Tales Of The World

Cette semaine il s’agira d’économie et de littérature : qu’est-ce qu’elles peuvent bien nous dire quand on les met ensemble ? «Je porte donc humblement à l’attention du public cette proposition : sur ce chiffre estimé de cent vingt mille enfants, on en garderait vingt mille pour la reproduction, dont un quart seulement de mâles – ce … Continue reading Tales of the world episode 31 – De la littérature et de l’économie →

History repeats itself first as tragedy, then as farce, said Marx in his 18th of Brumaire of Louis Napoleon. With contradictions and paradoxes as the daily lot of countries and relations between them, carnival and tragedy are frequently encountered in international affairs. Tales of the World invites you to a series of podcasts exploring the … Continue reading Tales of the world episode 30 – Carnival and tragedy – international affairs in the 21st century →

Les formes littéraires d’un espace culturel peuvent-elles donner un aperçu sur la culture politique d’un pays? La mort de Hugo Chàvez le 5 mars 2013, le même jour que celle de Staline en 1953, est l’occasion d’explorer les traits que les deux hommes d’état emportent pour la postérité. Et d’entendre la Symphonie No.5 de Shostakovich … Continue reading Tales of the world episode 29 – Entre roman russe et télénovela – vie et mort de présidents →

How does news travel and what does the media make of it? And we, the public, following the rollercoaster of titles and call-outs, what are we left with when this all subsides? Lend Tales of the world your ears and join in the reflection. Ruxandra

We have grown fond of confirming the existence of our selves and others’ via DNA proof and traceability. As societies increasingly rely on physical evidence required to ascertain and entrench what we believe to be the “true” stories of our lives, what of the non DNA – traceable memory that makes up our humanity? This … Continue reading Tales of the world episode 28 (part I) – Of memory and DNA – Richard III, Henri IV, and the Timbuktu manuscripts →

Tintin, Titeuf, Superman et Wonderwoman, les héros de notre enfance, laissent la place dans les BDs contemporaines à des personnages plus liés à la réalité, mais tout aussi percutants et émouvants que leurs prédécesseurs. Chroniques de Jérusalem. Autres exemples Essayez-vous à la lecture du monde à travers le regard des auteurs dessinateurs et laissez-vous suprendre … Continue reading Tales of the world épisode 27 – La vie comme une BD →

Elizabeth Bennett is 200 years old this week, as we celebrate the publication of the first edition of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Although much has changed since the early 1800s in England, especially for women and their liberties, one challenge remains the same: being true to oneself in an age that can sometimes be … Continue reading Tales of the world episode 26 – Pride and Prejudice: 200 years and counting →

On the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Elysée between Germany and France, Tales of the world is wondering if it is not more illuminating to see the Franco-German couple for what it really is : a ménage à trois with Britain. Do raw materials and geography trump cultural and political affinities? Or can these … Continue reading Tales of the world episode 25 – 50 years since the Treaty of Elysée: The Franco-German couple is really a ménage à trois…with Britain →

Pour sa première édition en langue française, Tales of the world introduit un titre français – la chronique de politique internationale avec un grain de sel – et vous propose de réfléchir à ce que cela peut bien dire que de faire une lecture du monde en français et en anglais. Avec l’aide du Chat … Continue reading Tales of the world episode 24 – Le monde vu en français et en anglais →

As Christmas and the New Year approach, Tales of the world makes a scandalous proposal for the new year resolutions lists: instead of trying to be better, let us try to be more honest and embrace the inevitable contradictions traversing both our private and public lives. We might be surprised by the stories we uncover, … Continue reading Tales of the world episode 23 – Give in to contradictions →

It was the best of times/It was the worst of times/It was the spring of hope/It was the winter of despair… Dickens was writing about the French revolutionary period, but he might as well have written about the Arab Spring. It was the age of wisdom/It was the age of foolishness/ It was the epoch … Continue reading Tales of the world episode 22 – Europe and Syria, a tale of two crises →

Dear friends, the U.S. presidential elections and the Chinese legislative ones are a window into a Bizarro world of our own making, right here on Earth! And Maria-Antonietta brings us a story of luggage lost and found in the European Union, which makes her wonder… Enjoy, Ruxandra

His name is Bond. James Bond, and although he did not study International Relations in Geneva (Ian Fleming studied languages here, though), he can certainly teach us a thing or two about the intricacies of our contemporary world. Style and nuance, is something our “real-world” leaders could learn from James Bond when delivering oversimplified political … Continue reading Tales of the world episode 20 – Why James Bond is an awesome pundit →

As the UWC of the Atlantic celebrates 50 years of existence, the alumni that I happen to be  would like to say happy birthday with a twist. Global School celebrates 50 years Enjoy and please send feedback! I look forward to seeing all my fellow ACers soon. Lots of hugs, Ruxandra Stoicescu And in case … Continue reading Tales of the world episode 19 – United World College of the Atlantic →

Autumn is here and with it comes a philosophical perspective on life and political affairs. However, for those of you who still linger on holidays, Maria Antonietta has brought a pastiche signed with her special sense of humour. All of this in the company of Vivaldi and Doris Day. Enjoy, Ruxandra

Dictators and dictatorships don’t go on holidays Why should they? These are most propitious times for action, with entire Western countries and civil societies bearing their guard down. Russia’s Pussy Riot and Syria’s rebels are but the most recent and recurring examples of what happens when a good part of the western hemisphere is at … Continue reading Tales of the world episode 17 – Dictators don’t go on holidays →

What do the Higgs Boson and Barbie have in common? Find out in a new Tales of the world episode! Politics and quantum physics have more in common that we think. They both allow for contradictions and savoury paradoxes to coexist and, when performed in freedom and absence of prejudice bring to the world the confirmation … Continue reading Tales of the world episode 16 →

On the occasion of the summer solstice, Tales of the world introduces a summer series, with sunny contributions and intriguing interviews. Episode 15 looks at the Syrian state in its frightening modernity and welcomes Maria-Anonietta’s segment on Monopoly. Enjoy, Ruxandra Stoicescu  

The plight of the modern western state – from Greek tragedy to Shakespearean drama… With soundbites composed by Henry VIII himself!!!! Enjoy

E! What happens in a world of E-government, atuned to the music of E. Satie. Enjoy, Ruxandra