Albana Shehaj (Michigan): Post Socialist Slovakia and Albania: Diverging Nationalist Paths. Ruben Durante (Sciences Po), Paolo Pinotti (Bocconi), and Andrea Tesei (Queen Mary): Voting Alone? The Political and Cultural Consequences of Commercial TV. Joan Barcelo-Soler (NYU): The Battle for the Secession: Catalonia Versus Spain. A utopia towards peace? If you haven’t heard of the Andalucian town of Marinaleda or know little of its politics, you should find out. Olga Khazan on the secret to Finland's success with schools, moms, kids — and everything. From NLR, what's become of the German Greens? Joachim Jachnow wants to know. Reluctant hegemon: Germany, now the dominant country in Europe, needs to rethink the way it sees itself and the world. Davide Scarso reviews Living Thought: The Origins and Actuality of Italian Philosophy by Roberto Esposito. When Italians chat, hands and fingers do the talking. France is in the grip of a crisis — as both its economy and European influence weaken, scandal has hobbled its political elite; the country needs drastic overhaul, but President Hollande does nothing but waver and hesitate. Europe’s dirty little secret: Europe prides itself on its democratic credentials — so why is a tiny band of underdog dissidents having such a hard time fighting the continent’s last dictator? Contrary to popular belief, migration from Muslim countries is one reason why Europe is becoming more secular, not less.
