Internet offers us the possibility to create, publish, distribute and consume media content fostering therefore a space of full participation, engagement and self-expression. With the development of social networks we all can participate in cyberspace in a variety of ways ranging from keeping in touch with your friends and developing new contacts to sharing content […]
By David Wisner The international news is awash with stories of Greece’s return to the bond market. It is fashionable again for Greece to be in the headlines. The “success story” line is ubiquitous. As Hugo Dixon writes in Reuters, the Greek rebound is “astonishing.” Why? First, it is important to acknowledge that the discerning […]
“There are two Rules of Holes in politics. The first rule is well known: ‘When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.’ The second rule is less well known: ‘When you stop digging, you are still in a hole.’” — Roger Simon
Recently I read that a group of Greek anti-austerity campaigners want to bring the government on trial for ‘crimes against humanity’ at the International Criminal Court. Understandably, there is considerable anti-government sentiment at the moment. However I’d like to offer another perspective on what is going on, one that might not be popular. The problem […]
Krysta Kalahani and Maria Patsarika, two of Politis’ regular contributors, enjoyed an exchange on Facebook this past weekend on the merits of “person-centered” municipal politics, inspired by a recent report, excerpted below, in the Thessaloniki daily Aggelioforos. We share an excerpt below. Krysta: I am coming to this article hot off a fcbk conversation with […]
If you have a little time, this clip will explain why there should be no government. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RLHsH7XAkc
According to a poll published in Roll Call, 95% of members of the US House of Representatives say they get a sense of personal accomplishment from their work as legislators. 89% claim that they are performing an important public service. The sample was small, however: 194 House members were selected randomly, but only 25 responded. […]
Tips from an article in today’s New Scientist on how to resist the efforts of governments to encroach on their privacy. “… for citizens who want to guard their privacy, there are a number of options. Apps like Silent Circle and RedPhone can already encrypt your calls and send them over a data connection or […]
A relief fund has been created by the Serbian government for anyone who wishes to support victims of the terrible flooding in Serbia. Thank you for taking note and sharing this information with your friends and acquaintances.
It was originally called the “Behavioural Insights Team,” a team of British policy analysts who employed psychological research to persuade citizens in the most subtle of ways to pay their taxes on time, get off unemployment, or insulate their attic. Now Canada has created a “nudge unit,” whose mission is to “nudge citizens into acting […]
“When the civilian bystanders to the attack ran toward the first blast to give aid to the victims, without a second thought for their own safety, the primary desire of the terrorists — to paralyze a populace with fear — was already thwarted. ” — Dennis Lehane
By David Wisner I faced a small crisis the other day when one of the students whom I advise failed a course in his last semester at college. I discussed the issue and solicited from colleagues ways to resolve the student’s predicament while remaining firmly within school rules and, above all, seeking to uphold a […]
By David Wisner I confess. I am a Europeanist and a self-conscious product of what we call the Western tradition. I dreamed as a teenager of studying in Florence, the Florence of the Italian Renaissance. I later came of age intellectually during five fabulous years spent in Paris. I established a name for myself as […]
By Ruth Sutton Bicycles carrying kilos of fish… rock concerts. the world’s biggest sandwich… art made out of packaged food, NGO network building… 2nd hand designer clothing… online platforms for volunteering solutions… taxis and potatoes… ethical hairdressing salons… professional internships… Youtube playlist? Coffee shop eavesdropping? Twitter madness? No, all of the above and much more […]
By Krysta Kalachani Radiobubble is asking for help from abroad (spreading the word and with donations) in order to keep up their good work and be able to continue to communicate news and information from Greece in 8 foreign languages. The have mounted a campaign on Facebook here. They have also come up with a […]
Live streaming video by Ustream
By Krysta Kalachani Who were the aganaktismenoi, the Greek indignados? They were mostly people who were not supporting strongly any ideology or party. They might have been coming from all parties and all ideologies, meaning that they could have voted for one party or another in the past, but the gatherings in Syntagma Square during the […]