On History & Society

Photo by Harry Quan on Unsplash Sport continues to be categorised by outdated notions of both sex and gender. Only free male citizens were allowed to participate in the Olympic games of ancient Greece. For millennia athletic prowess has been inextricably bound up with ideas about masculinity. The hunter gathering communities of our distant ancestors … Read More

Two of the oldest streets in the Hague, have the dubious reputation of offering the cheapest rates for sex work in the Netherlands. Shireen Poyck, lobbyist and long-time resident of the Hague old town has spent over 20 years campaigning for the removal of the Red Light district from her neighbourhood. During this time, she … Read More

As populations in developed countries age and the right to choose becomes ever more widely accepted, requests for euthanasia are increasing. But it also raises important questions about the value of life for its own sake and how much suffering society is willing to sanction.

Does Poland’s tumultuous past hold the answers to its future as one of the largest countries in the EU? Recent Nobel Laureate, Olga Tokarczuk presents a very different narrative from ruling Law and Justice party.

Is a renewed focus on secularism, the separation of church and state, the answer to the rise of populism and identity politics? Many populist leaders use state religion to limit freedoms and promote divisions within society.

Marriage, as an institution, is over 4000 years old estimates suggest. It predates the great monotheistic religions like Christianity. Indeed marriage had little to do with either love or religion for hundreds of years. In an increasingly secular world, the institution of marriage as defined by the church is under pressure. The desire to mark … Read More

Popular protest, the peaceful kind, is an important part of a healthy democracy. Protest movements have changed the lives of millions, although many started with only a handful of activists. The fall of the Berlin Wall and ultimately the Iron Curtain stands out for many in recent European history. But more recently popular protest movements … Read More

The UN estimates that there are at least 12 million stateless people in the world today. In the past 6 months, I’ve met at least three of them. Prior to this, I admit, I was largely unaware of the peculiarly crippling nature of their existence. Without basic identity documents, many doors simply remained closed to … Read More

As the world continues to struggle with the corona pandemic, progress may seem painfully slow. But as Steven Pinker recently pointed out in an online discussion organised by De Balie in Amsterdam, ‘Data shows that progress is a real phenomenon’. The Harvard-based psychologist reiterates the argument he makes in his best-selling book, ‘Enlightenment Now’: apply … Read More

Narratives are powerful things. They shape national and individual psyches, not to mention our global understanding of phenomena like pandemics. In the age of the internet, the power and reach of narratives have increased exponentially. We live, as they say, in the age of information. How can democracies protect freedom of speech and plurality of … Read More

Is democracy in crisis? Many see the rise of populism in the US, Britain, Italy and other states as a result of the economic crises. But Fukuyama and Moïsi, point to a crisis of identity as the real cause.

Respect for the rule of law is one of the pillars of the European Union. It is enshrined in the founding treaties and the majority of EU Member States support its primacy. But what happens when a Member State does not respect the rule of law or indeed actively works to undermine it? This has … Read More

Loneliness is increasing globally, exacerbated by Covid 19 and social distancing regulations, it has serious physical, mental and political consequences.

Young German author, Simon Strauss, calls for a return to Romanticism and a focus on feelings in order to help Europe and young Europeans find a renewed sense of identity.

It is estimated that 50% to 80% of Europeans involved with ISIS have a criminal record. So say recent studies by the EU Institute for Security Studies and the International Centre for the Study of Radicalization and Political Violence. Furthermore, up to 40% of terrorist plots in Europe are partly financed through petty crimes. In … Read More

Polish-Jewish history involves a long, sometimes tumultuous but profoundly influential relationship. What does the future hold for this 1000 year old partnership?

In a world where virtual reality and fake news are becoming the norm, demand for that highly prized commodity, trust, is rising. In China, the speed of change on a scale hitherto unknown together with a lack of political transparency, has created a large deficit of this vital ingredient. I spoke with researchers from the … Read More

Privacy and security have always presented a challenge for societies. But in the 21st century world of cyber security and globalised terrorism, this tension is ever more acute. Can intelligence be done more democratically?