Making coffee and the art of coding: who works in the field of AI? Published: 6 October 2023 Commentary Working on and with AI is inherently influenced by gender and race. The small number of women and minorities among AI developers has even been described as a "diversity crisis". At the same time, however, women from the Global South are strong in lowly-paid areas of the field, from hardware assembly to crowd work addressing bias and injustices in AI. Understanding these present discriminating structures is the first step to social change. Katharina Klappheck
"Elections in Slovakia: Fico is dangerous, but he knows the power of social protest" Published: 26 September 2023 Interview With the return of former Prime Minister Fico, old authoritarian patterns could resurface in the upcoming elections. However, progressives also have a chance to win. Jan Philipp Albrecht, Adéla Jurečková, Zuzana Kepplová
Back to the 1970s: why the Conservatives are cooling on net zero Published: 25 September 2023 Commentary Plans to revive North Sea oil and push back 2030 net zero targets could mark the end of the UK’s 35-year cross-party consensus on the need to cut emissions. Fiona Harvey explains why some Conservatives see an electoral advantage in pulling the climate emergency into the ‘culture wars’. Fiona Harvey
Climate disinformation media fellowship 2023 Published: 21 September 2023 Fellowship With this fellowship, the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union gives a select number of journalists the opportunity for on-the-ground reporting on climate disinformation case studies. The articles will be published as part of a web dossier on battling climate disinformation. Zora Siebert (on parental leave)
State of the Union address: Ursula von der Leyen’s bid for a second term in office Published: 20 September 2023 Analysis In her address, European Commission President von der Leyen missed the opportunity to develop bold proposals for the future. This contribution analyses her informal bid for a second term in office by looking at her thematic focuses. Roderick Kefferpütz, Lisa Sandtner, Anton Möller, Zora Siebert (on parental leave), Melanie Bernhofer, Hannah Goerlich
Hungarian rainbow families: raising children in a hostile political context Published: 18 September 2023 Commentary In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Government, in power since 2010, has systematically curtailed LGBTIQ+ rights. Hundreds of such parents have adopted children with their same-sex spouses or partners, have given birth to children themselves or have availed themselves of surrogates to have their own genetically-related offspring. This article offers a glimpse into the lives of two such families in Hungary. Anna Frenyó
A Dutch united left: How the Greens and Labour are building a coalition for a just green transition Published: 8 September 2023 Commentary The Dutch Greens and Labour Party are joining forces. Short-term to win the upcoming elections, form a left-wing, progressive coalition government, and reclaim the Prime Ministership. Long-term to offer a comprehensive, compelling vision for the future, in which a green well-being economy, security of existence, and social and climate justice are central. An exciting development with valuable insights for coalition-builders anywhere. Mareike Moraal
Ethics of communicating with generative AI chatbots Published: 8 September 2023 Commentary AI chatbots like ChatGPT blur the line between human and machine, at the same time captivating minds and raising alarms. Having been swiftly integrated into search engines and programmes, these bots lack clear boundaries. Jeffrey Chan dissects the ethical challenges and environmental impacts of AI bots, as well as navigating fair AI use and the language and wisdom boundary. Jeffrey KH Chan
The English Greens are surfing a wave of popular discontent. Can they keep going? Published: 7 September 2023 Commentary The English Greens have been celebrating big wins in local elections. Yet tensions are emerging as they try to reconcile their commitments to conservation, social justice, and new electoral opportunities. James Dennison explains how the party’s strategy is shifting. James Dennison
Party policy: Trust will win the future Published: 5 September 2023 President's column The crises of our time demand serious solutions from the parties instead of a return to the past. Those who do not dare to say so demonstrate the opposite of state-political responsibility. Jan Philipp Albrecht