Bye bye eat pray sado-love Europe 2011
Humiliation, pain and sadism were some of the key emotions felt over this past year. Unemployed, previously unheard European citizens helplessly clung onto the wheel of fortune 2011 as we watched key political figures fall and saw a strengthening of belief in ourselves as we tried to understand the change that was happening. It was a violent year but a certain peace navigated the courses of the waters and a long-lost love ranked high on the charts. All we aim to have left for 2012 is hope. Season’s greetings and see you in the ‘happy’ new year! (Illustration: © Kristof)
University of Love questionnaire for EU
The prevailing lovelessness on the old continent might cost the good old European Union dearly. That’s why the last days of the year seem like a good time to sign up for a seminar at a real-life university of love
2011: God Bless Relativised Europe
'Happy' was our EU in 2011 – not ‘blissful’, in accordance with the Danish bible society's dumbed down translations of its revised new testament, released this year. The EU is still about ‘unity in diversity’, its guiding motto, but has also become about unity in losing faith
geert wilders, madrid, divorce, tony blair, fukushima, egypt, suicide, catherine ashton, social networks, best of cafebabel.com
Peace in 2011: 'solutions to conflicts do exist’
From democratic aspirations to the transformation of the media game, Cathy Van Dorslaer, a Belgian psychologist specialising in the prevention of conflicts, explains why she believes 2011 stood under the sign of peace
josé luis rodríguez zapatero, democratisation, media, 'indignant citizens' movement, war, politics, egypt, psychology, internet, arab spring, techno-media
'What if?': students re-imagine 2011's big events
Protests, eurocrisis and elections: it's all too easy to assume the events we read about in the news are inevitable. Yet so often they are instead the result of chance encounters, spontaneous decisions and personal feelings. We asked four European students to re-imagine the big events of 2011
vladimir putin, 'indignant citizens' movement, protest, london, angela merkel, society, nicolas sarkozy
Hope in 2011: Tahrir and Puerta del Sol utopias
This time it’s for real. Bad luck for Greece. Thomas has made up his mind: he’s leaving tonight. He climbs into the boat – and goodbye. Between Thomas More’s Utopia and Charles Fourier’s concept of the phalanstery, a literary look back at 2011
jasmine revolution, 'indignant citizens' movement, madrid, egypt, arab spring, revolution, best of cafebabel.com
