Society
Student guide: community-supported agriculture in France
The system of associations for community-supported agriculture (French initials AMAP) has been growing in Europe over the last 20 years. In recent years, student 'AMAPs' have multiplied on campuses. From Nantes to Palermo, a look between pickers and carrots
society, europe, food, nantes, agriculture, environment, lifestyle
Are men dominant or dominated? View from Super France
With the release of the 'anti-male' documentary Masculine Domination in November 2009, the debate regarding the crisis in masculinity has flared up in the French media. But we are still far from the 'masculinist' theses which originated in America. Perspective from early 2010
society, parity, documentary, cinema, masculinity, gender, film
Suburbs of Europe
Once fires burnt in the French 'banlieue' of Paris. Once those Lisbon suburbs were considered dangerous, and those Barcelona suburbs remained obscure, and that Strasbourg suburb on the country's border gentrified, though no-one knew exactly why. Once hip hop defined the peripheries of cities, before breaking out of its ghetto identity and moving to the city centres. Snapshots from the rings of some of Europe's most famous southern and western capitals
- Read the special edition Suburbs of Europe
- Six years after riots, French discuss French 'banlieue'
- Chelas: not such a dodgy neighbourhood of Lisbon
- Port du Rhin: Strasbourg’s problem suburb (which is also on the border)
- Beyond Gaudi: exposing the gateway to Barcelona
- European hip hop between Brussels, Amsterdam, Hanover and London
France's Karima Delli on MEP salary increases
On 3 March MEPs voted to increase their monthly allowances by a further 1, 500 euros. It comes just one year after voting to a first increase by the same amount: an extra 27 million euros over two years, at a time when citizens all over Europe tighten their belts. We speak to the French MEP for the greens
society, economy, european union, economical crisis, two seat system problem, european parliament, ecology
Canvas, Otpor, Pora: Serbia's brand is non-violent revolution
Israa Abdel Fattah, Mohamed Adel and Asmaa Mahfouz will be remembered as the ones who largely contributed to dismantling Hosni Mubarak's 30 year rule over Egypt, and one of them revealed this year that he trained with similar youth organisations in Belgrade
society, youth, arab spring, serbia, orange revolution, egypt, otpor
Nantes students eat on one euro
When doing their weekly food shop in the local supermarket, financial difficulties mean students don’t even consider buying dairy products, fruit and vegetables, meat, dried products or tinned goods, all part of a balanced diet. However these goods are sold for a token one euro (88p) at the French student solidarity association market in the western French city for the past decade
society, money, nantes, precarity, eat, lifestyle, solidarity
Middle finger in Europe
Despite the globalisation of the audiovisual world and the constant information overload, gestures appear to be just as effective as when they were first invented many centuries ago, so much so that using a simple gesture to order two coffees can almost end up sparking a row. A rudimentary guide to hands, chins and backsides to help you avoid problems in Europe
society, italy, best of cafebabel.com, expressions, united kingdom, european union, insult
Japan radiation reaches Europe, where 14 states run 143 nuclear plants
'Would we be ready to face a nuclear disaster in Europe?' asked EU energy and environment ministers during a risk evaluation meeting on 14 and 15 March. It's a reaction to the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear plant in central Japan, damaged after an earthquake and tsunami on 11 March
society, referendum, japan, europe, nuclear energy, nuclear plant, european democracy
cafebabel.com blogs: Brussels base for European geek girls
They are lobbyists, consultants, functionaires, geeks of every age and industry who work in the European bubble. They buzz around the same bubble but never meet. When they do, the meeting is not an occasion for small talk, but for networking
Pope Benedict on TV on 22 April: church in crisis?
5pm on Good Friday or 22 April 2011. That's when the pope will make an appearance on Rai 1, the most popular television channel in Italy. The revolution in the catholic church follows suit from pope John Paul II. Television is a powerful means of communication where matters of faith and religion can be discussed; Joseph Ratzinger is taking it one step further by not only participating in the programme, but being open to questions
society, religion, papa benedetto xvi, chiesa, josef ratzinger, media, catholicism
cafebabel.com blogs: 'Nightlife: Paris are you Berlin...still?'
Where are the new places to hang out in Paris? Is it because Paris is realising she is a dead town that she is starting to organise events called Berlin, like at the Gaîté Lyrique between 29 March and 3 April? View from the cafebabel.com Paris blog
society, entertainment, paris, berlin, culture, culture calendar, nightlife
Europe's suicide tourism
Al Pacino put a damper on the atmosphere at the 50th Monte-Carlo television festival. In 'You don't know Jack' he interprets a doctor who is convicted several times for his practice of euthanasia. Soon to be released in France, Barry Levinson's film threatens to revive a debate which divides Europe, beginning wih the Netherlands, where the supporters of the 'Out of Free Will' initiative are campaigning for a 'right to die' for everyone over 70
society, netherlands, euthanasia, health, science, eugenics, public health
Coming home to build Kosovo for the EU
Kosovo has been independent for three years. After a decade of abundant humanitarian aid an economic boost has lacked in the country whilst corruption has increased. It doesn't put motivated citizens off though
Eco-activism: Sea Shepherd puts early stop to Japanese whaling
Three months of fierce combat in the Antarctic has successfully ended the annual whale hunt in Japan. We first met the US-based conversation society activists during preparations for their grand departure on Operation No Compromise in early December 2010
society, japan, biodiversity, fisherman, fishing, environmental protection, environment
BBC poll 'everybody loves Germany': a German reacts
Every year, the British public service broadcaster asks a representative sample of citizens from all corners of the globe which of the 16 largest nations has a positive influence on the world. 2011's answer was the same as the previous few years: of 29, 000 people from 27 different countries, 62% voted for Germany followed by Britain and Australia, with Iran, North Korea and Pakistan lagging behind
Hungary media law: France journalism cases no better
On 15 March tens of thousands of Hungarians protested against the government's planned media law. Even the European parliament's socialist, liberal, ecologist and far left politicians adopted a resolution asking for the suspension of the law, which 'needs re-examination'. Republication of an interview with a Rue89 journalist
society, viktor orbán, censorship, hungary, internet, corruption, journalism
Fare dodger, stowaway or free rider?
Does the Arab uprising mean more 'stowaways' for Europe? Why does a stowaway in French mean the same thing as a fare dodger? Why is fare dodging in Italy called 'pulling a Portuguese'? Expression of the week
society, tower of babel, clandestine, european institutions, illegal immigrants, libyan arab jamahiriya, egypt
Berlin, a dizzyingly green capital of Europe
Europe’s major female leader is a former environment minister herself. Has Angela Merkel learnt nothing? In 2011, Germany has regional elections in a mighty 7 of its 16 federal states. Showtime is on 27 March in Baden-Wurtemberg, where the German chancellor’s christian democrat party looks set to lose its 58-year rule. A green issue threatens those in power: nuclear-sceptic citizens are fighting the nuclear policy. The politicisation of citizens in Stuttgart reaches the capital, where Berliners vote in their first successful green referendum. The people’s green power is everywhere, from gastronomy and ‘city agriculture’ to nightlife and entertainment. cafebabel.com meets guerilla gardeners, vegans, green clubbers and a token expat Australian who has launched his own environmentally-friendly version of WikiLeaks. As Berlin keeps modernising and turning everything in its sights green - like the famous Berlinale film festival - Europe’s other capitals will have a hard time catching up. Third edition in a 2011 monthly series, ‘Green Europe on the ground’ (Image (cc) Neromonga/ Flickr)
- Read the special edition Berlin, a dizzyingly green capital of Europe
- From Libya via Japan: Germany still opts for nuclear energy
- Berlin citizen power: GreenLeaks, Stuttgart 21 and water privatisation
- Guerrilla gardening Berlin: fighting capitalism
- Green dancefloors Berlin: spread the eco-dance germ to Europe
100th International Women's Day: blow me down
8 March 1911, Copenhagen was about the right to vote. In 2011, the new borders separating the genders are in administration, where the door remains shut to those in heels, unless those are Spanish and French shoes. It's shut in literature, where male editors and literary critics have traditionally made up the majority. Yet in the Ukraine or Italy, it's only women who can denounce prostitution or oppose the trivilisation of political life. cafebabel.com is comprised of three (virile) male and three (voluptuous) female editors. In following these European news or trends together, we agree with something the French writer Rafik Smati once said: 'The world's biggest emerging market is neither Brazil, Russia nor China, but women'. Happy 8th March
- Read the special edition 100th International Women's Day: blow me down
- Ukraine feminists ‘Femen’: topless a political weapon
- Lithuania's female bloggers: cooking, sex and the city
- 40% for Norway’s ‘golden skirt’ board members: do companies need quotas for women?
- International Women's Day: no way we're reading a book by a woman
- Lorella Zanardo: real women 'endangered species' on Italian TV
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