identity
Britain-Europe: confessions of an angry Lib Dem
Type 'What Defines an English Person' into google right now and see the top result - this is how unpopular we are with the rest of the world, especially after the UK chose not to join a new EU treaty governing the finance system. Europe has divided a two-headed monster, 'Clammeron', in half: the government led by David Cameron and Nick Clegg since 2010 has been spliced together by iron threads of political contingency
identity, veto, london, david cameron, liberalism, brussels, nick clegg
I like Mostar: are there really no tourists who want to go to Bosnia?
Mostar and I go back a long way. Ours is the story of a missed encounter – in 1998. Fast forward to September 2011: cafebabel.com organises the annual network meeting in Dubrovnik. On learning that the city is only 150 kilometres away from Mostar, I decide to revisit the city I never reached
identity, lifestyle, balkans, mostar, lifestyle, serbia, decouverte
Macedonia the Great: historical obsessions and Skopje 2014
The ongoing urban project sounds as if the Macedonian capital were preparing to host the next olympics. It's actually about classical origins: Skopje will be revamped in a neo-classical style with the aim of strengthening national identity, attracting foreign tourists and, according to some, further provoking Greece, in the name of the dispute that started when Macedonia became independent in 1991
identity, architecture, alexander the great, society, orient express, national identity, macedonia
Identikit of a pure, indigenous European
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
identity, tower of babel, poland, european democracy, racism, nationalism, immigration
Europe to Dakar: a Lithuanian's journey
A student at an English university takes a ten-day research trip to Senegal, playing with the question of openness and difference encountered through travelling. From the old continent, destination western Africa from an anthropological perspective. Travel diary
Self-identification, multiculturalism and erasmus in the EU
In a world where the physical borders are a blur, no wonder the mental ones are blurring as well. With nationalists turning to the 'protection of Europe' rather than the 'protection of the homeland', it is fair to say that the erasmus generation is the face of future Europe. United within itself, far past the division to Germans, French, Poles, or Italians, it's an identity in its own right - even for me
identity, orange revolution, multiculturalism, borders, islamophobia, erasmus, angela merkel
English, British or European? My grandparents on UK in the EU
According to the Eurobarometer survey of autumn 2009, only 30% of UK citizens believe that our membership of the EU is 'a good thing'. Whilst this meagre piece of one of Eurobarometer’s many brightly-coloured and informative pies is up two points from the last survey, the fact remains that Joe Public fails to engage with the mysterious, supranational, sovereignty-gobbling entity that resides somewhere beyond the Channel
identity, great-britain, national identity, eurogeneration, belgium, flag, youth
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
Berlusconism, 'Padania', inequalities: should we celebrate 150 years of Italy?
On 17 March 1861, Victor-Emmanuel II was proclaimed king of Italy. Now, 150 years later, the question of knowing whether Italian unification should be celebrated has sparked lively debates. The Italian government only decided to make 17 March a public holiday a month ago
identity, confindustria, ligue du nord, padania, silvio berlusconi, national identity, italy
Director Roozbeh Behtaji: 'Young Europeans live in an existential no-mans land'
The 30-year-old filmmaker and screenwriter from Gothenburg stands out, not only because he doesn't look like your average Swede, but because he dons a different hat everyday. He played a cap-wearing tourist who becomes a terror suspect because of his looks in his own debut film London Transfer. Time to find out what's under his hat
identity, european identity, poitiers, cinema, sweden, roozbeh behtaji, film
Nikola Tesla: unknown inventor, national hero in Balkans
His dream was free electricity for the world with no cables involved. David Bowie has incarnated him in Hollywood and Serbia's biggest airport is named after him. Why is it that we have barely heard of this scientist in western Europe?
View from Belgrade's historical museum: Serbia, Europe and obsessions with history
The EU is not a compromise on the dream of a proud, independent Serbia, but rather the affirmation of it. The extremists behind such events as the nationalist riots at the gay pride march in October are merely the Serbian answer to a fringe movement in every country that gets louder when the uncertain future requires change. In other countries, radicals might cite immigration or the economy as their cause. In Serbia, they use history
identity, museum, serbia, belgrade, history, kosovo, culture
Building a mosque in Warsaw: is it all trouble and strife?
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
identity, warsaw, central and eastern europe, extremism, islamophobia, racism, religion
European day of languages: cat got the European tongue
The concept of ‘lost in translation’ isn’t really a valid one anymore. Why learn languages if French and Czechs are communicating with each other in English at any random conference in Madrid or Krakow? Why stuff your brain with vocabulary, young Brits ask themselves, if at the end your German degree doesn’t get you high up on the job ladder? And why try and understand your neighbour, if the Belgian melting pot hasn’t even worked out – today the country is threatening to split into French and Flemish parts. Even an EU commissioner from Luxembourg is criticised in the media for addressing a message to France in English whilst in Brussels. Language is the smallest common denominator of mutual understanding and integration. The European Day of Languages promotes each 26th of September for consistent language diversity on the old continent
- Read the special edition European day of languages: cat got the European tongue
- Romain Galati: 'In ten years people will be speaking more languages'
- Brief status of sign language in Europe
- Luxemburg: three languages, one nation
- Belgium: a linguistic laboratory
- ‘Learning German is pointless’: British students abandon foreign languages
- Portmanteau words: Denglisch in Europe
Vienna, Berlin, Budapest and Paris: blogging city rivers
Europe's city rivers are both the place to be in terms of a good old rave - take the A38 ship on the Danube to Bar 25 on the Spree - and also for a spot of nudity or artificial beach time in the summer. Blog snippets from four cafebabel.com local team bloggers, who pay tribute to their watery city icons
identity, paris, berlin, budapest, romania, austria, best of cafebabel.com
Turkey-Israel: credibility and question of anti-semitism
Since heavy criticism from the Turkish side after the Israeli attack on a Gaza aid ship on 31 May, relations between the two states have entered a further ice age. There has been rising concern in Europe that Turkey is increasingly turning away from the west. A babelian political theorist explains the problems inherent to the Turkish response
identity, middle east, second world war , diplomacy, stamboul, jews, gaza strip
Uruguay vs Europe: what world cup identity?
28 countries out, four left. Uruguay aside, the football championship final will definitely feature either Germany or Spain, one of whom could be facing the Netherlands to contend for a title currently held by Italy. It's not about football anymore though – does this bridge a stronger European identity for those of us on the continent, supporters or not?
identity, football, european identity, world cup, sport, netherlands, spain
'Bart de Wever's willingness to nominate Elio Di Rupo for Belgian PM seems a trap'
Vincent Laborderie, a researcher at the Catholic University of Leuven (UCL), bakes some humble pie for the alarmists with his portrait of post-crisis Belgium
identity, belgium, nationalism, alexander de croo, yves leterme, brussels, europe
Diary: Vilnius and I, reluctant bedfellows
The passion evaporated years ago, after the capital became expensive and inconvenient to live in, or maybe since I stopped being a student. However, jobs for a social science graduate with a Lithuanian passport are here. Anecdote from cafebabel.com expat blogger 'Wonderland
identity, diary, vilnius, uzupis, employment, expatriation, expatriates
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