How important are language and inclusion for democracy? What future perspectives do literature, films and theatre point to? Can justice and the abolition of poverty and inequality be achieved? Debates and contributions from cultural and social life.
Which of you now aged 40-plus no longer remembers those hefty volumes on your parents’ bookshelves: encyclopaedias like “Brockhaus” were the epitome of education and knowledge per se – until the internet and Wikipedia heralded the end of an era.
The Institute for Social Research (IfS), known internationally as the “Frankfurt School”, was founded a hundred years ago. Its most seminal thinkers still inform our conception of society today. What may well be their most important legacy is their contention that a different world is possible.
The independent theatre scene in Germany is growing, but its problems remain: too little money, too little security, and virtually no (political) recognition. A status report.
Sulle sponde, a dance piece premiering at the German Pavilion at this year’s Architecture Biennale in Venice, grapples with issues of inclusion and accessibility in the world of culture and the arts. We talked to the choreographer about it.
Contemporary circus has been achieving success on an international scale for years. The scene is becoming bigger and more visible in Germany too, even though in many places it’s still having to overcome stereotypes and fight for recognition as an art form. Here’s a review of the situation.
Open for Maintenance / Wegen Umbau geöffnet is the title of the German Pavilion at the 18th International Architecture Exhibition in Venice. The pavilion is dedicated to exploring matters of repair, maintenance, accessibility, and inclusion. But what does accessibility mean in a city made up of roughly 120 islands and 359 heritage-protected bridges and whose transport runs mostly on canals? And how inclusive is the Biennale itself?
The action starts again every May: in 2023 the Theatertreffen, Germany’s most important theatre festival is operating without restrictions imposed by the pandemic for the first time. It features some major productions and a few surprises.
We love music. Some pieces accompany us a whole lifetime, other songs we most definitely steer clear of. What role does our taste in music play with respect to our personality, to our identity, to social affiliation – and to social exclusion? And why is music so important, especially during puberty?
Colombian scholar Carlos Granés talks about the profound connection between art and politics in Latin America and the contradictions of the region’s creative spirit. He also explains why, in his opinion, the industry’s political correctness is problematic.
Berlin is the center of the international techno universe, Chengdu that of China. Roman Kierst dives into the underground scene of the metropolis in southwest China.
The war changed the lives of millions of Ukrainians. Artists, too. Ukrainian "partisan" and sculptor Mykhailo Kolodko tells us how his pain for his homeland is reflected in his work.
The current refugee crisis caused by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is a challenge for the whole Czech Republic – and particularly for social workers, many of whom work very long hours for very low pay. Antonín Smetana is a case in point.
A stitch, a book, a hat — Katie Davis speaks with immigrants about the items that they brought to the U.S. from their home countries and the special meaning that each of these souvenirs holds.
One missile that hit the Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk in early April had the words “For the children” painted on it in Russian. That message has become a symbol of Russian aggression against the most helpless and vulnerable.
The Czechs have shown strong solidarity with Ukraine. Almost 390,000 war refugees have been officially registered here to date. But one group tends to be overlooked: the Ukrainian The Grand Initiative helps Romani families stranded in Brno.
The author of the text is a journalist from a non-capital Russian city. He was one of the first to be “awarded” foreign agent status. His text describes how the war in Ukraine is perceived by people who have already found themselves in the position of “enemies of the people”.
Our personal experiences with war refugees may disabuse us Europeans of some illusions, but they’re also bound to reveal strengths and qualities we hardly knew we had. So, however hard this test of our commitment to humanitarian principles may prove, it’s bound to end well, trusts Slovak reporter and photographer Andrej Bán.
The people in Sudan are fighting the fifth year in a row after the revolution in 2018 for their freedom. Wini Omer spoke with revolutionaries in Khartoum about their hopes and reasons to keep fighting.
Fridays for Future, BLM, MeToo, #Leavenoonebhind: the fact that young people feel compelled to protest in the streets is first and foremost the expression of a fundamental dissatisfaction with politics. But it’s also a signal that they haven’t yet given up their belief in change. Another way this can be seen currently is through demonstrations of solidarity with Ukraine.
Why do we attach so much importance to gender? What would society look like without it? In this opinion piece, sociologist Alice Rombach dreams of a more diverse world.
“Alle Räder stehen still, wenn dein starker Arm es will” — “All the wheels shall stand still if thy strong arm so wills.” This line from the German labor anthem of 1863 has gained new relevance since the pandemic.
Tatiana, Lina, Arina and Dani fled Kyiv. Their journey ended in Düsseldorf for the time being. There, the author Vera Vorneweg. Vorneweg took them in – and recounts their first day together.
Under fire: From a basement in Kharkiv, Ruslan Niyazov is keeping a diary, writing to keep the constant danger and fear at bay. In his posts from underground, he describes everyday scenes, hopes and worries. Excerpts from a digital war diary.
Atoms consist of a nucleus and an electron shell – that is mostly known. So what does this model have to do with the development of human identity? A lot, says Tania Maria Roman Medina, and she talks about her home in two states and her passion for language, sport and baking.
During the Nazi regime, many German artists and intellectuals found refuge in Southern California. The authors Lion Feuchtwanger and Thomas Mann were among the most prominent “exiles in paradise”. Join us on our audio voyage to their former homes in Los Angeles.
ETH Library Zurich, Thomas Mann Archive, unknown photographer
The Leipzig Book Fair – after the Frankfurt fair the most important annual convention in the sector – was cancelled at short notice in 2022 because of the pandemic. The discussion that flared up as a result is only the beginning of a fundamental debate on the future of book fairs.
In his debut novel, the writer Lukas Rietzschel describes the lack of perspective and the radicalisation of two brothers who grow up in East Germany. In the interview he talks about populism and the brutalisation of language.
Translating literature is an art, as it is about much more than literally transferring a text into another language. Find out what makes literary translations so complex and why artificial intelligence cannot do the job.
In his search for his identity, neither the study of philosophy nor the reading of Camus helped Friedrich Kloß. Instead of brooding endlessly, he changed something - and was finally able to imagine who he really was.
Eugenia Löwen saw herself between two worlds and everyone told her which side she actually belonged to. But she doesn't want to be identified by others. She wants to determine for herself who she is. Her essay is about self-definition, the attribution of others and the complex aspects of one's own identity.
What makes me unique? What is important to me and where do I belong? In her poem, the young author Samya Jayachandran explores the facets of her identity.
Atoms consist of a nucleus and an electron shell – that is mostly known. So what does this model have to do with the development of human identity? A lot, says Tania Maria Roman Medina, and she talks about her home in two states and her passion for language, sport and baking.
What significance did work have in life in the past, what significance does it have today? Fadzai Nova looks at the arduous work routines of our ancestors and how digitalisation benefits us today. Her poem formulates a hope – for all people.
What is actually more important - the salary or meaningful work? And why do employees and superiors so rarely agree? A satirical look at everyday working life in large companies.
What do you do when an uninvited guest moves into your home and your family life? What if this guest is named “work”? The only thing you can do is set limits – as soon as possible.
Working moms have been fighting for a flexible home office shift for years – yet it needed a global crisis to become reality. Zoe Aphane reflects about the changes that are hopefully about to come and why they are especially important for women.
When we talk about diversity in our society, we often look outwards or at what seems “foreign” and “different” to us personally. But it is worth changing our perspective from the outside to the inside and discovering that the diversity within ourselves gives us a better understanding of the diversity of the world.
As of 2021, the Earth is home to 7.9 billion people. 7.9 billion people mean different cultures, numerous faith and religions, ethnicities, genders, beliefs and sexual orientations. The society that we live in is often labelled as “diverse”. But what exactly does a diverse society consist of?
What does a child feel who sees no children like itself in the cinema, in books or on television? Who is far too often busy trying to overcome distances? Only in the big city does Lara Shaker see herself represented and taken care of – and she is happy that diversity has become a little more “normal” in the meantime.
Russia’s war against Ukraine is also a war against Ukrainian culture, which Putin considers non-existent. The Kyiv Symphony Orchestra has taken up the defence: Its musicians departed on a concert tour through Europe to raise awareness for Ukrainian culture. Can music communicate national identity?
The Iranian filmmaker Narges Kalhor speaks in this interview about her film studies in Munich, elitism in the arts and how art can make the wheels of society turn more quickly.
Polish-Romani artist Małgorzata Mirga-Tas on artistic activism, the identity of the European Romani community, dignified female protagonists and the struggle for equal rights.
From experimental movements of the 1960s, moving through the gambiarra aesthetics in the 2000s, to the need for exile that is determined by the current political situation, Brazilian artistic production is guided by a kind of motto: to create from material and social adversity, transforming precarity into a conceptual tool.
The ideal of freedom is reflected in hundreds of Brazilian songs. Especially because samba originated in the 1910s in the country’s Black communities, for whom freedom was doubtless the most treasured ideal of all.
South African writer Lindokuhle Nkosi visits the Kronendal Music Academy in Hout Bay, a suburb of Cape Town, which provides musical education for children. In a personal exchange with founder Dwyn Griesel they speak about the hardships of the corona pandemic and the consequences for the children, but also about the healing power of music.
International, emotional, immediate: the Berlinale “Panorama” section tracks down some outstanding works on the international cinema scene. In this context, the focus is on bold and unconventional feature films and documentaries that occupy a space close to the social and political zeitgeist. Michael Stütz, head of the Panorama section, talks about the most important themes and trends – and tells us what’s so special about his work.
The films of the GDR’s state film production company, DEFA, always bore the stigma of being permeated by propaganda. That, however, is only part of the truth. When it comes to feature and animation films, fairy tales and documentaries there is a valuable artistic film legacy to be found. The DEFA Foundation wants to make them more easily available digitally.
On the Polish border to Belarus, Belarusian artists exhibit art which they would no longer be able to show in their homeland. Around the corner is the war in Ukraine. The “taz”- journalist Julia Hubernagel went there for first-hand impressions.
Photographer Tobias Zielony is known for his photographs of young people from disadvantaged urban regions. An interview about his work and the boundaries between realism and reporting.
What was once considered the stuff of science fiction may become a reality in just a few decades: human life on Mars. What lessons can we learn from the past to avoid repeating the same mistakes on the Red Planet?
Queen, The Beatles, Lana del Rey: Pop songs are often about trust – in the Establishment, in others, in ourselves. Over the years, utopian faith has given way to dystopian distrust.
The psychological tricks advertisers use to hack the consumer’s mind have remained much the same over the years. It’s been clear since the dawn of advertising that familiarity breeds trust.
Nowadays most countries in the world have a democratic constitution, on paper at least. But how democratic are the democracies of today? And what does it even mean: democracy?
Sometimes songs take on a meaning that’s completely different from the one that was actually planned. Former Neue Deutsche Welle star Andreas Dorau experienced this with his song “Demokratie”: intended as a light-hearted pop tune, the song is played even now when it comes to upholding democratic values.
There’s nothing better than democracy; Hasnain Kazim is convinced of that. He also knows that it cannot be had without effort, without balance and, above all, without a fight.
“Disobedient Histories” is the name of a group made up of the descendants of criminals of the Argentine dictatorship. Its members confront their family’s past and say no to denial and complicity.
Unions are anything but in or cool. Membership numbers have been dropping in most industrialised countries for years. So, has the collective action model had its day? Quite the opposite in fact: Our author argues that times of crisis are exactly when we need to reup on solidarity.
Making companies more democratic and participatory is one of the biggest goals in the working world nowadays. This article takes a look at Germany’s worker participation and how it has caught on in Spain and Europe as a whole.
Is a global minimum wage feasible? Labour market researcher Ralf Himmelreicher says yes, but the hurdles are high and it would not only have advantages.
The idea of guaranteeing everyone an unconditional basic income seems tempting to many people. But laypeople and experts alike have been arguing for many years about whether – and, above all, how – it might work. A pilot project in Berlin is now looking for new answers to these and related questions, which could rekindle the debate in Germany.
When the Covid-19 pandemic began, the Sicilian legal scholar Elena Militello was working at the University of Luxembourg. Activities were switched online for the remainder of the academic year and Militello returned to Palermo, the city of her birth.
At a time when freedom in the world is on the verge of collapse due to restrictions by authoritarian systems and the Corona pandemic, it is becoming clear how public space is rapidly shrinking. What role do artists play in the defence of freedom?
What is the state of freedom in Japanese society today? Answers from Japanese activist Momoko Nojo, who is campaigning for greater political participation, especially among younger people in her home country.
An interview with Leipzig feminist and publicist Kim Posster about masculine ideals and the suffering they inflict. He is convinced that feminist critique is indispensable in helping men come to terms with themselves and models of masculinity.
In 1990, Latvia regained its freedom after several decades behind the Iron Curtain. Russian-born Deniss Hanovs, who has been a Latvian citizen for twenty years now, asks, “Who am I to my Latvian compatriots?" He believes a shared future in freedom is possible – provided that people are alive to one another’s pain.
Hannah Arendt dedicated her life to understanding the most pressing political questions of the 20th century. Author Samantha Rose Hill explores the life and work of one of the world's most important thinkers of her time.
The limit of my freedom is the freedom of others – what does that mean, especially today, for our modern, complex society? Armin Nassehi talks about the concept of freedom in a world that is being rocked by one disaster after another.
The hope of an editor-in-chief that journalists in Russia may die of old age points out the risks facing the profession there. Journalist and media scholar Ksenia Luchenko writes about the gruelling business of reorting and free expression in her home country and the crisis of traditional journalism.
How might one consider the concept of freedom? Where do neo-liberalists differ from fundamentalists? In an interview with Ekkehard Knörer, Professor Juliane Rebentisch addresses the selfie culture, love and art.
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.
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.
The art form of the caricature has never been more visible than it is today. It was the classic drawing that dominated the scene for a long time, but this has now been joined by cartoons, memes and TV formats. This is a short history of caricature culture in Germany.
Geschichten einer Sommernacht – Von Liebesdingen und Beziehungsweisen
Für diesen Abend hat Gudrun Rathke die schönsten Geschichten rund um das Thema Liebe zusammengestellt. Humorvoll und berührend erzählt sie von den vielen Facetten des Suchens und Findens, des Hinhaltens und Miteinander Aushaltens. Ein Zuhörgenuss auch für jene, die in der deutschen Sprache erst heimisch werden, denn wenn frei erzählt wird, dann versteht man mehr, als man glaubt.
