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Articles published in Eurozine
The rebirth of religion and enchanting materialism
While Europe is the exception in the global de-secularization of politics, theoretical interest in theological issues has been rising. Sven-Eric Liedman places "soft naturalism" against militant atheism and makes a plea for a "matérialisme enchanté". [more]
Blogging, the nihilist impulse
Media theorist and Internet activist Geert Lovink formulates a theory of weblogs that goes beyond the usual rhetoric of citizen journalism. [Italian and Swedish versions added] [more]
Against love
Seeking the literary traces of the Natascha Kampusch affair
"The birth of love out of the spirit of totalitarianism expressed itself in exemplary manner in the Kampusch abduction story. A person is shut in, all the others shut out -- that is the ideological core of romantic love." [more]
Phobocity
London and the War on Terror
In London post-7/7, the wail of police sirens has become the soundtrack of the "phobocity". But the phobocity is not created by the suicide bombers alone -- politicians and journalists also trade on fear. [more]
The Polish plumber and the image game
The Polish plumber is a cliché throughout Europe, which even the Polish tourist board has made use of. However, in the UK the joke veils a growing resentment towards workers from the new EU states. [more]
Hernando de Soto and the mystification of capital
Hernando de Soto argues that global poverty could be relieved by giving the poor official ownership of their property. But this argument is more likely to be used to defend the sacred right of private ownership. [more]
Roses, oranges... and coca
What remains of revolutions in the globalized world?
Unlike the Orange revolutionaries, Bolivian president Evo Morales challenges the global hierarchy -- hence his lukewarm reception in the West. [more]
A barbarian in Beirut
Isreal's attempts to bomb Hezbollah out of Beirut has a precedent in Mossad's assassination of three PLO leaders in Beirut in 1973. Two years later, Lebanon found itself in the clutch of civil war, writes Michael Azar. [more]
Is this the way to go?
Handling immigration in a global era
As Europe more than ever fortifies its borders against illegal immigrants, what about the increase in human trafficking? [more]
An Arendtean Scaffold for Thinking About Terrorism
The response to the terrorist attacks on the United States on 11 of September 2001 is based on theories of war that no longer apply, says Bat-Ami Bar On. However, can politics without violence at all deal with the current versions of totalitarian violent terror? Bar On turns to Hannah Arendt to find an answer. [more]
The cosmopolitan state
Towards a Realistic Utopia
The global terrorist threat is part of the risk society and blurs the distinction between internal and external security. Ulrich Beck concludes that in order to be able to deal with their national problems today's states have to de-nationalise and trans-nationalise themselves. [more]
Marx's Mole is Dead!
Globalisation and Communication
Drawing on their book
The Morning After
Milosevic has reached the end of his road, but Serbia's journey to self-reconstruction has only just begun
The magic moment did come: Milosevics leadership is over. But what can Yugoslavia expect from its daily life once the exitement of victory has died down? Slavoj Zizek paints a picture of extreme capitalism going hand in hand with violent nationalism. [more]
The Politics of Euroscepticism
On Sept. 28, 2000, Denmark voted not to join the euro, an example of a persistent Euroscepticism. Denmark has been strongly marked by it, but it exists to some extent in most European countries. What lies behind this reluctance to move forward with Europe among a large minority of Europeans? [more]
The Racist Albatross
Social Science, Jörg Haider and Widerstand
Racism is an inescapable part of our history, of our present and of ourselves. Only when we realise this can we also understand the role of racism in the world-system, and only then are we able to interpret the successes of the populists and the extreme right – as well as the resistance that these successes have triggered. [more]
Why do we all love to hate Haider?
In the ”post-political era” the choice between Left and Right has lost its meaning, says Slavoj Zizek. The return of the extreme Right is the price that the ”Third Way” social democracy is paying for its renunciation of any radical political project. [more]
Happy is, who forgets
A flood of criticism hit Austria when the Freedom Party was included in the government. Self-appointed ”experts” deemed the alpine republic plague-infected and put it in quarantine. But in order to repudiate Austria, Europe has made itself blind of its own history, says Lothar Baier. [more]
Eurosedelns symboliska densitet
Vilka drömmar kan en akvedukt bära?
Vad symboliserar eurosedlarnas tomma arkitektur? Ett liknöjt "hit men inte längre"? [more]
De tre E:na och det försvunna F:et
Carl Henrik Fredriksson försöker tyda signalerna inför Sveriges ordförandeskap i EU. [more]
Kulturradikalismen och den praktiska nordismen
Den norske litteraturvetaren Eivind Tjønneland kritiserar unga norska författare och intellektuella för att retirera in i kulturkonservatism, nyreligiositet och självplågeri. Mot detta vill han ställa en revitaliserad kulturradikalism som har frigjort sig från en uttjänt, reflexmässig antiamerikanism och från den förutsägbara kritiken av populärkultur och konsumtionssamhälle. [more]
Digital antiprovinsialism
Om nödvändigheten av en europeisk intellektuell offentlighet
Carl Henrik Fredriksson beskriver den digitala tidskriften Eurozine - ett försök skapa en motvikt till de alltmer koncentrerade mediestrukturerna, där väsentligheter inte får plats och enhetsideologin kväver varje "olikhet" som inte är pikant. [more]
När alla talar med en röst
Den publicistiska enhetsideologins principlöshet
Vad är det egentligen som sker i den svenska tidningsvärlden? Turerna kring Ingrid Elams avhopp från tjänsten som kulturchef på Dagens Nyheter bekräftar de farhågor som hennes företrädare Arne Ruth gav uttryck för då han lämnade tidningen 1998. Carl Henrik Fredriksson förklarar varför ett två år gammalt brev har en hel del att säga om dagens situation. [more]
Helt enkelt komplicerat
Österrike, Internetgenerationen och en plats mellan makten och verkligheten
Carl Henrik Fredriksson rapporterar från Wien och protesterna mot den nya österrikiska regeringskoalitionen. [more]