UNI NOVA – Research Magazine of the University of Basel

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  In conversation

  “Language is an instrument of power.”

  Interview: Urs Hafner / What is OK to say? It’s a hot topic. Linguist Martin Luginbühl criticizes the lack of linguistic awareness in current debates on the “gender asterisk” in German and reducing discrimination in language use.

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  Research

  Does blue light really keep you awake?

  Text: Christian Cajochen / Smartphone and tablet screens emit blue light. Some people speculate that this light keeps us awake. In response, many glasses now come with a blue light filter. But is there any point? Chronobiologist Christian Cajochen sets the record straight.

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  Dossier

  Embattled land.

  Text: Olena Palko / For the first time since the end of World War II, military force has shifted borders on the European continent. What does the war in Ukraine mean for Europe?

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  Dossier

  Europe is losing its credibility.

  Interview: Urs Hafner / Every year, hundreds of migrants drown in the Mediterranean. Switzerland could be doing more to improve the situation, says legal scholar Peter Uebersax.

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  Dossier

  At home in the mix.

  Text: Noëmi Kern / Borders are a part of everyday life in Gibraltar and shape the language used there. For the people living in Gibraltar, language is therefore more than just a means of communication.

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  Dossier

  A shrinking feeling.

  Text: Andreas Grote / With rising sea levels, island and coastal states are losing ever more of their maritime zones. Pacific islands are therefore demanding new rules on drawing boundaries at sea.

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  Dossier

  This far and no further!

  Interview: Noëmi Kern / In everyday life, we set boundaries with our fellow human beings to a greater or lesser extent. Developmental psychologist Alexander Grob explains how this can strengthen our own identity.

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  Dossier

  Noise, foul air and compromises.

  Text: Angelika Jacobs / How much continuous noise can we stand without falling ill? How clean does the air we breathe need to be? Limit values for noise and airborne pollution are intended to protect the population – but are also an area of conflict.

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  Dossier

  No life without boundaries.

  Texts: Yvonne Vahlensieck; Graphic art: Marina Bräm / Biological membranes were a key prerequisite for the first living beings. Then, cooperation across boundaries paved the way for more complex forms of life.