Singing is good for you, it's fun and makes you healthier and more intelligent. Where, when and how do Europeans sing - aside from in the Eurovision Song Contest? » more
Market pressure, media concentration and new reading habits put traditional media and independent journalism under constant pressure. What is the role of politics and foundations in this context? A few proposals from the workshop "Towards a European Public Space". » more
International studies of educational achievement like Pisa or Pirls have made it possible to compare the performance of school pupils all over Europe. This has not only fanned rivalry about who has the best education system but also raised fundamental questions. » more
In many European countries plans to build new mosques have become a political issue. Intellectuals are taking sides and politicians are using the issue to boost their own image while citizens look sceptically at the plans of Muslim organisations to construct imposing religious buildings to demonstrate their newly found self-confidence. » more
Three major contemporary art exhibitions are taking place this summer - Documenta in Kassel, the Venice Biennale and Sculpture Projects in Munster. Hopes that these exhibitions would present a representative overview of contemporary art have not been fulfilled, however, as a glance in European newspaper shows. The question of what constitutes "good" art remains controversial. » more
The relocation of a Soviet monument from the centre of the Estonian capital Tallinn to another site has led to serious rioting and a diplomatic imbroglio. The controversy over the bronze statue in Estonia provides an illustration of Eastern Europe's approach to history and of relations between Russia and Europe. » more
Eastern European metropolises are proud of their high-rise buildings designed by star architects, while in London, skyscrapers are increasingly becoming part of the cityscape. Yet many European cities are more sceptical when it comes to contemporary architecture, particularly when it changes their historical appearance. » more
At a meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels, Nato has declared its willingness to discuss Russian proposals for a new European security structure. The European press assesses the rapprochement with Russia and its possible consequences.