A labyrinthine net of characters emerges from the book’s pages; their vices, virtues and contradictions carry questions ranging from Epicureanism to existentialism, from normative political philosophy to Biblical hermeneutics. The distinction between main and secondary characters is often blurred in this framework. The only exception is Prince Myshkin, also known as “the Idiot.” < Back You Need To Read Dostoevsky’s “The Idiot” By Margherita Cordellini September 27, 2022 If ethics, political philosophy and hermeneutics entice you Only a limited selection of books boasts a resemblance to encyclopedias. Those authors who manage to find the hidden connections between fields that rarely go hand in hand offer original lenses through which readers can process and interpret reality. Several 19th-century Russian writers’ works belong to this group; among them, we can find Dostoevsky’s “The Idiot.” A labyrinthine net of characters emerges from the book’s pages; their vices, virtues and contradictions carry questions ranging from Epicureanism to existentialism, from normative political philosophy to Biblical hermeneutics. The distinction between main and secondary characters is often blurred in this framework. The only exception is Prince Myshkin, also known as “the Idiot.” The Prince: a man who does not belong to mankind It is hard to describe the character of Prince Myshkin without utilizing the words employed by Dostoevsky in a letter written on May 27, 1869, in which he referred to him as a “positively beautiful person.” He fully embodies the principles of compassion, altruism, empathy and honesty. After years of illness-induced exile in the idyllic Swiss alpine landscape, the Prince returns to his motherland, Russia. From the second the Prince set foot in Saint Petersburg, he unwittingly disrupts the ordinary unfolding of events, surrounding himself with disarray and grief like a plague-spreader. By guiding the reader through the extremely diverse vicissitudes, Dostoevsky convinces us that this is the only possible result that could arise from the collision between an inhumanly good person and a 19th-century society characterized by a hypocritical social hierarchy and merciless taboos. By gathering intra- and extra-text clues, philosopher Michel Terestchenko, suggests that prince Myshkin is the allegory of Christ. The Prince’s story thus shows the disastrous consequences that would occur, according to Dostoevsky, if Christ should restumble upon Earth. Terestchenko’s pessimistic statement can be analyzed through different hermeneutical levels. Firstly, from a teleological perspective, one could argue that the writer aimed to depict how human flaws are necessary for coexistence in society; that the paradoxical presence of only one human being freed by such flaws would degenerate into collective madness. However, other elements in the novel also hint at an irreverent social critique. Lebedev or modernity understood by a depraved theologian: Dostoevsky mainly confers the role of critic of modernity to the most unsuitable character: Lebedev — a drunkard who embodies the discrepancy between intellectual depth and virtue. Lebedev denounces the social consequences of the still young capitalist system by giving a modern interpretation of John’s Apocalypse, which predicts the extinction of the “sources of life.” He provocatively affirms that railways are what will bring life on Earth to its end. In the beginning, this unreasonable sentence seems to fit with the other aspects of his nonsensical personality. However, in later pages, the symbolic meaning of his thought is unpacked --- railways indicate industrial development that amplify hecticness and noise in society. With the development of transportation, human beings are constantly dissatisfied with the place in which they find themselves at any given moment. The gasping search for happiness distances people from the “only true happiness,” which would be spiritual peace and consciousness. As in Tolstoj’s “Anna Karenina,” the Epicurean understanding of happiness as the product of a complete withdrawal from society reemerges, but this time it is entrenched in the modern infiltration of capitalism (the base) that penetrates collective and individual values and habits (the superstructure). These are the capitalistic ruins that would hypothetically kill Christ upon his resurrection: schizophrenic modernity filled with spiritual taboos and greedy egoism. Forty-four years after Lebedev was written into “The Idiot,” Charles Peguy also denounced the subordination of all “spiritual powers” to a single material one: money. However, Dostoevsky crafts the eccentric drunkard’s personality to offer a metacritique that warns us to be skeptical of modernity’s enemies. In fact, despite having identified modernity’s flaws, Lebedev falls into them more than anybody else, freeing himself, thanks to self-deception, of any moral compass. The conclusion seems to be, once again, of a pessimistic nature, suggesting that immunity to the economy’s moral backlashes does not exist and that, instead, one can merely choose whether to adapt consciously or unconsciously to the status quo. Hippolyte and the cruelty of waiting “The Idiot” would sound outrageous to the ears of any past or present conservative. The first part of the book is soaked in a denunciation of the death penalty, which then lingers in later developments of the story. During Prince Myshkin’s first encounter with some members of the Russian bourgeoisie, he firmly condemns the death penalty by affirming that the executioner commits a more serious crime than the murderer. A person sentenced to death has, in fact, a double conviction: not only will she soon disappear, but she is also aware of that in advance. According to the Prince, physical pain cannot compare to the tremendous torment that the waiting and certainty of death entails. One can find this same reasoning in Franz Kafka’s novel “The Trial,” where Joseph K. is suspected of an unknown crime and awaits a trial that never takes place. Eventually he dies after having been deprived of his life for what seemed to be an eternity. In Dostoevsky’s book, the inhumane burden of the wait is embodied by Hippolyte, an 18-year-old boy in the final stage of tuberculosis. He attempts to escape his sentence by accelerating it with a gun, but he fails because of inattention or survival instinct. His desperation is not met by compassion but by disdain and mockery, which highlight the intolerant posture that Russian 19th-century society had towards public manifestations of grief. This is, however, not necessarily relegated to the context in which Dostoevsky was writing. As Elnathan John wrote in “The Africa Report” last March, the intersection of death and sorrow has little public space in the West today, silenced by the numerous taboos surrounding it. The only person who comprehends the complexity of Hyppolite’s sorrow is, of course, the Prince. The latter, by virtue of his inadequate and radical thoughts (concerning capital punishment, for example), manages to reach realms of empathy unimaginable and unwanted to the other characters. In this case, the idiot is bound to suffer inaction: even a man freed from mankind is powerless in front of an inhumane conviction imposed on a human life

Neo-Baathism finds its roots in the thought of the Syrian intellectual Michel Aflaq, who was able to inspire generations of anti-imperialist revolutionaries and radicals. < Back Arab Intellectuals that Every Sciences Piste Should Know: Taha Abdurrahman By Emilia Kohlmeyer December 31, 2022 Taha Abdurrahman is a Moroccan philosopher who was born in 1944. Most of his studies were conducted in Morocco; however, he earned his Ph.D. at Sorbonne University in Paris, focusing on the role of language in philosophy. Abdurrahman’s work centers around the hegemony of Western philosophical traditions, stressing the need for Islamic and Arab scholars to engage with their particularism. He emphasizes the need for scholarship to free itself of secularist thinking, which has created a universalist view of what constitutes modernity. Moreover, he criticizes Western philosophy’s unitary nature, which aims to standardize other philosophies and marginalize different perspectives, methodologies, and practices. He furthers that this tradition directly conflicts with academic freedom because true intellectual liberty can only flourish if there is dialogue between varying viewpoints, which is effectively prevented by Western dominance. For Abdurrahman, the tendency to seek consensus rather than highlighting particularities results in two forms of violence: “greater” and “lesser” violence. Greater violence is characterized by “physical” violence, with which the dominant position subjugates the dominated one. This violence is exercised through material support and influence, which seeks to uphold the hegemon and otherize its weaker counterpart. Greater violence also has an “epistemic” — the dominant position delegitimizes that of the dominated and removes it, almost entirely, from public discourse. “Lesser” violence occurs when the two positions compromise, as it denies the particularized a position. However, Abdurrahman also criticizes Arab and Muslim scholars for blindly adhering to Western principles within their philosophical explorations. He underlines that a major issue is that they are not asking their questions but rather seeking to answer those posed by others. Moreover, Western thought often employs reason to arrive at ethics. In contrast, Abdurrahman advocates for a strong ethical basis to reach reason, a process that he views as increasingly lost amongst Islamic philosophers. He draws this thought from his view of religion, in which statements are never separated from moral precepts. Conversely, “knowledge” has been rendered scientific in Western philosophy — philosophers have attempted to separate value from knowledge. Values are indispensable to our understanding, and rather than negating them, they should be included in the discourse and regarded as a starting point for any exploration. Abdurrahman underscores the importance of religion in creating ethics, something which is neglected by Western secularists who have attempted to develop comprehensive global systems of ethics while completely overlooking that the vast majority draw their ethics from religion. In his view, the most complete ethical system is provided by Islam and proposes a reinterpretation of the Holy Qur’an, which he believes to be humanistic above all.

According to the erroneous idea we have of philosophy as a discipline totally detached from reality and concreteness, rooted in something metaphysical transcending the tangible world,  Hegel should be considered an anti-philosopher. < Back Aufhebung: The Importance of Hegel's Philosophy in Today's World By Francesca Di Muro October 31, 2023 "I then thought that Hegel would have been very sensitive to this object which has two opposing functions: at the same time not to admit any water (repelling it) and to admit it (containing it) . He would have been delighted, I think, or amused (as on vacation), and I call the painting Hegel's Holiday." - René Magritte According to the erroneous idea we have of philosophy as a discipline totally detached from reality and concreteness, rooted in something metaphysical transcending the tangible world, Hegel should be considered an anti-philosopher. However, there is nothing more embedded in reality than philosophy, and not a more perfect philosopher than Hegel. Careful in refulging any abstract reasoning, he brilliantly highlights reality’s shades and its dynamics. This article has no intention of being a description of Hegel’s philosophy. It has, rather, the mission of showing a Hegelian perspective on our reality, who we are, our lives and our beings. Hegel’s fundamental philosophical trait is its dialectic, which configures itself firstly as a universal law of beings. Born from the refusal of rigid binary logic, it has a triadic configuration. Reality is made up of three different stages, which interact reciprocally, and are in movement and strict correlation. These movements are referred to as thesis, antithesis and synthesis. The thesis is the affirmation, while the antithesis is its negation and the synthesis is no more than the union of both thesis and antithesis; the combination of the negation of what used to be the thesis’ negation (antithesis) and its affirmation. The most important passage is the one from the antithesis to the synthesis; it is the main nucleus of the reflection that is collocated. The synthesis, which etymologically means union of two, is a combination of two paradoxes, holding together parts of the thesis and parts of the antithesis, according to the key concept we refer to as Aufhebung . This German term has no perfect correspondent in other languages, and is often translated to the English term of ‘overpassing’ or ‘to surpass’, in order to convey the idea of overcoming certain parts of the thesis and antithesis; to give birth to a synthesis as union of both. The moment of synthesis, in fact, is also described as overpassing in the sense that it isn’t merely limited to the reaffirmation of the thesis, but to its integration with the negative parts of the antithesis. This is the nucleus of the concept of Aufhebung: an ‘elimination that keeps traces of what is eliminating’, the eradication of the antithesis but the permanence of its experience. And this is where Hegel’s philosophy meets our beings, our lives and our own relations, with things, peoples and ourselves. In what sense? By keeping us aware of the importance of the ‘negative’; of the ‘positivity’ of its role. By putting in contact and enhancing the dialogue between oppositions, the antithesis makes the differences edificant, telling us that the reality is in continuous movement, with encounters to different elements of tragedy, conflict, and defeat. However, it gives energy to them, hence encapsulating their dynamism. Defeat is essential and integral to our reality, through which we acquire knowledge and experience. In other words, defeat is something through which we grow; we develop the synthesis of who we are. The negative is seen as no more than the other side of positive. Through the moment of the synthesis, we can let all of our contradictions coexist, breathe and develop. After a tormented experience, the process of synthesis allows us to regain our identity, creating a certain unity from an initial fragmentation. We, humans, comprehend beauty only after having faced its contrary painfully. And, perhaps, if we learn to see the negative this way, contradictions will find their place in and outside of ourselves, giving meaning to our sufferings and directions to our pains in a superior perspective of unity. In this sense, Magritte’s quote at the top acquires meaning, giving value to both the thesis and the antithesis in defining one’s identity and one’s perspective.

To most, it seems incomprehensible how women, especially Western women who are geographically separated from countries ravaged by terrorism, could choose to leave safety to become terrorists. < Back Can Women Be More Than Just Victims of Jihadists? By Isabella Hehl Dalla Zuanna September 27, 2023 When women and terrorism are mentioned in the same sentence, usually, it is in the context of women as victims. Indeed, systematic rape, mutilation, and the fate of becoming a child bride to jihadists are often how women are impacted by such extremism. However, the role of women perpetrating terrorism is much less discussed and more confusing. To most, it seems incomprehensible how women, especially Western women who are geographically separated from countries ravaged by terrorism, could choose to leave safety to become terrorists. While the media does discuss “jihadi brides” in polarizing and infantilizing ways, the roles of terrorist organizations are not only romantic and sexual: they are involved in recruitment, propaganda and even militancy. Women can become intertwined with terrorist extremism voluntarily, leaving their homes to become part of jihadist efforts. The reasons behind their choices are often not different from men: they see the lifestyle as empowering and a way of worshiping and are drawn by alienation, marriage, belief in the cause, adventure and inequality. While some do not understand how women could join groups that actively and regularly participate in and propagate sexual violence, many female terrorists actually agree with such gendered and conservative regulations and embrace and publicize the brutality through propaganda and online recruitment. In Western countries, some women will be driven to extremism by Islamophobia, isolation and a confused sense of identity. Moreover, women will often become extremists when they believe that the whole Muslim community is being aggressively persecuted globally and feel anger about the responsiveness of the international world to their persecution. In contrast, the jihadist world offers a utopian vision of building the caliphate, becoming part of a sisterhood, a romanticized religious experience, and a solution to women's pain in the Western world. Once women become involved in a terrorist group, there are many roles they can take on. Sometimes, but less frequently, these are militant. This is rare because, in most jihadist groups, the basic ideology centers around the power of men and prefers for women to be more or less invisible from society. However, they can contribute to the militant effort in cases of emergency and when permitted by imams. For example, ISIS has increasingly allowed women to be involved in defense since 2014. The Europol report about terrorism trends occurring in the European Union showed children and women playing increasingly more operational and militant roles in terrorist acts. There have even been occurrences where a group of women only planned terrorist attacks, such as in 2016 in France, where three women were arrested for such plotting in Paris. Another trend becoming increasingly frequent is the use of women as suicide bombers. This is strategically advantageous because security forces tend to assume men are much more likely to participate in violent and dangerous acts, and thus women are less suspicious. Through clothing and even apparent pregnancy, women can avoid arousing suspicion and being flagged by the police. Moreover, the use of female suicide bombers not only allows terrorists to have more recruitment opportunities but garners even more media attention than a male suicide bomber since the participation of women seems much more unexpected and shocking. Women also often play organizational roles: as recruiters, logistical support, smugglers and messengers. As recruiters, they can radicalize young women, even girls, and encourage them to spread propaganda or actively join the jihadist effort. ISIS uses this as a key strategy: by reversing the traditional recruitment profile, women can not only effectively recruit other women but also, through shaming, garner more male support too. Women are being recognized for their crucial role in jihadists’ long-term strategy and goal in state-building. However, mostly they continue to primarily play a domestic role: cleaning, cooking, making clothes and providing medicine. This does not make their role any less impactful than that of men. On the contrary: they are necessary to build and produce the indivisible infrastructure of their jihadist group by facilitating, enabling and supporting violent extremism through the state roles. Usually, their participation is limited to “honorable roles”: being mothers and wives to the jihadists. An overwhelming amount of time, when women are associated with terrorist groups, it is because of marriage, its prospects or family ties with a male terrorist. Their own terrorist acts can often be motivated by these relationships: for example, a mother sending her jihadist son money, mothers hiding their sons from the police, or women traveling countries with their husband for his terrorist purposes. Moreover, women are disproportionately impacted by coercion and forced participation, which must be considered when determining a woman’s criminal responsibility for involvement in terrorist activities. Even though it is important to consider coercion and their familial roles, it must also be noted that women play significant roles in disseminating propaganda, recruitment and logistical organization. Girls or women who want to join or have entered terrorist organizations must be taken seriously for their dangerous role. They often deeply understand the jihadist’s ideology and are willing to participate in extremist acts to propagate those ideas. A more well-known phenomenon concerning women’s roles in such groups is controversially called the “jihadi brides,” which describes women or girls who believe they must leave their country, join a terrorist organization, and marry one of the fighters. The International Centre for the Study of Radicalization of King’s College London has reported that 4761 foreign women have joined ISIS in Iraq and Syria, almost half being from Western countries. In the last decade, a serious problem has arisen. With the collapse of ISIS, these women mostly wound up in detention centers and refugee camps by local Kurdish groups in Syria, raising questions for their countries of origin on how to deal with them. Most countries of origin refuse to repatriate their nationals, as they pose a very serious security risk. On the other hand, many were coerced, sometimes even at young ages, to join the caliphate, and did not know the extent of what was expected of them. This is controversial because some adamantly argue that these young women were essentially groomed and sexually exploited. In contrast, others cite numerous reports proving that many “jihadi brides” were aware of ISIS’ brutality. A famous example is Shamima Begum , which set a precedent for other women and countries about how a state should interact with these women's rights and obligations attached to their citizenship. In the case of Shamima Begum – a 15-year-old when she left the United Kingdom for Syria to join the ISIS, and re-emerged four years later, hoping to re-enter her homeland – the United Kingdom refused to allow her to be repatriated, and she remains in a refugee center. This is the fate for most women who were once “jihadi brides.” In conclusion, similarly to men, women are driven to join jihadist groups by violence, religious duty and isolationism, so treating all women joining ISIS as tricked, naive, or sex-driven is a complete misunderstanding. Most women joining such terrorist groups know about and are eager to participate in the horrific acts of terrorism; dubbing them “jihadi brides” is incorrect, overly simplistic, and fails to understand the mechanisms of their radicalization. Women mostly join terrorist groups through family or marriage and are statistically more likely to be coerced into doing so than men. However, women can also play important logistical and support roles and be found in militant positions. The advantages of being a woman, and thus not “suspicious” to security forces, are being increasingly exploited by these groups, as proven by the growing role of women as suicide bombers, messengers and spies. Overall, while it must be taken into consideration that some women express deep remorse and regret about their choice to join terrorist organizations, many do not, and women joining jihadist groups cannot be underestimated: just because they are women does not mean that they cannot play a crucial, and very dangerous role in terrorist efforts.

Israel has issued a new set of regulations, to be taken into effect next month, that would impose further limits on foreigners’ entry into the West Bank. < Back Israel Cracks Down on West Bank Accessibility By Ghazal Khalife September 30, 2022 Israel has issued a new set of regulations, to be taken into effect next month, that would impose further limits on foreigners’ entry into the West Bank. The restriction stirring up the most controversy is the new obligation to formally declare a romantic relationship with a Palestinian to be granted access into the area. Other seemingly arbitrary regulations, such as quotas on visas given to students and lecturers, also perplexed commentators. The original draft of this set of protocols, published by the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), stipulated that foreigners who start a serious romantic relationship with Palestinian residents of the West Bank must inform the authorities “within 30 days of the start of this relationship.” However, following criticism and condemnation from human rights activists, Palestinian legal experts and many leading figures in the international community, Israel released a revised 90-page document that omitted this clause. The revised version states that foreigners who wish to live with their spouses in the Judea and Samaria area, the biblical name for the West Bank, must apply for a visiting permit 45 days before their trip. The document also cements the ban on giving residency status to them, leaving many families under the constant stress of being denied entry and legal status. According to Part four of the revised document, “Spousal permits will be issued for a maximum term of one year each time.” Furthermore, the total period that any visitor can stay in the West Bank is 27 months (including visa extensions), after which a “cooling off” period is required. If visitors wish to re-enter the area, they must start a new application process. Not only is this process intensely bureaucratic and time-consuming, but permits are also subject to arbitrary refusals. Ultimately, the COGAT official decides whether or not the permit is approved, as seen in Clause 10: “the authorized COGAT official is the authority who decides whether to deny a foreigner entry into the Judea and Samaria area.” In addition to the public backlash against the initial draft of new protocols, Israeli human rights activists in Hamoked, Center For the Defense of the Individual, and Palestinian activists quickly denounced the protocols’ international law violations and started challenging them in court. Jessica Montell, director of Hamoked, explains that these policies are manifestations of a “belligerent occupation.” Even the American ambassador, Tom Tide, expressed his strong disappointment over the new restrictions and declared having engaged in negotiations with Israel to revise the regulations. Nonetheless, COGAT’s changes to the original rules remain largely superficial since only the contentious quotas on lecturers allowed entry and the declaration of a love-interest were removed. According to the United Nations and Palestinian legal experts, there is no solid legal basis for Israel’s past restrictions on movement or these new regulations. Israel, however, derives license to enact its restrictive policies from the Interim Peace Accords of the 1990s and “security concerns.” Furthermore, with Israel controlling most entrances to the West Bank with heavily militarized checkpoints and frequent Israeli Defense Force inspections, these regulations are likely to be reinforced strictly. The document specifies that any application for a permit needs to be accompanied by a deposit of up to 20,050 dollars that can be confiscated in the case of a breach of the permit’s conditions. These measures reaffirm the Israeli state’s insistence on following tough restrictions and consolidating years of aggressive military occupation. Perhaps the most apparent consequences of these regulations on individuals’ private lives are the tolls they take on existing family ties and the immense obstacles they create for Palestinians who want to marry people of other nationalities. The new regulations raise the question of why Israel would enforce such exhaustive measures on the partners of Palestinians. An aim could be to put pressure on Palestinian civil life and further isolate Palestinian citizens of the West Bank from the outside world. Palestinians living in the West Bank are already struggling with heavy restrictions on autonomy under a convoluted and opaque system. From long lines at checkpoints to limitations on working hours, everyday life for Palestinians in the West Bank is only getting more difficult. These new protocols also regulate business and academic activities; thus, businessmen, professors, and students are impacted. The process for obtaining a permit is often costly and time-consuming as applications need to be started at least two months in advance, and applicants must fit an extensive set of criteria and undergo detailed background checks by COGAT officials before being let into the West Bank. Restrictions on the entry of goods and skilled labor cause Palestinian businesses to struggle to expand and modernize. Bassim Khoury, CEO of Pharmacare, comments, “having to obtain a confirmation a month ahead will make it impossible for many foreign partners we have to be part of the business. The immediate effect is that we will have a harder time developing our business.” Lecturers and students must also satisfy COGAT’s list of academic credentials, age and medical insurance conditions. An especially troubling limitation for undergraduate students holding the visiting permit makes it “forbidden to seek employment in the Area.” Mariya Gabriel, head of the European Commission for research and culture, criticized these measures saying, “With Israel itself benefiting greatly from Erasmus, the Commission considers that it should facilitate and not hinder access of students to Palestinian universities.” Moreover, these restrictions do not apply to Israeli settlers, further emphasizing the apartheid policies in the occupied territories. These regulations directly serve settlers as they pose obstacles to all corners of Palestinian life and make the dream of a prosperous Palestinian state ever more elusive. Although, in reality, the prospect of a two-state solution has already been abandoned by many Palestinians who fear more evictions, fewer rights and continuing aggression. These new protocols perfectly conform to Israel’s 55-year policy toward occupied Palestinians, anchoring decades of discrimination and oppression. To understand the reasoning behind Israel’s policy in this highly contested area, it is crucial to analyze how these new regulations fit within the larger scheme of events since the Israeli occupation of the West Bank following the Six-Day War of 1967. Since then, Israel has pursued a consistent policy of sponsoring settlements and institutionalizing discrimination against Palestinians. As a result, lasting peace in the West Bank seems almost impossible. Arbitrary arrests forced evictions and bureaucratic restrictions on movement, among other manifestations of de facto annexation, make life in the West Bank turbulent. This is part of Israel’s plan to formally annex the region, a plan hindered by the COVID-19 pandemic and Donald’s Trump loss in the 2020 U.S. elections. Annexing the West Bank and finally uniting the Israeli state has been the conclusive goal for many Israeli politicians, most notably former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This final policy will subject the area to Israeli rather than international law. Israel is heading in this direction even though it violates international conduct and may be reprimanded, especially because Joe Biden has not yet given Israel the green light. Annexation or military occupation — these words serve merely as semantics for Palestinians having to face ever-deteriorating living conditions amidst an Arab and international community that is increasingly desensitized to their suffering. A quote from one of my Palestinian friends summarizes the situation rather powerfully: “They want to prevent us from spreading our culture and practicing our identity because only then will they reach their full victory.” When observing the general trend in Israeli policy in the West Bank, the new regulations and how they infringe on Palestinians’ right to privacy and freedom of movement make it seem as though it is highly unlikely for any tangible improvements to take place even in the face of international criticism, leaving Palestinians wondering how much more they still have to withstand.

Despite technical limitations and ethical considerations, it’s hard to understate the revolutionary nature of the CRISPR system. In just over a decade, its use has proliferated to the majority of fields within the life sciences, yielding important clinical advances to tackle congenital diseases and understand viral mechanisms that target humans in order to accelerate the vaccine-making process. < Back What's CRISPR, Anyway? Feidias Psaras December 31, 2024 How it came together There was a meeting of minds in Puerto Rico in 2011. At a conference for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats ( CRISPR ) systems and RNA Biology held in San Juan, Emanuelle Charpentier, a young microbiology researcher at the Umeå University in Sweden, presented her findings on a new RNA-protein complex that played a role in the function of a bacterial immune system. The presentation was a wake-up call for Jennifer Doudna, who studied the specific biochemical relationships related to RNA and believed that this mechanism could have wider implications. At the time, the CRISPR molecule was considered a niche field of study rather than the widely used gene editing tool that it has become now. It concerned a specific bacterial defense response against viruses, which involved an enzyme (Cas9) that performed precise incisions in the DNA as well as an attached RNA molecule which led it to the site of interest. In other words, the system was made up of ultra-precise molecular scissors and a guide. But the problem was that the guide could not be replicated by scientists; it was impossible to modify. A year after the conference, the final piece to the puzzle of precise genome editing that spanned decades was finally put in place; working together, Doudna and Charpentier discovered the crucial customizable guide that would allow the natural process to be co-opted in lab conditions outside of the bacterial cells that fostered the conditions that allowed the process to happen naturally. The short time of eight years spanning CRISPR’s discovery and the jointly awarded Nobel prize in Chemistry is just a small indicator of its seismic impact. But as is usual regarding scientific discoveries, it is difficult to understand what the repercussions of even the biggest breakthroughs entail for the future of everyday life. So where should we start? What is genetic engineering, really? Anyone who’s taken a beginner Biology course knows that the cell is the fundamental building block of life. Our bodies are made up of tens of trillions of cells, each with a different set of internal machinery and function. Deoxyribonucleic acid, commonly known as DNA, is the molecular blueprint that exists within each cell and determines its unique functions. This is made possible by the double-helix structure of the DNA itself, which essentially comprises two long strings of molecular code that are copied, sent out into the cytoplasm and used to create all the important molecules that cells need to survive and carry out their function. The important thing to understand here is that the code of the DNA—save for mutations, viral/bacterial invasions and a few other exceptions—stays the same and is the essential determinant of its host cell’s identity. A change in even a single unit of code within the DNA could result in the complete breakdown of the cell or in an improvement of a given function. But the latter, logically enough, happens much more rarely than the former—most mutations are either neutral or detrimental. While natural selection provides a process by which the many bad mutations are filtered out while the few good ones carry themselves to the next generation, ‘bad’ and ‘good’ are relative terms. A watermelon that has an increased seed density has more chances of spreading those seeds and propagate its DNA across generations, but yields less nutritious value for us humans. Genetic engineering, then, is the purposeful manipulation of organisms’ genomes to fit our purposes. Funnily enough, we started doing it thousands of years before we had any idea about DNA; selective breeding of animals and plants to create friendly and obedient dogs out of wolves and sweet and near-seedless watermelons is a testament to that. But this method is not a very effective way to edit genomes. It’s limited to mutations that occur naturally in plants, often taking multiple breeding generations to yield reliable results, and is not precise at all; in naturally occurring mutations, stretches of DNA might be altered along with the gene of interest. What does CRISPR add? Ever since the discovery of DNA in the 20th century, scientists had been coming up with effective ways to induce targeted genome manipulations. Initially, these efforts included bombarding plants with radiation in the hopes that a useful mutation would pop up. In the 70s and 80s, more sophisticated methods developed with the discovery of specialized restriction enzymes that recognized and cut specific sections of DNA, as well co-opting bacteria such as agrobacterium to use as delivery mechanisms for genes of interest into the cell. But still, all of these mechanisms presented significant limitations: while high levels of radiation fast-tracked the process of mutation, researchers had no control over the actual changes occurring over the genetic code; restriction enzymes were fixed, and could only recognize certain sequences of a specific length ; the agrobacterium delivery system worked only in plants and inserted genes randomly in their genomes, thus potentially nullifying their function. Instead, easy manipulation of the CRISPR RNA-protein complex in laboratory settings means that the system is programmable and precise. It can perform different types of ‘incisions’ on any part of the genome depending on the manipulation. The ease and efficiency of this mechanism means that genetic engineering becomes not only incredibly quicker, but also much cheaper. Its performance-enhancing capabilities enable a higher rate of experimentation and therefore discovery. What has CRISPR achieved so far? CRISPR’s versatility opens the door to an entirely new, more hands-on generation of genetic engineering across fields. In terms of agriculture, it provides an important avenue into more efficient and precise genetic altering of plants. As mentioned before, humans have for centuries employed a rudimentary form of genetic manipulation (selective breeding) that is way too imprecise and slow. The same problem exists in different degrees with more modern methods of genetic engineering such as the introduction of new DNA via bacteria. Even though CRISPR technologies are not fully developed yet and their delivery faces difficulties, they are crucial to a more precise and effective creation of GMOs. It means that plants are more resilient to adverse conditions such as extreme temperatures and pesticides, in turn aiding crop outputs in an age of climate change and rapid populational growth. CRISPR-Cas9 also offers a more accurate method to simulate how genes are passed down and mutate across generations. From mammals to insects, the tool has been used to swap out sections of DNA with ones of interest in order to help scientists better understand how these genes behave; whether they have a tendency to replicate and what molecules, if any, they provide the blueprints for. With gene therapy, CRISPR adds an entirely new and powerful treatment method that enhances our clinical toolset. In 2014, the first instance of this was trialled in the UK to treat a patient with sickle cell anaemia. Commercially known as Casgevy, it involved the extraction of the problematic mass-producing cells responsible for the production of defective red blood cells, as well as their subsequent DNA modification before reinserting them back into patients’ bone marrow. Late in 2023, both the UK and US approved the commercial use of such drugs. A slew of other such gene therapy treatments follow; promising treatments for brain and ovarian cancer, diabetes and even AIDS. The emergence of CRISPR gene-editing in a clinical setting, however, poses serious ethical concerns. After gaining governmental permission, for example, researchers in the UK successfully modified human embryos in 2016. Even though they were later discarded, the scientific feat signifies that it is now possible to pick and choose our babies’ genomes. But should we be able to change the genetic makeup of an embryo? If so, would it only be to prevent life-threatening congenital diseases like Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome or less serious medical conditions such as dwarfism as well? Disability activists such as Rebecca Cokley, who views her achondroplasia less as a disease than as a part of her identity, argue that CRISPR is an existential menace to people like her. Purely cosmetic gene edits, such as those that would increase height or intelligence, are even more controversial; the concept of designer babies, previously a fit of science fiction fancy, looms as a frightening prospect that could entrench social inequalities by embedding them into our very genomes. Conclusion Despite technical limitations and ethical considerations, it’s hard to understate the revolutionary nature of the CRISPR system. In just over a decade, its use has proliferated to the majority of fields within the life sciences, yielding important clinical advances to tackle congenital diseases and understand viral mechanisms that target humans in order to accelerate the vaccine-making process. With all this, it’s important to note that the Cas9-system is only the first of many generations to come. Already, discovery of protein complexes such as Cas12 and present more precise and less error-prone mechanisms. In any case, one thing is clear: the discovery of CRISPR marks the beginning of a new age in genetic engineering.

Qatar’s movement towards a more democratic political system highlights the country as a progressive force in the region, which can help it gain assistance and recognition by important international actors such as the United States or the European Union. < Back The First Democratic Elections in Qatar- Democratic or Diplomatic? By Emilia Kohlmeyer November 29, 2021 On October 21, the Gulf emirate Qatar held its first elections for the government’s legislative body, Majlis Al Shura (commonly referred to as the Shura or Advisory Council). The monarchy has been continuously delaying its elections since 2007 — although the Qatari constitution outlined the first elections to commence as early as 2004. The Shura is composed of 30 popularly elected seats and 15 seats appointed by the Emir. It is responsible for approving the national budget as well as drafting, discussing, and voting on proposed legislation — however, with some legal restrictions. Eligible to vote are native Qatari citizens over the age of 18 — excluding a large number of naturalized citizens. While Qatar has a population of almost three million residents, only about 10% hold citizenship — and an even smaller portion is of 'native' descent. The controversial electoral law, outlined in the 2005 Nationality law, requires proof that one’s grandfather was born in Qatar. This led to backslash over the exclusion of the prominent Al Murrah tribe, sparking multiple arrests of members. Independent candidates over the age of 30 are permitted to run for an office term of four years, given that they are recognized native citizens, have no criminal convictions, exhibit good character, and are fluent in written and spoken Arabic. Political parties are banned in the emirate. Furthermore, foreign funding was strictly prohibited and a maximum budget of two million riyals, equivalent to 500.000 euros, was set for a maximum campaign of two weeks. The vote was divided in 30 electoral districts with a total of 284 candidates distributed on 30 seats. There were 28 female candidates, however none were successful. The elected candidates were largely composed of former government officials and influential businessmen. The functions of the Shura Council According to the constitution, Qatar has a democratic system which is based on the separation of powers. Furthermore, Article 76 states, “The Advisory Council assumes the Legislative Power, approves the State's public budget and exercises the function of ‘watchdog’ over the Executive Power, according to the manner stipulated in this Constitution.” The Majalis Al Shura has the power to approve the national budget and to draft, discuss, and vote on proposed legislation. In ordinary circumstances, the Cabinet would propose laws which are then passed on to the Shura Council for verification. Once the Advisory Council passes a bill by majority, it must be passed to the Emir for approval. If he rejects the bill, it must be resubmitted to the council within three months with a given explanation. However, if the Council passes the same bill again by a two-thirds majority the emir is required to pass the law. The emir, as executive power, also has the right, according to Article 70 of the constitution, to issue laws in ‘exceptional circumstances’ for a limited period of time – without consultation of the Council. However, to extend this law, the Shura Council must approve it with a two-thirds majority within 40 days of submission. Hence, constitutionally, the executive’s power is limited by the requirement to consult the Shura Council. Elections in Qatar: Progressive or Utilitarian? Qatar is one of the wealthiest states of the world, possessing the third largest natural gas reserve, which provides the state with 70% of government revenue and 60% of the GDP. This has allowed the country to provide generous benefits to its citizens, such as free healthcare, education, no taxes, and a monthly income. Therefore, while neighboring states such as Bahrain and Saudi Arabia faced political turmoil in context of the Arab Spring protests, Qatar faced essentially no opposition by its population. The Arab Opinion Index of 2019/2020 affirmed that 98% of the population believed the political situation in Qatar was either good or very good. Furthermore, the level of democracy was assessed as 7.5/10, ranking remarkably higher than other countries in the region. This can be mostly attributed to the rent the population receives, but as well due to their size. The government is known to have historically made concessions with tribal figures, which largely dominate the civilian political discourse. Qatar’s political sphere is therefore largely run under the notion of ‘no taxes, no voice.’ However, the elections can be seen as an anticipatory effort by the government to decrease the number of natural resources while the population increases. This will inevitably reduce the economic rent, and limit the government's leverage over the population. To maintain the social contract on which the monarchy relies, an increase in popular political participation reduces the responsibility of providing rent, and potentially facilitates the implementation of policies such as taxation. Furthermore, the elections can be regarded as a move to appeal to international powers. Qatar has been increasingly acting as a mediator in conflicts, such as in Middle Eastern countries during the Arab Spring, as well as negotiating with Israel on behalf of the Palestinian cause. This has conflicted with Saudi Arabia’s anticipations as the guard and mediator of the region. Its movement towards a more democratic political system highlights Qatar as a progressive force in the region, which can help it gain assistance and recognition by important international actors such as the United States or the European Union.

On that evening, when I was casually texting my relative as we discussed Lebanon’s situation, he sent me a photo that my Tweet was shared on TV < Back Never Give Up on Your Voice: My Tweet Went Viral in Lebanon By Riwa Hassan November 30, 2021 Expressing my voice in Lebanon, a country that has been collapsing Nothing uncommon, just some videos of militias terrorizing the country with their legal and illegal arms. Over the years, this has become a norm for me and for everyone who lives in Lebanon, one of the most politically complex and divided countries in the MENA region. For decades now, our citizens have stood by political warlords and religious extremist figures, which has weakened Lebanese unity and allowed for corruption to infiltrate almost all governmental and non-governmental organizations. Today, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the economic crisis, the Beirut explosion, and the overall socio-political situation compounded, people can no longer afford their basic necessities. On October 14, 2021, although the scene was not very different from today, the backstory was in fact more threatening, as it seemed that the country was on the verge of a civil war. Hezbollah and Amal Movement, known as the duo-Shiite, protested against the judge for the Beirut explosion investigation, Tarek Al Bitar, and accused him of being biassed after he involved some of their leaders in the investigation. As the protestors approached Ain El Remmaneh, where the residing majority are Christians who follow the Lebanese Forces Party, the clash, which soon became a bloodshed, began. This Tayouneh-Ain El Remmeneh bloodshed was called a “mini-civil war” as it also started in the same area where the Lebanese Civil War began in 1975. During that same time, I was in French class, trying to process all the news and the videos while texting my loved ones to make sure they were safe. The whole clash was not as disappointing to me as the youth supporters of these political parties, whose dreams and daily lives have been destroyed over the past two years. The protest, which was clearly not peaceful, was defended by Hezbollah and Amal supporters, as they backed it up with their right to protest and express themselves freely. They only recognize such human rights when it is in their interest. This sentiment was expressed in a Tweet I shared, which compared Hezbollah and Amal’s reactions in protests against a judge doing his job to the protests which demanded justice, equality and basic life necessities. In the former, they clearly supported the protests, but in the latter, their reaction was opposing and full of violence. As I normally do, I wrote a Tweet, “Remember when they called us ‘ate3een tor2at’ and ‘ze3ran’ and accused us of threatening civil peace when we were protesting for our basic rights #العدالة أقوى_من_ترهيبكم #الطيونه .” ‘Ate3een tor2at’ and ‘ze3ran’ can be translated to bandits or crooks. The hashtag under which I shared my Tweet is translated to “justice is stronger than your terrorism.” Suddenly, my Tweet was trending, and while some were threatening and cursing me, others showed their full support. On that evening, when I was casually texting my relative as we discussed the whole situation, he sent me a photo that my Tweet was shared on TV, on Lebanon Broadcasting Corporation International (LBCI). I received a lot of messages that encouraged me to continue voicing my opinion. At the same time, I got messages to be careful, and warnings that being bold about my stance is not safe. Later this year, on November 22, Lebanese Independence Day, while I was supposed to be studying for my finals, I could not help but think of how our lives have flipped upside down during the past two years, and reflect on what independence I was supposed to celebrate. I poured the words from my heart onto a post on Instagram. In almost an hour, my post was shared on numerous Instagram stories, especially within the Sciences Po community. For that, I cannot explain how safe it felt to be living in such a supportive community. I cannot thank you enough but I am forever grateful for your effort to help share my voice. I am writing this article on the plane on my way back to Lebanon and I have never felt this afraid yet excited at the same time. I know that I have only been away for around three months, but the situation in the country is changing very fast and, sadly, for the worse. On the bright side, this is the first time I have seen this amount of people going back to Lebanon, which explains how much love all the Lebanese diaspora hold for this country despite all the traumas and losses it has caused them. Sharing my stance and explaining the situation in Lebanon means a lot to me, and I will always express my opinion regardless of the consequences. Freedom of expression might only be found in our constitution, on paper, but we have the duty to share our concerns and turn it to action. The latter is one step forward towards change which Lebanon is in dire need for.

For us, Sciences Pistes, there are endless options, often just a click away on a lazy Monday morning, when the teacher is particularly uninteresting. The flight tickets are cheap, flying is fast and time is limited. We, Sciences Pistes, are respectful, interested in different cultures and exploring the hidden gems—not just the touristy areas. < Back Trends In Tourism: Solo Travelling and Slow Tourism Ema Nevřelová March 31, 2025 Are you trying to get through the crowded streets of Menton during Fête du Citron? Or are you lying on your sofa watching Tanya McQuoid, played by Jennifer Coolidge, enjoy her peppermint tea in The White Lotus ? I’m sorry to inform you that you are one of them–a tourist. For most of us, tourism has become a regular part of our lives, and not traveling during break makes some of us twitch. Unsurprisingly, flying is cheaper, orientation in new places is more accessible, and life is always shinier in undiscovered places. And because summer is swiftly approaching, I shall lead through some of the do’s and don’ts of tourism. I recently came across an article from the BBC with a striking title: Cover up or pay a fine, Portugal's Albufeira warns . However, Albufeira is not the only destination battling mass tourism. Cities like Barcelona or Venice have also employed measures to prevent tourists from overcrowding and, in some cases, even destroying the cultural sights. Coming from Prague, which has almost eight times more tourists visiting each year than its inhabitants, I understand the frustrations. It is not just about the crowds on Charles Bridge , it is about the locals choosing to avoid certain parts of the city and losing touch with its culture, history and with one another. Not to mention, prices have skyrocketed even outside of the city center. After one gets over the initial shock of a €4 cappuccino; there comes a worst nightmare of all—tourists discovering the local hidden gems. From a personal experience, there is no worse feeling than coming back to your favorite local business, realizing an influencer featured it in their reel, and you’re no longer able to sit and enjoy your overpriced beverage. However, there is another side. For us, Sciences Pistes, there are endless options, often just a click away on a lazy Monday morning, when the teacher is particularly uninteresting. The flight tickets are cheap, flying is fast and time is limited. At some point, most people will Google how to get affordable flight tickets, setting price alerts and always look for free Fridays, as it is the most inexpensive day to travel by plane. Of course, we are not like “the other tourists.” We, Sciences Pistes, are respectful, interested in different cultures and exploring the hidden gems—not just the touristy areas. In the years since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a shift in the way people think about tourism. It is no longer about “seeing it all” (preferably in one day and for the price of a cappuccino in Prague). On the contrary, the emerging trend—sustainable or slow tourism—pushes those who participate in it to rethink their relationship to traveling. Sustainable or slow tourism can be defined as “the development of a region’s tourism industry in such a way that it does not damage or deplete the resources that make the region attractive to tourists.” For those who are traveling, it means being more conscious about the transportation they use to get to their destination as well as choosing accommodations that are committed to reducing their emissions or learning about the local culture, respecting it and taking the proper time to explore it and immerse in it. This trend is all the more important in the face of climate change, as global tourism emissions have reached 8.8 % of total greenhouse gas emissions in the pre-pandemic year 2019. While the tourism industry has not fully recovered to its pre-pandemic levels in 2023, the UN Tourism 2024 Edition of International Tourism Highlights has suggested : “a full recovery of international arrivals in 2024, following a 96% recovery in the first seven months of 2024.” The European Union, in its attempt to fight the climate crisis, supports the trend of slow tourism. For example, they offer students a free 7-day train pass to travel Europe under the initiative of DiscoverEU . It is proposed for 18-year-olds who live in one of the EU member states or countries that are part of the Erasmus+ program, such as Turkey, Norway, etc. The next round of applications opens on April 2 and will close on April 16. The program provides young people with a great opportunity to be environmentally mindful while seeing the beauties this continent has to offer. Two years ago, I signed up and embarked on my first solo trip from Prague to Madrid. As I was roaming the quaint streets of Munich, Zurich, Geneva and Barcelona—my three stops—I realized that I had just discovered my new favorite way of traveling, even though I, figuratively speaking, was not alone. Solo traveling has been on the rise, especially for women. What most women face, at least to some extent, regardless of their wealth, is the lack of safety in many public spaces. So, traveling alone is a great step towards reclaiming women’s agency despite the dangers that not all men embody, and is an important booster of self-confidence. Yet it does not mean that women can suddenly go outside at night and not feel unsafe just because they are in another country. One of the mantras of solo female travelers with a small budget is finding information on the safety of the place they will be staying. Sometimes the research takes hours, from finding a good location for the hostel—not too crowded but not too remote—to making a list of all the quarters and places to avoid. Sadly, even that is often not a guarantee that once women arrive, they will not be facing any potential or immediate danger. On all my solo trips, I have also shared the location with my loved ones and did not go out after 10 p.m. unless I met someone trustworthy enough to go with me. That is just a fraction of what women face when they decide to travel alone. While the statistics on deaths of solo female travelers do not exist, and the dangers at times feel omnipresent, there is hope. My recent trip from Rome to Menton on a night train restored my faith in humanity, at least momentarily. As I boarded the train with all the anxious what-ifs, I saw a young man sleeping on my seat. At first, I was consumed by fear and thought of all the ways I could potentially fend him off. But after a couple of minutes of casual conversation, it turned out that despite my limited French and his restricted English, we found a common ground. I learned a lot about the Congo and he willingly listened to old Czech songs. Nonetheless, I realize not all women have good experiences with men during their travels. Solo traveling can be intimidating, and there are a lot of factors women still have to take into consideration, but personally, I still find it worth it. However, solo traveling and sustainable tourism are not the only trends predicted to rise in 2025. Booking.com , an accommodation website, predicted that there will be a rise in “noctourism,” nocturnal tourism, which is traveling to experience the beauty of the night starry sky. According to the data gathered by Booking.com , around 60% of people in the survey conducted for the website answered that they were considering visiting a location with lower light pollution. As more and more people live in the cities, the chance of seeing the sky full of stars is close to none. While some are left suffocating from the air pollution in the cities, others, in their search for “raw” experiences, paradoxically do not shy away from polluting even more. Booking.com also predicts more “self-discovery” trips, emphasizing “men-only wellness retreats.” Surely, many women would like to see more men taking care of their mental health. The question is whether they will choose a path to more vulnerability or a trip supporting misogynistic stereotypes our society cannot stop perpetuating. The first step before setting out on a journey like in Eat Pray Love style is to be mindful of the impact of our actions and dismantle the unrealistic ideas we have about traveling. As in anything in life, perfection is unattainable, but the steps to becoming a slow and/or solo tourist are not unreachable. I found balance in combining airplanes, trains and walking; learning a few sentences in the local language before visiting and reading about the culture and heritage. And when you find yourself queuing in Prague’s city center during the summer, try the part called Holešovice instead. I cannot tell you my hidden gem, but the city has a lot to offer regardless. Photo source: Roberto Trombetta on Flickr

Many young Tunisians, 1A Amira Zargouni notes, are “filled with disillusionment due to the long, arduous process of democratic transition” and have not experienced the direct rewards of democratic gains during the post-revolution period that their parents or grandparents did. < Back Tunisia: A Nation Relying on the Fundamental Power of Youth Trust By Luca Utterwulghe September 29, 2021 As students of the Middle East and North Africa region, we are quick to recall that Tunisia was the only relative success story of the “Arab Spring,” a string of popular revolutions beginning in 2010 which engulfed the region. Tunisian exceptionalism was due to a myriad of factors: the mobilizing role of social media, the diverse and widespread nature of the protest movement, the strategic dialogue initiated by Tunisian civil society, and the absence of military repression of protests, as was the case in Bahrain and other Arab Spring states. Western spectators often extol Tunisia as the pillar of democracy in the MENA region, praising its relatively secular political institutions and “liberal” constitution , which includes a mandate to actively support child development, commitments to “social justice” and regional equality, articles outlining gender equality, and orders to protect the environment. Why, then, have mass crowds continued to flood Avenue Habib Bourguiba and city centers from Bizerte to Gafsa, shouting chants reminiscent of the initial calls for the removal of dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali? Protestors called for the suspension of Parliament, economic reform, strategic action on the COVID-19 crisis, and an end to police brutality. Tunisian President Kais Saied terminated Parliament and removed Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi on July 26, 2021, a decision rooted in entrenched political divides which have plagued the government. Many question whether Saied’s decision to suspend Parliament for thirty days indicated the rise of a new authoritarianism or a proper course of action in the face of national political and economic crisis. Saied has since extended the suspension, raising further questions about the legitimacy of his temporary consolidation of power. Compounding the gravity of these issues is the emergence of political figures like Abir Moussi , leader of the Al-Dustur al-Hurr party and a Ben Ali regime nostalgic. Moussi’s disruptive actions in parliamentary procedures and the unbridled anger of her opponents have led to embarrassing (physical) clashes in Parliament. Many, however, take for granted the fact that (most) Tunisian citizens have the right to express their grievances without having to fear the state’s security apparatus to the extent that they did pre-revolution. Tunisia remains in the difficult and transitionary space of fairly well-protected political liberties and unstable economic conditions, forcing many young and bright Tunisians to flee the country ( youth unemployment was 35% in 2019). How can Tunisia move forward in this drawn-out process of democratization where the value of political freedom is drowned out by pleas for economic reform, among other things? What do young people need in order to trust the future of their country? I have consulted young Tunisians to lend some insight into these necessary questions: Amira Zargouni, a Tunisian first year student in the French Track of the Sciences Po Menton campus responds to the above questions with a call for structural reform in various domains of Tunisian society. Zargouni stresses that “in order to understand their needs [young Tunisians], it is important to [paint] a portrait” of them. Many young Tunisians, Zargouni notes, are “filled with disillusionment due to the long, arduous process of democratic transition” and have not experienced the direct rewards of democratic gains during the post-revolution period that their parents or grandparents did. Zargouni describes the reality of young Tunisians as navigating and protesting a complex web of “endless loopholes” in political life. The underlying issue Zargouni pinpoints is corruption, an issue that “remains intact and that contaminates every other branch, field, [and] future prospect” in the Tunisian political and economic spheres. While Tunisian political institutions are generally well-functioning, Zargouni emphasizes that Tunisia has still not established a constitutional council or supreme court of the land. There exists no “fair and efficient judiciary to act strongly against any form of corruption.” Zargouni alludes to the removal of the head of INLUCC, “the government committee fighting corruption,” as a crucial indicator of low public trust in government. In a more economic sense, Zargouni states the importance of “reshaping the economic model, [making it] more inclusive, more equitable, and coherent with the global value chain.” Evidently, there are a range of approaches one can take in examining what young Tunisians need to move forward confidently, trustingly, and prosperously. It is clear that Tunisian youth are extremely capable of reforming their communities ( Hayfa Sdiri is an excellent example of how young minds can affect change). Decision-makers are tasked with the fundamental duty of protecting and nurturing this wealth of human capital. Failing to do so will only lead to further political strife and deadlock.

On Oct. 5, following a meeting in its Vienna headquarters, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) announced that its member countries would be cutting oil production by 2%, or 2 million barrels a day, taking effect in November. What are the implications of this move? < Back A Day Before Winter, OPEC Cuts Oil Production by Two Million Barrels By Leo Gerza November 30, 2022 On Oct. 5t, following a meeting in its Vienna headquarters, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) announced that its member countries would be cutting oil production by two percent, or two million barrels a day, taking effect in November. The announcement was made against the backdrop of rising energy costs and a looming global recession. Indeed, it is global economic uncertainty that the organization claims underpins its decision to cut oil production, citing its desire to balance supply in the face of decreasing demand as its core motivation. Founded in 1960, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries sought to counter the United States’ hegemony over oil production and now controls 40% of production and 80% of the world’s reserves, vesting the cartel with immense pricing power. The organization has not shied away from exercising its dominance. Older generations are haunted by the devastating effects the cartel’s oil embargo had on the price of oil and the U.S. economy in the 1970s. Its recent actions have again highlighted its pricing power, as oil prices surged from $76.71 per barrel to $92.64 in response to its announcement that it would cut production. At first glance, the decision seems motivated by the desire to steer prices back toward the highs they experienced earlier this year. The price of oil hit a peak of $122 in June; however, since then, it has steadily fallen to below $90. The announcement was designed, in part, to counter falling prices and benefit the revenues received from oil exports. Other factors are contributing to the volatility of global oil prices. Supply shocks lingering from the COVID-19 pandemic — which saw oil prices briefly slip into the negatives — mean that global supply cannot keep up with demand rapidly returning to pre-pandemic levels due to the robust expansionary fiscal policy wielded by western leaders as an answer to the pandemic. Equally, many countries, especially those in Europe, that have chosen to halt buying oil from Russia in response to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine are facing unprecedented supply challenges as they seek alternatives to their long-lasting reliance on Russian gas imports. According to National Public Radio, some pressure from Russia may have invigorated the decision-making process, as “they effectively came and asked OPEC to cut production by a million barrels a day.” Such observations further suggest the protagonist role that the war in Ukraine is playing in the emerging resource crisis. This, especially, has influenced calls from some governments for Volodymyr Zelensky to enter negotiations with Putin to de-escalate the conflict. Beyond the immediate price increase of oil, the impacts of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ decision will perpetuate a common trend in the past year. Energy firms drilling for and selling oil will see profits rise even higher as they continue to reap record profits. British Petroleum (BP) announced $8.2 billion in profit at the end of October, its second highest on record. At the same time, households face even higher costs just as winter begins setting in, with the prospect of energy rationing not out of the question in many European countries.

Joy is evident everywhere. It is woven into the fabric of the robust youth culture. It is painted into the murals that decorate almost every street. It mingles with the smoke in the jam packed shisha bar. < Back Amman Travel Review: What I Lost in Egypt, I Found in Jordan Lara-Nour Walton March 30, 2022 I spent my early childhood draped on couches in Heliopolis, spitting sunflower seed shells into ashtrays, curling up with cousins under the glow of Pixar movies. My fingers were perpetually sticky with mango. I sat on everybody’s lap, kissed everybody’s cheek. I slept in intergenerational apartments – blood relations on each story. I once knew Cairo by heart. I traced its corners, memorized its streets from balconies and car windows. But my great grandmother’s death marked a definitive shift in the Egypt that I had grown up with. Her passing preceded several more uprooting family losses. Without our Cairo-based matriarch, remaining relatives began to leave downtown for satellite cities. With the ascendance of Al-Sisi, bridges and highways diced up the metropolis, defacing its once recognizable figure. My relations scattered. Cairo lost all its unity, diminished to a blur of billboards and bustle, on my way from the airport to Sheikh Zayed. I wondered if the Egypt of my girlhood was gone forever. But, what I lost in Egypt, I found in Jordan. Jordan does not look like Egypt. Amman, the capital, is a sprawling city– boxy, and entirely limestone according to the Kingdom’s strict building code. Amman is uniform and retains very little of Cairo’s chaos. Jordan does not sound like Egypt. Shamy Arabic is sweeter– less guttural than its Egyptian counterpart. Fewer car horns are heard in the streets. The muezzin is more inconspicuous. Jordan does not smell like Egypt. The molokhia is spiced differently, the pollution hangs lighter in the air. But the sense of community, family, liveliness, that had vanished from my Egypt, it lives on in Jordan. When I landed in Amman this spring break, I was brimming with anticipation. My conception of the SWANA region was limited to my childhood experiences. I wondered how Jordan would stack up. My excitement was timidly matched by my traveling companion/tour guide, English Track 1A, Sami Omaish. Much like me, Omaish grew up between the Middle East and states. His Jordanian family magnanimously agreed to open their home to us for the vacation. Omaish’s palpable nervousness in Queen Alia Airport was familiar to me. Every time I return to Egypt, I too have airport crises– panicking about whether I will spontaneously lose the ability to interact with my relatives or, worse, forget how many bises are required for standard greetings (two). I suspected that his anxiety, just like mine always is, would soon be quelled by the open arms of family. When we arrived at the Omaish household, my hunch was confirmed. We were welcomed with guffaws, embraces, and a piping hot lunch in the dining room. Omaish’s grandparents are the epitome of Arab elders. His grandfather, Sami Omaish Sr., bellows on the phone and is acquainted with everyone in the neighborhood. His grandmother dotes on every guest and knits her eyebrows when there isn’t enough khobs on the table. His family was the veritable backbone of our trip: uncle Ziad organized our transportation from Petra, to Wadi Rum, to the Dead Sea; great aunt Samira, a downstairs neighbor to Omaish’s grandparents, gave me and English Track 1A Basak Üstün a bed to sleep in; cousin Laith led us to one of the best meals of the trip, Jordanian mezze – hummus, falafel, pita bread, pickled carrots, and baked cheese. Amman felt like a homecoming to me – the bevy of children, the animated conversation, the unwavering warmth – was reminiscent of my early years in Egypt. But there was an unknown face of SWANA, one that I never witnessed in Egypt, that I delighted in during my stay in Jordan. The youth scene in Amman is positively effervescent. Although spending bountiful time with young adults in Cairo, I never truly strayed from the sphere of domesticity. But, in the capital’s trendy locales, I experienced SWANA for the first time without familial restraint. It was in the Jabal Amman and Weibdeh neighborhoods where I was exposed to a cafe culture rivaling both Paris’ and Vienna’s. Rumi Cafe operates to a soundtrack of English and Arabic. They do cafe favorites with an Arab twist – saffron hot chocolates and cardamom cakes grace the tables of patrons. Down the street, Wild Jordan offers an array of coffees and smoothies that would make Starbucks quake in its boots. Snacks like apple pie and lentil soup were fan favorites among my travel partners. And if the menu was not enticing enough, the windows offer panoramic views of the Amman – the ancient citadel in direct eyeshot. But, Books@Cafe was my favorite establishment. Although boasting the title of “the Middle East’s first ever internet cafe”, it had the most unreliable wifi of all the ones we visited. This, however, could be overlooked. Books@Cafe is the type of business that, I believe, should be in every SWANA city. On the ground floor, local art is sold, creating a vibrant market for young Jordanian artists. Stacked up against kaleidoscopic wallpaper are shelves upon shelves of books in both Arabic and English. Stooped over laptops and books are school age people – the 50% off student discount presenting reason enough to frequent the coffee house. A hub for the Jordanian artistic, literary, and youth scenes, Books@Cafe also doubles as a haven for Amman’s queer community. This cafe represents joy. It is accessible and tolerant – a space where people of all backgrounds are encouraged to create, to learn, to share some delicious food and drink. And joy is not only relegated to Books@Cafe. It is evident everywhere. It is woven into the fabric of the robust youth culture. It is painted into the murals that decorate almost every street. It mingles with the smoke in the jam packed shisha bar. Jordan is the renewal of my Cairene glory days, but it is also unlike anywhere else I’ve been before.

The Oscars, once regarded as the highest award form of artistic recognition, have increasingly been subject to scrutiny over their selection process, inclusivity and cultural relevance. While the ceremony continues to attract global attention for viewers tuning in from all over the globe, one cannot help but ask: is the Academy truly honoring the best in cinema, or is it simply reinforcing the industry’s biases and political inclinations? < Back A Review of the Oscars Nil Celik March 31, 2025 “No one mourns the wicked” is the opening number of Wicked , the Broadway musical that made its highly anticipated transition to film this year. Wicked was all people talked about , especially after wondering why Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were crying constantly in interviews. The movie, intended to highlight society’s tendency to make a villain out of those who challenge norms, feels especially relevant when assessing the 2025 Academy Awards. The Oscars, once regarded as the highest award form of artistic recognition, have increasingly been subject to scrutiny over their selection process, inclusivity and cultural relevance. While the ceremony continues to attract global attention for viewers tuning in from all over the globe, one cannot help but ask: is the Academy truly honoring the best in cinema, or is it simply reinforcing the industry’s biases and political inclinations? The 97th Academy Awards , held on March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, was an event that aimed to celebrate a year of outstanding filmmaking. However, it was also a night filled with predictable victories, controversial choices and moments that highlighted both the strengths and weaknesses of Hollywood today. While independent cinema was seen as a winner in several major categories, particularly with Anora , the awards ceremony also revealed the ongoing tensions between artistic merit and the industry’s tendency to prioritize narratives that align with its current political and cultural discourse. However , after the news that $18 million dollars was spent on “Anora’s” Oscar campaign, marketing and distribution, surpassing the initial budget of $6 million dollars the film was produced with, left viewers divided on whether actual filmmaking wins you the Oscar or if you can just pay your way into winning an award? Hosting the Oscars has become an increasingly difficult task since many hosts tend to face backlash for out of pocket jokes or their inability to engage the audience in more than one way. This year, Conan O’Brien was selected by the Academy to host. Conan’s opening monologue at the 97th Academy Awards addressed the ongoing controversy surrounding Emilia Pérez star Karla Sofía Gascón's past offensive tweets. He stated that the film Anora used the F-word 479 times, "three more than the record set by Karla Sofía Gascón's publicist." O'Brien further joked, advising Gascón that if she planned to tweet about the Oscars, she should remember his name as Jimmy Kimmel, referencing the former Oscars host who had a particularly hard time hosting. A win for independent filmmaking? One of the night's most significant moments was when Anora , an independent film directed by Sean Baker, won the Best Picture category. With a relatively modest budget compared to films within the same category, Anora was an example of powerful storytelling, masterful cinematography and the power of character-driven narratives. In an industry dominated by high-budget studio films, the victory of Anora was a refreshing acknowledgment of artistic integrity over commercial appeal. The Best Actor category has historically been one of the most important categories on the night. Adrien Brody won his second Oscar for his performance in The Brutalist , marking a career-defining comeback after years of relatively low-profile roles. His portrayal of an architect navigating the complexities of post-war trauma was emotionally moving and led the person to reflect, reaffirming his status as one of the most talented actors of his generation. However, the competition in this category was notably weaker than in previous years. While competing nominees delivered strong performances, neither achieved the level of critical or public consensus needed to challenge the dominance of Brody. This raises the question: was Brody’s win truly the result of the best performance, or was it partially influenced by the Academy’s tendency to favor narratives of personal and professional redemption, as seen before in the case of Mickey Rourke’s Oscar loss to Sean Penn in 2009 ? One of the night’s most touching wins was Mikey Madison’s victory in the Best Actress category for Anora. At just 25 years old, Madison delivered a performance that was subtle yet profoundly moving. This indicated her ability to convey complex emotions without the need for theatrical extravagance, showing the subtle side of Hollywood acting. Her win was a rare moment where critical acclaim and audience sentiment aligned. This showed her place in the acting industry as a rising star. However, it also demonstrated a broader shift in acting recognition. The Academy is increasingly rewarding performances that prioritize realism and vulnerability over grand, dramatic gestures. Once bold, Hollywood acting shifting towards a more subtle style had never been seen before. While this shift is admirable, it raises the question of whether high-intensity performances, which have traditionally been favored in this category, are now being overlooked in favor of a more minimalist acting style. The documentary No Other Land received the Best Documentary Feature award, marking a significant moment in Oscar history. The film, co-directed by Palestinian activist and journalist Basel Adra and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham, showed the ongoing struggles Palestinians face in the occupied West Bank, particularly focusing on the village of Masafer Yatta and the challenges they face due to home demolitions and forced displacements by Israeli settlers. In their acceptance speeches, both directors delivered important messages that resonated deeply with the audience. Basel Adra began by expressing his hopes for his newborn daughter, stating that: "About two months ago, I became a father, and my hope to my daughter is that she will not have to live the same life I am living now, always fearing violence, home demolitions, and displacement that my community is living and facing every day." He further emphasized the film's reflection on the constant difficulties faced by Palestinians, calling on the global community to take decisive action to stop the ongoing injustices and the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people. His message was powerful since the ongoing struggle of the Palestinians was disregarded by most of the people sitting in that audience, who chose to stay silent. Abraham indicated the collaborative nature of the film, emphasizing the power that is derived from joint Palestinian and Israeli efforts, stating: "We made this film, Palestinians and Israelis, we see each other." He underscored the differences in their lives, noting that while he has freedom under civilian law, Adra lives under strict military rule. Yuval Abraham called for a political solution based on equality, respecting the rights of both peoples. He also criticized U.S. foreign policy for blocking progress toward peace, asking a powerful question to stress how their futures are tied together. He asked, "Can't you see that we are intertwined? That my people can be truly safe if Basel's people are truly free and safe?" Their speeches showed the personal impact of the conflict and called on the world to recognize and act on the struggles of Palestinians. One of the most controversial moments was the recognition of Emilia Pérez . It is a film that mixed crime, gender identity and musical elements in a way that left audiences divided. While it earned multiple nominations, many questioned whether its wins were based on artistic merit or Hollywood’s growing focus on social and political messaging. The Mexican community voiced strong criticism, arguing that the film misrepresented their culture and reinforced harmful stereotypes rather than offering an authentic portrayal. The Best Supporting Actress win for Zoë Saldaña was also met with backlash, with many feeling her performance, while good, was not the strongest in the category. Adding to the awkwardness, one of the film’s winners broke into a strange, off-key song during the acceptance speech, confusing the audience and turning the moment into a viral moment. Furthermore, Conan O’Brien’s jokes about Karla Sofía Gascón’s past offensive tweets further highlighted the tensions surrounding the film, showing a contrast between the so-called "message" that was trying to be delivered. The 97th Academy Awards were filled with victories, controversy and loss that identified the complex nature of filmmaking. While the victory of Anora paved the way for independent filmmaking, the controversy involving Emilia Pérez indicated concerns regarding authenticity and the true nature of inclusivity. In the end, we were left with an important question: Are the awards truly about great filmmaking, or do outside influences shape the winners? Photo source: Adarshy Upadhy, Flickr

The sufferings of Palestinians were marginalized even at COP26, where Prime Minister Shtayyeh reiterated his denouncement against the environment-threatening Israeli policies. This article aims to investigate the inherent characteristics of the Israeli occupation which aggravate climate change. < Back The Israeli Occupation of Palestinian Territories Threatens the Environment By Margherita Cordellini January 29, 2022 The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP26), which took place in Glasgow in November, was depicted by the media as a theater of — sometimes empty — promises and of implicit defeats. People expressed their indignation towards Narendra Modi’s last-minute intervention, and India was accused multiple times of prioritizing political and economic aims over the commitment to avoid a global catastrophe. Public opinion deemed this action as intolerable. However, the Glasgow Climate Conference silently witnessed the denouncement of another state that includes in its political agenda an enormous quantity of CO2 emissions: Israel. On the second day of the international conference, the prime minister of the State of Palestine, Mohammad Shtayyeh, reiterated his denouncement of the Israeli occupation defining it as the “most critical long-term threat to the Palestinian environment.” It was not the first time that worrying data concerning the issue had been presented, as it was not the first time that the situation went almost unnoticed on an international scale. For instance, in 2012 the United Nations (UN) raised the alarm by announcing that Palestine would have been inhabitable by 2020 if Israel did not radically modify its expansionary and repressive policies. The human characteristic to adapt to inhumane conditions was once again underestimated. The Applied Research Institute-Jerusalem (Arij) published several reports which clearly affirmed that, not only do the inhabitants of the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) suffer from the Israeli occupation, but so does the climate. The report published in 2007, perhaps the most complete one, illustrates in detail all the consequences of the Israeli occupation, which are supported by sound scientific evidence. In 2018 another report was issued, which showed rapid escalation of the problem. Given the complex nature of the issue, this article will seek to summarize the most devastating climatic problems that Palestine is facing because of foreign occupation. Israel’s settlement project in the OPT is grounded on four main pillars: expansion, segregation, fragmentation, and resource exploitation. First of all, one of the main objectives of the Israeli occupation has been expansion, and consists of ensuring control over Area C, an administrative division following the Oslo accords, that represents 66 percent of the West Bank. The Arij report of 2007 underscores the dichotomic appearance of the Palestinian landscape. On one side, Palestinian villages are built on non-fertile soil and favor the organic development of the landscape, on the other one, Israeli settlements are scattered significantly on agricultural lands situated in strategic positions such as the Jordan Valley, in the West Bank’s western edges and the Jerusalem area. Thus, Israel’s expansion entails destruction of cultivations and deforestation: Prime Minister Shtayyeh drew attention to the fact that Israel has uprooted approximately 2.5 million Palestinian trees since 1967, 800 thousand of which were olive trees. Moreover, the settlements are typically characterized by their enormous sizes. This has a twofold aim: to attract colonists and to cover as much land as possible. Since 1967, Israel has been trying to convince the world that the solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict is the segregation of Palestinian communities. This statement is undoubtedly misguided both from a humanitarian and a climatic perspective. The main way of establishing a situation of apartheid is the development of two distinct road networks. Colonists have at their disposal an increasing number of streets, which are mostly strictly forbidden to Palestinians, so that the journey time from the settlements to Israel decreases. Furthermore, Israeli settlements are surrounded by “security streets” of thousands of square kilometers which have no purpose other than circumscribing the living area of the colonists. This further fragments the Palestinian Territories, which are already constituted by two separate land masses. The result of the apartheid regime to which Palestinians are subject is a disproportionate quantity of CO2 emissions caused by an unavoidable traffic jam. For instance, in order to go from the villages to the main cities of the OPT, local inhabitants are forced to face longer journeys in order to avoid Israeli settlements and pass checkpoints, as is now required. The former obstacle is responsible for the supplementary yearly emission of 196 thousand tons of CO2, whereas the latter, according to the Arij report of 2018, for the annual waste of 80 million liters of fuel in the West Bank. In such cases, a classical solution would be the implementation of a public transportation system. However, the fragmentation of the territory and the highly limited freedom of movement of Palestinians makes it impossible. Israel’s occupation of Palestine is also a story of exploitation. From a resources point of view, Israel parasitically avails itself of Palestinian water. For instance, Palestine is currently undergoing a severe problem of water scarcity. The Arij report of 2007 shows how Israel has been exploiting the territory’s hydric resources since the beginning of the occupation in 1967. In the area, the Jordan River System, the Coastal Aquifer and the West Bank Aquifer System are the three main water resources, and theoretically, they should be shared with Palestine. However, Israel is in control of all of them. Since the occupation, Palestinians are denied their rightful access to the Jordan River and they are compelled to give Israel more than 80 percent of the water coming from the West Bank Aquifer. As a result, the per capita share of water of West Bank inhabitants (excluding settlers) is 79.1 liters per day, whereas in the Gaza Strip, it is 79.9, much lower than the daily required standard recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), which is 100-150 liters per person. Repercussions are visible not only in the progressive decrease of Palestinians’ living standards but also in the indirect climatic impact. In fact, given the limited availability of hydric resources, Palestinians are forced to exploit the Gaza Aquifer system. Because of its over-usage, 96 percent of its water is undrinkable. Thus, a CO2-consuming purification plant is required. Without considering the impact that such measures have on the inhabitants’ daily lives, we can still evaluate the enormous environmental consequences, which originate also from the necessity of transporting the treated water. The marginalization of the Arab-Israeli question in the international political discourse can no longer be justified: it is not only a private issue, but a collective one since it is indissolubly tied to the concept of climate justice.

As everything is slowly becoming 15% off for Valentine’s Day, and everyone seems to be in a rush to buy matching socks with their partner, it’s important to look back and reflect on how this affects our perceptions of love overall. Love, in all its forms, can be cherished without engaging in its distorted, capitalized forms and by remembering we are a part of a community that can grow stronger if we stop associating love with discounts and advertisements. < Back Love in the Time of Consumerism Melissa Çevikel February 28, 2025 Heart-shaped EVERYTHING, red, pink and white dominating the isles and “Galentine's Day” wine-tasting workshops for middle-aged white women. It's the season of Valentine's Day sales, advertisements and the ‘10 best things to buy your partner for Valentine’s Day’ videos flooding social media timelines. Whether you’re in a relationship or not, industries have been waiting for February to come around to be able to profit off of either your love for your partner or the dreadful loneliness you might be feeling against their absence. It’s assumed that Valentine's Day was originally celebrated as the Roman festival Lupercalia, held to celebrate the coming of spring. Though the theme doesn’t necessarily align with what we know as the holiday today, it included matchmaking for men and women —though this celebration was banned by the end of the fifth century. The day gets its name from one of the several priests and martyrs named Valentine, the exact identity of whom no one is quite sure about. According to the legend, the day is associated with love because St. Valentine went against the emperor's orders and wed couples to help the husbands escape war. Declarations of love on Valentine’s Day used to consist of valentines themselves, which are greeting cards that contain words of affection towards one's Valentine— the loved one with whom one chose to spend Valentine's Day. While during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the commercial aspect of Valentine's Day was limited to the Valentine cards, the 21st century offers a much larger consumerist approach to the holiday. This raises the question: how does this consumerist shift affect our attitudes toward love? In her book “All About Love: New Visions”, the author, theorist, professor and activist Bell Hooks wrote: “Consumer culture, in particular, encourages lies. Advertising is one of the cultural mediums that has the most sanctioned lying. Keeping people in a constant state of lack, in perpetual desire, strengthens the marketplace economy. Lovelessness is a boon to consumerism.” In a market economy, we are meant to be able to get exactly what we want and have access to products as niche as we desire them to be. This, in turn, feeds the hyper-individualism that has been brewing since the late 20th century and extends our overconsumption. During Valentine’s Day, one has access to any product they desire— with a side of red packaging and hearts for 10% more of the price. As Hooks explained, since we are kept in a “constant state of lack, in perpetual desire” by large corporations, we expect those we love to feed us our material needs during holidays, birthdays and especially Valentine's Day. Think about the number of stuffed animals purchased each year on Valentine’s Day. They aren’t bought because they’re believed to be one's partner's favorite animal or because they hold any sentimental value, but solely out of the traditionalness of this gift. In no way does this mean that the gift is not valuable, but it does highlight how it’s driven by consumerist culture rather than love itself. Through this, we can make a broader observation that the desire to celebrate Valentine's Day in such a way is also driven by consumerist culture rather than a warm and fuzzy feeling. Undeniably, a relatively new yet striking force in our interpretation of love has become technology and social media. Dating apps like Hinge now have paid-for premium options, and such options are targeted toward those who are “shy and afraid to make the first move”. This essentially materializes one's accessibility to “love” or to the opportunity to meet someone with whom you can bond on any level. But what is wrong with meeting a partner in college, at work or bumping into each other on the street the Carrie Bradshaw way? Are these environments not as safe as they were before, back when most older people had stories of meeting as such or of being set up by friends? And is the situation so critical that we’re willing to pay up to $49.99 monthly? Technology and love are also more and more interconnected in mainstream media. Most books that have romantic plot lines —especially young adult (YA) romance books— offer conversation scenes via texts or emails. Sally Rooney's books are especially rich in this sense since they all feature very long email conversations and declarations of love. While in a sense this keeps the books realistic and relevant, YA romance books take this to a completely other level offering storytelling solely through text conversation screenshots. Not only does this raise the question of privacy, but also sets the standard for previously fabricated conversations rather than spontaneous interactions. With technology, and especially texting, becoming the biggest means of communication while getting to know someone or while in a situationship, it has become easier to be deceived by someone’s “online” personality. A good example of this deception can be seen in the book “The Idiot” by Elif Batuman. The story is set in the mid-90s at the very beginning of the rise of email culture at Harvard. The main character, Selin, feels awkward talking to her love interest so ends up sending him very long philosophical emails and they talk in a prolonged email stream. Finally, when Selin confesses her love to Ivan via email, he replies by saying that he is in love with her emails and not her. It’s much easier to come up with intelligent things to say and topics of conversation when one has time to formulate responses, and now more than ever— with attention spans drastically minimizing— being able to converse spontaneously is a highly valued skill. Another newly emerging “genre” of media concerned with love is self-help books and online personalities. The most famous example of this would be Dolly Alderton’s book “Everything I Know About Love.” While originally published in 2018, this book became very popular on social media after 2020 for being “life-changing” and helping many change their outlook on love. The book tells the story of the author’s coming of age and how both her romantic and platonic relationships changed as she grew into her 30s. While many of the themes previously covered in this article are mentioned, the author mainly emphasizes the role of her friendships in finding love both for herself and others. A notable—and viral—quote from the book is “Nearly everything I know about love, I've learnt from my long-term friendships with women.” While we all grow from our mistakes, someone you love getting hurt is a much stronger learning experience. It’s not as easy to notice the faults in a relationship you’re very invested in and are trying to make work as observing these as a third person. Being hurt firsthand will make it more difficult for one to trust someone again, whereas seeing someone getting hurt will teach one to look out for red flags. This isn’t the only dimension of Alderton’s quote, but it also underlines the importance of the platonic love bonds we create with our friends in understanding how to love and what it means to be loved. On the contrary, the famous self-help YouTuber Thewizzardliz argues otherwise. Her take on love— and generally on becoming successful in any other situation— focuses on hyperindividualism. One of her most famous preachings is “You don’t owe anyone anything,” including kindness or respect. This is very different from Bell Hooks’ outlook on life, where she instead preaches that complete forgiveness and openness can be the only ways of fully being invested in love. While noting that there is a time gap of more than 20 years between the two, both highlight how alienated we are progressively becoming from our communities. Both ideas are on the extremes, with Bell Hooks urging people to forgive their abusers to feel “true love” and Thewizardliz urging people to be self-absorbed and borderline rude. However, a middle ground could be the strong bond with a certain group of people which allows one to be both a part of a safe community and to not be a victim of narcissism, as Alderton discusses. As everything is slowly becoming 15% off for Valentine’s Day, and everyone seems to be in a rush to buy matching socks with their partner, it’s important to look back and reflect on how this affects our perceptions of love overall. As technology is now almost completely interlocked with our love lives, and we’re constantly being encouraged to be more hyper-individualistic and consume more, it’s difficult to take a moment and focus on what actually is meant to be celebrated. Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be a day for exchanging gifts or being sad over the fact that there’s no one with whom you can participate in this overconsumption crisis. Love, in all its forms, can be cherished without engaging in its distorted, capitalized forms and by remembering we are a part of a community that can grow stronger if we stop associating love with discounts and advertisements. Photo credits: Magnus Hagdorn, 2020

Fasting in different religions does not divide us. It just makes us realize how similar we are, how we have the same needs, temptations and desires. And that’s precisely what I realized when I came to Menton, a campus full of diversity—ethnically, culturally and religiously. At the core, we are all the same… < Back Fasting, not a dividing element after all Eleni Dimitropoulou March 31, 2025 This year, Orthodox Lent and Western Easter coincide almost exactly with the Islamic Ramadan and Jewish Passover. This gives us the exceptional opportunity to highlight the similarities and differences, but most importantly, to understand how members of diverse religious groups experience this special pious period. The term “Fasting” can indicate either an abstinence from specific categories of food, or even from all foods for specific hours of the day. Interwoven with the worship of all major religions, fasting is observed in each for different reasons: as a practical sign of reverence; as a means of purification; as an expression of faith, moderation, restraint, self-control; as an exercise of humility and self-punishment; and even as an expression of mourning. However, in all cases, fasting leads to spiritual upliftment. This habit began long before the advent of Abrahamic religions. The first references to the practice of fasting come from the Far East. In the Hindu Law of Manu (Manus ti /Manava Dharmasastra), written in Sanskrit and dating from between 1250 and 1000 BC, we find the first commandments related to abstinence from food. Although no relevant sacred text or code of commandments has ever been found in Egypt, it is known that the Egyptians fasted on the feasts of Isis and almost all of their religious and social festivals. Connected with the worship of all major religions and philosophical currents, voluntary abstinence from food is observed in each for different health reasons. In particular, priests were subjected to abstinence from seven days to six weeks, which was determined by the goddess Ma'at, who was the personification of absolute truth and defined the ethical and moral codes that every Egyptian had to obey in their life. The diet of the ancient Greeks, until the fourth century BC, was particularly austere, and the Athenians fasted only during the festivals of the Eleusinian and Thesmophorian festivals. Those who participated in the mysteries necessarily abstained from food and drink, for purification and expiation, to ensure the favor of the gods during initiation. However, from the literature of the period, we can assume that fasting had been more closely associated with mourning, as is at least evident from a line in Aristophanes' Clouds: “ And often, while we gods are observing a fast, when we mourn for Memnon or Sarpedon, you are pouring libations and laughing .” In the three monotheistic, Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam), fasting is an important—sometimes necessary—stage for the psychophysical preparation of the believer. It is based on similar trials of biblical figures. It is characteristic that Moses fasted for 40 days before climbing to the top of Mount Sinai to receive, according to religious tradition, the Covenant of the 10 Commandments from God. Fasting gave him the courage and mental strength to "face" the Creator, while in the case of Samson, it was the real secret of his strength. After a 24-hour fast, Daniel " survived " the lions ' den ; while Jesus Christ, before starting his teachings , withdrew to the desert , where he spent 40 days fasting and praying. More specifically, in the one of three most popular doctrines of Christiniaty in the Orthodox Church, fasting occurs on designated days throughout the year , totaling approximately 180 to 200 days. More specifically, fast is held during the following days : Great Lent from Clean Monday, the first day of the 48 days throughout which believers are called to leave behind all sinful habits, including savory, non-fasting foods, thus cleansing the soul and body until Easter, 40 days before Christmas, from November 15 to December 25, Of the Holy Apostles, that is, after All Saints' Sunday (which falls 56 days after Easter) until June 29, when the memory of the Apostles Peter and Paul is celebrated, Of the Fifteenth of August, to be precise, from August 1 to the 15 of the same month (the birth of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ), On August 29, commemorating the beheading of John the Baptist. On September 14, the day we celebrate the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. On the eve of Epiphany, that is, January 5. Every Wednesday and Friday. In Christian Orthodoxy, fasting does not only mean eliminating certain foods from our diet, such as meat, eggs, milk, cheese, fish and oil. It also means learning to control the amount of foodeaten. It is an exercise, a physical and spiritual effort to restrain oneself from eating, and most importantly, to watch over behavior (anger, lies, bad words, etc). Saint John Chrysostom says: “Show me your fasting by your works… for what is the benefit, if we do not eat meat, but devour our brothers?” Lent for Western Christianity begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Thursday, before the celebration of the Last Supper. Westerners celebrate the Resurrection of Christ on Holy Saturday evening and Easter Sunday. The fasts of the Catholic Church are more relaxed than those of the Orthodox Church, since they essentially prohibit only meat and distinguish between fasting (jeûne) and days of abstinence from meat and fat (jours maigres/d’abstinence), that is, all Fridays during Lent (Carême). For it, followers reduce their number of meals—they eat one main meal and two smaller ones within 24 hours. For their part, Protestants have generally abolished food fasting, which they do not include in their life of worship. They consider fasting to be completely optional, and the faithful apply it by their own choice—usually in the form of complete abstinence from food—only in exceptional cases. In Judaism, fasting is called “ta’anit” or "tsom” (humiliation) and is a period of voluntary deprivation of food and drink, including water, but also any pleasure and is observed for reasons of public repentance, mourning and purification. Ta’anit is observed on the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, a day dedicated to repentance, prayer and invocation of the greatness of God. It involves a 25-hour fast accompanied by prayers for forgiveness. During the Day of Atonement, the Jewish community experiences a profound suspension of activity; the shops are closed, the streets are bare and mediums are silent while believers undergo a 25-hour fast and pray fervently for the forgiveness of their sins. Also, the Tisha B'Av fast on the ninth of Av, the fifth month of the year, is the most tragic day of the Jewish calendar; a remembrance day and mourning of the destruction of both holy temples. Therefore, they fast a total of six fasting days per year, complying with kashrut. Kashrut, the Jewish dietary laws, divide food into 'clean' (including veal, sheep, goats, deer, and fish) and 'unclean' (including pork and seafood). These laws govern what is permissible to eat, similar to halal in Islam, and are separate from the concept of fasting. To Muslims, too, fasting is more than mere abstinence from food; it is a form of submission to Allah. It is observed from sunrise to sunset during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar named Ramadan and is one of the holiest moments in Islam, commemorating the revelation of Allah, or Laylat al-Qadr or the Night of Decree. It is believed that in 610 AD, the Prophet Muhammad was visited by the Archangel Gabriel, who disclosed the Quran, the sacred book, to him during the month of Ramadan. Islamic scholars instruct that fasting is the development of gratitude and compassion for the less fortunate. Charity and assistance to the poor are the hallmarks of this month, during which adherents usually pray more and read the Quran more. Fasting is considered by many as a cleansing and spiritual rejuvenation process. Fasting is among the five pillars of Islam. Iftar, the breaking of the fast, follows afterward. Often at iftar, people gather with loved ones. Suhur is the meal before sunrise. In Hinduism, fasting is not obligatory , but a voluntary act of spiritual purification. Hindus also fast on certain festivals as part of their spiritual discipline. A quite popular fast in Hinduism is Ekadashi, which is on the eleventh day of each lunar cycle when the moon is decreasing in light. There are, however, numerous other occasions when Hindus fast, including but not necessarily limited to Navratris, Janmashtami and Shivratri. Individuals may fast entirely, only partially or choose to forego their favorite foods for a specified period of time. In Buddhism, fasting has been recognized as one of the methods of practicing self-control. Fasting for Buddhists means vegetarianism and cutting off from the joys that food offers to man in order to mobilize the desire for taste. They abstain from meat twice a month, on the days of the new moon or full moon, or six times a month and more often. According to the Buddhist religion, children rarely fast. That is also relevant for Judaism and islam where children, elderly sick and women on their period are absolved from fasting. As fasting for monks is a much more difficult practice,as it involves extended periods of fasting and stricter regulations (e.g. abstinence after midday) thus it is carried out under the guidance of a teacher. The four rules regarding food, according to the ascetic practice called “dhutanga” (rejuvenation), are: eating once a day, eating only one meal, reducing the amount of food and consuming only as much food as they received from the first seven houses they blessed. How does the latter translate? Buddhist monks go around villages and bless people and, in return, they accept the food that people throw into their bowls. Sikhism is one of the few religions that does not require fasting as a meritocracy. This religion considers fasting inferior to "truth" and "right action," which, according to the founder of this religion, are superior. Fasting is a significant aspect of Jainism. It is regarded as a method of purifying the body . I t is also a method of eliminating bad karma. Fasting can last from one day to more than a month. People can do complete or partial fasting, or give up their favorite foods for a certain period of time. Today, fasting has been mainly associated with abstinence from certain foods, such as meat, fish and animal products. Another important consideration to make however, is to question by what criteria were certain foods excluded. The high temperatures of the Middle East, the nomadic lifestyle, the lack or effects of certain foods, such as spices, the need to differentiate from previous religious practices were some of the environmental and social reasons that influenced the formation of fasts. At the same time, they can be perceived as an attempt to equalize rich and poor before God. It is worth noting that as religions spread, fasting adapted to the climatic conditions and dietary habits of the region. How different is the fasting followed in the Mediterranean from that of believers living in the low temperatures of frozen Lapland or insular Greenland, where meat is imposed, rather than excluded! Fasting, nevertheless, has progressively been stripped of its theoretical background and religious meaning, and has been used as a weight loss tool and more. Nowadays several diets incorporate periods of fasting, such as the 5:2 diet, which limits the intake of "uncontrolled" calories to two days a week, considering it a healthy way to lose weight, or more recently the 16:8 diet or intermittent fasting, according to which for 16 hours (usually between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.) a complete fast is observed, from which water and calorie-free drinks are excluded, and for 8 hours any type of food is allowed, regardless of quantity. I firmly believe that fasting, this struggle, the spiritual fight with ourselves, gives us the chance to test our limits, focus on the meaning, not on the materialistic dimension of life. It brings us together, regardless of our socio-economic background. The race is the same; we are equal, and that unites us as people. Fasting in different religions does not divide us. It just makes us realize how similar we are, how we have the same needs, temptations and desires. And that’s precisely what I realized when I came to Menton, a campus full of diversity—ethnically, culturally and religiously. At the core, we are all the same… Photo source: Zoheir Seidanloo on Wikimedia commons

Palestine continues to dissolve like an Alka-Seltzer on global maps. Newly sworn-in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised to enforce this in a Dec. 28 tweet: “The Jewish people have an exclusive and unquestionable right to all areas of the land of Israel.” < Back Radical Panaceas: Netanyahu Shamelessly Promises to Annex Designated Palestinian Territories By Lara-Nour Walton December 31, 2022 Palestine continues to dissolve like an Alka-Seltzer on global maps. Newly sworn-in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised to enforce this in a Dec. 28 tweet : “The Jewish people have an exclusive and unquestionable right to all areas of the land of Israel.” Such a statement comes as an affront to official United States’ regional efforts, which claimed to prioritize “ peace over the sovereignty movement ” since Aug. 2020. Netanyahu’s predicted course of action would, conversely, “formulate and promote policies within whose framework sovereignty will be applied to Judea and Samaria.” Such an approach would remove distinctions between Israel and designated Palestinian Territories like Gaza and the occupied West Bank, thus paving the way for further settlement and strife under the Netanyahu administration. West Bank settler and Religious Zionism champion Bezalel Smotrich will be finance minister, overseeing essential aspects of Palestinian life in occupied territories. Similarly, West Bank settler and Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) leader, Itamar Ben-Gvir , will manage the state police per his national security minister position. Ben-Gvir is a particularly contentious pick considering his public expressions of racism and ardent support for Meir Kahane’s ultranationalist and anti-Arab Kach party. A spokesperson for Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas laments that the new Netanyahu coalition will “constitute a dangerous escalation and will have repercussions for the region.” Yet, Palestinian resistance has historically had little bearing on Israeli national vision — an estimated 600,000 Jewish Israelis reside in the 140 settlements that pockmark the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel’s 1967 occupation of the aforementioned regions is widely considered a breach of international law and directly contributes to the displacement and subjugation of the indigenous Palestinian demographic, though Israel disputes these claims. Palestinian self-determination within Israeli borders has been minimized to such an extent that Netanyahu’s coalition partners dismiss the two-state solution altogether. However, such a development has been a long time coming, with both Israelis and Palestinians increasingly scrapping the two-state compromise in favor of more radical panaceas. A 2014 Washington Institute for Near East Policy survey disclosed that most Palestinians hope to see the wholesale reclamation of historical Palestine “from the river to the sea,” while a mere 27 percent endorse a two-state solution. Declining support for moderate policies, like the two-state agreement, only extends the protracted regional quagmire, with neither side willing to relinquish land for fear of international erasure. However, one Palestinian Twitter user, @Jennineak, acknowledged the Israeli-Palestinian power imbalance by denouncing Netanyahu’s recent remarks as inciting “ ethnic cleansing .” Anti-Netanyahu animus is not confined to Palestinian populations. He is serving a record sixth term as Israeli Prime Minister, and his return was not smooth sailing. Only last year, eight opposition parties united to oust him from office after four deadlocked elections and a corruption scandal. The Yesh Atid coalition, led by the outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid, is one such party determined to regain state control. Netanyahu was sworn in without decorum — no ceremonial power handover took place and a note scrawled in Lapid’s handwriting “Lapid – 2024” awaited him on the Prime Minister’s desk. Furthermore, the Israeli public and international community fear that discrimination may surface with the ascendance of newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister Avi Maoz and his anti-LGBTQ Noam party. Maoz has already called for the ban of Jerusalem's Gay Pride Parade and opposes women’s military participation and non-Jewish immigration to the country. His strict observance of Jewish law has the potential to be institutionalized — Israel’s anti-discrimination law may be amended to allow businesses to refuse services on religious grounds. Despite Netanyahu’s move to include the openly gay Parliamentary Speaker Amir Ohana in his coalition, growing agitation is latent among certain Israelis. Queer activist Daniel Johnas expressed that, for the first time, he is afraid to fly the rainbow flag in his country’s streets. Other critics are apprehensive in the face of coalition resolve to pass legislation that would vest a parliamentary majority with the power to override Supreme Court decisions. Netanyahu remains unfazed by domestic and international disenchantment. He informed the Knesset that, alongside his annexation plans, his new administration aims to expand Israel’s arsenal of Arab regional allies and hinder Iran from acquiring nuclear weaponry. The Prime Minister was sworn in on Dec. 29, 2022, yet, his term has already proven to be turbulent. Only time will tell how the most right-wing government in Israeli history will fare.

Lauded for its clear waters and dream houses, the North Coast has gained immense popularity from Egyptian citizens and throughout the Arab world. < Back Urban Development Booms on Egypt’s North Coast By Joudi Arafa September 30, 2022 It is no surprise that pristine coasts along the Egyptian Mediterranean have undergone thorough urban transformations in recent years. It serves not only as a source of attraction for domestic and international tourists but for investors as well. The development runs precisely across Alexandria, Marsa Matrouh and the newest city of El Alamein. The longstanding interest in coastal tourism in Egypt proves to be transformational in the tourism sector. Until recently, Egypt relied on archaeological-centric tourism; nowadays, it is profiting far more from leisure attractions. In two decades, the number of visitors in the coastal region grew by an astonishing 76%. This boom can be explained by the expansion of the hotel and housing industries through furious infrastructural and architectural activity. In 2014, Egypt approved a reallocation of 2.4 million square meters of public-owned land to the New Urban Communities Authority (NUCA) to proceed with the construction of a new city in the North Coast area — El Alamein. The first phase of the project aims to house 20,000 people. Residents will be able to expect a tourism development area and a vast array of retail options. The conceptual plan is looking to incorporate industries such as logistics, agriculture, regional trade, tourism and education in hopes of attracting new investments to the fledgling coastal city. El Alamein even features skyscrapers in its layout, some of which are already completed and welcoming tourists and residents alike. Not only is all of this urban development along the North Coast bringing forth unprecedented revenues, but it is also creating employment opportunities for the growing youth population of Egypt. Serving as the most famous summer destination spot for Egyptians, the property market in the area has widened, and competition to attain a coveted seaside property, whether it be a multistory sea-view villa or a humble one-bedroom studio, has tensed. “Sahel,” as Egyptians call it, has set an image for itself as a hub for summer relaxation and family reunification. After years of saving, it is not uncommon for someone to hastily purchase a Sahel property that is either still under construction or a finished unit. They know that the return on their investment is worth the cash and that it is a destination to look forward to visiting when leaving their bustling hometowns of Cairo, Alexandria or Port Saïd. The urban distribution of the North Coast comes in the form of compounds or, more precisely, neighborhoods separated by a highway. Amwaj, Marassi, Mountain View, Golf Porto Marina, and Hacienda are just a few of the desirable development projects that can be found in Sahel. Each compound has its unique attractions — gated communities, sailing, spas, and playgrounds — to be enjoyed by residents. Lauded for its clear waters and dream houses, the North Coast has gained immense popularity from Egyptian citizens and throughout the Arab world.

In Menton, there is a long-held tradition of "passing down" apartments, where second-year students give their landlord's contact information to a specific first-year student. For some, this means simply transferring a phone number to a close friend. But for the most coveted apartments, it can often mean weeks of cooking dinners, negotiations, and other mild — or extreme — bribery efforts to beat out the other candidates. < Back Passing Down Apartments: Tradition or Privilege? By Colette Yamashita Holcomb September 1, 2023 Even as days get longer and beach classes more frequent, first-year students remain stressed with one thing on their mind: housing. In Menton, there is a long-held tradition of "passing down" apartments, where second-year students give their landlord's contact information to a specific first-year student. For some, this means simply transferring a phone number to a close friend. But for the most coveted apartments, it can often mean weeks of cooking dinners, negotiations, and other mild — or extreme — bribery efforts to beat out the other candidates. Because of the sparse availability of multi-person apartments, most candidates are in groups of three or more students, forced to place all hopes of living together into these competitions. The process is a cherished campus tradition for those who come out victorious. Meanwhile, less lucky individuals are left scrambling for last-minute solutions. One student is still looking for a three-person apartment. She and her potential roommates — two other students — have competed for multiple apartments but have lost out to other students. The process started fun for her and her roommates but quickly turned sour after they lost all their prospective apartments. Now, they are battling the stress of apartment hunting with preparing for finals. She said that being left in this situation is frustrating, especially when it feels like they “played the game right” but were not rewarded. Other times, second-years lose control over the process when their landlord chooses a non-Sciences Po tenant or when someone intercepts the contact information from third-party services like Vrbo or Airbnb, bypassing the traditional system. Students often rely on spacious apartments to host association meetings, parties, and other events, meaning losing the ability to choose apartment candidates can limit the options available to the detriment of campus life. The value of apartments as venues support the argument that the practice of “passing down” is integral to preserving campus life; if the next tenants cannot fulfill the responsibility of hosting regularly — be it fundraisers, association meetings, or parties — the entire campus and the close-knit “ummah spirit” will be negatively affected. Some argue that this process privileges students on campus who are closer to apartment owners, whether through i-fams or friend groups, making the process exclusive. However, others defend the practice because anyone can ask for an apartment or become friends with the current tenants. Other students have argued that the struggle to find apartments points to a more significant issue: lack of Crous housing in Menton. A Crous building would ensure affordable accommodation and provide an inexpensive university restaurant. Menton is currently the only campus without a Crous cafeteria, but it is also smaller and more isolated meaning fewer affordable options for students. Combined with the tourist prices of the Cote d’Azur, these factors make budgeting a unique challenge. Although the Menton campus is supposedly getting a cafeteria this semester, it is not Crous funded, and students have criticized the resulting high prices for the food. The little aid covering the ever-rising cost of living, rent and tuition forces students to work alongside their studies, which many argue disadvantages them from achieving their full academic potential. Likewise, securing housing with a constrained budget without a referral is more stressful for these students because they have limited alternative options. Passing down apartments has become a school norm in the campus' short history. However, the number of students who chose to work around the traditional system this year may indicate an emerging cultural shift. Moreover, it points to a greater struggle for systemic change to better support university living.

If you asked me the most glorious time to be alive, I would say, beyond a doubt, the period between 1960 to 1970. Why? These were the years when the Beatles were making music. Hit after hit, from Here Comes the Sun to Yesterday, the Beatles’ music lives on through die-hard fans and casual listeners alike. Spend a week in England, and you will without a doubt hear one of their songs. After all, the Beatles are forever. < Back Strawberry Fields Forever Rebecca Canton January 31, 2025 The average beetle lives for a couple of months or up to several years. With a rather short lifespan in the scheme of things, irrelevant and overlooked, the beetle is an unusual pet and an even more obscure favorite animal. Sacrificed for often more beloved pets such as snakes and lizards, it is difficult to imagine that a group of them, or a swarm, would become one of the most famous, recognizable and long-lasting groups in the world. Enter the Beatles, or what I would personally call: the greatest band of all time . Hailing from Liverpool England in 1960, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr redefined British music, becoming legends of rock music. The Beatles , often considered the most influential rock band of all time, is probably the best thing to come out of Liverpool, perhaps even England. If you asked me the most glorious time to be alive, I would say, beyond a doubt, the period between 1960 to 1970. Why? These were the years when the Beatles were making music. Hit after hit, from Here Comes the Sun to Yesterday , the Beatles’ music lives on through die-hard fans and casual listeners alike. Spend a week in England, and you will without a doubt hear one of their songs. After all, the Beatles are forever. Evidently, the Beatles are not a group of the six-legged kind. Lennon is not a ladybird, McCartney a mosquito, Harrison a housefly nor Ringo Starr a silkworm. The differences between the band and the insect could not be more distinct. Such a rather obvious idea has only been exacerbated by the recent revival of many Beatles songs. Songs like Hey Jude have seen a resurgence in popularity through social media platforms like TikTok. The song became an anthem for England fans at the Euros 2024; fans sang it for England and Real Madrid footballer Jude Bellingham. Released in 1968, Hey Jude remains a timeless classic 57 years later, transcending cramped football stands and a £6 burger. The revival of such a song benefits from the fact that one of the most popular English footballers, Jude Bellingham, happens to share the same name, yet it is not the only song seeing a rebirth. Other classics like Let It Be are enjoying renewed popularity. In his biographical piece on the Beatles, Richie Unterberger claims the Beatles’ “ supremacy as rock icons remains unchallenged to this day,” but what is it about the Beatles that ensures its status as a cult classic for years to come? A common nickname for the Beatles is the ‘ Fab Four ’ and it is not challenging to understand why. After signing with EMI in 1962 and producing their first hit Love Me Do in 1963, ‘Beatlemania’ swept England. By 1964, the Beatles were household international names, reaching unprecedented levels of success. They became the best-selling music act of all time, a title they still hold. They are the most successful act ever on the U.S. Billboard charts, hold the record for most number-one albums and have won seven Grammy Awards. Their list of achievements could fill an entire article. The greatest thing about the Beatles, in my opinion, was their musical innovation. The Beatles did not just change the music industry. They revolutionized it. Before the Beatles, the recording studio was simply a space, a two-dimensional area to make music. With their arrival, the studio became a place of creativity. The Beatles were among the first bands who utilized the recording studio imaginatively and unconventionally, seeking advancements in how records were made. Due to the Beatles, new techniques like Artificial Double Tracking for vocals, which enhances the sounds of voices or instruments, were discovered . Looping, a pretty common technique in the music industry, was popularized by the Beatles and can be seen in songs like Tomorrow Never Knows . Almost every modern hit has a music video, but it was the Beatles that pioneered this. The concept album—think To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar—likewise was created by the Beatles with albums such as Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. What becomes astronomically clear is that the Beatles paved the way for the future of music. Lennon-McCartney, the songwriting partnership between Lennon and McCartney, is one of genius. Inspired by Indian music and culture, this duo was one of the first to experiment across genres, songs like Love You To , from the 1966 album Revolver , feature a sitar, a string instrument used in Hindustani classical music. Yet it was the lyric writing that was central to this brilliance. Lyrics range as large as their discography, from straightforward pop to introspective narratives, melancholy to joy. In the beginning, Lennon-McCartney’s lyrics featured in simple universal hits like I Want to Hold Your Hand (1964) that resonated with the world through catchy refrains. As the Beatles saw success and matured as musical icons, so too did their music, with masterpieces like In My Life offering reflection and heartfelt musing. The Beatles’ later work demonstrates Lennon and McCartney’s unparalleled talent for storytelling. Lennon’s surreal streams of consciousness in Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds and McCartney’s haunting portrayal of loneliness in Eleanor Rigby combine accessibility with artistry. Their lyrics could be both personal and universally relatable; this is what made them so great—listeners could find themselves in every song. What defines the Beatles is that they were not just a band—they were social activists. Vocal about social and cultural issues, the Beatles advocated for peace and an end to racial segregation, famously refusing to perform for segregated audiences during their 1964 U.S. tour in Jacksonville, Florida. In 1969, in Amsterdam, Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono held a series of non-violent protests including a famous ‘bed-in’ against the Vietnam War, gaining widespread media attention and support. The Beatles’ commitment to peace and equality, especially from Lennon, is reflected in their music. Songs like Blackbird , a melody about racial discord in the American South serve as messages of hope against racial discrimination. Furthermore, tracks like Revolution call for social change, with the lyrics of ‘we all want to change the world’ reflecting a desire for peaceful social transformation. And change the world they did. While the Beatles may no longer be making music, songs like Imagine , albeit a solo work by Lennon, have become anthems for the anti-war movement. The Beatles’ legacy and music does not just reflect its era, it transcends it. Their disposition to address social issues marked a transition in how artists can use their platform for activism. They were not just musicians, they were cultural catalysts, with their messages of peace and unity echoing and resonating for generations to come—reminding us that all we need is love in troubling times of disruption and hostility. Take away the lyrics, innovation and music, one key fact remains that sets the Beatles apart: its inter-generational appeal. The first time I listened to the Beatles was when I was 12; my friend's mother played them on the way back from field hockey practice. The song was Let It Be and I remember it very clearly. It is the sort of song that sticks with you, the one you hear in the back of your head constantly. As I came home I asked my father if he had heard of the Beatles. Such a question was almost insulting to him. That was the moment my love for the Beatles started, but looking back it is hard to overlook the universal love for the group. Parents and grandparents who grew up during Beatlemania, for example, my father, share their love for the Beatles with younger family members, fostering continuity. In an age where generations seem millennia apart, their music provides a link between generations, sparking conversations and moments that few artists can claim. Their songs remain relevant due to their timeliness, messages of love, growth and social change, making them just as meaningful to listeners today as they were in the 1960s. What sets the Beatles apart is their cultural resonance, they were never a group to stay within the boundaries of pop or rock music, constantly reinventing themselves. The Beatles will forever be relevant, as they represent the three things necessary for a lasting music legacy: creativity, innovation and collaboration. Whether as a source of comfort, a personal soundtrack, or just good background music, the Beatles remain cultural legends. The long and winding road may be reaching its end, but one thing is certain: the Beatles will always matter. The truth is that they are a genre in itself. You can hate rock and love the Beatles. You can despise the ‘70s but yearn for the croons of Lennon. You can love classical symphonies and still be moved by Eleanor Rigby— because oh look at all the people who love this band. Great art knows no limits of time or age when their names are John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. Photo credits: Boer, Netherlands