By Kayla Sagiz In this compelling interview I asked my grandparents Yaşar and Fifi to share their experiences living in Istanbul as Turkish Jews over the past 80 years. From facing discrimination and violence to navigating the Istanbul Pogrom, they provide a powerful insight into the struggles and resilience ofContinue Reading
Written by Mats van den Boogert South Korea, the land of Samsung phones and television, the land of Hyundai and Kia cars. When we think of South Korea, we often think about a small country between the economic titans, such as China and Japan, that has emerged as a leadingContinue Reading
Written by Uilson Jones Ever since the inception of Ukrainian statehood, there has been a heavily polarizing debate on the conflicting policies of Ukrainianization and Russification. The essence of this debate fundamentally stems from the idea of Ukrainian independence and the building of a Ukrainian nation-state in the context of aContinue Reading
Written by Margaux Marzuoli In an era where ‘cancel culture’ seeks to ostracize people that hold views or do things that are not thought of as acceptable, and in a time where we are all rediscovering our identities, I often wonder if the place I was born in, the colorContinue Reading
Written by Nelli Eveliina Naukkarinen April is sexual assault awareness month. During this month we discuss and educate ourselves that sexual harassment, assault and violence can happen to anyone, anywhere and at any time. Often when we discuss sexual harassment or inappropriate conduct, it’s discussed in spaces of professionalism (likeContinue Reading
By Federico Arcuri Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to a variety of reactions in the West. For instance, strong economic sanctions have been inflicted on Russia by Western countries in order to damage the legitimacy of Putin and his supporting oligarchy. Another reaction has been, in some cases, theContinue Reading
By Federico Arcuri and Mats van den Boogert Introduction When Kim Mirae left South Korea to work at Leiden University as an intern teacher three years ago, she noticed how each year the classrooms got fuller and fuller with students willing to learn her mother language. The Korean language hasContinue Reading
By Federico Arcuri “Is this restaurant Orientalist?” It all started as a joke. The restaurant Amazing Taste, located between Schouwburgstraat and Wijnhaven, is our go-to restaurant when I and my peers want to grab something to eat after a long day at uni or in between two classes. Besides its strategic location, whatContinue Reading
By Zuzanna Mietlińska Polygamy, polygyny, and polyandry. Three different terms that embrace the same phenomenon – plural, inter-human relationships. Polygyny is when one man is in a relationship with more than one woman. Similarly, polyandry is when one woman is in a relationship with more than one man, and polygamyContinue Reading
By Alon Küster Last summer, I travelled to Shanghai to take part in a summer school on Chinese culture. The relationship between Confucianism and modern Chinese society stuck with me throughout my time there. Confucianism emphasizes personal integrity and the importance of community. Modern Chinese society has undergone many changesContinue Reading