Alexanderplatz - one of Berlin's central squares, and the column of the Editor-in-Chief. Alexander Görlach writes about politics, culture and the course of human progress.
Turkey transforms into a dictatorship. President Erdogan uses Islam to consolidate his power. So Turkey isn't a democracy any more. Is Islam to blame for this?
Makes it wonder that a policitians whose policies are often refered to as "without alternative" turns to the man of the categorical imperative when it comes to her decision-making? Angela Merkel and the search for the German soul.
The Alpine neighbor of Germany was prepared to swear in a far-right leaning President. What the heck?
Is Jan Böhmermann the German Jon Stewart? Steven Colbert? John Oliver?
At least since the Apollo 8 mission humanity has known there’s no difference between races or religions. Trump, Le Pen, and co. are reverting back to the old ways with their bigotry.
When does a person get to be a human? At the moment this discussion is being carried out in Europe over refugees and their rights as they come to Europe. The German Chancellor has said multiple times that there are “universal civil rights” that the refugees are entitled to. Observers have wonder
On September 11th 2001 the world entered a new era of violence. In the end there will be less religion in the world, just like in Europe after 1648, when humanism and the Enlightenment unfurled their victory banners. Before us lie bleak years.
Angela Merkel’s chancellorship now depends on Mr. Edogan of Turkey and Mr. Seehofer of Bavaria. That doesn’t bode well for her. Meanwhile the Right is gaining strength throughout Europe.
Author and Islam critic Hamad Abdel-Samad has unpacked the stereotypes about the prophet of the Muslim faith and compiled them in a new book. But this is not religious criticism’s finest hour.
Yesterday, stubborn people made an erroneous choice because they are mislead enough to ignore the fact that their corrupt and inefficient domestic system is breaking their backs – and not an evil-spirited Europe.
While Torsten Albig is having success within the SPD with abstruse ideas regarding the Internet, the Union is becoming a party of digital Titans. Philipp Mißfelder will advise the Internet star Peter Thiel in the future.
The Occident is neither a state nor a community but a simple narrative – one that is often misused
What decisions would we make if we deliberated carefully about public policy? Alexander Görlach sat down with Stanford's James Fishkin to discuss deliberative democracy, parliamentary discontent, and the future of the two-party system.
For many Europeans the massacre in Arizona is another evidence that political violence is spreading in the United States but this unfortunate event was the deed of a mentally ill person, not a political activist. There is no evidence of an increasing political extremism tearing America apart. Using
The US and Russia don't agree on much - but they are both keen to develop a good relationship with India. How do we know? Look at the arms trade.
More than 50 percent of the world's population now live in cities – and there is no end of urbanization in sight. Harvard economist Edward Glaeser believes urbanization to be a solution to many unanswered problems: pollution, depression and a lack of creativity. He spoke with Lars Mensel about the
Contrary to the mantras repeated by the press, HIV infections are not increasing. We need to move away from activist scare tactics and towards complex risk management strategies.
Nick Bostrom directs the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University. He talked with Martin Eiermann about existential risks, genetic enhancements and the importance of ethical discourses about technological progress.