Globalization and digitalization
The 1990s saw a significant acceleration in the globalization of the world economy: trade barriers and tariffs were dismantled, which strengthened and accelerated international trade. At the same time, more and more companies outsourced their production from Europe and the US to countries in the Global South, primarily China.
Digital technologies have further accelerated globalization in the 21st century. The internet and smartphones have revolutionized the global exchange of information and completely changed our everyday lives. Artificial intelligence (AI) is seen as the next stage in this digital transformation process.
However, digitalization also brings challenges such as economic inequality, cultural homogenization, and environmental problems, which fuel the debate about the disadvantages of globalization.
Saudi Arabia in Transition: Between Reform and Control
Comedy and film festivals, rock concerts, and resorts on the Red Sea—these are not the kinds of things one would have associated with Saudi Arabia until recently. For eleven years now, a dramatic social transformation has been taking place in the vast Gulf state: Until then, the feared religious police enforced strict gender segregation in […]
The status quo in transition: East Jerusalem during Ramadan 2026
The German version can be found here, During Ramadan, East Jerusalem regularly makes headlines. These reports focus less on the city’s colorful Ramadan traditions or the general religious significance of the Temple Mount (Arabic: Haram al-Sharif, the Noble Sanctuary / Hebrew: Har ha-Bayit, Mount of the House or Temple), which is considered a particularly holy […]
Emerging Adulthood: Why Your Life Is Changing So Much Right Now—and Why That’s Normal
Click here for the German version. The transition to adulthood is a special time. Between the ages of about 18 and 25, a lot often changes: school or college ends, the first job begins, you might move out on your own, and relationships change or become more serious. Many young people find these years exciting—but […]
Greek strawberries “made in Bangladesh”
Strawberries are now also available to buy in winter. They thrive in Nea Manolada, Greece, but there are downsides to growing them. Scientist Johannes Jungfleisch has investigated the conditions of South Asian workers.
Unmet expectations
Click here for the German version. A Mid-Term Assessment of the First Twenty-Five Years of the 21st Century Years, decades, and centuries are constructs that historical change does not adhere to. Nevertheless, anniversaries invite us to take stock. After 25, 50, or 75 years, we look back, before the grand celebrations begin after 100 years. […]
Imperialist violence in the “backyard”: Background and implications of the US military intervention in Venezuela
The military strikes against Venezuela on January 3, 2026, which culminated in the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, mark the culmination of the US’s confrontational policy toward the South American country (see below for background information on Venezuela). The attack on Venezuela was – and here there is agreement among […]
On the Run – The Story of Mouhamed
The German version is here. On a typical weekday, life in the city is bustling. Many different people are busy going about their daily routines. Some would like to find work, but they can’t—they are forced to wait. Mouhamed is one of them. He was born in Cameroon in 1994 and studied political science. After […]
40 years Schengen agreement
With an area of over four million square kilometers, a population of nearly 420 million, and 3.5 million border crossings each day, the Schengen Area is the world’s largest area of free movement across borders (European Council 2025). The Schengen Agreement is considered a milestone in European integration. It realizes one of the four fundamental […]
Transformations through AI: The new era of human-machine communication
Artificial intelligence has now become an integral part of most people’s everyday lives. We use AI-powered toothbrushes, have our emails written automatically, and talk to our smartphones. It all seems so commonplace now that we may be forgetting to ask ourselves some very fundamental questions: Embracing the new era of human-machine communication: AI To explore […]
Traveling at 40,000 km/h towards Earth: Space debris is harming our environment
High above our heads, the International Space Station (ISS) orbits at an altitude of around 400 kilometers. Astronauts live and work there under extreme conditions. But they face a new and growing problem: space debris. This debris consists of old satellite parts, spent rocket stages, and broken equipment. Even pieces just millimeters in size hurtle […]