Interviews

You do not decide to join the “underclass”, you are made a member.

Following a peaceful demonstration in Tottenham demanding justice over the killing of Mark Duggan bythe police, the UK has experienced several days of violent riots. The government’s unwillingness to takea closer look at the real causes of the protests has left many dissatisfied. Prof. Philippe Marlière comments on the UK riots. Continue reading »

Quandil: Neither bread nor freedom

The Syrian regime is very efficient at suppressing the opponents; they don’t have oil, so they can’t just buy some rebels and suppress the others. For many years they had to be quick witted and work out their own ways of manoeuvring and absorbing the rebels into the political system. Magda Quandil in conversation with Jan Smoleński Continue reading »

Mejia: a gun does not solve the drug problem

The previous government thought that a policy allowing possession of small amounts of drugs and at the same time takes repressive steps in order to reduce production – I’m talking about destroying drug plantations– is inherently contradictory. It was one of the last decisions taken by the administration of Colombia’s former president Alvaro Uribe. The government decided to remove that contradiction by choosing a worse option. Jan Smoleński in conversation with Professor Daniel Mejia* Continue reading »

Hessel: The worst is indifference

We have to make elites and public opinion stop burying their heads in the sand, claiming that we had a rough time, but we overcame the crisis. They cannot say that banks work and business goes on, so we don’t need regulations and some carbon tax. Michał Sutowski in conversation with Stéphane Hessel. Continue reading »

Barr: We cannot choose pension systems like mobile phones

Usually the availability of choice, in areas where people are poorly informed, results with their losses. It’s really great that we may choose between various mobile phones, computers or clothes, but pensions are something completely different. Prof. Nicolas Barr in conversation with Jan Smoleński. Continue reading »

Krastev: Europe has to reinvent a country taking care of its citizen

I believe the European Union will be the first to start thinking about a society, whose demographic structure will be completely different. A society where the definition of just order will be based on the access to health services rather than to work. Michał Sutowski in conversation with Ivan Krastev. Continue reading »

Consuming (in) British education

Cameron’s project is another step in the transformation of the education system that goes back to Thatcher’s government. According to it, everything should follow the logic of competition, rationalisation and individualisation of responsibility, producing the self-advantegeous consumers – Adam Wright on educational reforms in Great Britain, in conversation with Tomek Leśniak. Continue reading »

Danecki: Egyptian uprising of the people

Young people fed up with poverty, unemployment and lack of perspectives protest in Egypt. All under pro-democratic instead of islamist banners. Prof. Janusz Danecki comments on the situation in North Africa  in an interview given to Jan Smoleński.

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