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donate Summary for Blätter 01/2009
Janna Greve
Slavery in the 21st century
Though slavery and slave trade were officially abolished decades ago, they are still depressingly effective. Currently, more than 25 million people are enslaved; the products of their work can be bought in every corner of the world. Political scientist Janna Greve analyses how slavery evolves, develops and spreads. Her conclusion: slavery as a crime against humanity can only be overcome by determined multilateral action.
"A Marshall Plan for the USA"
Interview with Parag Khanna
On January 20, Barack Obama will take office. But will the new president establish a new, democratic era? To discuss this question, Blätter met Parag Khanna, author of the critically acclaimed book The Second World and a foreign policy advisor of Obama. Khanna's main thesis is that the world of tomorrow will be characterised by "medium countries" such as Brasil, Indonesia, and Turkey. The dominating forces, however, will be the three power blocs China, Europe and the United States – though the U.S. will have to struggle to compensate its increasing loss of power.
Thomas L. Friedman
Code Green
Why we need a green revolution
America has got a problem, and the world has got a problem – i.e., that America has lost its orientation. At least, this is Thomas L. Friedman's view. The New York Times columnist and three times winner of the Pulitzer Price – so far mainly known for his enthusiasm about globalisation – advocates a decisive turn in the U.S. environment and climate policies. To meet the challenges lying ahead, Friedman demands nothing less than a "green revolution" – because we must no longer remain as foolish as we want to.
Albert Statz
Strategy in times of crisis – sustainability as chance
Economic crisis, climate change, resource shortages – to Albert Statz, expert on sustainability strategies, the cumulation of crises is the central challenge of the future. In his view, sustainability must become the core of a progressive strategy as well as the general frame of reference for politics. Statz thus understands the crisis as a chance to replace the primacy of economics with a primacy of politics and ecology.
Andreas Fisahn and Lars Niggemeyer
EU law as brake. The conceivable failure of financial market regulation
So far, the political response to the global financial crisis is poor. The importance of EU law for restricting regulation is, however, rarely analysed. Andreas Fisahn, Professor of Law at Bielefeld University, and social scientist Lars Niggemeyer demonstrate that the European states are captives of their own contract documents. They show how European law prevents a departure from the neoliberal path.
Stefan Selke
Feeding the poor. The boom of the "Tafel" movement
In the last 15 years, "Tafeln" ("tables") have spread all over Germany. "Tables" collect food donations and distribute them among poor people. Stefan Selke, Professor of Sociology at Furtwangen College, analyses this movement – and its ambivalent usefulness: On the one hand, "tables" provide a commendable service; on the other hand, they thereby contribute to appeasing the rising number of poor.
Joachim Perels
Perpetrators as marionettes. The penologic reinterpretation of Nazi crimes
Fifty years ago, on December 1, 1958, the "Central Office of the State Justice Administration for the Investigation of National Socialist Crimes" in Ludwigsburg was founded. Joachim Perels, Professor for Political Science at Hannover University, recapitulates the scandalous handling of Nazi crimes by post-war German criminal courts. All too often, mass murderers were treated as mere "helpers" – and were set free soon.
Published 2009-01-07
Original in German
Contributed by Blätter
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© Eurozine
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