Christmas: Expats NOT Going Home?

As Christmas is around the corner, there is no better topic than writing about expats and Christmas. Last year about the same time I reflected on the unexpected difficulties of going back home for Christmas. Holidays at home may sound like a great idea indeed, as one naturally expects the comfort and familiarity of one’s…

A Gift-Economy

Christmas is a time when we exchange gifts in many countries – not the most important aspect of Christmas, though related to its authentic meaning. This reminds me of a story I heard. An American manager participated in a Corporate Social Responsibility program aimed at capacity-building in Africa. On a visit to a small village,…

Culture and Climate Change

More than 100 years ago, an American Geographer, Ellen Churchill Sempel, put forward the idea that the natural environment has an enormous impact on people and the culture they develop. Applying Ms. Sempel's ideas to our own time, the issue of how the world either deals with the threat of climate change or adapt to its effects will have an impact on our cultures and societies.
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TPP 1-TTIP 0: The EU Needs to Mount a Comeback

The recently negotiated TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) has drawn a new map for global trade relations. This has multiple ramifications for Europe, which is working on signing another huge agreement with the United States: the TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership). A while back, I wrote about the significance of the TPP and how it could…
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