Articles

Protest is one of the public’s foremost political tools in a democracy. Taking to the street can change laws, bring down a president and transform the fate of a nation. But it tends to come at a price.

The political cover-up – a lethal mixture of disinformation, false arrests, smear campaigns and mysterious deaths – is a well-honed means of suppression. When communities of German-speaking origin spoke out about Soviet regulation causing starvation across Ukraine during the Second World War, human rights advocate, Ewald Ammende, also suffered the consequences.

Our choice of Eurozine articles and talk show episodes from 2024 reflects, both analytically and personally, on shifting cultural landscapes: from escalations of violence, invasive technologies and media sustainability to gut feelings and life-changing moments. 

From carbon absorber to emitter: monoculture, fires, disease and storms are reversing the European forest’s natural role as a Co2 sink. Read about the forests that threaten climate neutrality.

Property development pushed on green space in Bucharest has become comparable with the drugs market for profitability. Investigating the trail of questionable ownership rights since post-communist retrocession reveals acts of corruption and intimidation. Can parkland – a prerequisite for urban health and well-being, climate-change reduction and biodiversity – be saved from more illegal fires?

Although incoming migrants are demonized in political discourse, many European countries are struggling with a loss of population. In this episode of Standard Time, Eurozine’s colleagues talk about the idea of ethnic purity, outmigration, and finding a sense of belonging.

Trying to predict Donald Trump’s second-round presidential moves can be nerve racking. Media, having already backed out of supporting the Democrats, look set to hedge their bets further. Surviving the roller coaster once might be reassuring, but progressives are reflecting on historical grassroots action for overcoming internal attacks on democracy.

Slovakia’s right-wing nationalist minister Martina Šimkovičová is waging an ideological war on the country’s independent arts and media sector, targeting cultural institutions, discriminating against LGBTQIA+ organizations. Though fearing for their safety, cultural workers are fighting back via collective action, supporting those on strike.

Afraid of falling behind, businesses are rushing to implement AI – even if their industries might not be ready for it. In this Standard Time episode, we explore generative AI’s impact on media and journalism, and ask whether its making us smarter or dumber.

Literature can’t save the world, but it does provide insight into the behaviour that drives cultural trends. And given the anthropocenic tendency towards self-destruction, we need all the help we can get with cultivating solidarity, combating injustice and resisting censorship.

The Russian State Duma is considering further restrictions on library books by ‘foreign agents’. Fearing potential liability for promoting Western propaganda or ‘extremist literature’, librarians have started to play it safe.

Injustice is the universally understood common denominator that connects soldiers and liberals in Ukraine. With the war effort accelerating to the use of long-range missiles on Russian territory, a personal account of swapping aid provision for firearms explains the decision to fight, proving how contemplation never ceases.

Viewing authoritarianism as a political trend overlooks the damage it can cause. The devastation ‘illiberal democracies’ are inflicting on cultural and media sectors show just how difficult it is to recreate something once it has been taken apart. Eurozine partners discuss ways to sustain journalism at the 32nd European Meeting of Cultural Journals.

Europe is facing not only Orbán’s autocratic turn but also that of his ‘apprentice’: Slovakia’s prime minister, Fico, has taken an advanced course in attacking his country’s judiciary, media and cultural institutions. His first goal: to get away with it, say beleaguered intellectuals, theatre directors, political scientists and investigative journalists from Bratislava.

Deadly floods in Spain highlight systemic flaws in approaches to extreme weather events. The terrible human cost in Valencia was largely the result of local government leaders and businesses ignoring warnings and responding too late. It’s time to rethink a system that prioritizes revenue over safety.

In this new Standard Time episode, we talk about Tech Giants, lack of regulation and what Europe can do about it.