Julia Huber
Researcher
Julia joined Demos as a researcher in June 2002. Her main research interests are in the area of demography, social change and learning. She is leading Demos' work on the ageing society and her Demos publications in this area include; together with Paul Skidmore The New Old: Why the baby boomers won't be pensioned off (2003); and together with James Harkin Eternal Youths: How the baby boomers are having their time...
- Doom and Gloom? I am myself not averse to criticising the German economy, educational system, labour market, political system, sense of humour and so on, but over the last week the portrayal of Germany as the 'sick man of Europe' in the British media has started to awaken my German pride. And when Tony Blair yesterday referred to the 'Angst of Germany', I really did get annoyed. So, I was very positively surprised when today I discovered this article, which paints a very different picture, by Demos author,... continue reading on 28th September 2005
- The end of an Era Former taxi driver, student radical and German foreign minister Joschka Fischer has renounced his position on the front bench of the Green party. His departure will not only leave a big gap in my political heart, but also in German politics. Joschka's brilliant rhetoric, sense of humour and real passion for politics have brought a lot of excitment to German politics in the last decade and will certainly be missed. At the moment there is no obvious successor to take his place on the political... continue reading on 21st September 2005
- Lederhosen or Dirndel... is NOT what all Germans (even all Bavarians) wear on polling day, contrary to the image suggested by the BBC's pictures of 'Germany on election day'. It's like saying that all British people go to the election booth dressed up like its Ladies' Day at Ascot. continue reading on 20th September 2005
- Who is it going to be? Firstly, I have to admit I think the various colour-coded names that are given to the different coalition options - 'traffic-light coalition', 'Jamaica coalition'- are quite fun. The latter has already been the object of numerous jokes, especially by Green foreign minister Joschka Fischer who said on the Radio last night that he couldn't imagine the Conservatives 'listening to Bob Marley music and smoking joints', adding that 'this is more something that we (the Greens) used to do' and thus he... continue reading on 20th September 2005
- Isn't it ironic... It seems even Germans can do a bit of irony during the election, although, I would imagine, quite unintentionally.I should probably also note that there was some disagreement in the office about whether this actually qualifies as an instance of 'irony'. But even if it doesn't, the fact that a German gets it wrong, would probably make it reverse irony or something. continue reading on 23rd August 2005
- Internships the American Way I recently came across this article on summer internships at the Heritage Foundation. The rather different approach to internships that the Heritage Foundation takes raises, I believe, some important questions, especially about the educational role that organisation that offer internships play as well as the recurring issue of funding arrangements. continue reading on 20th June 2005
- How much do we have in common? Although the current rebate dispute might suggest otherwise, Germans and Brits, according to this website, still have a lot in common...I definitely disagree with one of the examples of commonality though - Germans don't have a very good sense of humour! continue reading on 17th June 2005
- Relationships, Generosity and Openess Yesterday, I went to visit the Bromley by Bow Centre - a community initiative in east London. When I walked into the central courtyard of the centre, I felt like I had entered a green oasis in the middle of one of the most deprived wards in the UK.Bromley by Bow offers a whole range of services and activities - from health care to art classes to gardening to educational qualitifcations - and has over the years developed into a community hub and social enterprise incubator. In the last year or... continue reading on 1st June 2005
- On a lighter note... According to my sources in Germany this rather bizarre story is currently making headline news back home. Can it get any weirder than this? continue reading on 27th April 2005
- Cinematic food for thought... The former, about the last days in Hitler's bunker before the end of the second world war, was extraordinary. Particularly impressive were both Bruno Ganz's performance as Adolf Hitler - violent tempered and torn between the belief in the 'Endsieg' (final victory) and admitting defeat - and Ulrich Matthes as Joseph Goebbels - a calm and incisive mind remaining completely devoted to Hitler and his ideas. In Germany there has obviously been much debate about this movie. It is a first for us - a... continue reading on 18th April 2005