Political discourse and action is coordinated more and more through Twitter, Facebook and Whatsapp. This edition of Perspectives Africa capture the complex and plural ways in which Africans are attempting to use new media to democratice democracy on the continent, the challenges they face, and the valuable lessons learned.

This paper describes how the commons perspective, as a new framework for understanding knowledge, can contribute to some important, long-overdue EU policy discussions.

Women’s bodies have regularly been – and still are – the central target of conservative and fundamentalist ideology and praxis. This essay provides analytical background information for critical and controversial debates and motivation to explore political intervention.

On the occasion of the third UN-conference on "Finance for Development" in Addis Abbeba between 13-17 July the G20 Update discusses the predominant role of the G20 in relation to the UN-processes hold parallely. It also refers to a proposal of financial experts of SOMO: "Making financing for development more accountable? Proposals for strengthening corporate accountability in the Financing for Development ‘outcome document"

Armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) — more commonly referred to as drones — have become a central pillar of the United States’ counterterrorism strategy. A number of European actors have expressed growing concern regarding the lack of transparency, accountability, and clarity surrounding the U.S. drone program. Read the joint conference report by hbs and the Stimson Center on this pressing issue here. 

"Green growth" may work well in creating new growth impulses with reduced environmental load and facilitating related technological and structural change. But can it also mitigate climate change at the required scale? About growth, technological, population-expansion, governance constraints and some key systemic issues

The Climate Justice Programme (CJP) and the Heinrich Böll Foundation are proposing a new and innovative source of finance: a fossil fuel extraction levy paid by those 90 entities responsible for two-thirds of global carbon emissions. The third and updated edition of the Carbon Majors report, now titled "Big Oil, Coal and Gas Producers paying for their Climate Damage".

Our Coal Atlas contains the latest facts and figures on the use of coal and its environmental and social consequences. With more than 60 detailed graphics, the atlas illustrates the coal industry’s impact on nature, health, labour, human rights and politics.

Although the country is unlikely to face any revolution in the immediate future, with 68% of its total population under the age of 25, Afghanistan is currently witnessing a serious growth in its youth population, and it has resulted in socio-cultural and political consequences that have been previously unheard of in Afghan political culture and conventions.

The annual report 2014 informs about the activities of the Heinrich Böll Foundation inland and overseas. It deals with democracy, human rights, European policy, the Great Transition, arts, culture, the work of the Gunda Werner Institute to mention but a few.