Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen

ifa blog

Interviews, essays, reports and videos

The ifa blog takes a lively look at the many different areas of ifa's work and international cultural relations.

The blog articles can be filtered by topic, such as human rights, civil society, media, and (post-)colonialism, as well as by contributions from ifa's individual projects, such as exhibition funding, the Martin Roth Initiative's protection programme or the CrossCulture programme.

Blog

"I was beaten every day for months and handcuffed to my iron bed"

By Elchin Mammad

For over three decades, Elchin Mammad has fought for human rights in Azerbaijan. Now in exile, the journalist and former political prisoner explains how his home country treats dissidents – and why he’s still fighting.
Blog Yazidi women in traditional clothing stand outside their houses in the village of Dugure in Sinjar, Iraq.

Fighting Gender Based Violence in Iraq

Interview with women’s rights activist Ream Hayder

Women affected by gender-based violence in Iraq receive little support. Riyam Hayder and her organization Yazidi Organization for Documentation (EOD) want to change that.
Blog [Translate to english:]

THE POWER OF THE KOLA – negotiating the living

Interview with Astrid S. Klein and Albert Gouaffo

Stuttgart, Germany – Dschang, Cameroon 2024–25. The kola plant returns: the art project “THE POWER OF THE KOLA” negotiates and activates new relationships through diasporic kola plants that undertake a journey from Germany to Cameroon. An interview with Astrid S. Klein and Prof Albert Gouaffo.
Specialist Article The illustration shows a gathering of a village community in Botswana with men and women in the foreground and buildings covered with thatched roofs as well as trees in the background.

Botswana’s Exceptionalism

By Bernd Reiter

Botswana has had fair and stable elections since its independence in 1966. Now there is the first change of government in 58 years. It has a relatively high standard of living, a relatively well-functioning welfare state, and low levels of government corruption. What can we learn from the country in Southern Africa?
Video The photo shows various shapes and globes on a blue/pink background from above. The YouTube symbol is in the centre.

Navigating New Nationalisms

What does growing nationalism in the domestic and foreign policy domains mean for future cultural relations? What changes are emerging – or might emerge given political changes and power shifts? Online discussion on 30 October 2024.
Essay The illustration shows the Chinese wall on which ‘Eco-Diplomacy’ is written. It is surrounded by forest. The Chinese flag can be seen in the background.

China’s Shift to Environmental Diplomacy

By Annah Zhu

China is leveraging soft power. This shift is marked by environment- and development-focused initiatives. The export of green development projects taps the long-standing domestic strategy of “ecological civilisation”.
Blog

How to become an exile

By Ani Tovmasyan

Amiry Maisam only planned to be away from his family home in Afghanistan for three months. Three years later, Ani Tovmasyan talks to him about becoming a refugee in Germany.
Essay The illustration shows a black person on the left, a white person with a cowboy hat and clothing in the centre and Donald Trump on the right. He hands over a tray with a church, a cap with the abbreviation MAKA on it, a revolver and a sign with ‘Abortion’ crossed out.

How to Explain Trump: A Personal Message From the Texas Plains

By Bernd Reiter

Despite lies, lawsuits and gaffes: Why is Donald Trump popular with so many Americans? Our author searches for traces in rural America.
Blog

Bolivian Women Take Center Stage

By Claudia Pacheco Araoz

Emi Chavez Ríos is breaking down gender barriers in Bolivia’s theatre world by becoming the first female president of Santa Cruz’s actors’ union.