‘Whoever cultivates the vocation of politics must have a sensibility for human idiosyncrasy,’ writes il Mulino; ‘for the flashes of light and the layers of dirt, for the unexpected failures and sudden scrambles that make it unpredictable.’ And this is even more true of one of the most unpredictable of cities, Rome.
In its June issue on ‘The Algerian uprising’, Esprit pays tribute to the democratic and non-violent movement that started on 22 February 2019. The whole nation, carried by its youth, demanded the end of a corrupt and authoritarian regime. The concern for democratic dignity allows Algeria to recover its historical consciousness.
In the June issue of ‘Merkur’, Jan-Werner Müller responds to advocates of ‘talking to the right’. Liberals need to enter the political fray and try to win over their illiberal opponents. However, liberalism must also define its red lines when engaging with populists.
The Catalan journal reflects on the position of the refugee in society, and also delves into kitsch.
Drawing on Erdoğan’s war on the prices of certain agricultural produce, the June issue of the Turkish journal Varlik explores the politics of the potato.
‘Ord&Bild’ thinks long-term about Europe; ‘New Humanist’ laments New Atheism’s irrationalist legacy; ‘Mittelweg 36’ explores new directions in the sociology of violence; ‘L’Homme’ reads historical case studies of ecstatics and intersexuals; and ‘Revista Crítica’ looks back at Afro-Yugoslav film and post-colonial solidarities.
‘Blätter’ says don’t blame the Eurocrats; ‘Letras Libres’ considers the crisis of authority; ‘Springerin’ conceptualizes the backlash; ‘New Eastern Europe’ sees work ahead for the European Partnership; and ‘Cogito’ reads the ‘Epic of Gilgamesh’ to understand planetary catastrophe.
‘O’r Pedwar Gwynt’ finds its place; ‘Wespennest’ claims climate for culture; ‘Krytyka’ appeals for constitutional democracy; ‘Osteuropa’ debates elitism and protest; and ‘Soundings’ critiques #MeToo.
In Osteuropa, Ilya Kalinin describes a political conflict in Russia familiar in the West: one between liberal ‘elites’ and anti-liberal ‘left-behinds’. Like many western critics of neoliberalism, his approach begins with the elites rather than their opponents.
‘Il Mulino’ calls on all Europeans; ‘Dublin Review of Books’ advocates a clean break; ‘Esprit’ hears first hand from whistle-blowers; ‘Index on Censorship’ reports on local news worldwide; and ‘Revolver Revue’ talks about the things that cannot be forgiven.
‘Merkur’ publishes an alternative explanation of eastern Europe; ‘Vikerkaar’ excavates the Estonian everyday; ‘Kultūros barai’ says the Soviet past belongs to Lithuania; ‘New Humanist’ discusses nationalisms, antibiotics and health apps; and ‘Atlas’ disapproves of cultural snobbery and the return of cynicism.
‘Blätter’ answers the critics of Fridays for Future; ‘La Revue Nouvelle’ puts forward a trade unionism 2.1; ‘New Eastern Europe’ debates geopolitics after ’89; ‘Letras Libres’ asks what Europe has done for us; ‘Arche’ remembers the life and works of a forgotten Belarusian sculptor; ‘Ord&Bild’ gets into sci-fi; and Host explains why Czech literature in translation shouldn’t be ‘too Czech’.
‘Osteuropa’ compares degrees of toxicity in Russia and Turkey; ‘Varlık’ debates post-Kemalism; ‘Czas Kultury’ explores Poland’s male retrotopias: ‘Esprit’ learns from the black sheep of Europe; ‘Il Mulino’ catches up with Italy’s diaspora; and ‘Rigas Laiks’ talks mad philosophers, linguaphiles and stray dogs.
‘Esprit’ re-reads Claude Lefort on disquieted democracy; ‘Mittelweg 36’ analyses authority and its opponents; ‘Merkur’ fears for German parliamentarism; ‘dérive’ surveys the urbanist precursors of 1968; and ‘Vagant’ considers nostalgic Russians and melancholy Norwegians.
‘L’Espill’ asks whether democracy would be better off without the EU; ‘Ord&Bild’ re-reads China’s Cultural Revolution; ‘Syn og Segn’ seeks sustainable solutions for Norwegian architecture; ‘Vikerkaar’ explores credit and debt beyond economics; ‘Res Publica Nowa’ discusses the parlous state of Polish NGOs; and ‘Symbol’ talks to Javier Cercas about the novel.
‘New Eastern Europe’ reflects on public intellectuals; ‘Letras Libres’ portrays Mexico’s new historian-president; ‘Osteuropa’ warns of confessional polarization in Ukraine; ‘Index on Censorship’ reports on birthing regimes and reproductive rights; ‘Esprit’ is cautious of the campaign against post-truth; and ‘Revue Projet’ forms new critiques of consumerism.