• Good Intentions Are Not Democratic Enough

    Good Intentions Are Not Democratic Enough

    “What you do for me, but without me, you do against me” — the exact origin of this quote is unclear. Nevertheless, it captures something that frequently happens in Germany when it comes to the political participation of historically excluded groups. Policies are supposedly made for migrants, yet not with them. Gender equality is debated while no women are involved in…

  • Berlin Wiki: Who Is Allowed to Vote – and Why Not Everyone Can

    Berlin Wiki: Who Is Allowed to Vote – and Why Not Everyone Can

    Who is allowed to vote, and who is not? In a democratic state like Germany, the right to vote is of central importance. It allows citizens to take part in political decision-making and help determine the composition of the government. In Germany, voters must meet certain requirements in order to vote. They must hold German citizenship and have reached the age…

  • Berlin Wiki: Party Profiles II – The Greens, The Left, the AfD and the BSW party

    Berlin Wiki: Party Profiles II – The Greens, The Left, the AfD and the BSW party

    What is the Green Party? Bündnis 90/Die Grünen is an important political force in the Berlin House of Representatives. Although the party has not been part of the government since the 2023 election, it operates from the opposition within parliament. Its guiding principle is ecological, economic, and social sustainability. It focuses on stronger climate protection, affordable housing, and a shift in…

  • The Good, the Bad, and the Arbeitsamt

    The Good, the Bad, and the Arbeitsamt

      Most places have an arm of the government to help folks out when they’re unemployed; governments like their citizens to have jobs and pay taxes. It tends to keep the governments – and the citizens – happy. There’s also the matter of not letting people starve in the street when they’re out of work. That’s usually frowned on and tends…

  • Home Is Not a Place: A Berlin Exhibition Rethinks Migration

    Home Is Not a Place: A Berlin Exhibition Rethinks Migration

    How do people change after moving from one place to another? What do they leave behind and what do they carry with them? Is it possible to feel at home in a space that is vastly different from the one we left? In her latest installation “Remembering Space (how much past can the present hold)”, Noa Heyne, a Berlin-based multidisciplinary artist,…

  • “Das Volk” in 2026: Time to Redefine the People

    “Das Volk” in 2026: Time to Redefine the People

    “Do you behave as the person you truly want to be?” I ask myself this question in moments when I clearly fall short. Yes, it is hard to live up to one’s ideal self—I’m probably not the only one who feels this way. The same applies for societies. Over the past ten years, I have learned a lot about German society.…

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