Language: English

The UK has been a leader among EU member states in the promotion of equality of opportunity, with far-reaching duties in place in some regions since 1998. In practice, the jury is still out on whether the equal opportunities legislation has a real impact on the protected groups or simply creates one more administrative hurdle for policymakers.

While Poland presents itself to the outside world as a country untouched by the economic crisis, the reality is far different for an entire generation of Polish people. Rather than face up to the structural difficulties in the job market, the Government ignores the problem and remains committed to the doctrines of the neoliberal model.

The situation on the ground in Greece continues to worsen, with each bailout ending in failure and increased poverty. Not only do such conditions act as fertile ground for the far-right, but the failure of leadership from the EU also call into question the very future of Europe.

We need a new social contract based on the ideals of the American and French Revolutions, says Pierre Rosanvallon, whose recent book La société des égaux has attracted much attention in France and beyond. Rosanvallon, professor at the College de France, delivered the Jan Pato?ka Memorial Lecture at the iwm in November 2011. This article was originally published in the Institut für die Humane Wissenschaften.

Why do the Greens need to reconsider the ideal of equality in the light of the ecologic and economic crises and what are the challenges linked with such a project? GEJ editor-in-chief Benoit Lechat introduces the 4th edition of the Green European Journal “Equality and Sustainability”.

The vital connection between economics and a healthy ecosystem is still not understood by mainstream economists and financial theorists – what will it take?

Looking beyond (de)growth, what sort of economic and political changes are required in Croatia to bring about both an equitable and sustainable economy?

A common prescription for crisis countries is to cut wage costs, but what if the problem is one of low wages in the core? From this perspective, current German polices will worsen the crisis and threaten the future of the Eurozone.

The European Union is an unfinished symphony. The most important thing now is to cut the cacophony and mend the discords.

We, young people in Europe, feel it’s time to reclaim Europe. For too long a time, old people have been deciding on our future, and they made the wrong decisions.