The cleansing wave of ‘Pasokification’ (the process whereby traditional European social democratic and conservative/Christian democratic parties lose their support base) crashed in France in the 2017 election, leaving three populists on the shore with their heads above the water. Macron, the election winner and self-declared ‘Jupiterian’ sun-king, was a populist only in loose terms. He […]
international
Endless Sex Scandals in Norwegian Politics: Can the People in Power be Trusted?
The #metoo campaign’s effect on the Norwegian politics has shown no mercy. Several politicians are being replaced after serious cases regarding sexual harassment. Here is a brief of the most severe cases. 1. The Political Deputy Leader and the Young Women… The #metoo campaign had been around for quite some time before it started presenting […]
The Name Game: Understanding the Macedonian Issue
Amidst a world climate wracked with political uncertainties, exacerbated by the ever-present Donald Trump and his adversary Kim Jon-un, a twenty-five-year dispute over something as trivial as a name should be low on the to-do list of the current Greek government and yet it remains at the top of Parliament’s agenda. In the same week […]
Where inmates make the rules: Bolivia’s bizzare San Pedro Prison
Some may call it a city within a city, where drugs and other sellable items are passed through tiny bars from the outside world, where there are businesses, children and a unique democratic system. Passing this prison, it seems secure, normal even, like any other prison in any other country. La Paz’s Plaza de San Pedro […]
Tipping the Bitcoin Way
Imagine for a second, a world where you never hear the metal ding of a dropped coin, never need to pull out your wallet for cash, or in fact never see a bank again on the high street. What if I told you that your student loan could come from simply running a program on […]
Embrace the ‘C’ Student: An Interview with Kaene Disepo
This month I was fortunate enough to attend TEDxUniMannheim, in Germany. The theme ‘Out of the Ordinary’ gave wide scope to the nine speakers who ranged from polished Oxford professors to, German spiritual rappers and long-haired hippie travellers. However, the message of ‘Embracing the ‘C’ Student’ from motivational speaker, student and businessman, Kaene Disepo, truly […]
The 2017 German Election Results – The Majority for Merkel?
Whilst Brexit negotiations, snap General Elections and Trump’s latest blunder have been dominating British headlines in recent months, Germany’s media focus has been on its September federal election. With each lamppost, billboard and potential poster spot across German cities and rural villages alike pasted with multiple party adverts each attempting to sway the electorate, Germany […]
Exeter’s first Translation! Festival serves up a feast of linguistic delights
A year in the planning, the inaugural Translation! Festival hit Exeter on Friday 29th September across a variety of city centre venues and-appropriately enough-on the International Day of Translation. With events ranging from professional workshops through talks, film showings, language games, talks and poetry translation duels as well as musical performances and specially created artworks, there truly was something […]
A trip to Seoul: some thoughts on the presidential impeachment and the world’s only Demilitarised Zone
Despite being in nearby Hong Kong, I wasn’t aware of much conversation about the Korean impeachment. I would have thought that with the tense democratic situation in Hong Kong, particularly the election of the new pro-Beijing Chief Executive – a move engineered by the Chinese government – and the removal of pro-independence lawmakers, that people […]
English Culture From an International Student’s Perspective
Some people go abroad expecting to experience a complete change in culture and lifestyle. Others leave thinking the destination will probably not be that different. I was part of the latter group: having lived in London as a child, I considered myself already somewhat familiar with England, and didn’t think I would have much of […]