From Geocurrents, a special series on the nation, nationalities, and autonomous regions in Spain, including the nation/nationality of Catalonia, the contested regionalism in Andalusia, Leon, and Asturias, the paradoxes of Basque politics, the parallel paths of the Basque County and Scotland, the Basques of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, and a look at Spain and the fallacy of the nation-state. A grim tale of judges and politicians: The scary effect of constitutional courts on the politics of the European Union. From Berlin Review of Books, Germany goes global: Farewell, Europe? Doug Bandow on the incredible shrinking militaries of Europe. Slavoj Zizek on why the far Right and xenophobic politicians are on the rise in Europe. Is Finland the best country in the world? In praise of laziness: An investigation into 14th-century heresy explains why the French refuse to get off their derrieres. An interview with Francisco Louca about the Bloco de Esquerda in Portugal, the least known organization of the new anti-capitalist left in Europe. European man of many faces: Cain vs. Abel. Are Balkan women more promiscuous? New research has revealed that agriculture came to Europe amid a wave of immigration from the Middle East during the Neolithic period — with their miracle food, milk. Why do the French strike so much? New documents released by the Foreign Ministry in Berlin shed new light on the dramatic negotiations that led to East and West Germany becoming one. A review of An Economic History of Europe: Knowledge, Institutions and Growth, 600 to the Present by Karl Gunnar Persson. Who’s racist now? An article on Europe’s increasing intolerance. Love in a cold climate: Nordic countries revisit an old idea — union. A review of Understanding Euroscepticism by Cecile Leconte. Zygmunt Bauman is now writing for Social Europe Journal.
