What Next for Europe

The recent and most brutal evidence of a European clash of civilisations which we have recently witnessed in Norway is a new chapter in a worrying trend towards the introduction of the gun into affairs of immigration, integration and social inclusion. Europe has a long history of integrating different cultures into its lands, creating states containing many different ethnic groups and nationalities all living under the banner of Liberal Democracy but this latest attack has highlighted a key issue which Europe as a whole has failed to deal with. The post religious, post nationalist European ideals of what makes a nation-state are extremely vague with borders eroding and religion no longer a unifying factor, what is a Europe? Is there a European identity? Many who hold the view that Europe is white and Christian view the newly arrived non-white, non-Christian immigrants to their country as a major dilution of their sense of cultural identity. What’s worse is the perceived lack of action by certain Liberal governments, who seem content to appease the left wing and Brussels by allowing communities of foreign nationals to grow in their countries.  These actions, and the continued ‘War on Terror’ have stoked the fire of the rhetoric of the European right, whose members need not look too far back in history for their own inspiration, nor need we to see what they are capable of. What next for Europe, can we continue to ignore this problem or is it time to allow ourselves to take pride in having strong, yet inclusive, national identities once more. Or do we, like the USA, attempt to assimilate all by painting a stars and stripes on all new arrivals and making them American. Or do we, as some senior politicians have suggested, close the borders, instigate border controls, re-erect our fortresses and worry about our national identity only when this option has run it’s course? 

Europe's Home Grown Horror

Utoeya Island

The inexcusable acts of an educated killer whose views, if not methods, are shared in pockets across a continent unsure of it's place or future.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2011/0724/Norway-mourns-ponders-impact-of-terror-attacks

The Pacific Century

Obama and Gillard

A realistic look at the shifting axis of world power from the Atlantic to the Pacific
http://www.theeuropean-magazine.com/40-goerlach-alexander/308-the-pacific-century

Where is The Best Life For You?

Excellent interactive chart using the statistics from the OECD Better Life Index.

http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/

Counting the Cost of Conflict

Political upheaval and protest has had a huge knock on effect on the already fragile economies of some Arab states.

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/07/22/the_arab_recession

The Demise of the Newsmakers

Whoever controls the media, controls the mind. 

Jim Morrison 

The break-up of News International gathers speed, with two of the three major party leaders in support of curtailing Murdoch's power.

http://www.politics.co.uk/news/2011/07/17/miliband-and-clegg-manoeuvre-to-break-up-murd

Problema

http://documentarystorm.com/problema/

Recent documentary film by Ralf Schmerberg documenting a variety of reactions to 17 key questions affecting the world today

Africa Today

Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity, it is an act of justice.

Nelson Mandela

An indication of some of the problems still facing the African continent as another new state is created. With civil conflict, disputes over territiry, natural disasters and general economic and political mismanagement throughout the region, these links look at both the geographical scale of the African continent and some of the primary reasons for it's current woes.

http://world-poverty.org/povertyinafrica.aspx

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/interactive/2011/jul/11/a-political-history-of-africa-interactive

http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/2010/the-true-size-of-africa/

Behind Enemy Lines

A British soldiers account of the 'Troubles' in Northern Ireland

http://www.historytoday.com/patrick-mercer/northern-ireland-troubles-holding-ring

90 Years of the Communist Party

Mao in 1939

Marking the 90th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party and looking at the impact the organisation has had on China and the world. Is China in a better position now than it was 90 years ago, and, if so, is this because of or despite the Communist Party?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/8610531/China-Communist-Party-celebrates-90th-anniversary.html

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/07/01/aint_no_party_like_the_communist_party?page=0,0