Knipp believes the Middle East to be "a laboratory for modernity" — that is, an area where change has come fast, sometimes in a splendid way but also often, unfortunately, with disappointment and unfulfilled aspirations. Politics in the Middle East bring so many promises — democracy, the rule of law, human rights — but these are not always realized due to regional and global conflicts still awaiting a solution.
Having studied Romance languages, Knipp's second passion is culture. Even though this is not his regular beat at DW, he has a great interest in the culture, politics and history of the Romance nations of Europe and Latin America, and has written several books on this subject too.