The world is completely out of joint and most of us haven't even noticed. However there are some people who are only too well aware of this predicament: terrorists and heads of state. They are taking advantage of the cracks in failing states for their own gain-and the number of failed and ...

Art as a million dollar project

In our capitalist society, works of art represent the ultimate status symbol. The art market is booming, prices are rocketing. Why is it that people are willing to spend millions of dollars on works by van Gogh, Klimt, Keith Haring or Gerhard Richter ...

One day. Loads of problems. All the answers!

Offices are more than just common human habitats - they are also conflict zones that exert a massive influence on people's behaviour, psyche and well-being. They are akin to small local communities, with their own (largely ...

Established author Michael Köhlmeier has written and held numerous speeches over the years which always refl ect his deeply humanistic approach to all topics, both in literature and in politics. In May 2018 he spoke to a large group of high-ranking politicians. "Do not expect me to feign ...

Based on a fragment of a manuscript rediscovered in 2015, this text depicts the violent revolt of the London citizens in the 16th century against the Hugenot refugees. 400 years aft er its creation, the text is still a plea for a humane society in times of radical change. Th e editor and ...

Hatred is an emotion, but peace is a conscious decision

A hotel in Rome. There's a knock at Lizzie Doron's door; when she opens it, she thinks she finds herself confronted by an Arab suicide bomber wearing an explosives belt. In fact Nadim has merely stuck his travel documents to ...

A crucial plea for an ethic of debate instead of an ethic of personal opinions

Germany has a tradition of enlightenment ideals - and another of inhumane behavior. The Allies brought us democracy, freedom of opinion, and plurality. It is time to become deliberately aware of these ...

An earthquake in the political world

The system of Grand Old Parties which shaped Germany and Austria in the decades after 1945 is gone forever. Once the Cold War ended, new lines of conflict started to divide society, with these lines cutting straight through the heart of the ...

21st-century Mafia: Tomatoes are the new cocaine

Italy's greatest export is its cuisine. The Mafia's holdings in this industry amass up to 20 billion euros a year. They frequently control the entire delivery chain, from cultivation all the way to the end product. During the ...

In their election districts, they are kings. In Berlin though, they are often just benchwarmers of little renown. And yet, the 709 members of the Bundestag, Germany's Federal Parliament, constitute the backbone of our democracy.
Who are these 221 women and 488 men? How do they work? How do ...

"The fire of the Chinese dragon will put the heat on us."

China extends its influence like a new colonial power: Chinese businesses are being managed in an authoritarian model, just like the Communist party.
In Hong Kong, an authoritarian regime clashes with a ...

90th anniversary of the Depression: The unrivaled complete overview

A classic that has much to tell us about the past, as well as quite a bit about the present.

The US Stock Market crash of 1929 was the result of a typical speculation bubble. However, in this special ...