A Citizen’s Guide to Greece 2015
0
comments
Visions of public service: Greece leads the way
Posted January 20, 2014 by DW
By David Wisner I have been on a quest over the past several months. I am looking for a vision of active citizenship suitable for our times. I admit to suffering from a bit of unease in this quest. In fact, the relative certitude I felt about the classic Anglo-Saxon model of public service I […]
comments
Absurdities
Posted January 20, 2014 by M P
By Maria Patsarika First, our ministers make earnest declarations that in order for smog percentages to diminish, people need to return to the use of oil for heating purposes. I’m sure it crossed all people’s minds: are they nuts? With such high oil prices, who can afford to buy it? And, surely, people would rather […]
comments
Saying of the day 1/29/14
Posted January 29, 2014 by Politis
“I’ve never sung anywhere without giving the people listening to me the chance to join in — as a kid, as a lefty, as a man touring the U.S.A. and the world, as an oldster. I guess it’s kind of a religion with me. Participation. That’s what’s going to save the human race.” — Pete […]
comments
On the “social” economy
Posted January 30, 2014 by DW
Politis recently published a post on efforts in Northern Greece to encourage active citizens to involve themselves in matters of “social economy.” Below we share excerpts on the subject from an article by Andrew Higgins in the New York Times. “In their search for solutions, Greeks are tinkering with a new kind of economy with […]
comments
Who owns Thessaloniki’s history?
Posted January 30, 2014 by iankehoe
By Ian Kehoe Back in 2008, while I was talking about the history of Thessaloniki to a group of university students I realised that many of them did not even know that there had been a major Jewish population in the city. I was surprised to say the least, given that Jewish people had been […]
comments
You don’t have to go to Greece, you know…
Posted February 3, 2014 by pdcadmin
By Francesca Kareivis I had to get a physical examination to study abroad and when I told my doctor I was going to Greece the first thing she said was “You know, it’s not too late… You don’t have to go.” Needless to say, not many people supported my decision to study in Greece. And […]
comments
Politis forum: journalists or losers?
Posted February 8, 2014 by Politis
Politis has invited Krysta Kalachani and guest contributor Sakis Ioannides, of Parallaxi, to comment on Παναγιώτης Μένεγος, “Δημοσιογράφος, ο μεγάλος χαμένος (και) της κρίσης,” popaganda.gr, January 28, 2014. SI Let me summarize “Journalist, the crisis’ big loser,” an article by Panagiotis Menegos, one of the staff writers at popaganda.gr (a multimedia electronic magazine). Menegos wrote […]
comments
Imagine: a way out of the crisis
Posted February 8, 2014 by KK
By Krysta Kalachani I found this speech pretty optimistic as well as inspiring, and feel that it is worth reposting in Politis even if it has been available on YouTube since last December. It relates imagination (and fairy tales) with scientific progress, posits imagination as a way to get through all kinds of crises, and […]
comments
Boutique politics in times of crisis
Posted February 10, 2014 by M P
By Maria Patsarika A new company has come to my attention, called West Wing, a political consultancy. Unbelievable, where did this come from! A true ”boutique outfit,” that. As I was going through “West Wing’s” strategy – what a name they chose, huh, reminds you of American sitcoms – I thought that the facelifting that […]
comments
I, Citizen
Posted February 14, 2014 by DW
By David Wisner I was invited not too long ago to discuss my views on citizenship on a local television program. What is different about citizens in Greece and in the US, was more or less the line of inquiry. I answered in somewhat broken Greek, and for fear that my thinking is not easily […]
comments
Preserving the historical memory of Thessaloniki
Posted February 25, 2014 by Politis
comments
Virtual book launch at the Dukakis Center
Posted March 6, 2014 by Politis
The Dukakis Center will host a virtual launch of “Still at Aulis: Essays on Crisis and Revolution in Greece and the Eurozone,” a Kindle e-book by David Wisner, Executive Director of the Center, on Thursday, March 6, 2014, from 12 noon throughout the afternoon. Interested parties can follow the event on the “Still at Aulis” […]
comments
National Day of Unplugging
Posted March 7, 2014 by Politis
About Do you have multiple cell phones? Take your ipad to the beach on vacation? Ever find it hard to get through a conversation without posting an update to Facebook? Is your computer always on? We increasingly miss out on the important moments of our lives as we pass the hours with our noses buried […]
comments
How does it feel to be Ukrainian?
Posted March 10, 2014 by pdcadmin
By Iana Nazarenko In a democracy, realists claim that the government should represent the common will of citizens, or at least act in the interest of the state and its people. But what if it does not? Should then citizens take action and change the situation, even if at the cost of hundreds of lives? […]
comments
Of civic rites of passage
Posted March 12, 2014 by Politis
Eric Liu posed an interesting question in the Atlantic yesterday. “… what if a rite… existed for everyone in America, attached not to a specific faith tradition but to a national creed of values, political traditions, and pro-social character? What if we created a civic confirmation experience that was both constructive and common to all?” […]
comments
Party time
Posted March 13, 2014 by DW
By Damian Mac Con Uladh Exports, imports and retail prices might all be in decline. And unemployment hovering over 27% for nine months straight. But six years into a recession that has ravaged the gross national product, there is one Greek industry showing impressive growth rates: the production of new political parties, movements and coalitions. […]
comments
Citizen walkers, walking citizens
Posted March 13, 2014 by DW
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 […]
comments
The economy has improved
Posted March 19, 2014 by KK
By Krysta Kalachani Everyone is smiles in Athens. The crisis is almost over. Hiring is up! Indeed, according to an article in a major Greek news outlet two weeks ago there have been considerably more net hires than fires since 2014 began. Now about those hirings… 53% of the total hirings (according to the Ministry […]
comments
Independence day, for whom?
Posted March 25, 2014 by DW
Politis found this note on Facebook today. Apparently citizens were discouraged from attending today’s Independence Day parade in downtown Athens. “When the public cannot be trusted to celebrate their country’s independence, what independence is it, exactly, that they have to celebrate?”
comments
Vandalism and oppression
Posted March 30, 2014 by Politis
Tasoula Karaiskaki has a commentary out in this past Saturday’s Kathimerini English edition relative to the incidence of graffiti in downtown Thessaloniki, partly celebrating the centenial of the founding of Aris football club. This is a subject that has attracted a lot of commentary in the press and on the social media. Excerpts from the […]