The Editors of Politis asked members of the current blogging team to consider arguments in favor of not voting. We post the contributions of Northeastern University freshman Katharine Welch and Dukakis Center Director David Wisner below. This ends the current cycle of posts dedicated to the 2016 US general election. “Hearing the arguments,” by Katie […]

David Brooks writes in his New York Times column today that President Obama made a strong case for a “pragmatic and patriotic progressivism” in his second inaugural address yesterday. Where does leave the thoughtful independent, that purveyor of the center right and the center left? “During his first term, Obama was inhibited by his desire […]

From today’s NPR. “Three years of spiraling economic crisis in Greece have devastated every sector of the economy. The Greek media are among the hardest hit. Many newspapers and TV outlets have closed or are on the verge, and some 4,000 journalists have lost their jobs. Many people believe the country’s news media have failed […]

By Krysta Kalachani In business transactions, as in all transactions that one desires to be fruitful, productive and of mutual benefit all interested parties are supposed to establish a ground of mutual trust first. Mutual trust must be accepted as a prerequisite, because otherwise transactions, social relations, relations between citizens and governments, and among people […]

This weekly feature offers a glimpse of what is happening in and around Thessaloniki. Compiled by Laura Strieth. Thu 16th to Sun 19th May- 10th Thessaloniki Book Fair- The institution of the Thessaloniki Book Fair has established a dynamic presence the last 10 years and signals its new era by creating strong collaborations and international […]

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 […]

By Maria Patsarika October 27, 2011 may now seem as a distant instantané of the eurozone crisis. However, at that time, it was seen by many as a victorious day, after having agreed a deal that slashed the Greek debt to 50%. As with all such deals, however, this one, too, had winners and losers; […]

Is your vehicle currently insured? A penalty of 250 euros will apply for any uninsured vehicle the next few days, as soon as the cross check will be made by the Greek Ministry of Finance, since yesterday, was published the relevant law. If your vehicle is not then insured within two months, further penalties will […]

By David Wisner This past Sunday I finally had an opportunity to experience a car-free waterfront. I went down to Leoforos Nikis and sat with some students — young people who were born and raised in Thessaloniki — to enjoy the hush and feel the energy of citadins taking their morning promenade. We got to […]

Election day is nigh upon us. With this in mind, there are three dimensions to the question I have been thinking of asking: Who wants to run, who wants to vote, and who wants to govern. In May 2014 the Dukakis Center examined an apparent inflation in the number of candidates running for local and […]

We have an expression in the US. “Vote early and often.” Lest you think I am encouraging you to commit voter fraud, I actually have something else in mind. If you vote when young you are likely to continue to want to vote whenever you have the opportunity. Make it a habit. Just look at […]

GoodNews is a collection of good news related to or coming from Greece, to “whoever contributes to Greece and its citizens, whatever makes life in their country unique and drives it forward.” Their goal is to launch a “revolution of goodness.” The page exists in Greek and in English. The site has lots of categories, […]

It was in the wee hours between November 4-5, 2008. The news was filtering in that Barack Obama had defeated John McCain in the US Presidential election. If you were a Republican, and had experienced George W. Bush’s historic reelection in 2004, you were crestfallen. Congressional Republicans had just been routed again to make matters […]

  “Like the Spartans, Thebans, and Thespians at the Pass of Thermopylae, the Greeks were sacrificed to buy time for the alliance.” — Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, The Telegraph

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 […]

By Maria Patsarika Every time I read about Noam Chomsky my impression of a sarcastic, dominant, relentless thinker and academic is reinforced. In an article in today’s Guardian I see more than this – apparently he still is sarcastic and uncompromising – which is encapsulated in his phrase “No individual changes anything alone.” He grasps […]

By Krysta Kalachani Here is a lovely little article full of irony and mockery. Just the way to start my day. The staff at To Kolouri dare to mock members of Golden Dawn in New York City, pointing out that they have committed suicide after they realized that New York is not Greek and that […]

By Nicholas Piston* It was somewhat poetic taking the ferry across the Aegean in the cover of night.  I made my way to the outdoor deck, my preferred place to sit whenever taking a ferry in Greece, and stared out to Piraeus, gazing silently at the gates I volunteered briefly at while in Athens (which will have […]

By Politis The third annual Philanthropic Bazaar (Bazaar Ευθύνης) took place this past weekend at the Thessaloniki Regency Casino. Some thirty non-profit charities and NGOs working with needy and handicapped children took part in the event, which also featured live music. children’s games, and food. The event was staffed by volunteers who are otherwise employed […]

By Jiya Pinder Tensions have risen in Bangkok over the past few weeks, as anti-government “yellow-shirt” protesters have sought to remove democratically elected Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her cabinet.  The Protestors descended on the city center, popular TV stations, police headquarters and the government house in an effort to disrupt the capital city and […]