LGBTI people in Myanmar: second-class citizens Political transition in Myanmar from a military to a civilian government holds the promise of opening up political spaces to previously marginalized groups. However, the dividend of the country’s democratization process seems to be still far off for the LGBTI community. By Alice Muthoni Murage and Ohnmar Nyunt (Alison)
The LGBTQ Community under Trump: Interview with Sharita Gruberg Interview Are LGBTQ rights on the line under the new administration? We spoke with Sharita Gruberg, associate director of the LGBT Research and Communications Project at the Center for American Progress, about challenges that face LGBTQ community under Trump. By Sophia Oster
LGBTI in Russia: history of success, opportunities and challenges Despite the empowerment of the LGBTI movement during the last 20 years, LGBTI people in Russia face extensive legal discrimination, widespread homophobia and even massive violence. By Dr. Irina Kosterina and Julia Bashinova
The role of irony in the political activism of Hungarian youth In April 2017, a series of demonstrations took place in Budapest against an amendment to the Higher Education Act. They were organised by mostly social media-based groups, but they differed in several aspects from the demonstration culture that has been the norm in Hungary in recent decades. By Andrea Szabó
The Energiewende as a European project What options do German policymakers have when shaping the European Energiewende debate? The Heinrich Böll Foundation proposes a set of recommendations. By Rebecca Bertram
Interview: Second Peace Conference in Myanmar It is difficult to have peace if you do not move your positions. We were talking with Dr. Sai Oo over the opportunities for a constructive peace conference. He is the Country Representative of Pyidaungsu Institute for peace and dialogue in Yangon, Myanmar.
Myanmar's Religious and Ethnic Conflicts: no end in sight Against the backdrop of persistent ethnic tensions, the second round of the peace conference of Burmese government, army (Tatmadaw) and ethnic minorities begins on 24 May in Myanmar. The political internal climate and the relationship of Aung San Suu Kyi to the international community projected its shadows ahead. By Mirco Kreibich, Johanna Goetz and Alice Muthoni Murage
Toward a Global Treaty on Plastic Waste Plastic pollution is a defining problem of our time - and one entirely of our own making. But how do we solve it? This article proposes a possible solution: a comprehensive, binding, and forward-looking global plastics treaty. By Lili Fuhr and Nils Simon
Towards a democratic and globally just resource policy Germany depends on the import of metallic, mineral and fossil fuel resources. The extraction of these raw materials takes place at the expense of the environment and leads to human rights violations. The German Federal Government has to take these consequences adequately into account.
"It’s about a battle of ideas in which we have to constantly engage our opponents" In the beginning of April, the Hungarian President János Áder signed into force certain amendments to the Higher Education Act which in their particular formulation are obviously directed against the renowned Central European University (CEU), based in Budapest. We discussed with President Michael Ignatieff the implications of the new legislation on the university and its future prospects. By Peter Brod