Notebooks

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Beyond Berlin

The rise of the AfD could be reversed if German politicians listened to the concerns of their electorate.

Katja Hoyer July 26, 2023

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The inexhaustible genius of classical music

Classical music doesn’t need to dumb down to make itself accessible: its genius is that it’s already accessible to people of every skill level. Which human pursuit can compete with..

Elisabeth Braw July 26, 2023

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Strawberry buns at The End of the World Café: thoughts on the Polish-Russian border

The border between Poland and the Russian Oblast of Kaliningrad has an especially eerie resonance in these troubled times.

Juliette Bretan July 25, 2023

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The politics of China’s purges

It would be wrong to think of the disappearance and possible downfall of China’s foreign minister, Qin Gang, as an embarrassment for the Communist Party. Purges are an essential pa..

Michael Sheridan July 24, 2023

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Taking sport too seriously

The ubiquity of sport threatens to deprive it of its most valuable qualities.

Alastair Benn July 18, 2023

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You can call me Al

The surname of the new Wimbledon champion, Carlos Alcaraz, is a reminder of the enduring Arabic influence on European languages.

Armand D'Angour July 18, 2023

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Ukraine’s long game

History suggests that Kyiv’s latest offensive requires patience as much as it needs bullets.

Ronan Mainprize July 17, 2023

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Milan Kundera: Novelist of European nostalgia

The great Czech writer, who migrated from his native language to French, cast a cold eye on the slow erosion of Europe's illusions.

Agnès Poirier July 13, 2023

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Lessons for NATO from Ancient Greece’s Delian League

Following NATO's critical summit in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, it is timely to reflect on parallels between the ancient Greek alliance against Persia and NATO’s response to..

Matthew Godwin July 13, 2023