Near and Middle East: A region in flux.
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The Near East has become a hot spot that dominates the international headlines. UNI NOVA examins the developments and current situation in the nations between Libya and Afghanistan and presents a selection of University of Basel research projects from the fields of Near East studies, political science, history, and religious studies.
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Dossier“So far, yet so near”: The Middle East.
Text: Maurus Reinkowski / The current power vacuum in the region between Libya and Afghanistan has left large areas, and whole countries, in a state of permanent crisis. At the same time, the conflicts in the Middle East are encroaching on Europe.
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DossierIs there such a thing as “fair” borders?
Text: Irène Dietschi / There are many who would blame the wretched state of certain countries today on borders that were arbitrarily and carelessly drawn up by their former colonial powers. Some scholars, however, remain skeptical about this claim.
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DossierSocial movements and the media.
Text: David Hermann / Political scientist and Middle East expert Ali Sonay from the University of Basel researches current events in Egypt, Morocco, Turkey and Tunisia – and the role played in them by the media.
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DossierSyria: Not without the population.
Text: Samanta Siegfried / For peace to be sustainable, peace talks need to include civil society, says University of Basel political scientist Sara Hellmüller. She was directly involved in an effort to help settle the conflict in Syria.
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DossierMy father’s love of the Orient.
Text: Basil Gelpke / Basel Islamic scholar and drug researcher Rudolf Gelpke (1928–1972) had a lifelong fascination with the Oriental world. Reminiscences collected by his son.
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DossierIsraeli Arabs as bridge builders.
Text: Alfred Bodenheimer / From segregation to participation: Israel’s Arab citizens could have a key role to play as mediators.
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DossierPoised to enter the modern age.
Text: Astrid Frefel / Cairo – Egypt’s noisy, polluted and chaotic metropolis of 22 million inhabitants – is to be catapulted into the modern age with a makeover intended to give it a “civilized” appearance.
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DossierRe-centering the Middle East.
Text: Ralph Weber und Madeleine Herren / Time and again, the Middle East has been subjected to external definitions: Europe sees the region as a gateway to Asia, while for present-day China it is part of a vast economic area.
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In conversation“Technical progress is useless without better communication.”
Interview: Urs Hafner / Sabina Hunziker teaches prospective physicians how to communicate with their patients effectively. As the professor of medicine explains, if someone talks a lot, the most important thing often goes unsaid.
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PortraitAn explorer of chemical space.
Text: Christoph Dieffenbacher / Scientists are exploring the almost endless world of possible molecules and compounds in their search for useful substances. Anatole von Lilienfeld, Professor of Physical Chemistry, is developing new and faster methods in this quest based on quantum mechanics and machine learning.
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ResearchA rediscovered opponent of the Reformation.
Text: Christoph Dieffenbacher / The Basel poet and humanist Atrocianus wrote a number of polemical works attacking the Reformation – to no avail. He was then forgotten. A research team has now published the first critical edition of his printed works, with a German translation and commentary.
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ResearchTemperature taking – on a tiny scale.
Text: Yvonne Vahlensieck / Minute changes in temperature can be used to analyze the growth of bacteria. This technique, known as microcalorimetry, is being applied in various innovative ways by Basel University researchers to aid the development of medical implants, infection diagnostics and food safety testing.
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ResearchAge-related unemployment.
Text: Christoph Dieffenbacher / Older workers are at a disadvantage, especially when faced with the threat of redundancies or when applying for a new job. According to Kurt Pärli, a Basel-based professor of law, Switzerland performs worse than other countries when it comes to discrimination against older people.
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Opinion
Is it worth researching rare diseases, Stefan Felder?
Text: Stefan Felder / Does it make sense to promote research into diseases that only affect a very small number of people? A health economist and a medical ethicist offer contrasting views.
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Opinion
Is it worth researching rare diseases, Bernice Elger?
Text: Bernice Elger / Does it make sense to promote research into diseases that only affect a very small number of people? A health economist and a medical ethicist offer contrasting views.
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AlumniLife as a nanoscience researcher in southern Sweden.
Heidi Potts studied nanoscience in Basel and Toronto. She is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Lund in Sweden.
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AlumniEthnology establishes alumni group.
Text: Bettina Volz-Tobler / Ethnology has existed as a discipline in Basel for over 100 years. An alumni organization for the subject has now been established.
