photo: Atikah Zata Flying visit | IndonesiaSpinach or football? Things are getting tight for small farmers in Indonesia’s capital. The rapid growth of the infrastructure makes them fear for their fields By Atikah Zata09/07/2024
Photo: Abigail Varney Flying visit | AustraliaThe hunt for opals in Australia Coober Pedy in the Australian outback is considered the world capital of opals. That does not make it a glamorous place, though By Abigail Varney04/30/2024
Photo: Emile Ducke Day trip | RussiaIcy marathon on Lake Baikal Every year at the beginning of March, extreme sports enthusiasts gather on Lake Baikal to take part in the “Winteriade”. Here, the athletes can also try their hand at disciplines such as ice fishing or ice golf By Kai Schnier01/10/2024
Photo: Dario Lehner Pop culture | TurkeyProtest songs from the car radio When screenwriter Cem Kaya reflects on his childhood, he remembers the long car journeys from Germany to Turkey - and the music of the “Aşiks”. On the travelling singers of Anatolia and their links to pop music by immigrant workers in Germany By Cem Kaya12/15/2023
Photo: Ivanna Oksenyuk Talking point | AIHow dangerous is Artificial Intelligence? What is the most threatening about artificial intelligence? Author Rebecca Giblin points out where the dangers lie. A commentary By Rebecca Giblin12/06/2023
Photo: Maryam Mumladze for Kulturaustausch Flying visit | GeorgiaA house in Georgia In the Georgian capital Tbilisi, there’s a house on a leafy street corner that is like a museum. A visit By Maryam Mumladze11/30/2023
Photo: Luisa Dörr Day trip | BoliviaA skate park in Cochabamba Smashing stereotypes: Young women in traditional dress meet to skateboard in the Pacata Alta neighbourhood in the north of Cochabamba By Luisa Dörr11/30/2023
Photo: James Bort Talking point | MusicWhy go to the opera?Opera: outmoded and out of touch or timeless and eternal? We ask the soprano singer Fatma Said By Fatma Said06/01/2023
Photo: M’hammed Kilito Environment | MoroccoDesert oases under threat Oasis ecosystems are perfectly adapted to the harsh desert environment. Today, many are threatened by drought and mismanagement. Photographer M’hammed Kilito zooms in on the people working to save them Interview with M’hammed Kilito01/25/2024
Photo: Tami Xiang Family | China“Millions of children live apart from their parents” Chinese migrant workers are often denied official residency. Many parents leave their children behind in the villages. Photographer Tami Xiang visited some of them. A conversation Interview with Tami Xiang11/25/2023
Photo: Saurabh Narang Indigenous culture | IndiaKeeping an African identity in contemporary India The Siddi ethnic group migrated to India from East Africa centuries ago. Since then, their communities have cultivated their very own culture By Saurabh Narang11/20/2023
Photo: H. C. Kwok History | TaiwanIn the shadow of the dictator Under the regime of dictator Chiang Kai-Shek, tens of thousands of people were arrested and killed in Taiwan between 1948 and 1987. However, the country has never come to terms with the “White Terror”. Photographer H. C. Kwok wants to change that with his pictures by giving the victims a voice. By Billy HC Kwok06/01/2023
Photo: Antoine Bruy DropoutsBeyond civilisation In search of people who have had enough of big city life, the French photographer Antoine Bruy has traveled through Europe and North America. The result is the visually stunning photo series “Scrublands,” in which he documents people who opt out of society, depicting their everyday lives By Antoine Bruy01/09/2023
Photo: Mustafah Abdulaziz Climate | Photography“Water is like a mirror”Droughts, forest fires, floods: humanity is quietly heading for a climate crisis. With his photo series on water, Mustafah Abdulaziz holds a mirror up to what’s happening. A conversation Interview with Mustafah Abdulaziz07/01/2022
Photo: Natalia Kepesz, from the Niewybuch series Notes and observations | Poland“When photographing, I had to wear protective goggles”Polish photographer Natalia Kepesz travelled to her hometown of Złotoryja in southwestern Poland for her latest works. She also documented a new Polish trend, military summer camps for local children Interview with Natalia Kepesz07/01/2021
Photo: Mai Sararporn Music | ThailandThe Sound of Khlong Toei The rapper Kasidech Saengjan voices the struggles of people in Thai slums. In this playlist, he gives his personal soundtrack to day-to-day life in Khlong Toei By Kasidech Saengjan01/11/2025
Photo: El Rey de Aragón Pop culture | MexicoThe sound of Mexico Paulina Sotomayor sang in a mariachi band for years, but today she mixes electro with Mexican folk music, cumbia, conga and afrobeats. This is her personal playlist to celebrate female empowerment By Paulina Sotomayor09/07/2024
Foto: Leeor Wild Playlist | Canada & GreenlandThe Sound of the Inuit Raucous vocals, nature-loving lyrics, love songs or simply some proper rock: the Inuit playlist by Canadian musician Elisapie Isaac By Elisapie Isaac03/14/2024
Source: Ole Witt Playlist | MongoliaThe sound of the Gobi Desert Songs about camels, sandstorms and minerals: The Gobi Desert is a rich source of inspiration for the Mongolian music scene. A playlist By Pau Szczap01/06/2024
Photo: Nicolas Datiche / Getty Images Playlist | Taiwan“Heavy metal saved my life”Heavy metal star - and politician - Freddy Lim knows Taiwan's music scene inside out. A conversation about Taiwanese music and the ten songs you need to decipher it Interview with Freddy Lim 06/01/2023
Photo: Julija Goyd Playlist | MinimalismPared-down soundIn music, forgoing excess often stands for minimalist innovation. Rarely has less been so much more than in the nine piano pieces that the musician Malakoff Kowalski handpicked for this playlist By Malakoff Kowalski01/09/2023
Photo: Getty Images Playlist | Afghanistan„I have brought your prophets into the world“Ever since the Taliban returned, music has been banned and it has been forbidden for woman to sing. Yet a number of female Afghan musicians continue their careers in exile. Introducing a selection of famous singers - and and their songs. By Farhot10/01/2022
Opinion | NairobiI think that Fitness should be straightforward again The pressure of social media can quickly become overwhelming. But fitness doesn’t have to be expensive, complicated or perfect By Kylie Kiunguyu04/30/2024
Photo: Ivanna Oksenyuk Talking point | AIHow dangerous is Artificial Intelligence? What is the most threatening about artificial intelligence? Author Rebecca Giblin points out where the dangers lie. A commentary By Rebecca Giblin12/06/2023
Photo: Barbara Zanon / Getty Images Literature | TaiwanSex and politics: Taiwan’s last taboosTaiwan is often portrayed as a model Asian democracy by the West. But how free and open-minded is the country really? Author Li Ang on a question she’s been asking for decades By Li Ang06/01/2023
Photo: Antoine Midant Media | GermanyBeyond the European bubble German media outlets are often indifferent when it comes to reporting from outside Europe. German journalist Mohamed Amjahid has realised that writing about sex helps break down barriers By Mohamed Amjahid06/01/2023
Photo: Taiwan FactCheck Center Media | Taiwan“We’re in the middle of an information war”Manipulated images, cyberattacks and viral fake news: digital disinformation is commonplace in Taiwan. Ho Hui-An of the Taiwan FactCheck Center on fighting against the tide Interview with Ho Hui-An06/01/2023
Photo: DeAgostin / Getty Images Minimalism | InternationalKeeping it simpleWhat makes a building a beautiful structure? Ornamentation on the front? Or is a building beautiful if it houses as many people as possible? Can we separate the aesthetic evaluation of a building from its construction circumstances and the ecological and human price it cost? By Ayelet Gundar-Goshen01/09/2023
Foto: Lam Yik Fei / Getty Images Digital life | TaiwanTears in the matrixIn Taiwan, the digital world is displacing the physical one. Even tradition is migrating to the cloud. Our author sets out in search of a lost era By Chen Hao-Jen01/09/2023
Literature | InternationalI think that art needs time to emergeIn a world of fast-moving news about the War in Ukraine and climate change, it is often hard to focus and take time to create art. But literature works on a different clock: It needs time to form and silence to emerge. By Cécile Wajsbrot01/09/2023
Illustration: Musonda Kabwe Historical literature | NamibiaWhite lies and the voids of history Both the genocide of the Herero in Namibia and the Boer War in South Africa were brutal events, but the history books only tell of “heroes”. Can historical fiction give the victims a voice? By Lauri Kubuitsile08/14/2022
Women’s rights | MexicoHe said, she Brutal violence against women is not uncommon in Mexico. The writer Gabriela Jauregui has collected quotes from perpetrators in court, creating a harrowing poem By Gabriela Jauregui09/07/2024
Short fiction | WaterThirst, Knowledge and LoveThree new works of short fiction By Ben Okri07/01/2022
Short fiction | WaterOn Präsenzer LakeA woman is sitting alone on a bench on a shore in spring, waiting for her lover. A tale about a secret place by the water By Katerina Poladjan07/01/2022
Short fiction | Life undergroundIn the stomach of the cityA man from the countryside starts a new life in the tunnels beneath an Indian metropolis. A story. By Shumona Sinha01/07/2022