29 September 2026
Italy’s Ghetto Classrooms
A few days ago, the Prime Minister announced a strict 30% cap on the number of foreign students in classrooms; mandatory Italian language courses for the parents of foreign students experiencing academic difficulties; and a ban on the Burqa and Niqab in any national school. The announcement has inflamed public and political debate in Italy. The measures illustrate the inadequacy of Italian citizenship law in reflecting social reality. Moreover, they raise the suspicion that, rather than implementing policies for better integration in schools, Meloni is concerned with the upcoming elections. Continue reading >>
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27 April 2020
The Future of Handshaking
When asked about handshaking recently, the U.S.’s lead virologist Dr. Fauci said: ‘I don’t think we should ever shake hands again’, referring to how it would prevent both coronavirus and seasonal influenza. In Europe, where the topic of the handshake has been a landmine in recent years, this medical requirement can lead to a much-needed cultural shift. Continue reading >>19 August 2016
Islam on the Beach – The Burkini Ban in France
In 1964, a young woman wearing a monokini played table tennis on the Croisette, the famous road along the shore in the city of Cannes. She was sentenced for outraging public decency. Half a century later, the mayor of Cannes just banned on his beaches the burkini, a full-body swimsuit weared by some Muslim women. Some other coastal cities followed, one administrative tribunal confirmed, and a new controversy around the keyword “laïcité” was born. It seems to me that the burkini-ban is a legal error and a political mistake. Continue reading >>13 July 2016