Europe as a literary centre?
Horace Engdahl, a member of the Swedish Nobel Prize Committee, created a stir recently when he dismissed the literature of the United States as "too isolated, too insular” and ignorant and said Europe...
View ArticleThe Caucasus: a hot spot
The most recent military conflict in the Caucasus over the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia led to an international crisis in August 2008. What's the significance of this region - now, in...
View ArticleDictatorships in Retrospect
In some European countries, like Spain, it has taken some time to address what happened under the former dictatorship. In others, like Germany, this process has already become part of everyday life for...
View ArticleFinancial crisis
Baffled bankers, bad loans, tumbling stock prices, companies going bust in the US and Europe. All of a sudden there were calls for more state, more morals on the money market and true values. Is the...
View ArticleBarack Obama
He has inspired hope worldwide and symbolises the US's tremendous capacity for self-renewal: Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States. Europe's press watched him very closely both during...
View ArticleThe Gas dispute
It was a cold winter - and then, to make things worse, the gas was cut off. While Slovakia and Poland considered reopening old nuclear power plants or building new ones, the political leaders of Russia...
View ArticleThe Gaza war
After the escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip at the end of 2008, an unstable ceasefire has been reached since mid-January. The conflict between Israel and Hamas has provoked debate and...
View ArticleIntegration
Europe is becoming increasingly diversified. But crucial questions face society with so many cultures rubbing shoulders. One indicator for successful integration is the number of immigrants who apply...
View ArticleThe new insecurity
Redundancies at major companies, short-time work, spiralling state debt, government resignations, falling currencies. Since the collapse of the international financial system, each day has brought more...
View ArticleEuropean elections
Between 4th and 7th June Europeans cast their votes for a new Parliament. As predicted the overall turnout was low. In many countries right-wing parties made considerable gains while campaigning had...
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