A German EU Presidency cannot succeed without France Published: 12 June 2020 Background Europe could still emerge from the pandemic crisis sustainably positioned and strengthened, but only if the Franco-German tandem works. The plans for a reconstruction fund of 500 billion euros mark a turnaround in the right direction.
Sexual Violence in the Holocaust: Perspectives from Ghettos and Camps in Ukraine Published: 18 May 2020 Background The experiences of women in the Second World War with sexualised violence show that some suffering was gender-specific. According to the sources, sexualised violence against Jewish women and girls was not a by-product of the war, but the war itself, organised and controlled by those who denied Jews their right to exist. By Marta Havryshko
Women’s Faces of Ukrainian Contemporary Memory of World War II Published: 15 May 2020 Background We are currently witnessing and participating in the processes of reinterpreting the history of World War II and the formation of the modern historic narrative in Ukraine. An important aspect of this relevant discourse is the visibility of diverse women’s experiences in World War II. By Kateryna Kobchenko
Germany’s epic corona-tracing debate: a risky game with public trust Published: 15 May 2020 Analysis The debate over the data storage model of a coronavirus tracing app shows how the German government’s search for digital infection control tools became caught up between public health officials, privacy experts and the US tech industry. By Vérane Meyer
The Controversy of Memories - 75 years after the end of the Second World War in Europe Published: 7 May 2020 Film "Different wars: National History Textbooks on the Second World War" - this was the title of a travelling exhibition by the EU-Russia Civil Society Forum. It toured 22 cities in the EU and Russia over the last four years. It showed how current textbooks for secondary schools depict the Second World War in Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and the Czech Republic. The short film accompanying the exhibition will be released on 7 May.
Dreaming of freedom and working towards it Published: 4 May 2020 Portrait The film “They Also Had Dreams. Dagestan Women Tell about Their Lives” is dedicated to Aishat Magomedova, who devoted her life to the betterment of Dagestani women. By Joanna Barelkowska
The Hong Kong way to combat Covid-19: “Take things in our own hands” Published: 30 April 2020 Background The SARS pandemic in 2003 still lives vividly in the memory of Hongkongs citizens. Therefore, the Hongkongers responded quickly when the first cases of COVID-19 appeared. What did the city learned about crisis management? Which impact did the collective memory has regarding the virus spreading? By Lucia Siu
Not Your Father’s Arms Control: Challenges for Stabilizing Military Confrontation in Europe Published: 29 April 2020 Background The old arms control framework between Russia and the West does not work any more. The erosion of central arms control treaties has led to new tensions between NATO and Moscow. A new approach aimed at reducing tensions in Europe must take into account that central geopolitical coordinates have changed, and that new weapon technologies are rendering the old arms control paradigms obsolete. By Igor Istomin
From mass protests to the SARS-CoV2 crisis: the public health crisis is worsening the social crisis in Chile Published: 27 May 2020 Background The October uprising has paved the way for new constitution in Chile. However, the virus has forced citizens’ organisations into quarantine and is delaying constitutional change. What happens next? By Ingrid Wehr
India in the times of the COVID-19 pandemic: an image full of contradictions Published: 19 August 2020 Comment In its fight against the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, India is facing its greatest social and economic challenge since independence in 1947. Persisting political and social contradictions have become more visible than ever before. By Marion Müller