Poverty

Since October 2018, it has been illegal to live in the street in Hungary. Social anthropologist and housing rights activist Tessza Udvarhelyi explains why homeless people are such an easy target for populist politicians, and how the newest measures humiliate those who cannot afford a place to live.

A photo essay by Apolena Rychlíková and Saša Uhlová on the harsh, insecure, and unsafe reality of temp agency work in the Czech Republic.

Looking at food banks and poverty in Finland with a gendered lens can yield insights into its causes and solutions.

Are the giants of the agro-industry who claim they are determined to “Feed the world” in fact fostering food insecurity through exploitation and environmental degradation?

People across Europe still suffer from ‘energy poverty’ – what does it consist of and what policies are needed to deal with the problem?

The prison in the age of neoliberalism is examined in this analysis by sociologist Loïc Wacquant.

The UK faces a housing crisis. It is this crisis, and the growing number of evictions that are mobilising people to campaign on housing. A group of young mothers fights back with direct action.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker’s investment plan to kickstart the European economy proposes solutions based on the outdated assumption that growth in terms of construction of large infrastructure projects is the way forward. A more imaginative approach would be to look beyond this, and to put welfare and sustainability at the core of an ambitious long-term plan, which could make Europe’s economic future seem much more bright.

In order for green ideas on energy to resonate in the mainstream, questions need to be answered about how the transition will be financed, and how it will benefit those are already marginalised and struggling economically. A positive initiative targeting the Roma minority in Hungary shows one way in which this can be achieved.

Poverty and the ecological crisis are different symptoms of the same crisis Europe and the world are experiencing. Only a responsible commitment based on social justice, eco-development and sustainability can assure a safe common future. The case of Portugal illustrates the challenges faced worldwide.