The Concept of Sustainability “Stop Devouring the World!”

Photo (detail): Isaac Risco © picture alliance / dpa

The Krenak indigenous community, to which Ailton Krenak belongs, lost their livelihoods in the Mariana tragedy.

The philosopher and Indigenous leader Ailton Krenak orders humankind to go on a ten-year diet.

Ailton Krenak

Author, Journalist

Writing Contest The Diversity Within Us

The Zeitgeister editorial team asked: What is a diverse society? The answers reached us from all over the world – from Greece to Lebanon, from Peru to India. We present four particularly impressive contributions. For the section of paintings, we'd like to present Hanin El Husseins work about the diversity inside everyone of us.

Illustration: © Tobias Schrank Illustration: © Tobias Schrank

In Focus: Who Is in the Club?

A Break from the World

Safe(r) Spaces: Many marginalised groups urgently need safe places where they can protect themselves from discrimination and communicate amongst themselves. The term is increasingly entering the discourse because spaces are never completely safe - we can only make them safer.

More on the Focus Theme

Inclusion Seeing Deaf People, Hearing Their Demands

Neither top nor bottom of the class, Canada is slowly but surely moving towards accessibility for the deaf community.

Photo (Detail): Justin Tang © picture alliance / ZUMAPRESS.com

Governor General Mary Simon claps in sign language for Veronique Leduc of Montreal after she received the Meritorious Service Medal (Civil Division) at the Presentation of Canadian Honours at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on 17th September 2021.

Postcolonial Criticism of the SDGs Just a Fig Leaf?

Six years ago, the United Nations defined a number of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aimed at tackling and overcoming ecological and social problems following a holistic approach. The political scientist Dr Aram Ziai believes that the SDGs have failed. In our interview he explains how he has arrived at this conclusion.

Photo (detail): © Thomas Köhler

For Better Inclusion The Way People with Disabilities See Themselves

Am I disabled? Will I become disabled? Is “disabled” the right word at all? Journalist Henning Schmidt has been living with some restrictions since he was born. He feels that in order to help people feel integrated into society, the focus should not be on language and terminology.

Photo (detail): © picture alliance / Frank May

Am I disabled, or am I disabled by my environment? Being dependent on a wheelchair is not a problem until you come across a staircase.

Art Accessibility Overcoming Invisible Barriers

Due to her involvement in accessible art projects in China, author Chen Si’an was able to ask people with disabilities on how inclusion could be reached. In an interview, Peng Linqian, Tian Yunfan and Guo Wancheng tell her how to achieve real communication and equality.

Photo (detail): Jason Lee © picture alliance / REUTERS

Physically disabled Chen Liting and an instructor practise modern dance at a disabled persons activity center in Beijing.

Beyond the SDGs Alternatives to Development Concepts

Many international institutions refer to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. But what do the SDGs really mean for work on the ground? That is what we talked about with Ashish Kothari, founder of the Indian NGO Kalpavriksh.

Photo (detail): Screenshot Bhimashankar documentary on women empowerment © Kalpavriksh

Zambian Revolution No Place Like Home

Zambian writer Natasha Omokhodion speaks about her home country and its diverse heritage, movement and opinion. And, how everyone can decide about their own fate and future.

Photo (detail): Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi © picture alliance / Associated Press

Supporters of main opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema celebrate on a street in Lusaka, Zambia, on 15th August 2021.

Intersectional Feminism A Community Garden

Diversity is not easy, but beautiful in many ways. The path towards equality mustn’t be a maze, but a community garden. In her essay, Dr. Michaela Dudley shows that the women’s movement can only hope for lasting progress if we understand it as intersectional.

A statue of Sojourner Truth in New York’s Central Park

Something yokes us to this land. To its strength in diversity

Natasha Omokhodion

From the Sections

Data Protection A Society is more than the Sum of its Individuals

Facebook, Siri or Alexa – where artificial intelligence technology is concerned people often complain that there is insufficient protection of privacy. But intelligent systems are less interested in individual data than in generalising and standardising the life contexts they are automating.

What happens when apps become our new urban architects? The reason we urgently need to modify the regulation of digital applications.

Energy Transformation Civil Disobedience for the Climate

Germany has decided to phase out coal, but energy company RWE is still clearing forests and relocating villages in the coal mining areas in the Rhineland. There has been resistance and protest from many corners, including “Ende Gelände” and “Triole gegen Kohle”.

End Coal Now: Ende Gelände protests at the Hambach open pit mine in fall 2018.

Female post-migrant writing Who is included and who defines reality?

Why do we believe storytellers? And why do they sometimes have to lie to us? A discussion in German with Shida Bazyar about female, post-migrant writing, the NSU and literary criticism.