Kosmopolito » security

You are a Terrorist

Kosmopolit — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 11:27:43 +0000

It has been 8 years since 9/11 and we are still dealing with the consequences. Not only in Afghanistan, Iraq, or somewhere else (obviously these a major problems as well) but also ‘at home’ in Europe. So here is something to think about:

The video is a German perspective (with English subtitles!) on the recent security discourses surrounding surveillance and control in the name of “the war against terrorism”…

What about trusting your own citizens…?

This blog post is part of a campaign to restore trust and rebuild bridges initiated by the Anna Lindh Foundation. I blog for trust.

Eight years

Kosmopolit — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 07:33:47 +0000

So, today is Septmeber 11. This day 8 years ago pretty much defined the political developments in this decade – from international politics (obviously…) to European politics and national politics. It had also an impact on social and cultural dimensions in our societies. We all seem to remember where we were when we heard the news about the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. (as observed on twitter today!) New enemies and dividing lines were constructed. And the big question remains the same: How can we restore trust between people, between governments and between governments and people?

But at the same time it is rather difficult to write something about it. In a way, everything has already been said. That is why I keep it short.

If you only read one thing today: Do read Mark Danner’s Voices from the Black Sites, his take on the Red Cross Torture Report and: If Everybody Knew, Who’s To Blame?

Some of you know that a couple of weeks ago I have participated in a rather interesting seminar in Luxembourg which brought together a bunch of Bloggers from the Euro-Mediterranean region to discuss aspects of inter-cultural dialogue. Two things really stroke me:

First of all, it is really difficult to bring together such a group (just think of the Visa requirements + Israel and the Arab world) and that such a meeting is easier to organise on “neutral soil” (in this case Luxembourg) than in the region… Second thing is about intercultural dialogue in our home countries: 10 years ago I went to school in a very multicultural environment and strangely enough things like “identity” and “religion” were never a big issue at the time. Something has changed – and not for the better.

This cartoon by Clay Bennet (that won the 2002 Pulitzer prize for editorial cartooning) somehow captures the political discourses quite well – and it does not matter wherever you live it is pretty much a global discourse.

This blog post (here is another one) is part of a campaign to restore trust and rebuild bridges initiated by the Anna Lindh Foundation. I blog for trust.

Walled World

Kosmopolit — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 08:05:19 +0000

OK, I admit it: I am a fan of those graphics. Here is another one that shows how walls divide the world and where the most ‘secure’ borders are located. (via TD):

Accelerated through the fear from the attacks of 9/11 and all what followed, the so called ‘Western Society’ is constructing the greatest wall ever build on this planet. On different building sites on all five inhabitable continents, walls, fences and high-tech border surveillance are under construction in order to secure the citizens and their high quality of life within this system. The fall of the Berlin Wall was described as the historical moment that marks the demolition of world’s last barrier between nation states. Yet it took the European Union only six years to create with the Schengen Agreement in 1995 a new division only 80km offset to the east of Berlin.

NATO goes viral

Anda — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:20:26 +0000

Just a few days before the summit celebrating 60 years of existence, NATO has launched an online camp aign, with the goal of raising the awareness of young people regarding its activities. The campaign consists of three short movies, exploring the contrast violence and danger vs. peace and security. The movies, made by PR company Scholz & Friends, the same one that designed the EP campaign, do not provide explicit information about NATO, being aimed towards capturing young people’s attention and making them interested in what NATO is doing.

While the idea to address the young generation through online media is good (and fashionable), one cannot help wondering whether the campaign, on which NATO spent around 500 000 €, would have the expected effect. How often will we see these videos on Facebook walls or on Twitter? (let alone the fact that there is no easy embed function…) And, even more important, will they spark a debate among young people?

“Basement”

“Run”

“Staircase”