Carrie Battan
Recent Activity
The New European Union: Off To An Abysmal Start
In yet another baffling sequence of events, European heads of state have chosen two no-name leaders for the Union's top positions. … Read More
November 21, 2009 | In World
Why Are the U.S. and Great Britain So Squeamish About Sex Education?
Most debates over sex education revolve around the choice between promoting strictly abstinence versus teaching students about safe sex. But a region in Spain is breaking open a new can of worms in its decision to launch a campaign on masturbation. Why do nations with strong Roman Catholic underpinnings, like Spain, take more liberal approaches to sex education than many of their Anglo counterparts? … Read More
November 13, 2009 | In Health & Medicine
I've written extensively about how difficult it's been for the European Union to ratify the Lisbon Treaty. But now that it's finally been given the go-ahead, an entirely new set of problems is emerging surrounding the imminent choosing of the EU's top leaders. … Read More
November 12, 2009 | In World
A Not-So-Happy Anniversary of the Velvet Revolution
Next week marks the 20th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, the series of non-violent protests that directly preceeded the overthrow of the Czech Republic's Communist government. Some have dubbed it the "Gentle Revolution," but its 20th anniversary is serving as little besides a stage on which current Czech President Vaclav Klaus and former President Vaclav Havel can re-hash their longtime rivalries. … Read More
The Impact of Nuclear Weapons on the Relationships Between Allied Nations
As part of its "nuclear sharing" policy aimed at defending against nuclear threats, NATO involves member nations in the storing and delivery of nuclear arms, even if they've got no weapons of their own. Belgium, Germany, and Italy, for example, host a number of U.S. nuclear weapons and means of delivering them should the need arise. In an effort to lessen NATO's reliance on nuclear weapons as means of global power, Germany (with support from the Belgians and the Dutch) is pleading for the removal of such U.S. arms from European soil. Reactions and arguments have been mixed, and most of them don't even involve war—but they all exhibit the crucial role that nuclear weapons play in the relationship between the U.S. and Europe. … Read More
November 7, 2009 | In Politics & Policy
Carrie Battan is a BigThink blogger primarily focused on the politics of the European Union. A senior at Tufts University, she's currently pursuing a B.A. in Economics and Media Studies. Carrie has written for Dollars & Sense magazine in Boston, Boston Metro newspaper, The Daily Local News in Philadelphia and currently works for the Boston Phoenix. She has also done reporting and editing for campus publications at Tufts and takes a special interest in studying and writing about pop culture and women's issues. E-mail her at carriebattan@gmail.com
