The European Left: All Eyes On Slovenia

The Left in Europe has shown glimpses of electoral success recently in both Greece and Spain. Even a grey-haired, bearded, self-titled socialist has been elected as the leader of the

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Lessons from Laclau: Are Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders Populists?

If you live in a cave, or are not aware of a little thing called the internet, then you may be excused for not knowing that in America there is

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Designing Change: The Rise of Humanitarian Architecture

by Aleksis Oreschnikoff – an independent writer interested in living better As Europe faces an unprecedented influx of refugees fleeing conflict in Syria, international organizations, and international humanitarian development look for

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Crowdfunding Journalism – Alternative Funding for Alternative Journalism

At the end of January, the Washington-based ‘fact think’ Paw Research Center published a report on crowdfunded journalism that brings again on the spotlight the hope for a long-term rehabilitation

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Shaking Schengen

Schengen keeps alive the idea of a Europe free of internal border control which facilitates a rapid and smooth flow of goods, services and persons, without any border check delays. However, the

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The Peculiar Political Potentialities of Social Media

Political activism. What a beautiful phrase. It rolls off your tongue with heroic ease and fills your soul with lofty ideals. It invites connotations of emancipation, community and justice. We

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Checks Presents the Three Ultimate Christimas Gifts

Dear faithful Checks Community,  Twelve days left until Christmas, but obviously we could not care less about Christmas, this commercialised and old-fogyish tradition of giving and receiving presents – so materialistic –

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A unified Korea?

  Ask yourself for a moment who are the closest people to you. To whom do you go when you need a warm embrace, an encouraging voice and a loving

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In Conversation with Eric Niehe

Eric Niehe is a former Dutch diplomat whose distinguished career in the foreign service of the Netherlands spanned four decades, and included postings as Ambassador to Ireland, Hungary, and India.

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Memoirs of Exile

Forced settlements in the Soviet Union took place in a series of brutal operations. A majority of the deportations were carried out in the Baltic States, primarily between 1941-1949. Over

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