Issuu

JANUARY 2022

ISSUE NO 5

Photo by Hugo Lagergren

An Interview with Kazakh Human Rights Activist Daniyar Khassenov

Photo by Wang Di

Article by Saoirse Aherne, staff reporter

Racial Profiling: Ventimiglia and Beyond Article by Ishan Naithani, guest reporter Racial profiling has been a long-standing issue, be it at an airport, train station, or police checkpoint. Despite seeping into the national dialogue, this topic remains very controversial. Understanding racial profiling requires the use of a working definition. For the purpose of this

article, I define racial profiling as the law enforcement practice of using race, ethnicity, national origin, or religious appearance, among other factors, to determine which people are suspicious enough to warrant police stops, questions, frisks, searches, and other routine police practices. Racial profiling, a violation of fundamental civil liberties, is not only morally objectionable

and ineffective, but also undermines the integrity of the criminal justice system and instills distrust in targeted populations. As an Indian person of color (POC), I have experienced some of these morally objectionable elements of biased policing at the Franco-Italian border. I have always had to carry my passport and my student card to leave

and reenter France. The feeling of being singled out by the border police and getting interrogated is often quite humiliating. In one instance, my first week in France, I remember going from Menton to Ventimiglia when I had an unnerving experience with the border police. continued on page 13

Though Daniyar Khassenov has dedicated much of his life to monitoring the Kazakh government’s consistent violations of human rights, the young activist is now far from home, residing in the Ukraine. continued on page 4

La Provence et la Catalogne: deux soeurs à l’histoire entrelacente

Article par Tom Mansuy, journaliste invité continued on page 19

BDS Ski Trip

The blue (intermediate) slopes with views of snow-capped mountains Photo by Wang Di

Article by Gabrielle Hodes, guest reporter continued on page 21

The Menton Times

JANUARY 2022

It Might Be Time To Start Carbon Offsetting Hold the complaints — It’s actually cheap and easy to do.

Article by Saoirse Aherne, staff reporter Carbon offsetting refers to a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, or an increase in carbon storage, used to compensate for emissions that occur in another part of the world. It is an internationally recognized way to mitigate the harmful effects of carbon emissions. Offset can be measured using a “currency” known as carbon credits. These credits are certified by governments or independent bodies and each represents an emission reduction of one metric ton of CO2. A carbon credit can be purchased by investing in a carbon emission reduction or storage project. Theoretically, this allows an individual or corporation to finance the removal of carbon from the atmosphere equal in mass to the carbon they are responsible for emitting.

Siem Reap International Airport, Cambodia Photo by Wang Di

Through this platform, one can invest in United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)-certified projects that “reduce, avoid or remove greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere.”

But the reality is that some people and businesses can’t avoid having a large carbon footprint; in fact, this is the reality for many of us.

The practice of carbon offsetting has become popularized to the point that the United Nations has created a carbon offset platform as part of their “Climate Neutral Now” project.

While some consumers use carbon offset to reduce the harmful impact of taking a flight, others offset the yearly carbon footprint of their household or transportation. Overall, this mitigating practice offers citizens

the opportunity to combat the harmful effects of certain necessary or desired activities that make up 21st-century life. Carbon offsetting is also an icredibly pertinent topic to students on our campus, as so many of us come from abroad. Having just returned from the holiday season, I struggle to name one person who didn’t board a plane at some point this winter break. Travel is an inherent part of studying for a huge portion of our campus. Thus we must begin a dialogue around how we will take responsibility for the carbon cost of studying far from home. Such a conversation begins with carbon offsetting.

How you can offset The first step to offsetting is to calculate your emissions via an

emissions calculator. Next, one chooses an offset project in which to invest. Many organizations offer a platform through which carbon calculations and investment can be performed. Some of the most recognized carbon offset providers include Atmosfair, myclimate, and TerraPass. If you feel uncertain about donating money on a platform you have never heard of, the United Nations Carbon Offset platform is a great option, though it is more suited to offsetting one’s comprehensive, yearly carbon footprint. Not only is it simple to use, it has also seen two million Certified Emission Reduction credits since its launch in 2015. If you wish to use the UN’s platform to offset a flight, an alternative carbon calculator can be used to determine how many tons of carbon you need to offset, and then the appropriate number of tons can be offset using the UN platform.

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JANUARY 2022

If you’re still worried about the impact carbon offset might have on your wallet, fear not — The average offset price is between three and six USD per ton of carbon emitted, according to Second Nature. Different projects have different associated costs, thus carbon credits vary in price. For example, to offset one ton of carbon through the Gangwon Wind Park project, it costs five USD, while it costs 3.50 USD to offset the same amount of carbon via the MW Rice Husk Biomass energy plant. These are both examples of projects on the UN carbon Offset platform, where offset prices range from about three to 15 USD per carbon credit.

ent, it is always difficult to ascertain how well one’s money is being used when making a donation.

If you feel uncertain about donating money on a platform you have never heard of, the United Nations Carbon Offset platform is a great option

Still seems like it might be a pricy endeavor? A round trip from Nice to Toronto, stopping in Dublin, has a personal carbon impact of 2.3 tons. This means such a trip could be offset for as low as around eight USD, depending on the project one invests in.

Critiques of offsetting Despite the benefits of offsettng, there are certainly limitations to this practice. Some critics argue that carbon offset legitimizes environmentally detrimental practices, especially for large corporations. Additionally, it is quite difficult to track the true impact of a carbon offset project. Though the industry is becoming increasingly transpar-

Finally, there isn’t a single global carbon offset standard. It is difficult to understand how different organizations calculate the cost of carbon credits associated with different projects, and different carbon calculators will often produce different results.

Is it worth it? Ultimately, offsetting should be paired with a strategy to reduce one’s carbon footprint if it is to have a meaningful impact. If offsetting is used to justify incredibly harmful environmental practices, it risks creating less consumer awareness and responsibility. You shouldn’t see carbon offset as a ticket to do whatever you want and not feel bad; offsetting does not make weekly flights harmless. But the reality is that some people and businesses can’t avoid having a large carbon footprint; in fact, this is the reality for many of us. If paired with a conscious intent to minimize one’s carbon footprint whenever possible, carbon offset provides consumers with a tool to combat environmental destruction. And, critiques of carbon offsetting aside, it quite simply encourages more people to invest in environmental development projects. Unarguably, more funds going to such projects has a positive impact.

The Menton Times Staff Editor-in-Chief

Celeste Abourjeili

Menton Policy Review President

Florian Heydecker Copy Chief

Ayse Lara Selçuker Head of Design

Ada Baser

Marketing Team

Lenora Dsouza Viola Luraschi

Section Editors

Bechar Benmoumen Lara-Nour Walton

Head of Photographers

Hugo Lagergren

Photographers

Wang Di Emilia Kohlmeyer Staff Reporters

Saoirse Aherne* Emilia Kohlmeyer Mayra Kost Angeliki Vytogianni Celeste Abourjeili Cameron Sterling Margherita Cordellini Lara Nour Walton Guest Reporters

Ishan Naithani* Lilinaz Hakimi Ismaeel Yaqoob Tom Mansuy* Gabrielle Hodes* Morgane Abbas Greta Murgia Federica Ballardini Angela Saab Saade

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JANUARY 2022

An Interview with Kazakh Human Rights Activist Daniyar Khassenov How a dispute over fuel prices set off the largest protests in Kazakhstan since 1989, and what they mean for the future of this central Asian superpower.

Article by Saoirse Aherne, staff reporter It is from there that he joined me over zoom to provide insight into the recent unrest in Kazakhstan — a nation long heralded as the most stable in the region. Khassenov did not leave Kazakhstan by choice, but rather was driven out due to his attempts to bring attention to it’s repressive regime. In 2019, the Khazakh government began to target Khassenov. In May of that year, a criminal case was launched against him for supposed participation in the activities of the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DCK) opposition movement. Then 23 years old, Khassenov was a student of medicine and a volunteer with the Italian Federation for Human Rights. Almaty police claimed that Khassenov actively participated in DCK rallies, though Khassenov was not present at any of the events in question. Khassenov was detained numerous times throughout 2019. One day before his criminal case was launched, he was banned from leaving Kazakhstan by Almaty Police. In June of 2019, police imposed restrictions on his and his family’s bank accounts. These restrictions were lifted due to pressures from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the international community. Rather than face continual persecution, and fearing future threats to his safety, Khassenov fled the

country. Now 26 years of age, Khassenov is based in Ukraine and continues to work with Human Rights organizations across the world. He is unable to return to Kazakhstan, where, according to the activist, there is “No openness for criticizing the government:” Indeed, the mere act of protesting is illegal. Khassenov’s experience as a young Kazakh activist, while tragic, is not uncommon. Yet the political repression endured in Kazakhstan over the past 30 years has rarely resulted in significant protests. That is until January of this year, when a series of demonstrations erupted across the nation. This unexpected turn of events is clearly of great in-

terest to Khassenov, and it quickly becomes the focus of our discussion. On the second of January, the Kazakh government removed a fuel cap on liquified petroleum gas (LPG), causing prices to spike. Many people in Kazakhstan use LPG to power their vehicles and, according to Khassenov, the financial implications of rising fuel prices inspired the initial protests. Demonstrations were first carried out in the oil-producing city of Zhanaozen, however they spread across the nation and quickly reached Almaty, the former capital of Kazakhstan. It was there that protests escalated into violent clashes, leading Kazakh

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to declare a state of emergency and shut down internet services nationwide on January 5. This decision came after President Tokayev’s Almaty home was surrounded by thousands of angry protesters and set aflame, as reported by Time magazine. On the 5 of January, President Tokayev also dismissed his cabinet and removed former President Nursultan Nazarbayev from his post as head of the security council. Tokayev appealed to the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) to send military forces to help deal with the protests. The CSTO is an intergovernmental military alliance between Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan,

A map of Kazakhstan demonstrating the distance between Zhanaozen, where protests began, and Almaty. Made using Visme by Saorise Aherne

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JANUARY 2022

Armenia, and Tajikistan.

communication.”

In a bid to appease protestors, Tokayev reinstated the fuel cap on January 6.

After over a week of unrest, the protests came to an end on the 11 of January and Russia announced that its troops had begun to withdraw on the 13.

However, on the 6 of January, there were also heavy police crackdowns reported in Almaty by the BBC, as protestors attempted to take control of the police station. Demonstrators faced tear gas and stun grenades. Dozens were killed and hundreds were injured. The president insisted that the protests were led by foreign-backed bandits and terrorists, according to The Guardian. Russia announced the deployment of paratroopers through the CSTO to help stabilize the situation. In a televised address on January 7, Tokayev ordered security forces to “use lethal force without warning” against demonstrators.

What do protestors want? Though the rise in fuel prices sparked the initial protests, demonstrations continued even after Tokayev reinstated the fuel price cap. Khassenov described how the nature of the protests changed abruptly and “in one day, demands became political. Suddenly, protestors were chanting ‘Old man go away.’” The “Old Man” to which protesters were referring is Nursultan Nazarbayev: president of Kazakhstan from 1989 until 2019, when he stepped down from office and appointed Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to take his place. While Tokayev was acting president of Kazakhstan, Nazarbayev retained a lot of practical control over the country as chairman of the security council and “Leader of the Nation:” a constitutional role that granted him immunity from prosecution along with many policymaking privileges. Nazarbayev no longer holds these positions having been ‘removed from government’ on the 5 of January.

When asked whether the dismissal of Nazarbayev and the dissolution of the Kazakh cabinet would satisfy protesters, Khassenov could barely hold back laughter. “The Government is a façade,” he said with resignation, maintaining that Nursultan is still in control behind the scenes. According to Khassenov, Tokayev cannot truly remove Nazarbayev from power without making constitutional changes. Beyond this, Nazarbayev’s economic and political ties run deep into the foundation of Kazakhstan as a Nation; to remove his influence would require the country to be rebuilt from the ground up. Khassenov reiterated that the people want “whole regime changes, not just cosmetic changes.” Unfortunately, the new cabinet that has been created in the wake of these protests is merely “a reconfiguration of the old.” Until the “Old Man” and the old system that he represents is removed from Kazakh politics, the unrest will continue. K hassenov is adamant that “In weeks, or m a y b e months, people will realize that nothing has changed.”

Khassenov asserted that protesters were not simply expressing discontent with Nursultan as an individual, but rather with his legacy and the system he represents. Protestors have “democratic aspi-

What should the International Community be doing at this time? According to Khassenov, around ten thousand people were arrested in the protests. It is unclear where

He is unable to return to Kazakhstan, where, according to the activist, there is “No openness for criticizing the government”

Over the following days, violence continued in Almaty. The full extent of the bloodshed is unknown. The BBC reported that internet access was restored to the city on January 10. Yet when Khassenov and I spoke on the 11th, he maintained that access was only awarded for “one, maybe two hours a day.” Citizens are trapped in an “Information black hole,” said Khassenov. Families and friends are desperate to contact loved ones in Almaty, but this has become close to impossible due to the unpredictable internet restrictions. Moreover, Khassenov notes that these conditions posed a huge obstacle to organizing protests as “coordination requires

rations” the activist stated. They are tired of the old regime controlling the country, tired of having no say in how their nation is governed. Khassenov reported that on the 3 of January, the Democratic opposition movement became involved in the protests — a further demonstration of the ideological currents driving the upheaval.

these protesters are being held, when, and if they will be released. One thing of which Khassenov is certain is that detainees are being subjected to inhumane conditions. He expressed worry for these civilians, many of whom were peaceful protesters simply expressing democratic aspirations. When asked what the international community ought to be doing with regards to Kazakhstan, Khassenov recommended an inquiry into the murders and detentions led by an intergovernmental organization such as the United Nations. “We cannot trust our own security organizations” he stated. He also felt that powerful players, such as the United States, “should be doing more to promote human rights in Kazakhstan.” According to Reuters, the State Department confirmed the “United States’ full support for Kazakhstan’s constitutional institutions and media freedom and advocated for a peaceful, rights-respecting resolution to the crisis.” The reticence of the US government to definitively condemn the actions of Tokayev’s regime could be rooted in the fact that Kazakhstan sits atop some of the largest hydrocarbon and mineral reserves in the world along with the fact that it is the key to having a “business footprint in Central Asia, and a soft power presence,” according to Forbes. Washington sees Kazakhstan as the most developed former Soviet state in central Asia and is invested in maintaining positive relations; a US-Kazakhstan Business Council was even established in September of this year.

Citizens are trapped in an “Information black hole,” said Khassenov.

Khassenov stated that perhaps the

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most important move the international community could take is the introduction of “personal sanctions,” as Kazakh politicians and elites hold their money in Western banks. The most effective way to compel them to respect human rights would be via restriction of their economic power. Khassenov also commented on the failure of many Western media sources to properly characterize the protestors, whom he said can be split into three groups. Firstly, there are peaceful protestors — most demonstrators fall into this category. The second group is made up of looters and criminals. They are responsible for causing much of the violence that has been reported. According to Khassenov, this group was organized by the state. Seeing that they could not control the large gatherings of pro-democracy protesters, the Kazakh government hired people to incite chaos thus justifying a violent police crackdown. Finally, the third group described by Khassenov is made up of poor and marginalized people who joined the looters out of desperation. Khassenov made sure to underline that these protests were intended to be peaceful and only became violent due to government interference.

What these protests mean for the future? When asked, Khassenov seemed to think these protests have yet to become a movement. He described them as somewhat random and lacking a central leader or mandate. Though certain political organizations became involved in the demonstrations, they remained unstructured. This lack of coordination was exacerbated by the internet blackout and other government interferences. Moreover, the

JANUARY 2022

activist stated that the protests have led to no actual regime change. On top of that, Khassenov worries that Russian involvement has set a “precedent which undermines international security.” The deployment of Russian troops via the CSTO is illegal and constitutes a “Russian invasion” stated Khassenov. The CSTO “can only act together if there is foreign threat.” Domestic political protests are not a legitimate cause for the deployment of CSTO troops. It is for this reason that President Tokayev accused “20 thousand international terrorists” of causing the unrest, though he failed to provide proof. By Khassenov’s account, the president went as far as to say that terrorists were “breaking into morgues and stealing the bodies of their comrades” to erase evidence of their involvement in the conflict. The false claim that the protests were foreign-backed provided an excuse for Russian intervention, and Khassenov now fears that the Russians will not leave. Though Russia has announced the withdrawal of its troops, it also claims its “soldiers are not in Ukraine:” Khassenov has no trust in a nation which continues to interfere with the affairs of former Soviet states, aiding in the preservation of an oppressive regime in Belarus, threatening Ukrainian sovereignty, and now, helping to put down pro-democracy demonstrations in Kazakhstan. Nonetheless, these protests were the largest in 30 years, since Kazakhstan first gained independence from the Soviet Union. Though they may not have achieved their democratic aspirations, they are certainly significant. With the eyes of the world finally on this often-forgotten nation, there is potential for the Kazakh government to be held accountable for its numerous violations of human rights and freedoms.

FSO Safer: A Ticking Bomb in the Red Sea Article by Emilia Kohlmeyer, staff reporter Eight kilometers off the shore of Yemen lies a looming environmental and humanitarian catastrophe: the FSO Safer. The floating oil storage and offloading vessel is in imminent danger of sinking or exploding, which would lead to a disruption of the food supply, disrupt global trade, and cause a massive environmental disaster. The vessel is currently under control of the Houthi movement, which lacks the resources to mitigate the damage and prevent international actors’ access to the site-citing distrust due to previous agreements that were not complied with.

rounding area. Currently, 80 percent of Yemen’s population is food-insecure. The nearby ports of Al Hudaya and As Salif — which receive about two thirds of Yemen’s food supply —would be blocked for up to six months. Furthermore, it would contaminate water utilized for desalination processes not only in Yemen but also in Saudi Arabia, upon which both depend. In addition, it would deplete the fishing industry which at least 1.7 million people in the surrounding region rely on. Lastly, it would impact access to the Suez Canal strait through which 10 percent of the global trade passes, having a grave impact on global supply chains.

... the ship is susceptible to explosion by as little as a cigarette butt.

The United Nations have warned that a spill could reach quadruple the size of the catastrophic Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska, which is the second largest spill in US waters, affecting thousands of kilometers of coastline. A spill from the FSO Safer could take months to clear and would have disastrous effects on its sur-

The vessel was built in 1976 and has been anchored North of the Yemeni city Al Hudaya since 1988. It has since been utilized as a transit point for oil exports by the Yemeni government and presently harbours 1.14 million barrels of oil at a value of over 80 million US Dollars. During the Yemeni Civil War, the vessel fell into the hands of the Houthi Movement and has since faced structural disintegration.

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JANUARY 2022

Off-shore oil facilities next to a beach in Al- Wakrah, Qatar in January 2020. The compromise of such facilities pose a threat to marine life as well as desalination processes, which most countries in the Arabian Peninsula depend upon. Photo by Emilia Kohlmeyer

According to numerous research papers the FSO Safer has been classified at imminent risk of sinking or explosion as of October 2021. At 50 years old, the FSO tanker has surpassed the average scrapping age of oil tankers by 19 years. Furthermore, the 50 head crew has shrunk to only seven members, a team too small to oversee the numerous essential repairs that the ship necessitates. Since losing power in 2017, it has been declared a dead ship with only two diesel generators providing limited electricity to smaller devices. This is particularly dangerous given that it has halted essential

mechanisms such as “inerting,” a process in which inert gases are pumped into the crude oil storage to counter the emission of highly flammable hydrocarbons. Therefore, the ship is susceptible to explosion by as little as a cigarette butt. It is assumed that the surrounding seabed contains Houthi mines. However, the

officer responsible for laying them has been killed and therefore their location remains unknown. United Nations-led inspections have been hindered by the Houthis, who refuse to provide safety assurances.

The United Nations have warned that a spill could reach quadruple the size of the catastrophic Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska...

Yemen has been in a Civil War since 2014. The predominantly Sunni country was ravaged by the armed conflict between the government led

by Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and the Shiite Houthi Movement. The single-candidate election of Hadi in 2012 led to strong Houthi opposition, who viewed the election as a continuance of Ali Abdullah Saleh who was removed during the Arab Spring uprising in 2011. This was exacerbated by disagreements over the new constitution, proposals of a federal state structure, and foreign influence. In 2015 a Saudi-led coalition intervened to counter the Houthi advance. However, with further escalation, the conflict had been considered a proxy war between Saudi Arabian and Iranian influence.

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JANUARY 2022

Wasteland of Agbogbloshie

Article by Mayra Kost, staff reporter

significant change in the area. Subsequently, in 2012, a forum meeting took place between the UNEP and the Basel Action Network to discuss the violations of the 1989 Basel Convention, yet, once again, no consequential action was taken. While several meetings dedicated to this matter were organized in past years, they all shared a pattern of acknowledging the problem, but justifying the influx of waste from the West as an opportunity to create green jobs and facilitate economic development in Africa.

With the rise of technological development and our global dependence on electronic devices, European discarded electronic waste, or “e-waste,” is transforming entire cities in Africa into wastelands. In the Agbogbloshie region near the Ghanaian capital, Accra, one of the largest electronic wastelands in the world, is expanding. The area currently holds over 50 million tons of e-waste, with predictions doubling the figure by 2050. Yet, the e-waste is not generated within the region, or even the continent. Instead, it is illegally imported from Europe and the United States to Africa. The wasteland in Agbogbloshie began forming in the 1990s as large shipments from European countries, such as France, Switzerland, and the Netherlands arrived at the port of Accra with immense containers labeled as “secondhand consumer products.” In theory, the content of these containers was meant to be recyclable, expanding the market for reused electronic goods and pushing the Ghanaian economy forward. Yet, in reality, about 75 percent of these allegedly secondhand electronics cannot be further processed and are directly transported to landfills in Agbogbloshie. While the waste is not imported directly from European incinerators, informal collectors in recycling centers or metal scrap dealers send the unusable e-waste either to African or Asian countries simply by changing their official label to “recyclable” or “secondhand” goods. The illicit trade of digital dumping proposes a more profitable option than properly recycling devices that contain toxic chemicals for most European manufacturers. Many among Ghanaian authori-

Metal trash in Doha, Qatar in January 2022. Many low income areas are utilized as garbage dumps, making them essentially inhabitable. Photo by Emilia Kohlmeyer

ties blame the lack of surveillance in the ports, which allows about 150 thousand tons of foreign waste to enter the country annually. As regular inspections would result in a significant slowdown in the movement of multiple massive containers that the port passes daily, imported goods swiftly pass over from international waters into the country. It appears that making a slight bureaucratic change is sufficient to continue the exploitation of the country, as the West has managed to maintain its private wasteland despite multiple conventions, namely by the Basel Action Network, an NGO that combats toxic

This idealistic thought behind “green jobs” harshly clashes with the reality of working in Agbogbloshie. Currently, the region holds about 10,000 workers who are engaged in an informal recycling process, scavenging for profitable metals by disassembling electronic devices and burning off plastic encasements on computer sites and refrigerator coils. Such fires release toxic gases into the air, amounting to abnormal levels of air pollution in the area, which puts these workers at serious risk of respiratory problems. Burns, back problems, and infected wounds as well as long-term issues like chronic nausea and lung problems are common ailments among the residents and workers in Agbogbloshie.

waste importation to developing countries, and the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). In 1989, with the signing Moreover, the pollution has a larger of the Basel Convention, the first effect on the country, as the region attempts to is simultanecontrol and The situation in Agbog- ously one of monitor bloshie also reveals the largest food transboundaa much larger, global markets near ry movements problem, centering Accra. Local of waste from around the West’s at- farmers are left Europe to titude towards African with no choice Africa were countries. other than conmade. The tinuing their treaty explicitly forbade developed production and grazing the livenations from unauthorized dump- stock freely on the dump site. It is ing of e-waste in less developed estimated that one egg hatched by a nations, yet the Basel Convention’s free range chicken in Agbogbloshie scope of power appeared to be exceeds the European food safety minimal, and led to absolutely no authority limits on chlorinated di-

JANUARY 2022

oxins, which can cause cancer and damage the immune system, by 220 times. According to a report by the Basel Action Network, the site contains some of the most toxic chemicals on earth, putting both local farmers and consumers at an immense health risk.

Editorial

Iran and the United States: Fighting for hegemony at the cost of civilian lives

Remnants of computer in Doha, Qatar in January 2022. Photo by Emilia Kohlmeyer

While the Ghanaians suffer as an entire city is taken over by an ever-growing wasteland, the West continues its covert operation, hiding behind excuses such as “Opportunity,” “Green Jobs!” and “Economic Development!” No amount of “opportunity” is worth the harm that is being inflicted upon the inhabitants of Agbogloshie, who must grapple with the inhospitable conditions of their home city with every breath of polluted air they take. The situation in Agbogbloshie also reveals a much larger, global problem, centering around the West’s attitude towards African countries. Although colonialism is now considered to be an issue of the past, European nations are able to continue exploiting less developed countries, while the European Union maintains its public principles as “equality” and “promoting peace and stability.” The vast wasteland of Agbogloshie is living proof of this ongoing Western hypocrisy.

Server in a nightclub in Shiraz, Iran in April 2019. Often portrayed as extremely conservative by the West, Iranian people enjoy similar leisure activities such as partying. Photo by Emilia Kohlmeyer

For Iran it was an illegal assassination of a national hero; for the United States a justified pre-emptive attack on a terrorist. For the millions of civilians who reside within the Gulf region, it meant fear of what could be a death sentence by two powerful states in their unending quest for hegemony. For the international community, it is a painful reminder of its continuous failure to uphold international law. January 3 marked the two-year anniversary of the US-led assassination of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani.

Soleimani was commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and on a diplomatic mission in Baghdad when he was killed by a US drone strike on 3 January 2020. This triggered counter strikes by Iranian forces on US bases in Iraq, injuring thousands of military staff. In Iran, thousands of mourners have marched in protest to what their government deems as “military adventurism”or reckless military strategies by the United States within the region. This is accompanied by Iraqi demands for the final

withdrawal of US forces from their territory. The States legally justified the strike as anticipatory self-defense, however it was immediately disputed that the danger Soleimani represented was “instant, overwhelming, and leaving no choice of means, and no moment of deliberation.” They failed to provide concrete evidence of an imminent threat, in effect failing to justify the principle of self-defense. The United Nations special rapporteur for investigating extrajudicial and summary execu-

Editorial

tions, Agnes Callamard, conclud- would share the same fate as Syried, “Even at the most basic level, ans, whose home is subject to a the US did not demonstrate that pissing contest between powerful striking Suleimani was ‘necessary.’” states. Furthermore, Iraq did not consent to the strike; The dangertherefore it conous consecretely violated We joke about the quences of its sovereignty. time there was almost this fight for Two years later, a war, but entrenched regional heIran’s continuin our subconscious gemony indious calls for acis the knowledge that cate that the tion to the Unitany diplomatic mis- current global ed Nations and step can claim our mechanisms Interpol sancnext home. which are in tions on those place to proresponsible remain unanswered. tect civilians have failed to fulfill their duty. The pick-and-choose International law should exist to of which nation receives sanctions provide a set of rules by which for its actions continues to allow a everyone is required to abide, de- disproportionate exercise of power spite one’s power or influence. It — often by countries that do not sets the basis for equality amongst even lay within the region they seek states and their people, which is the to control. The guise of spreading foundation of conflict-resolution human rights and global peace by between multiple parties. When such states can no longer serve as there is no consequence to the vi- justification for foreign intervenolation of said law for states which tion. The international communiare considerably more powerful, ty cannot continue to accept it as international law fails to address such. Therefore, it is of increasing its entire purpose:equal accounta- importance to hold officials of our bility. The assassination of Qasem own countries — and the organSoleimani therefore set a danger- izations in which they participate ous precedent, highlighting that – accountable. For too long this if powerful states such as the U.S. region has been a playground for desire to bend the law according to the powerful at the expense of intheir interests, they face no conse- nocent lives. quences. Why should other states therefore abide by the law at all? Two years have passed, and I am It could neither be considered fair back in Qatar sitting in conversanor necessary. tion with friends who have seen their homes fall victim to this This neglect of an accepted set of power play. With the turbulence of rules can endanger millions of civil- COVID-19, many people abroad ian lives. In this particular instance, have forgotten how January 2020 with the increasingly downright in- felt. But we still live between sulting rhetoric of both Iran and the 11,000 U.S. troops on the Al-Udeid States towards each other, armed base mere kilometers from our conflict did not seem unlikely. homes and our neighbor Iran, sepMaybe Iraq would once again be- arated by a flight less than an hour. come the playground of the pow- We joke about the time there was erful – after all, strikes from both almost a war, but entrenched in our sides took place there. The ones subconscious is the knowledge that who bear the burden of transgres- any diplomatic misstep can claim sion from either side are innocent our next home. civilians, who are not even citizens of the perpetrating countries. They

The Concept of Oral History

JANUARY 2022

Changing the way we study the past, shaping the future of Humanities

Article by Angeliki Vytogianni, staff reporter I have always been very interested in history. As soon as I realized how easily history could be used as a means of propaganda, I recognized the importance of oral history. This movement requires historians to alter the way they study the past. The value of oral history lies in personal testimonies from people that have witnessed or been involved in historical events. Studying these events in this grassroots way and paying more attention to the individual instead of government records ensures that history is shaped by the people, not by political, economic, military ideologies, or by the interests of those with power. This allows for a more humane way of looking at history, to get an accurate reflection on some of humanity’s greatest question marks and historiographical debates. One example of this could be the post-World War I power struggle in the Ottoman Empire territories. Turks, Greeks, Armenians, and ethnic minorities all tried to claim their heritage in Asia Minor, in,

mostly, hostile ways, after centuries of peaceful co-existence of this mix of nationalities up until the beginning of the 20th century. Moreover, in the Balkans, the Serbs, Bulgarians, Macedonians, Greeks, and Turks also tried to claim grounds. Historians that have studied this part of European-Middle Eastern history have mostly relied on reports, numbers and statistics provided by the governments and national organizations in the region. Novels written by Penelope Delta and other distinguished authors, intellectuals, and politicians of the time proved to be strong sources of information. However, one can easily understand that due to the complexity of this geopolitical issue, a variety of conflicting interests arose, with drastically different historiographical approaches. Thus, none of these sources can be guaranteed to accurately reflect the essence of the struggles of the time, which is when oral history comes in. With personal testimonies, voice recordings, interviews, personal letters, and diaries, oral history detaches historical events from purely governmental accounts.

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Women in conversation in Souq Waqif in Qatar in January 2021. In the Middle East, passing on knowledge and experiences orally has a long tradition. Photo by Emilia Kohlmeyer

According to the Oral History Association, the term oral history refers to “a method of recording and preserving oral testimony” which results in a verbal document that is “made available in different forms to other users, researchers, and the public.” This organization also stresses the complexities of oral history in regard to legal concerns. Testimonies, interviews, and personal stories need delicate policies to protect privacy and copyrights, all analyzed in A Guide to Oral History and the Law. The author examines the most relevant court cases and cites examples of policies and procedures that oral history programs have used to avoid legal difficulties. But oral history is not limited to researchers in history associations. Here in Menton, we have so many interesting stories and personal testimonies from important events in history to share. I was really

intrigued by the prospect of being able to learn from this diverse student body, but I encourage Sciences Po to include more testimonies, and oral history into the curriculum itself. This would add to our social sciences and anthropological studies, by giving a firsthand picture of historical events and situations. Studying social and political sciences in such a prestigious university, we use history a lot, thus oral history could very well fit in our curriculum. It would be an improved way of looking at things, considering different points of view, getting different experiences, which is actually crucial to the work of a thorough historian. Instead of basing the bulk of research on governmental state archives, we can study and create different archives by interviewing people from different backgrounds to get their experiences of a particular historical period.

Oral history is a very powerful tool that can make all diverse voices heard loud and clear. It gives power and space to historically oppressed and marginalized groups, and we get the option to understand the same event in greater depth, and under different lenses, depending on each person’s experiences. Indigenous populations, for example, are often not included in reports by authorities, however, by using oral history and interviewing them, we get a better sense of their reality. In the refugee crisis, for example, listening provides more context than numbers, and head counts in the camps of Lesvos, we need to listen. Let the people talk and we listen. 2A Lilinaz Hakimi volunteered in one of the camps in Lesvos this past summer. She stressed the importance of this human-to-human

connection in building empathy that cannot be replaced by statistics. In her own words, having heard the stories from the people themselves, “it is really important to hear someone’s story and connect, visualize, to understand what they are going through, understand how any historical event has so many different layers underneath.” In the end, what it really comes down to is making history more a part of humanities like it was always intended to be. Let us not get carried away by the tendencies of our times to measure and file everything, which can be demeaning to the actual events. Let us keep being humans, keep connecting to other people and listening to them. Experiences are more valuable than any other means of sourcing, and we have so much of that.

Editorial

JANUARY 2022

China’s Surveillance State is Triggering a Digital Cold War

U.S. foreign policymakers should target China’s control of the internet as a top priority. Article by Celeste Abourjeili, Editor-in-Chief Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai’s disappearance was the social media equivalent of an 8.0 earthquake. For the first time in a long time, American eyes were drawn to China’s dystopian surveillance system. Yet, this story has already become obsolete, without any Chinese concessions. Shuai remains missing. In the past few months, headlines have called attention to China’s quick cover-up of Shuai’s #metoo confession regarding the former vice-premier, Zhang Gaoli. Any mention of Shuai’s story was completely removed from social media and even private messaging groups within 30 minutes of her original confession. The story, however, should not have come as a surprise to the media, nor the American public. China has long been cracking down on political dissent shared via social media. The nation’s development of its surveillance has reached terrifying levels in recent years: by 2015, the nation’s surveillance camera system, SkyNet, had already reached 100% coverage of Beijing. Near-instant facial recognition technology allows Beijing to monitor all of the movements and behaviors of its citizens with an unprecedented level of precision and detail. China’s Great Firewall project further employs millions in the crime of regulating, censoring, and slowing down domestic internet traffic. That, plus the nation’s exclusive use of domestic social media platforms,

means that China has achieved the great dream of many an authoritarian state — an independent, or “sovereign,” internet. Russia could only dream of attaining such a status. While other illiberal democracies might quake in the face of social media scandals, China shamelessly uses its control of the internet to shut down scandals on the domestic playing field. After a while, international media The Great Firewall of China gets desensitized and Cartoon by Saoirse Aherne moves on from the Peng Shuais of the world. ple showed altered perceptions of democracy with the belief that However, China’s surveillance state the government has the right to poses a real and tangible threat conduct surveillance and limit the to the United States. The nation’s privacy of the internet, or that the dystopia means that the Chinese majority of Chinese journalists and Communist Party (CCP) has a media are uninvolved in corruptight grip on the peoples’ ability to tion. In fact, there are no privatespread ideas or even think freely. A ly owned TV or radio stations in basic review of survey data from the China according to the CIA World World Values Survey demonstrates Factbook, and the Central Propathat Chinese people have submit- ganda Department ensures that all ted to lower democratic values and domestic media outlets must gain no longer understand democracy approval from the government for for what it is today, due to stringent all programming, so these beliefs censorship measures. are deeply misguided. For instance, the data demonstrated that, in China, the people greatly support democracy, however they believe that their government is democratic on the whole, even though China is an illiberal democracy. Meanwhile, the peo-

What is particularly troubling, besides the rights violations, is the fact that China is already in the process of selling and exporting these technologies to other illiberal regimes — 18 countries are already implementing this system. China

is considered a “major exporter of broadcasting equipment worldwide” according to the CIA World Factbook’s 2020 data. This approach to the internet and surveillance technologies demonstrates China’s intention to degrade global internet freedom and public unity on social issues. The CCP aims to restrict the flow of information not just in its own country but abroad. The party hopes to spearhead this movement — one can only imagine the control that such surveillance powers will leave to China on an international scale. China’s flashy new tools for social control and surveillance are here to stay and to spread. The United States should brace itself for a longterm battle for internet freedom and democracy in what could be the next Cold War.

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Racial Profiling: Ventimiglia and Beyond Article by Ishan Naithani, guest reporter I was the only person standing on Platform B (the side opposing the train station), waiting for the train to arrive. Oddly enough, I saw a group of three French policemen running towards me, screaming from the other side “attends là.” When they came to the platform where I stood, they disrespectfully asked me to show my passport and to tell them where I was heading. They also asked me to open my bag for an inspection. As I opened my bag, one of the officers noticed my Sciences Po hoodie (what a clutch). At that moment, their demeanor changed completely. They not only told me that my passport and bag were not needed anymore, but also wished me “un bon voyage.” Biased inspections keep happening — I am singled out, asked to prove my identity, interrogated about the reasons for my border crossing, and treated without courtesy — despite belonging in a group of people from the same university. While my experience is certainly harrowing, it is also humbling. Unlike me, most other persons of color, who are disproportionately victims of racial profiling, rarely know to use their right to demand a reason for apprehension from a police officer. Unlike me, ethnic minorities may not have a Sciences Po hoodie to save them. Every time someone calls criminal jus-

tice a vital institution to democracy, I remember the ghastly sight of someone being pulled aside and getting beaten up by the police in Ventimiglia. It reminds me of the widespread bias, racism, and xenophobia that still corrupt our society; the same discrimination that lies but a few few kilometers away from us. Racial profiling points towards discriminatory attitudes within legal institutions like law enforcement, and it reveals a deeply entrenched norm of systemic racism in today’s societies. It is challenging to eradi-

cate racism inherent to every major institution, which is why we must go beyond understanding individual acts of racism. Non-discriminatory law enforcement is also aided by the recruitment and retention of officers from varied backgrounds, who are more reflective of the community they serve. This enhanced representation can alter organizational culture and staff attitudes, which is predicted to result in less biased decisionmaking. The real problem posed by racial profiling is that law enforcement authorities often violate domestic and international legal principles, like non-dis-

The view of Ventimiglia, Italy from Menton, France. Photo by Hugo Lagergren

crimination and the right to equal legal treatment. Furthermore, data indicates that racial profiling is ineffective as a law enforcement technique and should be replaced. Racial profiling is not a new trend, but it definitely can not continue to be the status quo. Whether through discussions with civil society representatives and the media, or by creating large-scale shifts in socio-political attitudes, racial profiling can be reversed in Ventimiglia and beyond. And because it can, it must.

Editorial

JANUARY 2022

Three Down, One To Go…

The 2A fear of watching the magical reality that is Menton come to an end our 2As were learning alongside us during the age of COVID. Now a semester has gone by, and as the resilient, overly opinionated, and loud political science students we are, we have adapted and enjoyed some of these changes. Looking back at our third semester in Menton, I would like to bring to light different assessments from 2As I heard throughout the semester, and explore what it may be like to head into our final semester in this beautiful and surreal town.

Photo by Lilinaz Hakimi

Article by Lilinaz Hakimi, guest reporter When 1As ask, “how was it coming back and being a 2A?” The answer differs from one Mentonese SciencesPiste to another. Although we all share a common identity as members of the same tiny campus family, we also have different personal relationships and experiences. Despite this, we all adjust one

way or another. The transition from 1A to 2A, from freshman to senior, is so stark and comes as a quick hit that no one can truly prepare for. But this is not the only transition we endured from 1A to 2A. From Zoom to in-person classes, from no association events to three to four a week, and from nothing but house parties to clubbing in Nice and Monaco on the weekends, we are learning alongside 1As, much like

Coming to Menton, we knew we were on borrowed time. Unlike the four years we get in high school, these two years end with the departure of all our peers from this small town. People come and go, but experiences seem forged in one as we pace our tiny town with views that, as many have said before, make us feel like we are on a movie set. Upon entering their second year, some students struggled with the overwhelming nature of running the show. Some contended with the departure of their own 2As. Others tried hard to remind themselves not to take these views for granted. Many others loved and cherished this semester, for the reunions, the in-person education, and, of course, the parties. In So, to my fellow 2As, I suggest we the end, I have the most care free, amazing, think most and crazy semester yet. To the would agree 1As, I encourage you to take a that it flew look at the spirit and culture of this by. What is town passed down by many be- more worfore us, to keep the MENA soul of rying is the this student body alive, and to get speed with ready for a party filled semester. which this following semester

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will come and go. It is a common fact that when you are having fun, time escapes you. So now, we are all settled into our new roles, our town in this new light, and have made bonds with our new arrivals. Like 2A Markus Vaher, I hope we all are ready to “have life coursing through our veins for the next half a year.” And as it does, let us take moments to take it all in as each day goes by. This semester, 2As took on associations fearlessly and led in positions they were not trained for. They struggled with what the identity of the Ummah should be, as some traditions were never truly passed down. We dealt with our administration as it attempted to make this transition to having students and events on site. It was all a mess, but one that we endured together through the partying, clubbing, beach meetups, and brunches. A semester of rebuilding our identity on a personal level or exploring new (and old) friendships. Now that we have adapted and the overwhelming nature of becoming a 2A day has subsided, we are left with these beautiful remaining months together. Menton has been the most eye opening and amazing home for the past year and half. Many have their reservations about this place. But I will say I am sure we all have a small dread in our hearts to leave the friends we love so dearly, the community that embraces everyone’s culture so strongly, and a town so beautiful our eyes sometimes need to adjust. So, to my fellow 2As, I suggest we have the most care free, amazing, and crazy semester yet. To the 1As, I encourage you to take a look at the spirit and culture of this town passed down by many before us, to keep the MENA soul of this student body alive, and to get ready for a party filled semester. Below I have written an ode to this town. I hope it sits well with you as we take on one final go in this remarkable reality, we get to call the final semester at this university. And that is enough of me overly romanticizing this little town on the Riviera.

Photo by Lilinaz Hakimi

An ode to 06500: What defines something as heaven? Is a utopia something we build or live in? What luck have we to come upon the sea? To see a bell tower ring so randomly? Who am I to have such luck? To meet students from every nook and muck? Ummah embraces its new arrivals Year in and year out with its disciples Memories made in rocky beaches and Sablettes sands With an administration that makes us rip our hair into our hands Not enough time to soak up all the perfect imperfections And all the time to criticize and rebuild our affections So 2As hearts quack as we approach the end Knowing our memories will always extend A smile on our faces, a bond we will keep Mentonese know this loss will make us weep From cold to warm, from Jan to May Let’s put away the drama, worry and dismay To have a blast every damn day Singing our songs and dancing away Grab your favorite ghalibaya And scream proudly, Mentoniya Mentoniya ‫ارادتمند شما‬، ‫لی لی ناز حکیمی‬

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BDA Travels to Dijon Reflections from the WEIMART.

Photos taken of Weekend Inter-campus Musique et Art (WEIMART) Photo by Téo Manisier

Article by Cameron Sterling, staff writer

end, we were tasked with forging bonds across campus communities to create an arts show centered around Ancient Greek Myths.

On the night of November 26, the Bureau des arts piled into a bus and travelled to Dijon for the Arriving in the morning, Menton Weekend students found inter-camI was taken aback by themselves pus the ability of students confronted musique involved in the other dis- with a full day et art ciplines to create such of art. With (WEIMAcohesive works of art just a few hours RT), an with one another. of rest, artists intercamin the fields pus event of visual arts, focused on the arts. For the weekmusic, dance, film, theater, oration, Photo by Téo Manisier

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that needed to coordinate their own experience and playing styles to produce a finished show. Nevertheless, we succeeded in creating a memorable performance. Other notable performances included the dancers, who managed to learn and choreograph an entire routine in the short time period provided. Or the filmmakers, represented by Menton 2A Lilinaz Hakimi who wrote, shot, edited, and produced a short movie during the one day period. Personally, I was taken aback by the ability of students involved in the other disciplines to create such cohesive works of art with one another. But after engaging in conversation with the other artists, it seems that we had all managed to impress one another!

harmonies, it shows that, simply, anything is possible.” On the stage floor, many musicians shared techniques. While students from Poitiers introduced me to Latin style precision, 1A Saoirse Aherne learned the basics of Gypsy Jazz from Pablo, a Parisian guitarist. It is not only the talent of Sciences Po’s artists, but the feat of coordination and collaboration that was so special about the WEIMART. Oftentimes, we find it difficult to coordinate projects with our closest friends or in our course triplettes; it is special for a group of strangers to create such breathtaking artwork.

With just a few hours

Photo by Téo Manisier

photography, and fashion all planned and executed a depiction of an Ancient Greek Myth in a six-hour time period with a plan to present it in a showcase the following day. The musicians of the WEIMART, representing Menton with Eliana Seroussi, Sienna Bertamini, Lena Westlund, Saoirse Aherne, and me,

chose to depict the myth of Orpheus through a concert accompanied by an oral exposition written and performed by Azra Ersevik. The setlist included “Wonderwall,” “Mystery of Love,” “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” “Highway to Hell,” “Always Remember Us This Way,” and “Hey You.” On the subject of complementing her oral performance with the music, Ersevik says “During the WEIMART, I was a storyteller. I told the myths of Eurydice and Orpheus during musical breaks. The experience was very interesting and rich since it was new to me. It was a good opportunity to meet new people, new ideas…and I hope to be able to attend a new WEIMART and see our excellent Mentonese Ummah at work again.” Though the performance came together nicely, it was not without obstacles. There were about 25 musicians ranging from Latin Percussionists to Classical Cellists

Photo by Téo Manisier

of rest, artists in the fields of visual arts, music, dance, film, theater, oration, photography, and fashion all planned and executed a depiction of an Ancient Greek Myth in a six-hour time period with a plan to present it in a showcase the following day.

The most important aspect of the WEIMART is that, unlike its competitive sibling, the WEIC, is its collaborative nature. 1A Sienna Bertamini, one of Menton’s many talented singers, reflected that “creating art together is a way to connect with people that supersedes any other kind of communication. When I share ideas, work with other singers, and practice

Of course, we cannot pretend that the WEIMART was merely a spontaneous outburst of artistic creativity. Students worked tirelessly to create this event, facing a constantly changing situation due to the cancellation of the WEIC and a COVID outbreak on the Nancy campus. It went so smoothly thanks to the efforts in part by the Dijon BDAS, as well as the respective BDAs of the campuses in attendance: Le Havre, Menton, Poitiers, Paris, and Nancy. On our own campus, 2As Salim Outinari and Seroussi facilitated the planning and logistics of the event.

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Alwanat Recap

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typically consisting of dinners and conferences. This is a deliberate choice — we do not want to politicize anti-racism. We do not participate in debates or polemics– there is more than enough opportunity for that within Sciences Po and its existing associations!

2A Ismaeel Yaqoob leads the demonstrations protesting the presence of Eric Zemour during his visit to Menton in January 2022 ahead of the French presidential elections. Photo by Bianca Bartolini

Article by Ismaeel Yaqoob, guest reporter In just ten months, Alwanat has evolved from a group of friends bonding over similar experiences to a widely-known campus association engaging students in much-needed discourse surrounding race and racism on our campus. This year, 2A Sania Mahyou and I had a tough act to follow after Moira Shoush and the rest of our now-3A founders left Menton for their third year adventures. We spent a long time thinking about the direction in which we wanted to take the association: an activism body? a safe-space? a networking opportunity? an educational tool? Our conclusion, unsurprisingly, was to combine all of these aims within the mission of our association.

One thing that we wanted to stress from the beginning was a horizontal approach to leadership. We opted against a board with poles as is typically done in SciencesPo associations. This horizontal format creates an environment where there are no hierarchies – either actual or implicit – which enables everyone in the association to contribute as much or as little as they want. This has, of course, created logistical and organisational obstacles, but it is worth it. This framework allows for members of the association to feel able to act on their own prerogative 100 percent of the time. This is important because we all have different ways of processing and navigating our experiences and there cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach. Participating in anti-racism activities requires effort, but should not

be treated as an obligation. The work we are doing necessitates an internal motivation. Furthermore, our recruitment campaign was informal and involved a simple chat to ensure the aims of the association were understood and that there was a shared interest with the applicants. Alwanat is a bilingual association, and we have one president from each track in hopes of creating an environment where there is no francophone or anglophone hegemony over our actions or mindset. These were all intentional steps taken to ensure that our new members were open and motivated enough to take over when the current leadership is no longer here. Alwanat’s meetings are apolitical,

We finished last year with an ambitious cycle of conferences, and the first guest was renowned author of “Le Triangle et L’Hexagone,” Maboula Soumahoro. In the conference, she exposed the reality of a being a Black Muslim woman in France and provided a rich reflection of the articistic, political, and literary tradition of the Black disapora in France. This was followed by a conference by Rim-Sarah Alouane which grappled with the rise of Islamophobia in France and the weaponization of laïcité in the political arena. We finished the year on a high with a celebration of people of color (POC) talent in the arts. We invited a panel of diverse artists, musicians, writers, and photographers to discuss their work, inspiration, and experience navigating their fields as POCs. This year, we began with several organizational meetings to improve our structure before we embarked on the challenge of creating a campus-wide anti-racism training session which was to be held in October. Unfortunately, due to administrational incompetency, it was cancelled at the last minute and our hard work sadly did not yield the sessions we had envisioned. We had hoped to give general talks on anti-racism, as well as present the testimonies and data from our campus wide survey (all available on our Instagram page!). Understandably, there was low morale within the team after the administration blocked our efforts, as we had spent weeks preparing

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and organizing ourselves for the anglophone and francophone training sessions . We took a little hiatus but came back with one of our best events yet – our Alwanat safe space dinners. These are an opportunity for students to come and talk over good food and company. But, it also affords members the chance to share their experiences of racism in a safe space where what they say will not be trivialised or debated. We can all empathize with each other given our shared experiences. We also welcome allies to come and learn more about the lived experiences of POCs and talk about how they can help the movement. We also worked with different associations, co-organising the Arab Student Organization x Alwanat x Sciences 360 HAFLA party which was a celebration of Middle Eastern food and music with henna, shisha, and good vibes all round. The semester ended with our first ever in-person conference with the author of “Illegitimes,” Nesrine Slaoui, a former Sciences Po student herself. She talked about her book and navigating environments such as our university as a Brown, Muslim woman from a low socioeconomic background. This semester, Alwanat is hoping to build on the momentum we have already created and have more dinners, parties and, of course, conferences so that we can share fun, exciting, and informative spaces with the entire campus community. We want to continue engaging the campus in important conversations about everyday racism on and off campus-as well as topical issues for us as students of the MENA region. We are always open to anyone interested in our activities, so if you want to join us please feel free to approach any member of the board to chat!

La Provence et la Catalogne: Feature

deux soeurs à l’histoire entrelacente

Article par Tom Mansuy, journaliste invité

Provence que nous connaissons aujourd’hui. C’est cependant au peuple barcelonais et à l’amitié catalane que cet article rendra hommage. Une histoire dont les premières traces remontent à l’année 1125,

aux Archives Départementales des Bouches-du-Rhône. Lors de son règne en Provence, le comte Bérenger auraient ramené cette armoirie en Catalogne et l’aurait proclamé en tant qu’emblème officiel de son royaume, donnant naissance aux quatres bandes horizontales de couleur rouge sur fond doré.

“Je bois à la Catalogne, notre sœur! à l’Espagne, notre amie! À la France, notre mère.” Ces quelques mots sortirent tout du droit La politique d’expansion que du discours fé- menèrent les Catalans au XIIIe librigéen qu’eut siècle se traduisit par une tenu le très catalanisation des territories grand Frédéric occupés. La politique d’expansion que Mistral en 1868. Intitulé Ço que date à laquelle un traité est signé menèrent les Catalans au XIIIe voulèn (“Ce que nous voulons”), le établissant un comté de Provence siècle se traduisit par une catalanipoète provençal y fait l’éloge de no- au Sud sous l’autorité de la Maison sation des territoires occupés. Les tre belle Provence et espère raviver de Barcelone et un au Nord sous Catalans installèrent une forte adl’esprit nationaliste qui quelques domination toulousaine. Le Rhône ministration notamment à Aix-endécennies plus tôt anima chacun devient pour la première fois une Provence qui perdurera jusqu’en de ses habitants. Il blâme les capi- frontière politique. Le royaume 1501, date à laquelle le Parlement tales de Paris et Madrid pour élever des Catalans s’étale désormais de d’Aix-en-Provence est réformé à la des enfants dans le dédain de leurs Barcelone jusqu’aux Alpes. Cette suite de l’annexion de la Provence coutumes maternelles. Frédéric période historique marque aussi par le puissant roi de France Louis Mistral n’est autre que le visage de le début d’échanges inter-culturels XVI. Les Catalans rendirent aussi la Provence, un homme qui se battu entre les deux peuples, échanges obligatoire l’apprentissage de leur corps et âmes pour une renaissance qui perdurent encore aujourd’hui. langue. Ainsi, au XIIIème siècle du Provençal, pour la reconnais- Si les drapeaux barcelonais et toute la côte méditerranéenne parla sance d’une langue mourrante qui provençal sont très ressemblants, catalan et ce ne fut pas sans influfût jadisse celle d’un peuple fier et ce n’est pas encer les dialibre. un hasard. Le provençal se remet lectes locaux qui En effet, tout doucement de la pendant un sièDes Grecs fondateurs de la colo- le journalpériode linguicide fin cle d’occupation nie de Massalia (Marseille) aux iste Charles XIXe siècle où les châ- se mélangèrent Romains instigateurs de la Pax Cartigny af- timents corporels avait doucement à Romana et à l’origine des theâtres, firme que le pour but de rendre hon- la langue addes acqueducs, des thermes, et plus ancien teux son usage. ministrative. des amphithéâtres dans la région sceau porAujourd’ hui, en passant par les Ostrogoths, les tant les armoiries aux quatres pals on retrouve encore des traces du Mérovingiens, et les Carolingiens, sur fond d’or n’est pas catalan mais catalan dans le provençal modtous eurent une influence sur la bien provençal. Il est conservé erne si bien que certains linguistes

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Drapeau Catalan CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

le considèrent comme un dialecte occitan. La question “parlez-vous français?” se traduit par “parlatz francés?” en provençal et par “parles francès” en catalan. On y voit bien les similitudes. En 1867, Victor Balaguer, écrivain Catalan, se révolte contre le rattachement de la Catalogne à la couronne d’Espagne. Menacé de mort, il s’exile avec sa famille et est chaleureusement accueilli par les félibriges, de fiers Provençaux. L’amitié entre Occitans et Catalans sera solennellement scellée le 30 juillet 1867 par la remise par les Catalans d’une coupe d’argent, créée par l’Avignonnais Fulconis qui refusa d’être payé pour son travail lorsqu’il apprit la destination et le sens de cette coupe. Quel beau symbole d’amitié entre deux peuples! Cette coupelle représente deux femmes. L’une d’elles, la Provence a posé son bras droit autour du cou de la Catalogne comme pour lui marquer son amitié tandis que la Catalogne a mis sa main droite sur son cœur en guise de remerciement. Ce tendre geste

comme souligne justement Alain Barthélemy “le provençal habite dans la tête d’un nombre notable de nos concitoyens mais il en sort plus difficilement.” En quelques chiffres, le provençal est le deuxième dialecte le plus parlé en France et est présent dans 32 départements même si des variations régionales sont à noter.

“Je bois à la Catalogne, notre soeur! à l’Espagne, notre amie! À la France, notre mère”.

Le provençal se remet tout doucement de la période linguicide fin XIXe siècle où les châtiments corporels avait pour but de rendre La diversi- Cependant, nous voy- honteux son té linguisons aujourd’hui des usage. Parmis tique permet signes annonciateurs les punitions, d’échapper à la de changement aussi on retroupensée unique. petits soit ils. Qui au- vait un usage Frédéric Mistral rait cru voir la création fréquent des en été convad’un professorat de coups de réincu lorsqu’il langues régionale avec gle sur les fonda en 1854 son propre concours de doigts lorle Félibrige, une recrutements? Qui au- squ’un élève association lit- rait cru voir la télévision parlait dans téraire s’assurfrançaise s’ouvrir aux sa langue réant la défense langues de France? gionale. C’est des cultures réainsi que l’on gionales traditionnelles. Il y écrivit constate dans de nombreuses réle Tresor dou Felibrige qui reste à gions la coexistence de la générace jour le dictionnaire le plus riche tion des arrières-grands-parents de la langue occitane. A l’heure ac- monolingues, des grands-parents tuelle, nous ne disposons d’aucune bilingues mais dont la langue maenquête officielle pour mesurer la ternelle n’était pas le français, celle pratique du provençal. Après hy- des parents bilingues passifs et enpothèses, on oscille entre un nom- fin celle des enfants monolingues bre de 100,000 à 400,000 personnes capable de parler sur les 4,5 millions de Provençaux. Précisons que ces statistiques ne comprennent décrit les Catalans comme des lointains frères et perpétue une amitié qui perdure encore aujourd’hui.

francophones après 1960. Cependant, nous voyons aujourd’hui des signes annonciateurs de changement aussi petits soit ils. Qui aurait cru voir la création d’un professorat

de langues régionale avec son propre concours de recrutements? Qui aurait cru voir la télévision française s’ouvrir aux langues de France? Qui aurait cru même voir des politiciens commencer à réfléchir à des solutions pour encourager leur pratique? L’héritage provençal est là, et il ne faut pas chercher bien loin pour le trouver. Il subsiste dans une hybridation avec le français. Escamper, rouster, garrouile, pèguer, brayer, certains mots provençaux sont quasiment même passés dans l’usage national comme fadat, fondut, et minot. La langue provençale est loin d’être morte même si son nombre de locuteurs est en déclin. Les politiques linguicides du gouvernement français sont les principales responsables de ce déclin, une chute que son homologue catalan n’a pas ou peu connu.

La langue provençal est loin d’être morte même si son nombre de locuteurs est en déclin. Les politiques linguicides du gouvernment français sont les principales responsables de ce déclin, une chute que son homologue catalan n’a pas ou peu connu. amical inspira Frédéric Mistral qui écrivit Coupo Santo dans lequel il

pas les personnes capables de comprendre plus ou moins la langue car

Drapeau Provençal CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

JANUARY 2022

Ski Trip

Sports

forced to make new relationships with 2As since not many people in her cohort decided to come. She explained that it was nice to build connections with people outside of her closer core. According to her, this bonding was especially fostered during group dinners and other collective activities. She said, “it was like Integration Week all over again … it definitely helped with bonding.”

The view from our residence, Hammeau de Puy. Photo by Wang Di

Article by Gabrielle Hodes, guest reporter When 2A Samanéa Rousseau, president of the Bureau des Sports (BDS) on campus, sent a flyer advertising a ski trip for students, I was apprehensive to sign up. The task of organizing a trip to the Alps for 50 SciencesPistes seemed Herculean and I was unsure whether it would work out. Now, after returning from the trip, I am so glad I went. The five-day experience was a great way to spend some time outdoors, connect with nature, and bond with other students. The adventure began with a schlep to the stadium. There, we boarded the bus that took us to SuperDévoluy, a ski resort a few hours north of Menton in the French Alps. The excitement was palpable — for the first few hours, everyone was chattering away. Our journey lasted around six hours, but in this distance, we managed to go from sunny Menton to snow-capped mountains. After disembarking with our luggage, it was time to check into our rooms at the Hameau du Puy residence and get settled in. A few sighs of frustration later, (doing an

état des lieux in a mountain hotel is no more fun than in a seaside apartment, especially with a 200 euro deposit on the line), we were ready to explore. I was most excited to play in the snow; it had been years since I had seen it piled up like that. We all immediately donned our snow pants and went outside. Suddenly, I felt a cold thud against my right shoulder. I turned around to see a gloating

Gabrielle Hodes, post-ski day, making a snow angel. Photo by Wang Di

2A Isabella Aouad, proud of her aim. After that, it was on. We spent a good hour tumbling across the landscape, hitting each other with

snowballs until we were all exhausted and ready for some beauty sleep. Though the sound of my alarm the next morning was not exactly welcome, I was excited to hit the slopes — skiing was a childhood favorite for me. I felt butterflies at the thought of returning to it now, at least a meter taller and 10 years older. Thankfully, the BDS took care of the equipment rental package, including the (objectively uncomfortable) ski boots and bright helmets. For beginners like 2A Paris Sistilli, it was a bit daunting to head out to experience the sport for the first time. However, there was an instructor waiting on the bunny hill to teach the 15-person group the basics. The rest of us split up to tackle what SuperDévoluy had to offer. At first, people were more comfortable sticking to their friend groups from home or their flatmates. However, as the trip progressed, it became more practical to organize according to skill level and confidence, which meant spending quality time with people you may never have gotten to know. 1A Sienna Bertamini was pushed outside of her comfort zone and

Another 1A agreed, saying that interactions became more fluid by the second or third day. People bridged the gaps that usually split the Ummah. There was an overwhelming sense of solidarity and collaboration when it came to the sport, with advanced skiers often offering to help the beginners and pushing them to feel more confident. This led to a group of novices tackling a blue slope (easy-intermediate level) together for the first time!

A group of beginners tackling Jas, the main blue slope Photo courtesy of Gabrielle Hodes

Though the trip had some serious hiccups (a torn ligament here, sliced finger there), it was a really fun experience overall. We had amazing weather; all blue skies after fresh snow — nearly perfect powder conditions. Our beloved SciencesPistes became more comfortable both on and off the slopes — daring to dive into challenging skiing and dynamic conversations. As a 2A who is nearing the end of her time on campus, I thought this was an exciting way to kick off the semester, as it fostered bonding across the Ummah and helped me start the year on the right foot.

Arts and Entertainment

“Afrita Hanem” ou l’âge d’or du cinéma égyptien !

Article par Morgane Abbas, journaliste invitée Amour et humour ! Voilà donc les deux élixirs utilisés par Henry Barakat qui, ensemble, forment la potion magique d’un succès mérité. Avec dans son casting une admirable Samia Gamal au sourire aussi radieux que malicieux, ainsi qu’un Farid Al-Atrache dont la prodigiosité musicale et artistique n’est plus à prouver, l’âge d’or du cinéma égyptien est bien en marche. Aux allures hollywoodiennes, “Afrita Hanem” nous emporte avec légèreté dans le riche univers qu’est la comédie musicale. Une comédie qui, certes, est loin de divertir Asfour, l’élégant chanteur gratifié par son talent et son sens du romantisme, mais infortuné par le poids de sa place dans l’échelle sociale…

te omniprésence. Certaines scènes possèdent même une dimension shakespearienne: l’un récitant ses paroles d’amour, l’autre l’écoutant passionnément du haut de son balcon, comme le feraient Roméo et Juliette, ou encore Cyrano de Bergerac et Roxanne !

Cependant, comme nous n’avons pas omis de le mentionner plus haut, cet amour, sous toutes ses facettes, est toujours accompagné par l’humour, comme s’ils étaient intrinsèquement liés. D’abord, c’est le scénario en lui-même qui est comique, notamment grâce à la dimension imaginaire et fantastique que Henry Barakat introduit dans son film, ce qui lui donne une grande originalité. Ainsi, l’invisible Kahramana use de ses pouvoirs magiques pour rendre la vie impossible à Asfour, par jalousie de son D’ailleurs, l’amour et la musique amour, bien que non réciproque, s’entremêlent divinement, comme pour Alia. Mais ce côté humorisen témoignent les nombreuses tique est également présent à trascènes où le brio de Farid al-Atrac- vers d’autres personnages, comme he est mis en avant. Il s’y livre à ce Boqo, notamment parce que nous que nous pourrions qualifier une pouvons observer que son jeu d’aexaltation du sentiment amoureux, cteur est presque théâtral ! Parfois presque hyperbolique, dans toutes excessif et démesuré, nous nous ses dimensions. Sa voix divine attachons rapidement à sa nature est mise en avant tout au long du presque niaise. D’autres scènes film à travers des pièces musicales sont également très divertissantes, qu’il écrit lui-même, ce qui peut comme celles où Alia, en parlant à parfaitement ses deux amants s’apparenter ...parce que l’humour joue en même temps, au chant d’un un rôle central dans le film, fait croire à oiseau qui ce dernier est seulement au Asfour qu’elle prend son service de notre divertisse- accepte son envol, d’où le ment, loin de là ! mariage avec choix non anodin du prénom “Aselle, de quoi faire tourner la tête à four” (oiseau en arabe). Un amour ce dernier… D’ailleurs, au début passionnel, douloureux ou nosdu film, nous pourrions même talgique… Ainsi, ce prénom, c’est croire que la “Afrita”, la “diablesse”, aussi l’allusion, comme le montre c’était elle, avant que n’émerge le l’une des dernières scènes du film, personnage de Kahramana. à un oiseau prisonnier d’une cage, Pourtant, nous devons nous tenir d’un amour impossible... “‫ ”يا حبيبي‬d’affirmer que parce que l’humour (“ya habibi”, “ô mon amour”) est joue un rôle central dans le film, ce répété un nombre incalculable de dernier est seulement au service fois, et est d’ailleurs le miroir de cet- de notre divertissement, loin de là

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! En y prêtant attention, beaucoup les hommes sans difficulté. Cede messages sous-jacents peuvent pendant, nous pourrions nous deêtre interprétés. D’abord, un quesmander s’il ne s’est pas opéré une tionnement d’ordre philosophique régression des mœurs qui paraisest notamment incarné par le sent à cette époque plus ouvertes mystérieux vieil homme, synonque celles de la société égyptienne yme de sagesse contempoet d’expérience Le cinéma arabe, notamment raine. Ainsi, de vie : qu’est-ce égyptien, a su manier de manière à maintes que le vrai bonextrêmement subtile les outils reprises, le heur et en existe- cinématographiques d’abord réalisateur t-il un? Comdéveloppés en Occident au ser- ne se gêne ment l’atteindre vice des sociétés arabes. pas à exposer ? La question de des scènes la valeur de l’amour est également de baisers, ce qui serait plus tabou abordée. A travers les personnages aujourd’hui. de Asfour et Mimi Bey qui représentent des idéaux complètement Le cinéma arabe, notamment opposés, et Alia au centre qui joue égyptien, a su manier de manière sur deux tableaux, nous relevons extrêmement subtile les outils la vision dichotomique entre un cinématographiques d’abord amour loyal et sincère d’un côté, développés en Occident au service et de l’autre un amour fallacieux des sociétés arabes. Ce film en est motivé par une avidité d’argent. le parfait exemple, en témoignent L’esquisse d’une critique matériales effets d’optique et de transition liste ainsi que du poids des classes plutôt réalistes qui accompagnent sociales dans la configuration des l’apparition du fantastique et de l’irelations peut être aperçue. maginaire. Ces outils, ce sont aussi les codes de la comédie musicale à Additionnellement, il est clair que l’hollywoodienne. Si l’on retrouve le réalisateur offre une vision du beaucoup de similitude de cette monde oriental et de la société dernière à travers les danseurs, les égyptienne qui diffère grandement costumes, les mises en scènes, et du cinéma colonial des décennies même certains schèmes musicaux, précédentes. Affirmons-le, il s’agit c’est néanmoins les spécificités de de mettre en avant les spécificités l’art arabe qui sont mises en avant, orientales, pas de les dénigrer ! notamment avec la mise en lumièComparons seulement ce type re d’instruments comme le Qanûn de film à ceux du genre colonial et sa sonorité si particulière et ! D’abord, d’un point de vue du raffinée ! Il s’agit donc réellement genre, on assiste à une redéfinition de s’approprier les outils les plus de la masculinité, notamment à modernes du cinéma de l’époque à travers Asfour, présenté comme un des fins revendicatives et artishomme raffiné, séducteur, élégant, tiques propres au cinéma arabe, et romantique et respectueux avec égyptien dans ce cas plus précis. la gente féminine. L’émotion, la Si l’on associe cela avec la populasensibilité et la fibre artistique sont rité des acteurs, qui comme Farid valorisées. L’image de la femme al-Atrach sont des icônes de la arabe elle-même est en parfaite musique dans la vraie vie, tous les opposition avec celle présentée par éléments sont rassemblés pour que les films occidentaux précédents. “Afrita Hanem” soit une des pièces Elle est émancipée, nous la voyons maîtresses du cinéma égyptien ! par exemple jouer aux cartes avec

JANUARY 2022

Article by Lara Nour Walton, staff writer

Bratislava

Arts and Entertainment

accused her of “judging Bratislava before seeing the old town.” And after observing Omaish’s suspiciously eager behavior in a subpar souvenir shop, I began to wonder whether he might be secretly employed by the Slovak government to propagandize to Sciences Po students and drum up local tourism.

After a day of peeling buildings, ornery weather, bald men, and stale pastries, 1A Sami Omaish with distant Slovak roots, finally ceded: “I can see why my ancestors left.” On our November break, our travel group decided to take “I can see why my ancestors left.” a day trip from I suspected him Vienna and explore its cipher of a of such collusion because I simply neighbor: Bratislava. When Omafailed to see what he saw in this ish enthusiastically pitched this contradictory metropolis. I have Slovak pitstop, I was indifferent. been to cities that do not make Perhaps I would sample some piesense — Gainesville, Florida for rogis, ogle at a blue church, strut instance — but never have I been down another cobbled European as baffled as I was in Bratislava. alley. But I grew skeptical after The capital boasts an unnerving sharing my vacation plans with blend of East and West. Soviet-era seasoned travelers. “I’m going to highrises, panelaks, clumsily mix Bratislava for break!” I proudly an- with buildings that look to be the nounced to 1A Emilio Egger Priearchitectural manifestations of to, to which he responded with a wedding cakes. The language resisimple but damning “why?” When des in limbo liminal space between I briefed my grandfather about my Czech and Polish. The men wear Bratislavan prospects, he chuckled full Adidas tracksuits. And yet, the and informed me that he had gone women expertly don the dark and there on business. “My colleagues cutting-edge Berliner fashion. and I called it Boring-slava,” he quipped. First on our agenda was a hot lunch. We settled on an empty When I shared my newfound restaurant that promised traditimisgivings, Omaish emerged as an onal Slovak meals. A picture of unusually staunch defender of the a sneering moose inexplicably Slovak capital — he insisted that graced the eatery’s façade and mewe must go. When travel compani- nus. The food was filling — latkes on, 1A Gayle Krest, remarked from and Slovak cheese dumplings, the train that the city’s outskirts pierogies — but our travel group looked industrial, Omaish angrily of five was forced to split due to a

Photo courtesy of Lara Nour Walton

puzzling Bratislavan Covid-19 guideline. Two of us were made to sit at one table, while the remainder were seated elsewhere. We were separated by an awkward distance that impeded conversation but facilitated an expressive exchange of confused glances. When we got to our second destination, the Primate’s Palace, there was no one there. The museum employees, fearful that the day’s only visitors would leave on account of the meager ticket fee, offered us free admission. The tapestries inside were spectacular but discolored by the copious amounts of sun streaming through the windows. I pitied the city. Bratislava is faded, abandoned, frequented by few, forgotten by most. We wandered aimlessly about this tragic city. We found an altar for aborted babies, a flower market under fluorescent lights, and a clothing store selling t-shirts plastered with the pope’s face. But with the lowering sun, Bratislava cooled and our limbs weakened. We moved languidly, in a seemingly impossible quest to find a steaming cup of joe and a quick bite. As de facto French people habituated to croissants in every other establishment, we were dismayed at the difficulty of this task. But, this initial dismay only deepened when we finally did

stumble upon a cafe an hour and a half later. 1A Julien Zeman got a coffee — nothing to write home about. Omaish got a crescent-shaped fig newton — bizarre, but not inedible. Krest, however, bought a slice of what she thought was chocolate cake. Much to her confusion, the pastry’s brown color could not be accounted for by the flavors present on her palate. “It was the texture of dried-out cottage cheese and tasted like that as well. I took a bite and there was a (full) lemon seed in it, so I threw that ish away,” said Krest.

Photo courtesy of Lara Nour Walton

After the cafe ordeal, 1A Ellie Carter purchased a bagel. It was surprisingly delicious. And that is the part about Bratislava that makes me inexplicably sad. It can be pleasant at times, espousing a rare delight — one that can only be found in places where you would least expect it. Perhaps if I had shared Omaish’s open-mindedness I might have appreciated the city more. But, alas, my skepticism hindered me from enjoying what little charm Bratislava had to offer.

Arts and Entertainment

Albania: An Emerging Nation Full of Surprises

JANUARY 2022

Photo by Saoirse Aherne

Article by Greta Murgia and Federica Ballardini, guest reporters Albania is a little-explored destination for the holidays and remains a mystery to most. When one thinks about vacation destinations in the Balkans, the first place that comes to mind is Greece and its numerous islands, followed by Croatia for those looking for a more alternative destination and wilder environment. Albania, with its variegated nature, delicious food, and low prices, is rarely within the

top ten places to visit. I expected to travel to one of Europe’s more cosmopolitan locations, like Budapest or Prague, for my November break. But, my friends had opted for a more obscure choice: Albania. Upon hearing of this change of

plans, I was shocked. But after this initial reaction I thought to myself: Albania? Why not? It was a destination I had never considered, but the plan seemed interesting and I decided to give it a chance.

People were generally exceptionally kind and generous. Everyone was up for a chat, everyone had a smile in their pocket, ready to be exchanged with strangers.

When I told people I was going to Albania, I would always get the same confused look, followed by the question:

“Albania? What’s there to do in Albania? Why aren’t you going to a normal place like Amsterdam or Berlin?” And my answer was, over and over: “I don’t know, I’ll find out.” And I did.

Theth: nature, hot chocolate, and a soaking-wet hike.

Arts and Entertainment

JANUARY 2022

Tortuous roads, dogs, and grapes I, along with seven friends, arrived in Tirana by plane. Having spent the first night in the metropolitan capital, we decided to go north to spend some time in nature. Getting to Theth – a small town almost at the border with Montenegro, known for its National Park and beautiful nature – was already a challenge. We first had to take a three hour bus to Shkodër, the biggest city of the northern region, followed by another three hour drive in a private minivan on endless tortuous curves. To get to Theth, we passed by the national prison and numerous majestic white villas, constructed in the middle of nowhere. When we asked why there were such big houses in deserted places, we were told that the Albanians have the belief that the best way to keep and invest their money is through construction. Therefore, they build huge villas in remote areas, which ends up being disastrous as an investment.

valley from our bedroom windows. The town was home to several unfriendly dogs that barked at us as we passed by, a beautiful church connected to a cemetery, sheeps, closed cabins, one shop, and one restaurant. Because we were in

At that moment, we had to imagine the beautiful view we had been told we would see. However, as we went down, the sun came out for long enough to clear the sky, and it allowed us to see the mountains, the valley, and the horizon. The rain had been worth enduring, and the view was stunning.

Once we arrived in Theth, we understood just by looking around why it had been so hard to get there, and we asked ourselves how it was possible that other people, apart from us, had been able to reach it. In fact, we were the only tourists (and girls) in the apparently empty town. We were guests at a beautiful family-owned cabin, with grapes hanging throughout the whole garden, an ice-cold fountain with potable water, a chimney in the common room and a beautiful view of the

low-season, we got the “true” Theth experience. We were asked several times by locals why we had decided to go there for our vacation. We found an answer to the question the following day, when we went for our long-awaited hike.

Water, water, and more water When we woke up the next morning though, it was pouring rain and the beautiful view from our window had disappeared. We could not even see the garden beneath us due to the fog that surrounded us. As we had to go back to Tirana the following day to meet two other friends that were arriving to join us on the trip, our only chance to go on the hike was that day. So we asked the owner of the cabin for some garbage bags, we opened holes for the head and the arms, and we started what can only be defined as an adventure. After the first five minutes of the hike, we had barely any dry skin left, and when we got to the top, we could not see much further

Tirana is also a stage for history.

than our noses. At that moment, we had to imagine the beautiful view we had been told we would see. However, as we went down, the sun came out for long enough to clear the sky, and it allowed us to see the mountains, the valley, and the horizon. The rain had been worth enduring, and the view was stunning.

spoke fantastic Italian. The baker gave me a freshly baked loaf of bread; I thanked him and reached for my wallet. He did not want me to pay; it is a gift, he says. It was not the only time that we got gifts from complete strangers. A man in a store offered to pay for my water, since I still struggled with the Albanian currency. People were generally exceptionally kind and generous. Everyone was up for a chat, everyone had a smile in their pocket, ready to be exchanged with strangers.

Once back to the cabin, dry and warm, we enjoyed home-made fresh and delicious food and a hot chocolate that resembled more a pudding than common hot chocolates. That became our passion throughout the whole trip. The delicious food and Our time in At any café, overall welcoming and warm Korçë began in restaurant population, the beautiful the late afternoor bar we views of nature, the crystal- on. A shaky bus would visit, line sea that borders Greece drove us for four we would and Croatia, as well as the hours throualways order controversial and incredibly gh the most hot chocola- rich history, render Albania unimaginable te. But none an interesting destination to landscapes. of them beat visit. Rolling hills lay the one in all around the Theth. The filling breakfast we winding road; forests exploded received from the cabin every with fall colors at each turn, and we morning, which included fried stumbled upon rural architecture. eggs, cheese, butter, jam, bread, We stopped half way through for pancakes, juice, coffee, and tea, was some of the typical rice – flavorful also voted as one of the best parts Basmati rice, cooked with lemon of the whole trip. and eaten with meat or vegetables.

Korçë

Tirana We moved to the center of the town. The streets were pebbled and framed by low buildings that housed cafés. We wandered around and I came across a traditional bakery. On a large wooden table lay a batch of bread loaves waiting to be baked in a huge stove. I peeked inside; a small queue of people were buying their daily bread. The man inside saw me and inquired whether I was a tourist. Most of the people in the line

We arrived in Korçë as the sun was setting through the glassless window panes of an abandoned building. We walked to our hotel. We were astonished by its grandeur. It was a modern structure on the outside, rustic and cozy on the inside. We walked up to our room to find a suite with a bathtub, lounge area and a beautiful view of the Orthodox church. Dinner was outstanding. The traditional cuisine (beans, grilled vegetables, hummus, feta cheese) met just the right amount of hips-

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ter, new age foods (avocado, sweet potatoes …). It was the perfect marriage. We sipped on Spritz and ate chocolate dessert. Is this what happiness feels like? Midterms had been the week before, so we had forgotten what that meant.

hands was the only, powerful way to make a connection despite the lack of a common language. Ah, the language! Hearing Albanian all around, such a unique language; it tastes like almonds to me; it sounds like a hug; it looks like affection.

We slept tight after delighting each other with a night of Disney karaoke. We woke up ready to take on Korçë. After breakfast (delicious, needless to say), we begin the day by visiting the Orthodox church. It was astonishing. Saints with decapitated heads in their hands populated the golden walls. We argued about how old the church might be. Turns out it is not that old, but we still really like it; it’s vintage.

Tirana is also a stage for history. We spent a few hours in a bunker, which is now a museum covering colonial times to communist regime history. Sure, history often fails to acknowledge the experiences of real people– those who live it, those who make it everyday. Despite that historiographical paradigm, Tirana’s buildings and people told the story. The coexistence of mosques, Orthodox and Catholic churches, people’s attitudes, the typical food, the general vibe of the city. It all assumes even more value as one uncovers the past about what has made this place so distinctive.

Tirana Tirana is not a beautiful city where it’s easy to romanticize life or remain stunned in front of grandiose buildings. Instead, it is a big city where moving through public buses is hard, many neighborhoods are poor, and life is not led to please the tourists. It is also a place where the small pleasures that make life unique are hidden. Take the bakery under the apartment we were staying at, for instance. The delicious sweets we had in the morning. The central market, where old people gathered to sell garlic, beans, and their old jewelry, where everyone was happy to help and have a chat. The small burek shops, where talking with your

We wanted to visit the other history museum, to gain a deeper understanding of what existed before. Sadly, it was closed, but by then we were intrigued. We knew we wanted to come back and see more of this country. It was evening, and we had to hurry back to the apartment to pack and tidy up the place. We were leaving the following day at three in the morning. As I looked out of the taxi window, I had my main character moment. I find it funny, I thought to myself, how I’ve ended up in a place I would have never imagined to visit, that I had not prepared myself for, for which I had had no expectations.

Tirana is not a beautiful city where it’s easy to romanticize life or remain stunned in front of grandiose buildings. Instead, it is a big city where moving through public buses is hard, many neighborhoods are poor, and life is not led to please the tourists.

JANUARY 2022

I did not give in to cheesy clichés. I believe that I went home with different perspectives, new insights, and new friendships.

incomes from Albanians abroad are being sent home, and all of this investment is enabling the destruction and reconstruction of vast areas of Albania, especially the capital, Tirana. Brand new sky-scrapers are seen rising above rural and simple constructions, Christian and Orthodox churches can be seen not far from mosques, and in bars and cafes the great majority are men. On the streets, handcarts selling fruits and vegetables give the impression of an exotic land on the other side of the world, but the espressos served in the cafés (which could compete with the ones made in Italy) remind the tourists where they are. Albania is a nation that has been on the waiting list to become part of the European Union since 2014, and it aspires to the wealth and well-being it sees in its neighboring states.

Is this what happiness feels like? Midterms had been the week before, so we had forgotten what that meant.

Because I had the chance to visit a place where our modern perspective has not yet managed to take over, I was pleasantly surprised by what I didn’t know existed.

Reflections: old and new, Italian and Burek This trip has helped me reflect on the impact of history not only on a country’s political system and economy, but also on the deep and lasting change it creates in society. Albania opened up to commerce and tourism only in 1992, after over 40 years of isolation under Hoxha’s communist regime. It is fascinating to notice how, despite being on the border with rather developed nations such as Greece and Croatia, Albania is ontologically different from what one would expect.

I did not give in to cheesy clichés. I believe that I went home with different perspectives, new These are some insights, and new of the reflections friendships. that came to

In fact, with its service-based economy, most goods are imported, and the majority of the population speaks better Italian than English. Albania even became part of the Kingdom of Italy during the fascist rule in the 1930s and 40s, so Islam coexists with Christianity. The new capitalist economy is bringing money into the nation,

me during this trip, at once both eye-opening and enriching.

Conclusion The delicious food and overall welcoming and warm population, the beautiful views of nature, the crystalline sea that borders Greece and Croatia, as well as the controversial and incredibly rich history, render Albania an interesting destination to visit. The emerging nature of the country’s economy and the cheap prices make it accessible. But, Albania will not be the same in ten

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JANUARY 2022

Photo by Saoirse Aherne

years. Modernity and tourism will have changed its roots. It is wiser to go sooner rather than later. Albania is a place that is changing right in front of our eyes. It is happening right now. There is a strong wave of modernization being fostered. However, tradition and culture still manage to elbow their way through modern buildings, restaurants and cafès. Most of all, the spirit of the country and its people really shine through, and that is what I will most remember from this trip. When you travel to a very touristic destination, you almost expect a detached kindness from the side of the staff. What we found in Albania, however, was completely novel: a sincere, genuine warmth and

open-heartedness from everyone we encountered on our journey. These are my takeaways from this trip: • Don’t limit yourself to usual destinations, there is much more to discover that was not already on some famous person’s Instagram feed. • Take the time to look for curious, unusual things both in your travels and in your hometown. • When you can, engage in exchanges with strangers. Talk to people and learn about the world — this is a fantastic means for finding inspiration and magic everywhere you go.

When I think back to our day in Korçë, for example, I struggle to rationalize it. I feel like it exceeded the temporal lines. It was a magical cocktail of memories and sensations.

We can assure you that we definitely did.

There are moments in life when you feel like you are truly living. Not existing, not being alive, but living. It’s when you make music and talk to strangers and explore streets and rediscover the magic of humankind. You cannot create those moments artificially. You cannot look for them. You can just welcome them when they come and try to make the most of them.

To many more adventures to come!

To you, our readers, we can only recommend to open your hearts to exploration and to visit Albania!

Middle East and North Africa

JANUARY 2022

The Israeli Occupation of Palestinian Territories Threatens the Environment Another reason why indifference towards the Arab-Israeli conflict is intolerable

Artile by Margherita Cordellini, staff writer The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP26), which took place in Glasgow in November, was depicted by the media as a theater of — sometimes empty — promises and of implicit defeats. People expressed their indignation towards Narendra Modi’s last-minute intervention, and India was accused multiple times of prioritizing political and economic aims over the commitment to avoid a global catastrophe. Public opinion deemed this action as intolerable. However, the Glasgow Climate Conference silently witnessed the denouncement of another state that includes in its political agenda an enormous quantity of CO2 emissions: Israel. On the second day of the international conference, the prime minister of the State of Palestine, Mohammad Shtayyeh, reiterated his denouncement of the Israeli occupation defining it as the “most critical long-term threat to the Palestinian environment.” It was not the first time that worrying data concerning the issue had been presented, as it was not the first time that the situation went almost unnoticed on an international scale. For instance,

in 2012 the United Nations (UN) raised the alarm by announcing that Palestine would have been inhabitable by 2020 if Israel did not radically modify its expansionary and repressive policies. The human characteristic to adapt to inhumane conditions was once again underestimated.

ze the most devastating climatic problems that Palestine is facing because of foreign occupation.

Israel’s settlement project in the OPT is grounded on four main pillars: expansion, segregation, fragmentation, and resource exploitation. First of all, one of the main objectives of the Israeli occupation The Applied Research Institute-Je- has been expansion, and consists rusalem (Arij) published several of ensuring control over Area C, reports an administwhich Since 1967, Israel has rative division clearly been trying to convince following the affirmed the world that the solu- Oslo accords, that, not tion to the Arab-Israeli that represents only do conflict is the segrega- 66 percent the inhation of Palestinian com- of the West bitants munities. This statement Bank. The Arij of the is undoubtedly misguid- report of 2007 Occupied ed both from a human- underscores Palestinian itarian and a climatic the dichotomic Territories perspective. appearance of (OPT) the Palestinian suffer from the Israeli occupation, landscape. On one side, Palestinian but so does the climate. The report villages are built on non-fertile soil published in 2007, perhaps the and favor the organic development most complete one, illustrates of the landscape, on the other one, in detail all the consequences of Israeli settlements are scattered the Israeli occupation, which are significantly on agricultural lands supported by sound scientific situated in strategic positions such evidence. In 2018 another report as the Jordan Valley, in the West was issued, which showed rapid Bank’s western edges and the Jeruescalation of the problem. Given salem area. Thus, Israel’s expansion the complex nature of the issue, entails destruction of cultivations this article will seek to summariand deforestation: Prime Minister

Shtayyeh drew attention to the fact that Israel has uprooted approximately 2.5 million Palestinian trees since 1967, 800 thousand of which were olive trees. Moreover, the settlements are typically characterized by their enormous sizes. This has a twofold aim: to attract colonists and to cover as much land as possible. Since 1967, Israel has been trying to convince the world that the solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict is the segregation of Palestinian communities. This statement is undoubtedly misguided both from a humanitarian and a climatic perspective. The main way of establishing a situation of apartheid is the development of two distinct road networks. Colonists have at their disposal an increasing number of streets, which are mostly strictly forbidden to Palestinians, so that the journey time from the settlements to Israel decreases. Furthermore, Israeli settlements are surrounded by “security streets” of thousands of square kilometers which have no purpose other than circumscribing the living area of the colonists. This further fragments the Palestinian Territories, which are already constituted by two separate land masses. The result of the apartheid regime to

JANUARY 2022

Middle East and North Africa

Photo courtesy of Montecruz Foto

which Palestinians are subject is a transportation system. However, disproportionate quantity of CO2 the fragmentation of the territory emissions caused by an unavoidab- and the highly limited freedom of le traffic jam. For instance, in order movement of Palestinians makes it to go from the villages to the main impossible. cities of the OPT, local inhabitants are forced to face longer journeys Israel’s occupation of Palestine is in order to avoid Israeli settlements also a story of exploitation. From and pass checkpoints, as is now a resources point of view, Israel required. The former obstacle is parasitically avails itself of Palestiresponsible for the supplementary nian water. For instance, Palestine yearly emission is currently of 196 thouThe marginalization of undersand tons of the Arab-Israeli question going a CO2, whereas in the international po- severe the latter, litical discourse can no problem of according to longer be justified: it is water scarthe Arij report not only a private issue, city. The of 2018, for the but a collective one Arij report annual waste since it is indissolubly of 2007 of 80 million tied to the concept of shows how liters of fuel climate justice. Israel has in the West been expBank. In such loiting the cases, a classical solution would territory’s hydric resources since be the implementation of a public the beginning of the occupation in

1967. In the area, the Jordan River System, the Coastal Aquifer and the West Bank Aquifer System are the three main water resources, and theoretically, they should be shared with Palestine. However, Israel is in control of all of them. Since the occupation, Palestinians are denied their rightful access to the Jordan River and they are compelled to give Israel more than 80 percent of the water coming from the West Bank Aquifer. As a result, the per capita share of water of West Bank inhabitants (excluding settlers) is 79.1 liters per day, whereas in the Gaza Strip, it is 79.9, much lower than the daily required standard recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), which is 100-150 liters per person. Repercussions are visible not only in the progressive decrease of Palestinians’ living standards but also in the indirect climatic impact. In fact, given

the limited availability of hydric resources, Palestinians are forced to exploit the Gaza Aquifer system. Because of its over-usage, 96 percent of its water is undrinkable. Thus, a CO2-consuming purification plant is required. Without considering the impact that such measures have on the inhabitants’ daily lives, we can still evaluate the enormous environmental consequences, which originate also from the necessity of transporting the treated water. The marginalization of the Arab-Israeli question in the international political discourse can no longer be justified: it is not only a private issue, but a collective one since it is indissolubly tied to the concept of climate justice.

Middle East and North Africa

JANUARY 2022

An “Insider’s” Perspective on Lebanon

Image of ‘Independence 1975-1990’ from the series ‘Beirut calls the future generations’(2010-2011) by Lebanese artist Laure Ghorayeb. The collage explores the difficult years recovering from the 1975 Civil War and symbolizes the sources of trans-generational trauma experienced by many Lebanese. Laure Ghorayeb — Image by Emilia Kohlmeyer

Article by Angela Saab Saade, guest reporter I grew up in an unstable household. My parents divorced when I was young and I struggled with inconsistency through much of my childhood. Yet, I never felt afraid in my own home. I found safety in my own comfort zone. I found that comfort in my native country, Lebanon. But, something changed upon moving to France for university. As students on the Menton Campus, many of us are familiar with the current situation in Lebanon.

However, being a Lebanese citizen, born and raised near Beirut, I find it necessary to clarify a few things — a few things that I deem only an “insider” may truly understand. Despite what the media and statistics portray, Lebanon’s biggest issue is not the current economic crisis. Our biggest concern is not whether or not the inflation rate will decrease tomorrow. Though most of us have been conditioned to check the Lebanese Lira-United States Dollar exchange rate first thing in the morning, our collective suffering goes beyond that. Despite the garbage crisis, the corruption circulating our institu-

tions, the confessional system that the Lebanese can not be limited to creates much damage, the unconsnumbers or pictures or thousands titutionality of our constitution, and thousands of words describing our poverty rate increasing drastithe current situation. The Lebacally by nese’s biggest the day, The new phenomenon dilemma is and our that I noticed, however, that they have lack of is the creation of a new been stripped access social class in Lebanon: of their dignity. to basic the social class that has It is that progneeds, the access to foreign curren- ressive gradual Lebanese cy, more notably the US reduction of people dollar. our collective suffer dignity that from a phenomenon that encommakes us so numb to pain and passes all those factors, and more. suffering today, so accustomed to It would be belittling to reduce the constantly increasing destruction, populace’s suffering to those cirand so exhausted of revolution, cumstances alone. The suffering of of protest, and of trying to bring

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JANUARY 2022

about change.

feel guilty for feeling content. That collective survivor’s guilt is not just felt by those of us able to flee, but also felt by those of us who stay. To be alive in this country today is just as much of a privilege as being able to escape it.

The trauma my ancestors held from previous wars, conflicts, and patterns of colonization live in me. The trauma my parents held from the 15-year Civil War equally That trauma haunts our I knew all of lives in me. households and takes this before moThe trauma over our streets. I see ving to France. that the it in the conversation I I felt it, I saw entire have with the taxi driver it, and I coped Lebanese about the hopelessness with it. But, populatiof the nation. I see it in upon coming on holds the smile of the old lady back from today from sitting on her balcony, in France, Lebathe August a half-demolished home non no longer 4 2020 (not yet recovered from felt the same. I explosion the 1975 Civil War), sip- no longer felt of Beirut ping her Turkish coffee, safe. What’s lives in smoking her morning worse though, me. The cigarette, and watching is that I was no trans-geover Beirut with a bit of longer able to nerational nostalgia and a lot of be an “insitrauma, regret. der.”I could no developed longer relate from trust to the constant issues rooted in broken promises struggles of traffic and stress on the and false hope in figures of authoway to work or university. I was no rity, lives in me. That trauma lives longer able to answer the taxi driin each Lebanese. That trauma ver with ‘yes, we’re all stuck here haunts our households and takes unfortunately.’I was not stuck here. over our streets. I see it in the I felt like a hypocrite – a hypocrite conversation I have with the taxi for enjoying the liberty of calling driver about the hopelessness of myself Lebanese without the the nation. I see it in the smile of struggles of being Lebanese. And the old lady sitting on her balcony, so today, though I am giving you a in a half-demolished home (not glimpse of Lebanon as an “insider,” yet recovered from the 1975 Civil I feel as much of an “outsider” as War), sipping her Turkish coffee, the foreigners do. smoking her morning cigarette, and watching over Beirut with a This is not a new phenomenon, bit of nostalgia and a lot of regret. however. The number of Lebanese I see it everywhere. The worst part citizens that have fled Lebanon though is that I cannot unsee it. since the Civil War has been Once you’ve noticed those issues constantly on the rise. As a result, of trust, of commitment, and of a lot of the Lebanese population abandonment that the Lebanese understands what I mean when I collectively suffer from, you cannot say that once you leave, you can unsee what you have seen. Once no longer see things the same way. you have noticed the collective You can longer change the fact that depression, you cannot help but you are on the “outside.”

The new phenomenon that I noticed, however, is the creation of a new social class in Lebanon: the social class that has access to foreign currency, more notably the US dollar. The Lebanese have always been divided into separate social classes — those that live abroad and send remittances to the “insiders” and those that reside locally. But today, a new social class exists — the “dollar class.” And consequently, more inequality exists, a new form of discrimination emerges, and dependence on foreign parties increases. This trend has harmed Lebanese trust in their own people, their government, and their local resources. And so, the government not only “killed my people,” but it equally deprived them of achieving and maintaining trust in themselves and in each other. This is exacerbated when the politicians successfully manage to flip the table around and accuse us of “voting

will get back on its feet. There is no possibility that substantial changes — be they economic, political or social — will be taking place any time soon. Anyone with basic knowledge of economics and politics would know that. However, what research and data do not forcibly reveal is the gradual collective change in mindset taking place today.

According to psychological theory, thought cycles are not within one’s control. Hence, if one wishes to recondition themselves and influence their thoughts, they must make the conscious effort of changing their behavior to eventually develop a change in thought patterns. Lebanese civil society (from the protestors of October 17 to the non-profit organizations making cooperative progress) are consistently enforcing new behavioral patterns. Consequently, a new thought cycle But, as the reputation correct- within the entire ly affirms, the Lebanese peo- Lebanese populaple are resilient. And though tion is under the I hate saying that, because process of deveit leads to all the more of ro- lopment. That new manticizing what should not collective mindset be romanticized, I do strongly will build stronger believe that we are resilient new generations enough to regain and re-es- that will witness tablish trust in each other. substantive development. And so for them” — an act that I believe is in the distant future, I hope that ultimately one of the worst forms educated youth will not only be of psychological abuse. open-minded enough to acknowledge the flaws of our country, But, as the reputation correctly but equally focus on the nation’s affirms, the Lebanese people are potential to bring about effective resilient. And though I hate saying change. And if we do fail, at least that, because it leads to all the we would have tried, and we would more of romanticizing what should have allowed the generations to not be romanticized, I do strongly come to succeed. believe that we are resilient enough to regain and re-establish trust in each other. Despite our history and our reality showing otherwise, I do still have hope that Lebanon