Iiiiit's French election week! Katy spent the big night at Le Pen HQ. This week, in a Europeans first, Dominic and Katz turn the microphone on our resident French person to ask: what just happened? And could Marine Le Pen really become France's first far-right president? We're also talking about the soaring cost of housing (again) and the European microstate that just pulled off an LGBTQ+ world first. You can listen to Cody Hochstenbach calling for a revolution in housing policy here and find the latest figures from Eurostat here. And you can read here about why microstates have often been slow to catch up on LGBTQ rights. Isolation Inspiration: 'Free' by Lea Ypi and Große Freiheit (Great Freedom). 02:07 Bad Week: Housing costs up AGAIN 04:49 Good Week: San Marino's world-first LGBTQ+ head of state 10:22 Interview: Katy on the French election 28:09 Isolation Inspiration: 'Free' by Lea Ypi and Große Freiheit (Great Freedom) 30:31 Happy Ending: Making the most of the Greek sunshine Thanks for listening! If you enjoy our podcast and would like to help us keep making it, we'd love it if you'd consider chipping in a few euros / dollars / pounds a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. You can also help new listeners find the show by leaving us a review or giving us five stars on Spotify. Producer: Katy Lee, with thanks to Katz Laszlo and Wojciech Oleksiak Music: Jim Barne and Mariska Martina This podcast is part of the Are We Europe family. Find more like-minded European podcasts at areweeurope.com/audio-family. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | hello@europeanspodcast.com
Finnish Lessons
4/7/2022
We're back! And we're headed into the classroom. Kids across Europe have very different experiences of school depending on where they live and how rich their parents are. One country that's been praised for getting public education right is Finland. This week we speak to education professor Pasi Sahlberg about what the world can learn from the Finnish way. We're also talking about Orbán's victory, bridging Europe's North-South divide, and a particularly special edition of El Clásico. Pasi is Professor of Education at Southern Cross University. You can read more about his work here and follow him on Twitter here. You can read the joint Spain-Netherlands paper here and find Politico's reporting on it here. This week's Isolation Inspiration: Flee, Talking France, and Paroles de France(s). 11:48 Good Week: Bridging the North-South divide 20:46 Interview with Pasi Sahlberg 34:56 Isolation Inspiration: Flee and French election podcasts 38:39 Happy Ending: A very special Clásico Thanks for listening! If you enjoy our podcast and would like to help us keep making it, we'd love it if you'd consider chipping in a few euros / dollars / pounds a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. You can also help new listeners find the show by leaving us a review or giving us five stars on Spotify. Producers: Katy Lee and Wojciech Oleksiak Music: Jim Barne and Mariska Martina This podcast is part of the Are We Europe family. Find more like-minded European podcasts at areweeurope.com/audio-family. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | hello@europeanspodcast.com
Joanna and Catinca were born in Romania during the final years of the dictatorship of Nicolai Ceausescu, a regime that combined elements of The Hunger Games, The Handmaid's Tale and North Korea. Our regular episodes return next week. While Dominic wraps up work on his new show, here’s the second of two special guest appearances from Millennial History, a podcast series that relives moments in recent world history, as seen through the eyes of people who were children when they happened. In interviews with musical journalist Andrea Voets, they reflect on the far-reaching consequences of the events on their lives and societies. Andrea and composer/sound designer Luke Deane have combined these testimonies with music donated by more than sixty bands to create a unique form of ‘musical journalism’. Producers: Andrea Voets and Luke Deane Special thanks to: Cosima Opartan, Surorile Osoianu, Subcarpati, Karpov not Kasparov, Musai Soundworks, Diana Rotaru, Temple Invisible, Alex Simu & quintet, Robin & the Backstabbers, Andrea Voets This podcast is part of the Are We Europe family. Find more like-minded European podcasts at areweeurope.com/audio-family. A cooperation of Resonate Productions - creating musical journalism - and Are We Europe. For more episodes, subscribe to Millennial History. www.millennialhistorypodcast.com || www.facebook.com/musicaljournalism
Aki grew up in Sicily. On May 23, 1992, the mafia blew up the highway behind his grandmother’s house, killing a judge named Giovanni Falcone. Since Dominic is away right now, we’re bringing you the first of two very special guest appearances from Millennial History, a new podcast series reliving impactful moments in recent world history, as seen through the eyes of people who were children when they happened. In interviews with musical journalist Andrea Voets, they reflect on the far-reaching consequences of the events on their lives and societies. Andrea and composer/sound designer Luke Deane have combined these testimonies with music donated by more than sixty bands to create a unique form of ‘musical journalism’. Producers: Andrea Voets and Luke Deane Special thanks to: Alfio Antico, Giulia Tagliavia, Francesco Guaiana, Salvatore Bonafede This podcast is part of the Are We Europe family. Find more like-minded European podcasts at areweeurope.com/audio-family. A cooperation of Resonate Productions - creating musical journalism - and Are We Europe. For more episodes, subscribe to Millennial History. www.millennialhistorypodcast.com || www.facebook.com/musicaljournalism
Voice notes from Ukraine
3/14/2022
Before the war, Vladimir was a film producer and Yuriy was a journalist. Daria works in marketing, Andrii is a musician, and Anna is a human resources manager for an IT company. This week we asked five Ukrainians to send us some voice messages, documenting their thoughts and feelings since the world turned upside down on February 24. You can donate to the International Committee of the Red Cross's Ukraine appeal here. Many thanks to Daria Barakhta, Andrii Kovalov, Yuriy Matsarsky, Anna Tolstaia, and Vladimir Yatsenko for sharing their thoughts with us. Vladimir continues to film footage of the war; you can follow his posts here. This episode was produced by Katy Lee and Wojciech Oleksiak, with editorial help from Katz Laszlo. Sound design by Wojciech Oleksiak. Music by Jazzpospolita and Jim Barne. Thanks for listening. If you enjoy our podcast and would like to help us keep making it, we'd love it if you'd consider chipping in a few euros / dollars / pounds a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. You can also help new listeners find the show by leaving us a review or giving us five stars on Spotify. This podcast is part of the Are We Europe family. Find more like-minded European podcasts at areweeurope.com/audio-family. Twitter | Instagram | hello@europeanspodcast.com
Army boots
3/2/2022
We're struggling to process what has happened on this continent over the past week. With events moving incredibly fast on the ground, we wanted to reflect on the human cost of conflict in Ukraine. The writer and historian Olesya Khromeychuk, director of the Ukrainian Institute London, joins us to read an excerpt from her book 'A Loss', about her brother's death on the frontline in 2017. We also hear from our producer Wojciech Oleksiak about how the Russian invasion feels different if you're following the news from Central or Eastern Europe compared to further West. Plus, the sound of Europeans standing with Ukraine, from London to Lisbon, Berlin to Minsk. This week's recommendations: 'A Loss'; '1944' by Jamala; 'Grey Bees' by Andrey Kurkov. You can support the Kyiv Independent on Patreon here, and donate to a range of different Ukrainian media organisations here. More information on ways to help can be found here. Many thanks to the Ukrainian Village Voices choir for giving us permission to play this beautiful recording of 'O Bozhe'. #StandWithUkraine Producers: Katy Lee, Wojciech Oleksiak and Katz Laszlo Music: Jim Barne and Mariska Martina This podcast is part of the Are We Europe family. Find more like-minded European podcasts at areweeurope.com/audio-family. Twitter | Instagram | hello@europeanspodcast.com
Let Them Entertain Us
2/24/2022
This week, the case for culture: keeping it free, and keeping it funded. We're talking about the state of artistic freedom in Poland; plus, the state of Europe's live music industry, with Elise Phamgia of Liveurope and Janine Cathrein of Swiss indie folk band Black Sea Dahu. Also on the agenda: what to do with problematic statues in Brussels. Black Sea Dahu are touring again! You can find tour dates and more on their website, and listen on Spotify. Isolation Inspiration: Liveurope's artists to watch out for in 2022; Ukrainian war literature in translation; Édouard Louis, 'Qui a tué mon père'. Bonus recommendations: Black Sea Dahu's new album, 'I Am My Mother', and 'Empireland' by Sathnam Sangera. 02:43 Good Week, or 'Constructive Ideas Week': Brussels' report on colonial-era monuments 12:17 Bad Week: Krzysztof Głuchowski and artistic freedom in Poland 21:53 Interview: Elise Phamgia and Janine Cathrein on the state of Europe's live music industry 34:21 Isolation Inspiration: Liveurope's new music for 2022; the new Ukrainian war literature; Édouard Louis, 'Qui a tué mon père' 37:46 Happy Ending: a boat trip Thanks for listening! If you enjoy our podcast and would like to help us keep making it, we'd love it if you'd consider chipping in a few euros / dollars / pounds a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. You can also help new listeners find the show by leaving us a review or giving us five stars on Spotify. Producers: Katy Lee and Wojciech Oleksiak Music: Jim Barne and Mariska Martina This podcast is part of the Are We Europe family. Find more like-minded European podcasts at areweeurope.com/audio-family. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | hello@europeanspodcast.com
WTF, housing market?
2/17/2022
From Ireland to Croatia, the cost of housing has been shooting up across this continent, leaving rising numbers of people homeless and millions struggling to pay the rent. This week Amsterdam city geographer Cody Hochstenbach, whose new book Uitgewoond argues for a revolution in housing policy, is here to explain how we ended up in this mess — and what we might do to fix it. We're also talking about Spanish orcas, lost teeth, and a Europe without Facebook and Instagram. You can read El País' long read on the changing face of Spain's drug trade here, and check out Bruno Le Maire's unsmiling mug shots here. This week's Isolation Inspiration: Beautiful World, Where Are You and The Summit of the Gods 02:39 Bad Week: Meta in Europe 12:33 Good Week: Spain's orca drug plot busted 20:14 Interview: Cody Hochstenbach on fixing the housing market 33:08 Isolation Inspiration: Beautiful World, Where Are You and The Summit of the Gods 36:53 Happy Ending: Paul and his teeth, reunited Thanks for listening! If you enjoy our podcast and would like to help us keep making it, we'd love it if you'd consider chipping in a few euros / dollars / pounds a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. You can also help new listeners find the show by leaving us a review or giving us five stars on Spotify. Producers: Katy Lee and Wojciech Oleksiak Music: Jim Barne and Mariska Martina This podcast is part of the Are We Europe family. Find more like-minded European podcasts at areweeurope.com/audio-family. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | hello@europeanspodcast.com
A Whale of a Taxonomy
2/10/2022
What do nuclear energy and whale-hunting have in common? They're both at the heart of controversial debates about whether they can ever be described as 'sustainable'. This week we delve into a questionable EU anti-greenwashing effort, as well as Iceland's mooted plan to put a ban on commercial whaling. We're also looking at the revamp of one of Venice's most historic buildings, the Procuratie Vecchie. Emma Ursich, whose NGO The Human Safety Net will be among its new occupants, is here to explain why the building is opening its doors after half a millennium closed to the public. You can check out Influence Map's investigation into the EU gas lobby here, and listen to our producer Katz Laszlo's beautiful piece 'Whale Fall' here. This week's Isolation Inspiration: The Trojan Horse Affair and Glória. 03:01 Bad Week: Gas, nuclear and the EU taxonomy 11:56 Good Week: Whales off the coast of Iceland 22:01 Interview: Emma Ursich on remaking the Procuratie Vecchie 31:53 Isolation Inspiration: The Trojan Horse Affair and Gloria 34:29 Happy Ending: amazing Swiss scientists Thanks for listening! If you enjoy our podcast and would like to help us keep making it, we'd love it if you'd consider chipping in a few euros / dollars / pounds a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. You can also help new listeners find the show by leaving us a review or giving us five stars on Spotify. Producers: Katy Lee and Wojciech Oleksiak Music: Jim Barne and Mariska Martina This podcast is part of the Are We Europe family. Find more like-minded European podcasts at areweeurope.com/audio-family. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | hello@europeanspodcast.com
The Case for Colour
2/3/2022
Taryn de Vere set herself a joyful challenge in January: to dress up each day as a household object, from a bottle of toilet cleaner to a sack of potatoes. This week, the person dubbed Possibly The Most Colourful Woman in Ireland joins us to make the case for injecting a little more fun into our wardrobes. We're also talking about ghost flights, a relaxing Berlin transport initiative, and whether Italy's 80-year-old president will ever be allowed to retire. You can follow Taryn on Instagram here and on Twitter here. This week's Isolation Inspiration: 'Into Eternity' and 'Courage'. This episode was produced as part of Sphera, a collective of independent European media. Find out more at sphera-hub.com. Thanks for listening! If you enjoy our podcast and would like to help us keep making it, we'd love it if you'd consider chipping in a few euros / dollars / pounds a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast. You can also help new listeners find the show by leaving us a review or giving us five stars on Spotify. Producers: Katy Lee and Wojciech Oleksiak Music: Jim Barne and Mariska Martina This podcast is part of the Are We Europe family. Find more like-minded European podcasts at areweeurope.com/audio-family. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | hello@europeanspodcast.com