In the European context, it is quite easy to get caught up in the hysteria of refugee migration, especially when media outlets call it “the biggest migration since the Second World War.” These representations make it seem as if an invasion is happening, descending on a surprised, startled and unprepared Europe. However, the biggest surprise…
Category: Social
Destination: a place at which to preserve one’s future
This could be the story of one of the hundred thousand of young people who felt tired, hopeless and without future and who one day decided to abandon their place of residence for a better way of living and developing their future. In the era of economic exile, it wouldn’t be anything strange to hear…
Direct democracy: the case for an organic civic/political education
When hearing the word “democracy”, what usually comes to mind is “government by the people”. However, in most cases this usually refers to decision-making by elected representatives. Direct or “pure” democracy would be a more accurate term for direct voting by citizens on policy initiatives, which can most famously be found in the Swiss governmental…
A Journey of Hope for the Victims of Wars
A Migrant’s Perspective Being a migrant – specifically being a refugee – is when a person or people move from one place to another to escape danger and look for a better life. From the beginning until today, migration has always been a habit for humans. It will stay that way as dictated by human nature…
Swiss Young Greens on the Referendum for Basic Income
Fighting the inequality between women and men, allowing young people from disadvantaged families to study, a boost of creativity and jobs – what sounds like a dream nearly became reality in Switzerland. In June the small country in the heart of Europe had a national vote about Basic Income. It all started out with some…
The Limits of the Finnish Basic Income Experiment
The Minister of Social Affairs Hanna Mäntylä and researcher Ville-Veikko Pulkka answer questions about the situation of the Finnish Basic Income Experiment. The article also discusses what are the aims of the experiment, and what its success would mean for basic income. The hype about the Finnish Basic Income experiment sometimes frustrates researchers who are…
Basic Income as an Alter-globalisation Tool
There is a long lasting economical and financial crisis that is impacting to a bigger or smaller extent the majority of the European countries. This, together with the environmental crisis that is reminding us of the ecological limits of the planet, has challenged the hegemonic Capitalistic model. We are likely nearing the end of an…
Universal Basic Income: the North American Experiments
The notion of a universal basic income has been debated for decades in political, policy and academic circles. Proponents have ranged from street-activists to ivory tower academics, and have emerged from across the political spectrum. At the moment, the city Utrecht in the Netherlands is enrolling a new empirical trial and Finland is developing their…
Plenty of Capacity But a Lack of Political Will
by FYEG’s Migration Working Group in honor of World Refugee Day, 20 June For years, many countries and regions have been holding their own Refugee days and weeks. However, more and more refugees and less political solutions are taking place. Increasingly, migration is seen as a major challenge throughout Europe. Since May 2015, according to…
Peace Winds After The Kurdish Spring
By Pinar Temocin / Image via AK Rockefeller The Kurdish question has been considered as an important issue in struggling to build an independent nation. They are the second largest ethnic group living partly in the eastern part of Turkey with their own language, traditions and customs. The Kurds are considered as a stateless nation…