Le Monde diplomatique (Oslo)
Eurozine
Le Monde diplomatique (Oslo)
2011-02-15
Summary for Le Monde diplomatique (Oslo) 2/2011
Slavoj Zizek
"Chaos under the skies -- an excellent situation"
The popular uprisings in The Middle East underscores that true the antagonism is to be found between religious fundamentalism and the radical left, rather than dictatorship and liberal democracy.
Slavoj Zizek
Education in the age of WikiLeaks
So far the WikiLeaks-case has been portrayed as a struggle between WikiLeaks and the American empire. WikiLeaks is however targeting the formal function of power. They do now want to expose the dirty details and the individuals responsible for them. They are not going after those that are in power so much as the power in itself, its structure.
Camille Sarret
Women fight on
Anti-colonial, inter-tribal and even religious struggles around the world have strengthened the women who took part in them and made them more able to demand their own rights.
Alain Gresh
Chinese dromedaries and Saudi camels
Both countries are members of the G-20 club, but Saudi-Arabia, the keeper of holy cities of Islam, and atheist China stand very far apart, not just physically but also ideologically. They have nevertheless formed close ties in the last ten years economically, culturally, religiously and militarily.
Michäel Rodriguez
Competition as a cure for competition
Due to the lack of public health insurance, the Swiss have to sign insurance deals with private firms. The prices and expenditures are constantly rising. To restrain the price growth, the authorities are supporting more competition in the health market, but without results. A new reform will soon be implemented which will deregulate the health sector even further.
Tristan Coloma
Dams that could power Africa
The Democratic Republic of Congo has mineral resources the world covets and its Grand Inga dam project could provide 40 per cent of Africa's electricity needs. But the average citizen is unlikely to benefit.
Xavier Monthéard
The secrets and wonders of the finance market
What is important in a country where the inhabitants only earn two US dollars every day? The stock market, of course. A cultural revolution is happening in the communist country Laos while the finance market is opening up at the same time. The president already calls the process "a highway of capital".
Kristina Johansen
The women who weave for peace
Colombian authorities claim that there are no longer any paramilitary groups in the country. But more illegal armed groups are spreading fear in La Guajira today. The women in the region refuse to give in to threats and violence and fights back with peaceful means.
Sébastien Guex
The secrecy continues
In 2009, the government in Bern, Switzerland, finally allowed banks to give out information about their clients to foreign governments. But the reform has a rather limited scope, and the finance industry does its best to close the door.
Olivier Piot
Tunisia: diary of a revolution
It began with the protest suicide of a proud young man. It ended with a decapitated state, an exiled dictator, and the potential for international change.
El Alaoui Hicham Ben Abdallah
Egypt catches Tunisia's fire
The uprising in Egypt, sparked by the successful Tunisian revolt, and the other protests across the Arab world, show that repression is failing. What Arab regimes may fall next, and why?
Sarah Ben Néfissa
Why Egypt's uprising took a little longer
For quite some time, Egypt seemed likely to be the first to topple its regime. But Tunisia unexpectedly and successfully rose, with Egypt following in its footsteps.
Kader A. Abderrahim
Algeria: North African perestroika starts here
The Algerian government's attempts to control a parallel economy have provoked riots and demonstrations among its ever more impoverished population. They may not know what they want but, after Tunisia, they know what they are no longer prepared to endure.
Remi Nilsen
A changing Africa
The African paradox: the countries are very rich in natural resources but the populations are only becoming poorer. This creates discontent in Africa. One of the main reasons for the uprisings in North Africa is a decline in purchasing power. For the majority of the people, the prices are rising faster than the income.
Serge Halimi
The impossible happened
Political leaders often claim a situation is so complex that any attempt to change it would be disastrous. This is not always the case. After 9/11, President George Bush offered a clear choice: "Either you are with us or you are with the terrorists." According to President Sarkozy, the choice in Tunisia was between a friendly dictator and "a Taliban-type regime in North Africa". This suits both sides: a dictator can claim to be the last bastion against militant Islam, and the Islamists can claim that they alone oppose the dictator.
Sverre V. Sand
Wings & feathers
After the disciplined film The Wrestler, Darren Aronofsky delivers something that resembles a catalogue of his own strengths and shortcomings as a director. It seems he relates to Art Films like the Village People related to Native Americans and policemen. Black Swan is nevertheless a tour de force when it comes to visual tricks and narrative techniques.
Steffen Moestrup
Right to the marrow
Winter's Bone is an exciting thriller, a well-portrayed family image and not least the most vivid depiction of the poor, white USA for a very long time.
Truls Lie
Conspiracy against conspiracy
Three new documentaries display the power of revelation. Burma Soldier, You Don't Like the Truth -- 4 Days inside Guantánamo og WikiRebels uncover states' abuse of power each in its own way.
Kim Bredesen
American hyper reality
Did you know that Russia and China want to introduce a new universal currency, or that the American military is the world's biggest polluter? If you didn't, it is not you who are to blame but the mass media, according to the organization Project Censored.
Alexander Carnera
The ethos of the artist
If the choice of the individual, therapy and the invention of self presides in the centre of society, workplace, politics and cultural activity, then the contribution made by art is even more important. It is far more important than the priorities that seem to be in focus in the ongoing debate about public financial support of artists in Denmark.
James Kelman
From a room in Glasgow
When James Kelman received the Booker-price in 1994, one indignant juror resigned. A short while later, The Times characterized Kelman as an "illiterate savage". Despite this rather chilling reception he has becomes the most influential author in Scotland.
As a "savage" in literature, he has managed to pull off a unification of popular language, a complex lyrical expression, a temperamental political commitment -- and glowing irony.
Morten Harper
A new global outlook
Le Monde diplomatique in Germany has for several years devoted their back cover to experimental comics, and since last summer we have devoted our mid section to this format in Norway. Now Le Monde diplomatique in France has published a special comic novel that represents an exciting new development in experimental comics.
Sébastien Lapaque
A food tradition fit for the museum
In November Unesco put "The French Meal" on their list of the immaterial inheritance of humanity. But what exactly is the French meal?