Tag

society

Language Exam or Departure?

Language Exam or Departure?

Mass Deportation from Latvia in the Shadow of War. This autumn, more than eight hundred Russian citizens in Latvia were ordered to leave the country after they failed to meet a newly introduced Latvian language exam requirement. The legislation, adopted in response to the Kremlin's aggression in Ukraine, addresses the
Lithuania Will Remain a Frontline State – interview with Laurynas Vaičiūnas

Lithuania Will Remain a Frontline State – interview with Laurynas Vaičiūnas

“Lithuanian history is defined by sacrifice,” stresses Laurynas Vaičiūnas. That legacy, he argues, explains why Vilnius rejects half-measures in the face of Russian aggression and why its path often diverges from Hungary’s. In this interview, Vaičiūnas also weighs in on Lithuania’s demographic struggles, immigration dilemmas, and its role
Is Legacy Media Dead?

Is Legacy Media Dead?

A deep dive into the evolving media landscape The result of the U.S. presidential election was undoubtedly influenced by social media, particularly by X, associated with Elon Musk — and even seemingly minor events, like an independent podcast with Joe Rogan, impacted the campaign. What once took decades to reach
Echoes of Homo Sovieticus: Memory, Myth, and Modern Russia

Echoes of Homo Sovieticus: Memory, Myth, and Modern Russia

More than three decades after the Soviet Union’s collapse, a ghost lingers in post-Soviet consciousness—Homo Sovieticus, the archetype born of totalitarian adaptation, Cold War ideologies, and psychological survival. But is this figure a relic of the past, or a mirror reflecting the psyche of today’s Russia, where
You can be at war with everyone, but not with your chef

You can be at war with everyone, but not with your chef

Interview with Witold Szabłowski. How to Feed A Dictator, a book now published in Hungarian, features the chefs working for five famous dictators of the 20th-century—Saddam Hussein, Idi Amin, Enver Hoxha, Fidel Castro, and Pol Pot. Coming from countries far away from each other, what do these chefs have
POLISH PREPPERS PREPARE

POLISH PREPPERS PREPARE

A: Polish people have been emphasising the dangers of Russian imperialism for decades, only to be called paranoid, or the prisoners of their own history. However, since the Russo-Georgian War of 2008, they need not feel like the Cassandras of Europe, and from the shadows of Russian imperialism, in 2022,
Colonization from a new perspective

Colonization from a new perspective

The dark past of colonisation casts a shadow over Western European countries. But there was a brighter side to the conquest: what did the British give India? Who freed and abolished slavery? To what extent are we paying the heavy price of colonisation in the present? Our interview with Professor
Safety obsession | How our society is being destroyed by too much safety
global

Safety obsession | How our society is being destroyed by too much safety

“Live dangerously. Safety is often built on a world as imagined by authoritarian narratives and top-down control, rather than the reality as done by those getting on with their lives. Safety is just part of what we do, not the main focus of why we are doing it.” - Carol
How has the Russian speaking minority in Estonia changed?
strategy

How has the Russian speaking minority in Estonia changed?

Interview with Andrey Makarychev, Russian professor living in Estonia, who said that the number of applications for Estonian citizenship has risen since the start of the war among the Russian speakers. Our interview from Estonia where society changes significantly since the war started. The Russian border is only about 55
The Russian ‘culture of death’ — interview with Andrey Makarychev

The Russian ‘culture of death’ — interview with Andrey Makarychev

Russian society is fragmented and atomized, and does not believe in collective public action—said Andrey Makarychev, Professor at University of Tartu, who left Russia a decade ago. He explains how Russia lost huge parts of its population during the last century, and much more. Interview on Hype&Hyper. You
Luxury beliefs: what could replace Porsches and golf?
business

Luxury beliefs: what could replace Porsches and golf?

Luxury cars, expensive hobbies, designer clothes—since the dawn of time, there have been things that only the wealthy can afford and that serve their owners not only in terms of functionality but also in terms of symbolic value. The term used for such things is ‘status symbol’, which communicates
The Catholic Church facing an unprecedented crisis in Poland
strategy

The Catholic Church facing an unprecedented crisis in Poland

The 21st century has undoubtedly put religion in a new perspective: while Christian communities took the continuation of tradition for granted a few decades ago, today’s youth started to question the importance of religiosity, not to mention the religious institutions’ moral integrity. Poland is no exception; the Central European
Inclusiveness in the ear—Introducing hEarrings | Dress-coding
design

Inclusiveness in the ear—Introducing hEarrings | Dress-coding

When it comes to inclusive design in Hungary, the name of the Dress-coding team will definitely come up. Whether it’s a stylishly comfortable corset or custom-made occasional wear for a painter with Down Syndrome, social empowerment and innovation go hand in hand. And in their latest project, they’re
Do you know exactly how to use emojis? We’ll show you!
lifestyle

Do you know exactly how to use emojis? We’ll show you!

Do emojis convey our wordless emotions, or perhaps facial expressions? It is safe to say that there is almost no one in the world today who does not use a wide range of emoticons to express themselves. Emojis are essentially pictograms and emoticons used on websites and in electronic messaging.
Shallow gold diggers?
business

Shallow gold diggers?

How and why did the stereotypes about Eastern European women emerge? Stereotypes have been, are, and most probably will be in the future, and females are highly affected by them: there are stereotypes based on women’s age, body type, social class, and background. The „Eastern European woman” has always
In search of the most stylish hobo
lifestyle

In search of the most stylish hobo

Fashion is not just a noble pursuit; it is a philosophy of life. At least that’s the conclusion we can draw after learning the story of Lviv’s oddball, Slavik. The trend-conscious homeless man’s daily outfits were captured and cataloged by Ukrainian photographer Yurko Dyachyshyn, and today more
Resilience instead of globalization
strategy

Resilience instead of globalization

The unjust Iraq War blackened the West, but the obscenity must be washed away – a panelist said at The Riga Conference 2022. Hype&Hyper’s conference coverage from Latvia. Realpolitik partially failed when Russia launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February. We attended The Riga Conference 2022, where
Does Central and Eastern Europe suffer from alcoholism?
strategy

Does Central and Eastern Europe suffer from alcoholism?

Stereotype or reality? - alcoholism in our region. Alcoholism is probably one of the most complex addictions: Firstly, alcohol is easily accessible; thus, many people can become addicted to it. Secondly, it is part of our culture to a large extent, so drinking alcohol is socially acceptable. Thirdly, alcoholism is