May 2025

Vibrating tiles of text

This text can be seen as an attempt to proactively help shape the meaning of history. "A look back at an issue of revue Prostor on the „history of the present“ penned by film essayist Jan Gogola Jr., director of films such as Excursion, or the History of the Present (2015) and Prison of History (2023). According to him, the world "does not belong to us, but it is we who belong to the world."
 


by Jan Gogola ml.
first published by revue Prostor under the title
Vibrující dlaždice textu

May 2025

How does sectarianism manifest itself in the lives of political leaders and tech industry bigwigs?

Petr Uram shines a light on the connection between US Vice President J. D. Vance and technocratic billionaire Peter Thiel, the ideological direction of the American tech industry, and the "new theology" that often secretly rules the political scene.
 


by Petr Uram
first published by revue Prostor under the title
Staronová americká teologie

April 2025

What kind of diplomacy are we talking about? (When words have no more value)

From Ukraine to global conflicts, words alone fail without enforcement. As power shifts, can diplomacy still ensure peace, or must it be backed by strength to hold real value in today's world?
 


by Eduard Ülevain
first published by NARVAMUS

April 2025

Memory that unites (and divides) us: Radicalisation, dehumanisation, polarisation and tribalism

How do wars change our sense of belonging, increasing radicalization, destructive polarization and dehumanization? This article shows how collective memory and traumatic experiences shape our identity and where to look for hope for dialogue.
 


by Julia Dem
first published by NARVAMUS

April 2025

Free Wi‑Fi on AirBaltic Flights: Why It’s Not Okay

Latvian airline AirBaltic has announced that it will be the first airline in Europe to offer free Wi-Fi via the Starlink network. What role does the influence of one technology leader play in this?
 


by Julia Dem
first published by NARVAMUS

April 2025

LGBTQ+ in Estonia: How to Build a Community Where It Seems There Is None

How do you build an LGBTQ+ community in a country where it seems to be invisible? How can the situation be improved? We talked about all this and more with Gulya Sultanova, co-founder of Q-space.
 


by Angelina Gruzdeva
first published by NARVAMUS

April 2025

Are You Just Scrolling, or Are You Leading?

Every day, we spend hours online—liking posts, watching videos, and sharing memes. But have you ever stopped to ask yourself: Am I just a digital user, or am I a true digital citizen?
 


by Maria Teresa Bravo
first published by NARVAMUS

April 2025

“It’s not just about fairness, it’s about the future”: Activism of Migrant Women in Estonia

Mal is a researcher at the Department of Sociology, Tallinn University. Her work examines how the migration experiences of migrant women influence their participation in feminist activism and the impact on society
 


by Viktorija Savitseva
first published by NARVAMUS

April 2025

Migrants' resistance to immigration. Ironic oxymoron? No, political reality!

The targeting of immigrants is not only a phenomenon of the majority society, but often also of the migrants themselves. In their search for their place in society, immigrants often encounter the coldness of those who have already undergone integration. Does accepting the prejudices of a majority become the ticket to a ‘normal’ life? Politicians, the media and society all play a part in this. Why do those who should be closest to each other define themselves against each other?
 


by Roman Berežanský
first published by revue Prostor under the title
Přistěhovalecký odpor k migraci. Proč se vůči sobě vymezují ti, kteří by si měli být nejblíž?

March 2025

Rural areas are increasingly becoming a media desert

Boskovice is situated forty kilometres north of Brno. The investigative local newspaper Ohlasy is published here, which is almost a rarity in today's Czech media landscape. ‘Local newspapers face similar problems to large, national newspapers, but they have far fewer resources to respond to these problems. The result is a so-called media desert, ’ says Tomáš Trumpeš, editor at “Ohlasy”.
 


by Tomáš Trumpeš
first published by JÁDU
V regionu vstupujete na mediální poušť

March 2025

From old concentration camp to punk club - ‘If we don't use the place, who will?’

Formerly a forced labour camp, later an abandoned ruin, then occupied by a group of punks who needed a shelter in the 1990s - today Exil e.V. is one of the last bulwarks against right-wing agitation in Eberswalde (Brandenburg). But time is working against the organisation.
 


by Mareike Hoeck
first published by JÁDU under the title
Vom alten KZ-Außenlager zum Punk-Klub - „Wenn wir den Ort nicht nutzen, wer dann?“

March 2025

Life in a ghost town - The lost Orbit(a)

Some people believe that there is no life outside of so-called civilisation. But it does exist, sometimes it is more complicated and brings with it a number of challenges, but it does not disappear. The inhabitants of Orbita know this from their own experience. Somewhere in the forests of Ukraine, the ghost town, abandoned after the Chernobyl disaster, has found new hope through the war.
 


by Yulia Surkova, Oleksii Filippov
first published by JÁDU under the title
Загублена Орбіта

March 2025

Inspiring sustainable projects - Adaptation as a challenge

From the blooming fields near Zálúčí to the ‘forest laboratory’ in Křtiny – we follow the stories of people who are transforming our landscape with their projects. They show that adaptation does not have to be a struggle for survival. It can also be an opportunity to reconnect nature, technology and human creativity. Global warming is not only a threat in these projects, but also an opportunity to create a sustainable world.
 


by Ester Dobiášová
first published by Jádu under the title
Inspirativní udržitelné projekty - Adaptace jako výzva

March 2025

The search for water: a challenge for modern women

What impact does climate change have on the health, everyday life and economic situation of Ukrainian women? Why are they often more affected by these impacts than men? What exactly is climate activism and what role do women play in it? Is their voice sufficiently heard in the debate on the consequences of climate change? Olha Liashchuk, advisor to the Ukrainian Climate Network and project coordinator at the NGO EcoClub, answers these questions.
 


by Anna Lakyza
first published by Jádu under the title
Знайти воду: виклик для сучасної жінки

March 2025

How Ukrainian farmers are adapting

In the midst of active warfare, Ukrainian farmers are adapting to new climatic conditions, for example in the Kharkiv region. They are changing the timing of sowing and harvesting, looking for new crops and using greenhouses and nets not only to harvest earlier but also to protect crops from extreme weather events.
 


by Tetiana Lohvina
first published by Jádu under the title
Як адаптуються українські фермери

March 2025

Angels among men? My dad used to accompany the Medics on the street with his camera. This is their story.

Ondrej Macl's report on „street medicine“, the voluntary work of medical students that saves the lives of those we often forget.
 


by Ondřej Macl
first published by revue Prostor
Andělé mezi lidmi? Jak můj táta doprovázel sfoťákem Mediky na ulici

March 2025

The house that Ihor built

In the midst of mines and destruction, constant explosions and death, there are people who, day after day, snatch their land and their own lives from war. This is the story of a farmer from the Kharkiv region who lives in one of the most heavily mined areas in the world.
 


by Yulia Surkova, Oleksii Filippov
first published by Jádu under the title
Дім, що побудував Ігор

March 2025

How long does it take for a wound to heal?

There have been protests in Serbia for more than 100 days. The collapse of a concrete canopy at the Novi Sad railway station, which tragically killed 15 people, sparked mass demonstrations across the country. The signatories of Students in Blockade shared their letter—written in December 2024—outlining the background of their protests.
 


by Student in a blockade
first published by revue Prostor under the title
How long does it take for a wound to heal?

March 2025

Ukraine wants peace above all else, but there is one "but"

Ukraine is prepared for the end of the hot phase of the war and wants peace more than any other country in the world. This is what official statements from Kyiv say. But not at the price of sovereignty and security. The democratic world must understand this. Ukrainian journalist Halyna Ostapovets on the conditions for a just peace.
 


by Halyna Ostapovets
first published by Jádu under the title
Україна понад усе хоче миру, але є одне «але»

February 2025

Another protest in Sakartvelo, another disappointment with the government

Third month of anti-government protests in Sakartvelo. The resistance is lasting longer than ever before, taking forms never seen in the past and has no single leader. At the same time, the protests are part of a process that has been going on for thirty years, a vicious circle of civil war, revolution, constantly disputed election results, disillusionment with loved leaders, the struggle against the oligarchy, and poorly met social needs. And Russia, which is exacerbating everything.
 


by Denis Vėjas and Sigita Vegytė
First published in NARA under the title
Dar vienas protestas Sakartvele, dar vienas nusivylimas valdžia

February 2025

Narva’s Identity Crisis

Russian, Estonian or other - what should Narva residents choose when it comes to nationality, and how should they feel about it?
 


by Angelina Gruzdeva
first published by Narvamus under the title
Кризис идентичности Нарвы

February 2025

When “We” Become “They”: What Hides Behind the Deprivation of Voting Rights?

The Estonian parliament is currently debating the issue of revoking the right to vote in municipal elections from Russian and Belarusian citizens.
 


by Margarita Skripkina
first published by NARVAMUS under the title
Когда “мы” становятся “они”: что стоит за лишением избирательного права?

February 2025

Europe Votes Against Itself: What’s Behind the Rise of Right-Wing Parties?

The European Union (EU) has positioned itself, since its inception, as a stronghold of liberal democracy, social equality, and integrative policies. However, in recent years, the alarming rise in the popularity of right-wing parties has intensified.
 


by Polina Bargan
first published by NARVAMUS under the title
Европа голосует против себя: что стоит за популярностью правых партий?

February 2025

Artificial Intelligence, Water, and Why You Don’t Need to Say “Thank You” to AI

Language models and neural networks work with magical speed — they write faster than anyone can read. However, behind the ease of getting answers lies a massive consumption of resources.
 


by Anastassija Bondarenko
first published by NARVAMUS under the title
Искусственный интеллект, вода и почему не нужно писать ИИ «спасибо» после его использования

February 2025

Am I a Man or a Machine?

The text considers the perception of neurological differences such as autism and ADHD in the context of capitalism, arguing that the pressure for efficiency and uniformity in society pathologises neurodivergent conditions.
 


by Matúš Lupták
first published by Kapitál under the title
Som človek alebo stroj?

February 2025

Reverse Triggers: What Are Glimmers and Why Are They Useful?

Glimmers are micro-moments of joy and calm that help cope with everyday stress and restore a sense of safety. How do they work, why are they important for mental health, and how can they be found?
 


by Julia Dem
first published by NARVAMUS under the title
Триггеры наоборот: что такое глиммеры и чем они полезны?

February 2025

AI girlfriend? What about the AI boyfriend! Toxic mobsters and bullies earn millions of interactions

An article about relationships established through AI chats. Often it is pointed to relationships where a man seeks (heteronormatively) female chats. David Laufer's article reports on the opposite situation. But in the flood of headlines about virtual girlfriends, it's easy to lose the other side of the coin - the one for which we don't have such an established idea, science fiction images or literature in our culture. What about AI partners?
 


by David Laufer
first published by revue Prostor under the title
AI přítelkyně? Aco AI přítel! Toxičtí mafiáni asurovci sklízí miliony interak

February 2025

Home is where they want to kill you. Stories of migrants who have nothing but faith in Trump (Part 1)

For most of us, home is a place where we take off our shoes, where we are safe, where we go to lock ourselves away from the world. For these people, it's more of a state of mind. It's where they have a moment's peace and hope that they won't have to return to the places they came from. They are fleeing their "homes" where they have been abused, humiliated, and even wanted to kill.
 


by Václav Lang
first published by revue Prostor under the title
Domov je tam, kde tě chtějí zabít. Příběhy migrantů, jimž zbyla jen víra vTrumpa (1. část)

February 2025

Home is where they want to kill you. Stories of migrants who have nothing but faith in Trump (Part 2)

(TIJUANA) It's Sunday morning, less than a day until Trump's inauguration. The city is freezing, but the sun is already rising above the horizon, sending warm rays down on the Babyloons. We climb the hills far from downtown and the border, and taxi driver Miguel confides that his brother worked as a "coyote" many years ago. There's no other way to refer to the local smugglers.
 


by Václav Lang
first published by revue Prostor under the title
Domov je tam, kde tě chtějí zabít. Příběhy migrantů, jimž zbyla jen víra vTrumpa (2. část)

February 2025

I wouldn't feel safe here

The author spent several weeks to find out how Ukrainians perceive Slovakia in the current political context, three years after the outbreak of a full-scale war.
 


by Sára Činčurová
first published by Kapitál under the title
Necítila by som sa u vás bezpečne

February 2025

Stop and go: Chișinău's bumpy (bicycle) road to Europe

Following a very close referendum and the re-election of pro-European President Maia Sandu, the Republic of Moldova is on a shaky course towards the EU. A new cycle path in Chișinău shows just how bumpy the road to Europe can be in everyday life.
 


by Christian-Zsolt Varga, Ramin Mazur
first published by Jádu under the title
Stop and go: Chișinăus holpriger (Fahrrad)Weg nach Europa

January 2025

Why Americans elected Trump - and how those who didn't vote for him feel

On 20 January, Donald Trump was sworn in and officially became the 47th President of the United States of America. Unlike in 2016, Trump won the election by a majority vote. He became the first US President to be convicted – for falsifying documents and bribing porn star Stormy Daniels to avoid damaging his 2016 election campaign. How?
 


by Audra Skuodaitė
first published in NARA under the title
Kodėl amerikiečiai išrinko Trumpą – ir kaip jaučiasi tie, kurie už jį nebalsavo

January 2025

Blockades of Faculties in Serbia

The article reports on the ongoing student protests and blockades of faculties in Serbia. These actions were initiated by students in response to the tragic collapse of the shelter in Novi Sad and the long-standing dissatisfaction with the political situation under President Vucic.
 


by Vladimíra Dorčová Valtnerová
first published by Kapitál under the title
Blokády fakúlt v Srbsku

January 2025

Longing for Visegrad

The article reflects on the current state of the Visegrad Four, with the author criticising the departure from the original ideals of cooperation. It focuses on the rise of nationalist tendencies and the lack of solidarity in the region, illustrating this with the example of attitudes towards Ukrainian refugees and Robert Fico's meeting with Vladimir Putin.
 


by Apolena Rychlíková
first published by Kapitál under the title
Toužení po Visegrádu

January 2025

Ruby slippers aren't enough. Absence of home as the root cause of the vicious cycle of trauma

Homelessness is most often associated with the image of a man lying on a bench with a bottle in his hand. But what other forms can it take? In what ways does the absence of a home inscribe itself in our lives, our ability to form relationships and social integration, the conditions needed to deal with this problem? This deeply personal account turns conventional ideas about homelessness upside down. Is it most often caused by relational trauma?
 


by Maja Rysová
first published by revue Prostor under the title
Rubínové střevíce nestačí. Absence domova jako základní příčina začarovaného kruhu traumatu

January 2025

Poetry and bullets, plastic in the trenches

This interview explores the realities of war, its environmental consequences, and the societal shifts in Ukraine due to the ongoing conflict. It highlights the personal journey of a Ukrainian woman engaged in activism and military service, emphasizing the role of culture, identity, and resilience in times of war. The narrative also addresses the broader struggle of post-colonial nations resisting imperial aggression.
 


by Olena Apczel, Nataliya Parshchyk
first published by Kultura Liberalna under the title
Poezja i kule, plastik w okopach

January 2025

Revitalizing solidarity

The labour market is difficult, especially for young people. About trade unions as collective tools for achieving a dignified future, about non-standardised work that will soon become the norm, and about the idea of doing nothing as a guide to a ‘good life’. Interview with Monika Uhlerová, president of the Slovak Trade Union Federation, KOZ.
 


by Ivana Rumanová
first published by Jádu under the title
Resuscitovať solidaritu

December 2024

The climate crisis and the willingness to sacrifice disadvantaged people

People with disabilities are two to four times more likely to be injured or even die during climate emergencies than people without disabilities. However, it is not only the climate crisis itself that affects these people disproportionately more often, but also unrealised measures to counteract the climate crisis. Our author Petra Eller reports on how such measures create new barriers, especially for people with health impairments and disabilities.
 


by Petra Eller
first published by Jádu under the title
Klimatická kríza a ochota obetovať zdravotne znevýhodnených ľudí

December 2024

On the Road to Russia: Rigged Elections and Dashed Dream

The text describes the massive protests in Georgia after the parliamentary elections in October 2024, which the pro-Russian Georgian Dream party won. The text also includes the testimony of lawyer Gvantsy Danelia on the widespread fraud and violations of electoral rules.
 


by Salome Berdzenišvili
first published by Kapitál under the title
Na ceste do Ruska: Zmanipulované voľby a zmarené sny

December 2024

Mark Adam Harold, the Ghostwriter Behind Gabrielius Landsbergis's Tweets

Lithuania's foreign minister, who finished his term in December 2024 – and, at least for now, his political career – became a surprise star on Twitter, relentlessly advocating for Ukraine's defense. We talked with a former DJ, an immigrant, “the least diplomatic person in Lithuania, ” who penned the minister's tweets for Lithuania's public diplomacy effort.
 


by Karolis Vyšniauskas
first published in NARA under the title
Mark Adam Harold, the Ghostwriter Behind Gabrielius Landsbergis's Tweets

December 2024

Can we take this further than a hateful poster? The SPD campaign has shown that most Czechs don't care about racism

„We were born here, we grew up here, we study, we work, we raise our children. Most of us are planning our future here. We are part of Czech society, but we have dark skin. According to the SPD and its supporters, we are a risk. We are alone in our struggle to convince the public that we are not.“ On racism in Czech politics and the reactions of the Czech public from the perspective of a "dark-skinned" author.
 


by Natálie Sousa
first published by revue Prostor under the title
Můžeme to dotáhnout dál než na nenávistný plakát? Kampaň SPD ukázala, že většině Čechů je rasizmus jedno

December 2024

Police brutality, but also unusual expressions of solidarity. Notes from the demonstrations in Georgia

A group of students report on the protests in Georgia that erupted after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced a halt to the country's accession negotiations to join the EU by 2028.
 


by Robo Mihály, Michal Vasiľ, Virág Emma Csuport
first published in Kapitál under the title
Policajná brutalita, ale aj nevšedné prejavy solidarity. Zápisky z demonštrácií v Gruzínsku

November 2024

In Cameroon, Prisca was threatened with death. Will Lithuania become her new home?

In July 2022, Prisca Pascalina crossed the border between Lithuania and Belarus because she was facing death in her native Cameroon. After two years and several court hearings, she was granted asylum in Lithuania. Prisca is now starting her life as a transgender black refugee. In a society that is often hostile to her.
 


Julija Stankevičiūtė
first published by NARA under the title
Kamerūne Priscai grėsė mirtis. Ar Lietuva taps jos naujais namais?

November 2024

Embroidered resistance

Rufina Bazlova uses embroidery to tell the stories of political prisoners, protesters and the people who have died in Belarus since Aleksandr Lukashenko forcibly took power in 2020. About collective memories, building connection, and solidarity with Belarus.
 


by Ester Dobiášová 
first published by Jádu under the title
Vyšívaná kronika odporu v Bělorusku

November 2024

Bookshelves as embrasures

Why does Russian aggression in Ukraine extend to books? How librarians in Ukraine go far beyond their professional responsibilities and not only save culture, but also the lives of readers. 
 


by Kateryna Yehorushkina
first published by Jádu under the title
„Udělali si z polic na knihy střílny...“

October 2024

In the light of the star and the crescent moon

A personal testimony of a young woman who is half Muslim and half Jewish, living in Europe. A text reflecting on the question of what her identity actually is, on Islamophobia linked to the migrant crisis and the ever-present anti-Semitism. It asks how identity is formed, to what extent it is chosen, and to what extent it is a projection of those around her, such as family, friends and the foreign public.
 


by Melika Yildiz
first published by revue Prostor under the title
Ve svitu hvězdy apůlměsíce