Bonfires, Maypoles and a saint’s day: How Europe celebrates the longest day of the year International

Bonfires, Maypoles and a saint’s day: How Europe celebrates the longest day of the year

Whether cities or villages, many communities across Europe spend the day and night of June 24 celebrating Midsummer. Congregating around bonfires, or sometimes maypoles, sporting handwoven wreaths of wildflowers or oak leaves, they’ll sing, jump, dance, eat, drink, catch up and celebrate the arrival of the longest day of the year. As a scholar of […]

Putin wanted to make Russia great again. Instead, Ukraine is the new rising power in Europe International

Putin wanted to make Russia great again. Instead, Ukraine is the new rising power in Europe

Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine is often, and misleadingly, characterised as a great power conflict. The narrative goes like this: Russia went to war against Ukraine because it felt threatened by NATO’s enlargement into eastern Europe after 1991. The real enemy is the United States, which is, at the very least, “principally responsible” for the […]