cafebabel.com

Inner-city immigrant-city Athens: look Greek, look lively

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:39:48 -0000

A crisis can exacerbate a ‘them versus us’ feeling, especially with elections on the cards. Half a million undocumented immigrants* makes Greece one of the three European countries (alongside Spain and Italy) to be the first point of welcome for asylum seekers. Far right parties milk the 'foreigners-out' cow, whilst a general mood of mistrust reins

My beautiful camp: Italy's Roma success stories

('Tom Gale',) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 10:00:50 -0000

Between a Roma camp claiming to be an example of social integration and a laundrette which is a supposed symbol of multiculturalism, profound problems linger at the heart of Rome’s gypsy communities

Contentious Guéant circular rejects work visas in France

('Annie Rutherford',) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 10:07:12 -0000

France’s governmental memo on employment for their residing non-European students caused quite a commotion, and we’re not talking Jerry Maguire style. Graduates like Nabil Sebti are taking a stand against what could either turn into a long-term policy of sealing France off or be a strategy to gain votes in 2012 elections

'Our School' documentary: segregated Roma schools despite EU funds

('Linda Krajcso',) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:40:25 -0000

When directors and producers Mona Nicoară and Miruna Coca-Cozma followed three Roma children in a small Romanian village for four years, their film initially about a success story of integration became one about the realities of ethnic segregation. Interview

Student duelling clubs in Europe: no Harry Potter magic in Germany

('Annie Rutherford',) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:03:54 -0000

In mid-June the Alte Breslauer duelling club in Bonn petitioned its national umbrella organisation to stipulate German descent as a criterium for accepting the currently 1, 300 students into these legendary student societies. In June, a society in Mannheim allowed a German of Chinese descent to join. The case drags the just over 100 German duelling clubs, which are accused of harbouring extreme right-wing ideologies, into a negative rather than magical light

Identikit of a pure, indigenous European

('Aatish Pattni',) — Thu, 26 May 2011 12:30:00 -0000

The True Finns are the third largest political party in Finland. Are these nationalists and eurosceptics an exception to the rule in their Nordic region? Alongside the new leader of the National Front party in France, Marine Le Pen, the collection of ‘Indigenous Britons’ in the UK and Italy's Northern League, Europe has never been more inhabited by so-called ‘pure’ Europeans. There are fewer than they would have us believe; at the risk of scaring those who wish it to stay that way

Ethnic slurs: Polacks and roast beef versus frogs and krauts

('Laura',) — Wed, 25 May 2011 13:00:00 -0000

Europeans call each other the most unfriendly pet names in the trend of the phenomenon of ‘etnopaulism’, which refers to those disparaging vocabularies used when talking about other people. Word dilemmas of the week

Six years after riots, French discuss French 'banlieue'

('hkeet',) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 13:00:00 -0000

In France you will get a different response to this question about its high-rise estates in the suburbs depending on whether you listen to the 'cliché factory' that is the media or the personal experiences of its inhabitants. Above all, it is the magnifying glass of France’s collective identity problem, and all of Europe is involved

Belgrade's youth explain homophobia and violence

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 19:00:36 -0000

In a city where more than two-thirds of students harbour dreams of going abroad after graduating, the empty discourses of corrupt politicians can be an efficient detonator for discontent. It’s a capital whose people’s hearts are irremediable divided between Russia and the EU, where violence raids its stadiums and streets

Building a mosque in Warsaw: is it all trouble and strife?

('Peter Robbins',) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 17:00:00 -0000

Muslims in Poland go back several centuries, beginning with the arrival of tatar settlers in the eastern reaches of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The muslim community in Poland has only recently begun attracting attention, with the building of a mosque financed by a Saudi sponsor in the Warsaw district of Ochota. Not everyone is happy

Summer of riots: French of 'foreign origin' to lose citizenship, president warns

('Sarah Truesdale',) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 16:30:00 -0000

'French nationality should be stripped from anybody who has threatened the life of a police officer or anybody involved in public policing,' announced Nicolas Sarkozy on 30 July. A Frenchman looks at how the European media react

Racism and discrimination for Brussels migrant workers

('Monica Mircescu',) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 11:00:00 -0000

In the region of Brussels-Capital, discrimination in recruitment practices is a daily reality. At a time of economic stagnation, ethnic diversity is no longer a priority for businesses, which in turn makes integration in Belgium harder still

Hungarian minorities in Slovakia: small arrangements between enemies

('Jude Lister',) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:30:00 -0000

One week after a law proposing Hungarian nationality to ethnic Hungarians abroad, prime minister Viktor Orbán announced a new era of 'national unity' during his prime ministerial inauguration on 29 May. Hungary is choosing the route of hostile nationalism, much to the delight of Slovak populists

Greek, Romanian, Albanian: why are these racist terms in Europe?

('Helen Swain',) — Mon, 17 May 2010 10:30:00 -0000

It's a fine line between risky jokes and racist innuendo. Those who manage to be funny while staying on the right side of that line are pretty smart. Nevertheless, at a time when calls to reject that protean scapegoat, the Other, are growing throughout the four corners of the continent, a little self-examination in Europe might not be a bad thing

Looking for Hungarian activism in election Budapest

('Andrew Christie',) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 12:45:35 -0000

On 11 and 25 April Hungarian voters are poised to elect the right or even the far-right. Only a handful of people in the country are swimming against the increasingly strong right-wing tide – and even these few are drifting off course, or have thrown their faith in politics completely overboard

Bloc Identitaire: lowdown on France's new far-right

('Hanna Sankowska',) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:45:00 -0000

You couldn't miss them during the regional elections in France between 14 and 21 March. Not that the far-right party, which proclaims to defend the civilisation of 'true Europeans', shone at the voting booths. Other extreme-right parties have now taken up the same anti-islamic mantra

Germany's far-right: style and tea party shakeup

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 12:00:00 -0000

Boots, bomber jacket, baseball bat - does it sound like your average neo-nazi? As an anti-immigration march took place on the route of a mosque in Duisburg last weekend, remember that for a long time now the far-right extremists in Germany have tried to tone down their appearance in order to gain new followers

Casa Pound Italia: Neo-fascists on the rise

('sarhanh',) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 17:27:35 -0000

Casa Pound Italia is at the heart of the Italian Neo-fascist movement. 'We will build the world that we want!' cry the militants across the website of the group, inspired by a poet, and dedicated to action. Meanwhile there is no shortage of complaint, between accusations of violence, and questions being raised in parliament. A look at a movement inspired by fascism, but that refuses the label of 'extreme right'

The Netherlands, France, Italy: rise of Europe's right-wing

('sofio',) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 17:00:00 -0000

After Geert Wilders in Holland, the1 Le Pen family in France gained the votes at the regional elections on 14 March 2010, confirming the positive trend of extreme righ-wing at the old continent. Together with Italy's Lega Nord, these parties represent a practical example of new right populists who do not like to be labelled 'extremists'

Understanding nationalist ideology in Hungary: 'enormous potential for violence'

('Andrew Christie',) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:00:00 -0000

Victory in April’s elections is assured for the populist opposition party (Fidesz) and right-wing extremists (Jobbik). Magdalena Marsovszky, a Germano-Hungarian cultural scientist researching anti-semitism and right-wing extremism in Hungary, explains

Paris suburbs: cliche piled upon cliche

('James Friscia',) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 10:17:48 -0000

It's a common European stereotype to define the French suburbs by their one-time violent rioting. But those events took place five years ago. On a visit to the 'banlieue' of Paris today we meet three residents who tell their story - a father-of-three, a social worker and a budding regional election hopeful

From Calais to Rosarno: Europe's 'immigrant jungles'

('Jude Lister',) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:45:41 -0000

Patras, Athens, Bari, Seville ... a tour of Europe's recent troubled hotspots ends in southern Italy, where 7.2% of the population are illegal immigrants - the EU average is 6.2%

Italian 'White Christmas' gift campaign: if you're an immigrant in Coccaglio, get out

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 11:00:00 -0000

A cleaning operation will have to be completed by 25 December in Coccaglio, a small town in the province of Brescia. It does not involve getting the house in order for christmas dinner, but to evict all immigrants who cannot renew their residence permits by that date. A really nice Christmas present christened 'White Christmas' by the Brescia council

'Identity convention': Europe’s far right throng in the south of France

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:30:51 -0000

Between 17-18 October, young militants are attending a second meetup at the Palais des Princes in Orange. French anti-racist NGO Sos Racism react to their message of ‘political sensitivity spreading through Europe’, which is both welcome and unwelcome in the south of France

Zanko: the 'White Arab' Italian rapper who would perform for the Lega Nord

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:30:38 -0000

In English slang, the word 'Zanko' is someone who is a social and cultural pioneer. Like this 28-year-old Syrian Italian, who gigs in unique political hotspots such as Zingonia and Lampedusa, has 'fought' for hip hop and would happily show the far-right Italian party what he's made of

'Institutionalising' extremism in Cologne's Pro Köln movement

('rhiannon_nicolson',) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 13:19:39 -0000

The mosque currently in construction will be able to hold the 120, 000 muslims who live in the west German city. Consequently, the ‘Pro Cologne’ movement is rapidly losing its electoral base in the next municipal elections in mid-September. First in a series of five reports in our 'Europe on the ground' mission, which sent five EU journalists to Koeln

Western states boycott UN anti-racism conference in Geneva

('euro topics',) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:51:59 -0000

Durban II began on 20 April with a boycott. For fear of an anti-Israel mood and anti-semitic incidents the US, Israel and other states including Italy, Germany and the Netherlands have cancelled their attendance at the so-called Durban II conference. Press reactions from Switzerland, Germany, Italy and Belgium

Roma in the Ponticelli district, Naples, speak after the fire

('Mary Maistrello',) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:41:18 -0000

The intolerance of the population towards the nomads, who had been living for years on the periphery of the city, has become ever violent, supported by the popular and racist propaganda of the Lega Nord (northern league) political party. We try to understand what is left after the lynchings, the fires, the vigilantes and forced evictions

'Immigrants take bread from our mouths': racism adapts to the 20th century

('Kate Stansfield',) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Discrimination has modernised to become more subtle and respond to the politically correct parameters that have spread throughout society

Take back your Portuguese worker: how racist is Europe?

('Astrid vW',) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 17:00:00 -0000

A homeless Indian man burnt alive in a station in Rome, strikes launched by English workers worried about their jobs - news buzzes reveal how much racism still lurks in Europe

2-0 in Spain-England friendly friendly, but who is more racist?

('Chriomford',) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 17:00:00 -0000

Spanish racism or Spanish humour? Slitty eyed gestures - is it something the Brits fail to get? Anglo-Spanish relations are far from perfect: accusations, aggression and insults fly in both directions. Even before kick-off the bad press Spain has received affected the friendly between England and Spain on 11 February

Europe’s law against racism

('Fiona Herdman Smith',) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:40:21 -0000

On 28 November Jacques Barrot, the European commissioner for justice and security, announced the approval of the framework decision on racism. However, it will take two years to be integrated into national legislation. Plus videos

Perspective: Hungarian-Slovak relations reach their nadir

('Linda lu',) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:08:40 -0000

On 10 December, Hungarian prime minister Ferenc Gyurscany said he was disappointed with Slovak prime minister Robert Fico's decision to reject a November agreement to improve relations between the neighbours. A look back at the events running up to the baby step that was

John Bird: ‘I know what it's like to be prejudiced, drunk, imprisoned’

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:34:06 -0000

As ‘The Big Issue’ street magazine for the homeless turns seventeen this September, its co-founder and social entrepreneur, 62, on racist London-Irish upbringings, crime, Paris 1968 and poverty in Britain

Euthanasia: Noel Martin wants to die

('Andrew Burgess',) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 06:38:00 -0000

The British citizen of Jamaican origin, has been a paraplegic ever since he was attacked by a band of neo-Nazis. In 2007, he made headline news in Germany and is still fighting to be able to decide the date of his death

The future is death metal-inspired art in Kosovo

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Contemporary art is just one bright face of the Kosovo prism, from which the works of the likes of 29-year-old visual artist Artan Balaj refract

Australia: ‘Sorry’ for the Indigenous

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 12:00:00 -0000

13 February. Big screens, daytrips to Canberra, and a historical ‘apology’ by the new Labor government, to the 13, 000 Indigenous children taken from their Aboriginal parents after British colonisation

Didier Awadi: 'Artists too often have big egos'

('Kate Stansfield',) — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0000

The Senegalese hip hop pioneer, 38, invites his fellow rappers to speak out and campaign for a harmonious continent with his latest album 'Presidents of Africa'. Plus an exclusive video interview from Dakar

'I am a skinhead from Moscow'

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 12:00:00 -0000

Russian magistrates, politicians and media are concealing more and more racist attacks on foreigners

'France does not look at itself'

('Andrew Burgess',) — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 12:58:00 -0000

The latest right-wing French government has appointed three top politicans with immigrant backgrounds. But the nation’s political personnel still accounts less and less for the products of immigration, says Karim Zéribi, former advisor to French Interior Minister Jean-Pierre Chevènement

Sandra Camps: Barcelona's journalist as Africa's social worker

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 12:00:00 -0000

Her reports on dwarfism and the mass tide of immigrants to the Canaries are gracing German screens - the Catalan journalist gives a voice to those without

The state in Africa

Mon, 31 Jul 2006 02:00:00 -0000

Rémy Bazenguissa-Ganga, a researcher at the Centre for African studies in Paris, speaks about corruption in subsaharan Africa and a state imported from Europe

Dieudonné Kabongo: lethal comedy

Sat, 29 Jul 2006 12:00:00 -0000

As the former Zaïre prepares to have its first democratic elections in 45 years, Congolese-born comedian Dieudonné Kabongo talks about Africa and the disillusionment of young immigrants who try their luck in Europe

Don't be a Jew!

Wed, 22 Feb 2006 12:00:00 -0000

The anti-Semitic expressions that are still present in European languages demonstrate just how much the fear and distrust of Jewish people has been engrained into our society

A message of hope for the Balkans

Fri, 13 Jan 2006 04:50:00 -0000

The Csango, ethnic Hungarians of the Moldavian region in Romania, have a history marked with bitter struggles for the recognition of their rights. They boast cultural and religious roots interwoven with those of all Europe.