On the first Monday of every month, we meet on Zoom to discuss transatlantic and global issues. The idea is that even though we are in different places geographically and personally, we exchange ideas, learn from each other, and grow more and more into a part of an understanding global society.

In August, our conversation revolved around the topic of philanthropy. We wanted to find out what we understand by philanthropy and how we want to see it in our society. Various texts led us to relevant questions and aspects. Philanthropy has different forms and focuses and goes in countless directions around the world. Therefore, it is crucial to know and understand the meaning and concept of philanthropy a little better.

The very insightful texts were:

On the Modern Meaning of Philanthropy | (Marty Sulek)

Introduction: The Ethics of Philanthropy | (Patricia Illingworth and Thomas Pogge)

There’s No Such Thing as Good Philanthropy | Jacobin (Daniel Bessner)

“Generous” Billionaires Are Part of the Problem | Jacobin (Luke Savage)

Philanthropic Foundations and Development Co-operation | (OECD)

Promoting Philanthropy: Global Challenges and Approaches | INSP (Paula D. Johnson, Stephen P. Johnson, Andrew Kingman)

On the first Monday of every month, we meet on Zoom to discuss transatlantic and global issues. The idea is that even though we are in different places geographically and personally, we exchange ideas, learn from each other, and grow more and more into a part of an understanding global society.

In July we talked about Migration. A phenomenon that for thousands of years human kind is experiencing. However, societies today and in the more recent past have discussed and dealt with migration from different angels. Even though the conversation is some months in the past, the topic is always relevant and just now has been once again up in the top of European news. We try to understand the discussion and found help in the following texts:

Anti-immigration, like pro-immigration, is a legitimate political position | The Economist (Yuval Noah Harari)

Migrants on the Front Lines of Global Class War | Jacobin (Hilary Goodfriend)

On Migrants Rights, Joe Biden Still Has a Long Way to Go | Jacobin (Adam Goodman)

How Deportation Became the Core of Europe’s Migration Policy | Jacobin (Daiva Repečkaitė)

Journeys of hope: what will migration routes into Europe look like in 2021? | Guardian (Lorenzo Tondo)

Covid-19 crisis puts migration and progress on integration at risk | (OECD)

On the first Monday of every month, we meet on Zoom to discuss transatlantic and global issues. The idea is that even though we are in different places geographically and personally, we exchange ideas, learn from each other, and grow more and more into a part of an understanding global society.

In June, we discussed the topic of “Bidenomics”. The new government has gotten off to a flying start and launched many projects. Government investment is playing a new role. With a lot of money being invested, this is a departure from Reagen’s austerity ideology of years past (which began under Jimmy Carter). Perhaps it will be an example of how to tackle the big problems of the present and the future. Short time ago we have seen the political battles over the implementation of the infrastructure bill.

As always we were guided through the discussion by some texts that we discover after a brief and relatively random research, these were our references:

America’s race to net zero | New Statesman (Adam Tooze)

The Infrastructure Bill Is a Chance to Make Our Public Spaces Beautiful | Jacobin (Firmin DeBrabander)

Biden Can GoBigger and Not “pay for It” the Old Way | The New York Times (Stephanie Kelton)

Bidenomics, explained | (Noah Smith)

On the first Monday of every month, we meet on Zoom to discuss transatlantic and global issues. The idea is that even though we are in different places geographically and personally, we exchange ideas, learn from each other, and grow more and more into a part of an understanding global society.

This month we talked about democracy and about developments in regard to hegemony. Moreover we spoke about possible ways of a strengthened cooperation.

References:

The Obama Reunion Isn’t Nearly Enough to Stave Off Catastrophe – The New Republic (Kate Aronoff)

Should America still Police the World – The New Yorker (Daniel Immerwahr)

On the first Monday of every month, we meet on Zoom to discuss transatlantic and global issues. The idea is that even though we are in different places geographically and personally, we exchange ideas, learn from each other, and grow more and more into a part of an understanding global society.

In May, we talked about the “pursuit of happiness.” Once again, we were inspired by the U.S. Constitution. In addition, happiness is often seen as everyone’s daily goal, and the “pursuit of happiness” has long been part of international pop culture. Therefore, we felt it was important to discuss our views on happiness in our personal lives, but also on what happiness means for a society, especially when the most important legal document presents happiness as an important goal and human right.

As always we were guided through the discussion by some texts that we discover after a brief and relatively random research, these were our references:

Hannah Arendt on Action and the Pursuit of Happiness | Brain Pickings (Maria Popova)

Our ‘Pursuit of Happiness’ Is Killing the Planet | The New York Times (James Traub)

The Pursuit of Happiness: What the Founders Meant –And Didn’t | The Atlantic (Kathleen Kennedy Townsend)

Were we happier in the stone age? | The Guardian (Yuval Noah Harari)

What the Declaration of Independence really means by ‘pursuit of happiness’ | Emory University 

On the first Monday of every month, we meet on Zoom to discuss transatlantic and global issues. The idea is that even though we are in different places geographically and personally, we exchange ideas, learn from each other, and grow more and more into a part of an understanding global society.

In April, we discussed the broad topic of liberty and tried to understand it a little better. Liberty is one of the cornerstones of the U.S. Constitution and, moreover, one of the core values that people around the world aspire to. However, there are so many different understandings of what liberty might be. Therefore, we needed some guidance and by chance and a brief research, the following texts served as our references:

What is Freedom?  (Hannah Arendt)

Yours, Mine and Ours – Property Rights and Individual Liberty (Chesney C. Ryan)

Left and Right – the Prospects for Liberty (Murray N. Rothbard)

The Idea of “Freedom” has two Different Meanings – Here’s Why (Annelien De Dijn)