Culture

This is a story of two desires.

With 2As increasingly melancholic about their imminent departures, a spirit of contemplation takes hold of the students of the Menton campus.

A whirlwind of whimsical musical comedy and delectable love triangles (quadrangles?), with a splash of poignant moments, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” is a god amongst television productions, an exceptional set of four seasons that supersedes the comparatively mundane Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Hulu material. 

Despite its widespread popularity, I’ve grown a bit skeptical of this expression, or at least how it is often expressed.

It is inconceivable to imagine any Holocaust movie that is not controversial. Even The Zone of Interest in its minimal narrative storytelling has failed to escape the debates – is it fair to exclude the victims when discussing the Holocaust? Is the movie adding anything, really, to the construction of our knowledge of the events? The questions are not up for me to answer, and yet I find them crucial.

From this quick study of a small sample of words imbued with cultural insights, one can see how preserving Judeo-Arabic, ensuring its longevity in scholarly study and lived experience, keeps alive a distinct Jewish experience and yet an additional, deeper understanding of its relation and similarities to surrounding cultures and peoples.

La littérature en traduction peut offrir une lueur d’espoir.

From a New York block party in 1973 to a world-renowned genre, hip-hop has branched out to become one of the most prominent and versatile music genres.

Films, books, religion, world news, familial and cultural sayings— we have grown up exposed to idioms, aphorisms, and cautionary tales. But what sticks with us?

‘’We must experience everything. Not just the good, but degradation, horror, sadness. This makes us whole, Bella. It makes us people of substance. Not flighty, untouched children. Then we can know the world. And when we know the world, the world is ours.’’

By largely ignoring women or portraying them in stereotypical roles of victim or consumer, the mass media has symbolically annihilated women.

For the past 15 years, viewers have been led to associate Bella Swan's life as the primal example of success, consequently becoming a victim of the myth of the American Dream.

But what do I consider anomie in city life? A lack of disruption from daily routines and rigid adherence to rules almost renders life austere and unbendable, this strict regulation leaves any rule breaker into a lawless reality.

How did the modern Christmas tree, the beacon of the holiday season, emerge? And what does it represent in our contemporary world?

In a democratic society we willingly submit power to governing institutions to be wielded toward the greater good, and when that isn’t the case, and other measures fail to address injustices, Fo’s tale suggests that civil disobedience may be the only route left to take.

In the end, maybe we are all a bit Jean-Claude Romand with all our fragility.

While some argue that innovation is a fundamental component of art, others contend that tradition and repetition have their place in the creative realm.

‘’Existing means "being able to choose"; indeed, to be a possibility. But this does not constitute man's wealth, but rather his misery.’’ 

Dans un monde multiculturel, caractérisé par une diversité de croyances, comment peut-on vivre quand les différentes opinions se déchirent constamment ? 

Istanbul —  a home to a range of civilizations from the Byzantines to the Ottomans, an inspiration for the most beautiful songs and poems, and a bridge for connecting continents and cultures.