We’re kicking off the new year with a heady mix of urban policy, cake-based scandal and political controversy. Find out which European city ranks as the most ‘liveable’ in Good Week, and dive into the fraud case embroiling Italian mega-influencer Chiara Ferragni in Bad Week. And in this week’s interview, hear from historian Quinn Slobodian about the parallel he sees between the current discourse around Israel-Palestine in Germany, and events 50 years ago. 

FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT: https://europeanspodcast.com/episodes/influencer-fraud-liveable-cities-and-the-israel-taboo

Quinn is Professor of History at Boston University. You can follow him on Twitter here and read his New Statesman article, ‘Germany’s new years of lead’, here.

Resources for this episode: 

Report on the quality of life in European cities, 2023 

‘How to define genocide’: an interview with historian Omer Bartov in The New Yorker 

German police statistics on politically-motivated crimes 

‘Oral’ by Björk and Rosalía

Continental Riffs

The Guardian: ‘New “riskier” wave of British musicals to challenge West End’s established order’

Tickets for Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York)

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00:22 Happy 2024, listeners!

02:57 Good Week: Europe's most liveable city?

08:17 Bad Week: Italian mega-influencer Chiara Ferragni

20:49 Interview: Quinn Slobodian on Germany's history of 'militant democracy'

40:31 The Inspiration Station: 'Oral' by Björk and Rosalía; Continental Riffs; Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

44:12 Happy Ending: Rodney's helping hand

Producers: Katy Lee and Wojciech Oleksiak

Mixing and mastering: Wojciech Oleksiak

Music: Jim Barne and Mariska Martina

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