psychology
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
psychology, josé luis rodríguez zapatero, democratisation, techno-media, internet, yemen, war
How an Italian boy became a ‘happiness coach’
Born in the land of ‘la dolce vita’, Bergamo-born Frank Ra, 32, travelled Europe before publishing a book on happiness. He offers his thoughts on spiritual scepticism, being a former erasmus student or ex-pat and how ‘no place is perfect unless we accept it with all its features’
psychology, depression, malta, expatriates, canada, travel, united states
Europa Melancholia
Depression, fears, insecurity – they are increasingly creeping into all areas of life, yet stay some of the biggest taboos of our generation. They can be our entertainment and part of our entourage – we’ll often pay to watch these themes being depicted on the big screen or discuss how it might have affected someone in our circle of friends or colleagues. But we can also suffer from a real burnout syndrome at work or after leaving our erasmus experiences abroad behind. So when does sadness or melancholy transform into real depression? Nearly 40% of Europeans suffer from psychological disorders, says one of the newest pan-European studies on the issue, which we have taken as inspiration for this week’s special edition. Are our hectic ‘lives on the edge’ or too individualistic lifestyles the reason? Failing to take the psyche seriously in Europe is also the question we’ll ask next week during our collaborative broadcast ‘Europa plus’, which we run weekly together with the German TV channel ZDF - if you have something to say, visit our theme page www.cafebabel.co.uk/europaplus
- Read the special edition Europa Melancholia
- One third of Europeans suffer from mental illness: really?
- ‘Nos plusieurs’: autistic theatre stars meet Indian epic in French documentary
- Post-Erasmus syndrome: SOS distress
- Depression: ‘alcohol abuse is far more common in eastern and northern Europe’
- Brussels: Spanish expat on depression taboo
- Cinema psyche: the enemy is within us
Belgian singer Selah Sue, no Amy Winehouse
She’s a singer with American, even Jamaican soul, but Sanne Putseys is also just like any other young angel-faced Belgian girl, despite her groove sisterhood
psychology, youth, belgium, women, clermont-ferrand, music, interview
Social networking in Sarajevo: analyse this (over Bosnian coffee)
Bosnia's capital wears its war wounds from the 1992-1995 war with Serbia honestly, the signs on its bomb-shelled buildings and pavements. What about its mental scars fifteen years on? Amidst a blaze of foreign healing initiatives, few private psychologists and one 'social networking internet cafe', this is a society which is resolved to solve its problems - globalised as they are - over coffee
psychology, youth, bosnia and herzegovina, communication , internet, radovan karadzic, sarajevo
Psychology of Europe's youth: generation ‘no subject’
Today's young generations in Europe seem traumatised by emptiness – the lack of perspectives and opportunities, goals, aspirations. No better comparison than the metaphor of an email without a title, says one young volunteer youth organisation counsellor and psychology graduate
psychology, youth, romania, eurogeneration, generation precarity, eighties generation, society
Are Balkan women more promiscuous?
It's official: more women are approaching men in the dating stakes and a recent book in Serbia reveals a more liberal attitude. So is the Balkan woman moving towards a western, less conservative European model? We hear from Balkan guys and girls
psychology, parity, literature, balkans, serbia, culture calendar, gender
German students swoop down on Austrian universities
In some border university towns, the student population is as high as 12%, as German students escape the various clauses in their own universities and enrol 'abroad' for subjects like medicine and psychology. A common tongue and the abolition of tuition fees are the fundamental attractions
psychology, university, bologna process, germany, education system, medicina, facoltà
After tragedy, French psychiatry toughens up
Following the 2008 death of a student stabbed by a schizophrenic man who had slipped out of a psychiatric hospital, ever-present president Nicolas Sarkozy demanded an ‘in-depth reform’ of the French psychiatric system. An outline was announced less than three weeks later, on 2 December
Roger Woolger: 'it's not psychosis'
The British psychotherapist from Sussex, 63, brings together Jung theory and eastern philosophy in his 'deep memory process'. His theory on reincarnation: our past lives help us resolve our present neuroses
psychology, paris, brunch, death, western eu, france, violence
Continental blues
The French consume 65 million boxes of antidepressants every year. The Baltic states have the highest suicide rates, but Italians are among the least affected
psychology, italy, europe, estonia, finland, france, society
'Women in Quebec are more violent towards men - not the other way round'
Every third day in France, a woman dies at the hands of a violent partner. The case is different on the other side of the francophone world
Muslim matchmakers go online
Muslims turn to online matchmaking to find perfect spouse
psychology, religion, lifestyle, love, culture, sex, immigration
Dutch prostitution: from sex trade to trade unionism
Though Prostitution was legalised in October 2000, Dutch call-girls enjoy little social recognition
psychology, labour, integration, netherlands, health, cities, human rights
