29. April 2017

100 Tage der Präsidentschaft Trumps sind vorbei. Wie gefährlich ist dieser Mann nun? Ein Resümee ist gar nicht so leicht!

13. April 2017

For the educational system, Donald Trumps victory was one of the worst things that could have happened. After a few months in office, things do not get any better, as far as I am concerned. The latest proof for that was Sean Spicer’s lack of historical perspectives. To compare Bashar al-Assad to Adolf Hitler is one thing, to call concentration camps <<holocaust centers>> another. No matter how far right the government in any European country is, such a statement would be off...

13. März 2017

Working in education, we are bound to see the potential rather than what could go wrong. We see room for improvements and not the political battles to get there. We do not understand why anything that could enhance the pedagogical interaction would be too pricy. In a word, we are idealists as we should be. And idealism is needed more than anything right now. Especially in education. There are a lot of trends and new features which could and should be integrated in class and every respectable...

10. November 2016

Der 9. November 2016 ist ein denkwürdiger Tag. Die Polarisierung der Gesellschaft erreicht den Kulminationspunkt. Wenn Political Correctness der Mainstream des gesellschaftlichen Umgangs war, ist Donald Trump die Antithese einer humanistischen Gesellschaft. Dürfen wir so arrogant sein und annehmen, das Wahlergebnis in den USA wäre ein Ausdruck einer Bildung, die nicht mehr lehrt, zu differenzieren? Ist das Ergebnis Ausdruck eines politischen Mainstreams, der den Transport von (negativen)...

07. November 2016

It seems that the same dilemma occurs in pretty much every democracy at some point. People get tired of voting. They are tired to vote the lesser of the (in many cases) two evils. Because in the end, the choice they make, is still evil. Comparing the USA to Austria, there are some parallels that stick out. In both countries people often do not know whom to vote. Yes, I often tell them that it is a democratic duty to vote, not just a constitutional right. But still. I often understand their...

27. September 2016

The first debate between the two presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is over. I am not going to go through the debate step by step and analyze a freak show second to none. In any other country, those two would not have a chance in a presidential run. Even in the United States, they are facing the only person they could possibly beat. I am going to reflect on something that has been mentioned numerous times during their campaigns. Character and temper. From an outside...

22. August 2016

Nowadays, political protest results in better election results for right wing parties and the voices of political protest. Often I hear people say that the current system and the current leaders are weak, corrupt and disconnected to the general public. But the question is, whether political protest is addressed the right way when political parties gain power and still, do not care a lot about what is really necessary for any country. After all, let’s not forget that they are part of the...

01. August 2016

We are witnesses of a historic development. After the unsuccessful coup of the military to sustainably change the political system in Turkey, president Recep Tayyip Erdogan is going through a worrying phase of „strengthening“ his power. In this week’s edition of the English Breakfast I would like to take a moment and reflect on what is happening before our very eyes. Of course, this is from my perspective and resonating my beliefs. But as a European citizen, I have the right to think...

18. Juli 2016

Have you ever wondered what Europe is exactly? Henry Kissinger once said, „When I call Europe, I don’t know whom to call.“ Critics may say that the same applies to the European Union. Populist and far right parties across Europe seem to bury the concept of the European idea. Being the top of the iceberg, the Brexit vote in Great Britain shows a trend of political movements believing that countries are better off on their own. But are they really and under which circumstances does a united...

20. Februar 2016

Was war zuerst da, die Henne oder das Ei? Unfähige PolitikerInnen oder Menschen, die sie in diese Position wählen? Wie sieht es mit dem demokratischen Verständnis aus? Hat das Fehlen einer politischen Vision etwas mit dem Fehlen eines gesellschaftlichen Ziels zu tun? Die Nachkriegsgeneration hatte das Ziel des Wiederaufbaus, die 68er die sexuelle Emanzipation, die Hainburg-Generation die Rettung des ökologischen Systems. Und die heutige Generation?