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Arts & Philosophy


Historical Ignorance: a Compass from the Past to the Future
©" Surreal Installation of Hanging Clocks" by Kader Azra Namuslu via Pexels The Arctic Monkeys’ overlooked 2018 album "Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino” offers a very interesting portrait of gentrification, mass data collection and political unrest. These themes have only grown more urgent since its release. The striking correspondence between the lyrics and the current state of global politics made it difficult to ignore the predictive power of existentialist work, such as
Daniela Darie
2 days ago4 min read


For the greater good? Italian exploitation of Veneto
Breathtaking sceneries, deep culture and decadent cuisine all in the same country, in otherwords: Italy. When we think about it, we do not realize how young of a nation it is. In fact, the Italian unification dates back to 1861, only 165 years ago, making it a younger country than the United States. Even though that is the official date, the creation of Italy was an uneven process, with additional annexations taking place up until the end of the Second World War. This is due
Riccardo Bortolan
3 days ago4 min read


Fine Art or Just Plastic? Lego is Bringing Masterpieces to Our Homes
If you had an unlimited budget, which piece of fine art would you choose for your house? The Mona Lisa? The Starry Night? Maybe the Great Wave by Hokusai? In March, Lego released the latest addition to its series recreating popular artworks in brick form, the Bridge Over a Pond of Water Lilies , by Claude Monet. The set consists of a whopping 3179 Lego pieces, including mini katanas and blue cherries. It is Lego’s first tribute to the impressionist painter, and making it come
Pál Lászlófi
6 days ago4 min read


Is the radio dangerous?
“We will no longer accept that. We will protect them,” stated Pedro Sánchez , the Spanish Prime Minister, at the World Governments Summit in Dubai last February. The questions that arise are the following: protect whom? Protect them from what? What is the Prime Minister referring to? The answer is that Pedro Sánchez, with such a statement, was aiming to create a major headline, the kind that moves society, and he succeeded. Not even 24 hours later, the headline appeared: “Spa
biel soler boada
Apr 84 min read


New Serif in Town: On Politics and Power of Fonts
© Pexels by Brett Jordan When governments argue over fonts, it’s never just about style. From Washington to Islamabad, typefaces have become symbols of power, ideology, and even guilt. Some say actions speak louder than words. That may be true. But what about written words? By the same logic, does the font speak louder than the words themselves? Fonts may seem like a trivial detail in a document, yet their selection carries serious implications, from politics and economics to

Dominika Rokosz
Mar 44 min read


Louvre Heist: The Crime That Became a Costume
Balcon de Charles IX at the Louvre Museum How an eight-minute theft triggered €88 million in losses, an international scandal, and a wave of Halloween costumes. In under 8 minutes, the so-called Louvre Heist on October 19, 2025 , resulted in €88 million in losses, one attempted resignation, an international scandal, and an inspiration for countless 2025 Halloween costumes. Roughly half an hour after the museum opened its doors to Sunday visitors, two men dressed as constructi

Dominika Rokosz
Dec 15, 20254 min read


Artwork or Artist? What Brings Value to Art in the 21st Century
Millions of visitors per year, some of the most important pieces of art in history, until one day, something disappears. And just like that, the Musée du Louvre becomes the scene of a robbery. The loot? Well, if until a couple of months ago the only possible answer was the Mona Lisa , by Leonardo Da Vinci, on October 19 2025 everything changed. Eight pieces of jewelry were in fact stolen in broad daylight. At the moment, the value of the heist runs around 88 million euros, b
Riccardo Bortolan
Dec 12, 20254 min read


Money for Nothing: Should Ireland Pay Their Artists?
A philosophical debate between Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre. Source : Pexels/cottonbro studio In February 2026, Ireland’s 3-year trial for the Basic Income for Artists (BIA) scheme ends, with plans to create a permanent version of the program. The trial provided 2000 artists with 325 euros weekly, thus ensuring an income of 1500 euros monthly. The effects of the pilot scheme were significant, producing socio-economic benefits amounting to 100 million euros as of Septe
Daniela Darie
Dec 9, 20254 min read


Royal Scandal, Public Silence
In debates about school curriculum planning, it is common to hear: “ philosophy is overly theoretical,” or even stronger claims: "it is detached from the practical realities of everyday life, it is useless”. In this sense, even if these claims were true and philosophy was, in fact, completely disconnected from the world, it does not imply that it is useless. Anyone who dares to practice it, soon discovers how intellectually stimulating philosophy can be. That being said, this
biel soler boada
Nov 28, 20255 min read


Value, Price, And Perception: The Economics Of Art
Through an extended dialogue with contemporary artist Erin Ilkcan Aslan, this article examines how emotions, intuition, scarcity, reputation, and narrative influence the art market, just as much as pigments, canvas, or time.

Efe Metin Çetin
Nov 22, 202511 min read


Beat The Algorithm: The Key to Virality
This article explores the strategies behind virality, particularly in social media and eCommerce, delving into how social platforms make money, the algorithms that drive them, and how businesses can leverage these social media components to succeed.

Kawtar Rettab
Sep 27, 202517 min read


Free Will and Rational Choice Theory: Exploring the Compatibility
Is our ability to choose freely an illusion, or can it stand alongside the calculated world of economic decision-making?

Efe Metin Çetin
Apr 21, 202513 min read


RfD Steve Keen: “You need to learn the difference between simplifying assumptions and fantasy.”
Steve Keen was interviewed on Wednesday in the Room for Discussion stage at the University of Amsterdam. Keen is a well-known heterodox...
Oscar Kelleran
Apr 10, 20255 min read


Turkey’s Last Fight for Democracy
Protests initiated by university students in front of Beyazıt Square in Istanbul, Turkey, March 21, 2025. Mellonsapka/Wikipedia "The...
C. O.
Apr 3, 20259 min read


Living in Uncertainty: The Feeling That Defines Our Time
How We Learn to Thrive in a World Without Guarantees “I’m finally doing this,” I thought on my way to the voting section in Amsterdam....
Alexandra Hobai
Feb 10, 20258 min read


Is it just Publicity, or do they want a Reaction?
Imagine it’s early 2016, and you are a citizen living in a northern english city. Over the past decade, your financial situation has...
Oscar Kelleran
Feb 3, 20257 min read


The Paradox of Aid: Rewarding Corruption?
“Every dollar that a corrupt official or a corrupt businessperson puts in their pocket is a dollar stolen from a pregnant woman who needs...

Lola Harding
Dec 28, 20244 min read


How Moral Psychology Can Help in Bridging Political Divides
Beyond Reason: Instincts, Morality, and the Political Divide “How on Earth can anyone vote for [fill in the blank]?” This year, this...
Katharina Fellhofer
Dec 23, 20246 min read


The Quiet Comfort of Sad Songs
“Happiness is a sad song.” - Charles M. Schulz Headphones on, staring out of the window as heartbreaking music blasts through your...
Tomas Trusilo
Dec 13, 20245 min read


The City of Light : The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of American Cities
Buffalo was once the City of Light — the first city with electricity — fully powered by Nikola Tesla’s new AC turbines with renewable...
Oscar Kelleran
Dec 6, 20246 min read


Breaking Bonds: The UK Mini-Budget and the Treasury Turmoil
The not-so-mini budget that nearly caused another Lehman moment The economic landscape of the United Kingdom witnessed significant...
Eva Juzna
Nov 11, 20249 min read


Afraid to Get Your Hands Dirty?
Keeping clean takes work. Every evening, we dutifully wash off the debris of the day. When we were young, perhaps we had to be taught, but

Ng Zhi Rui
Oct 31, 20248 min read


Making Green From Green: The Influence of ESG Scores on European Stock Returns
Exploring Stock Performance Through an Enhanced Fama-French Model Suppose you are presented with a choice between a blue pill and a red...

Shravya Gowda
Oct 9, 20246 min read


Does EU Law Effectively Mitigate Online Disinformation’s Influence on Elections?
“The mind of the enemy and the will of his leaders is a target of far more importance than the bodies of his troops.” — Mao Zedong The...

Henry Kurze
Sep 16, 20244 min read


Turning Up the Heat: How Climate Risks Are Shaping Investment Strategies
This summer, the 22nd of July marked the hottest day recorded on Earth (Copernicus Climate Change Service, 2024) . In fact, the...
Sylvia Luptakova
Aug 27, 20244 min read


Navigating Nonlinear Dynamics in the Economy: The Impact of Job Openings on Unemployment
The Federal Reserve embarked on an aggressive tightening cycle in 2022, raising interest rates from nearly 0% to a range between 5.25%...

Elias Griepentrog
Jul 26, 20245 min read


Make your work visible by publishing in the Rostra Thesis Series!
Did you put a lot of effort into your thesis, did you reach interesting conclusions, or did you explore a novel concept in your subject...

Rostra Economica
Jul 19, 20242 min read


Metaverse: Exploring Business Opportunities and Cryptocurrency Trends
A pair of digital Nike shoes were sold for 134k. A box of virtual land, $4.3 million. Why?

Kawtar Rettab
May 15, 20249 min read


How Nudges Can Shape Parenthood: Interventions on parental involvement and child-caregiver interactions
Family environments in the first years of life are key to a child's development. Recent evidence in the field of behavioral economics...
Juanita Bloomfield
May 2, 20242 min read


Can Carbon Label Help Fighting Climate Change?
It is just before 13.00. Hungry, you rush to the UvA canteen after a long class. Same steps and same classmates as many other days, but...
Davide Pace
Feb 15, 20245 min read
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