The European Union in International Affairs: Recent Developments

I have been invited to discuss the changing role of the European Union (or “EU”) in the world today. Let me start by highlighting some random examples of EU action in international affairs during 1997. As Europe continues to integrate domestically, it will be forced to reassess the image that it projects in the world. As it does so, institutional reform will become even more compelling if the European Union is to conduct the coherent external policy that most people in the world expect of it. Some had hoped that last the June 1997 Summit in Amsterdam would at least start to solve these institutional questions, but the heads of state and government decided that the time was not yet ripe for change. But it is only a matter of time before the myriad of challenges facing the European Union and its role in the world force the issue back onto the agenda

Biliproteins

Biliproteins, covalently bonded complexes of proteins and bile pigments, serve as light-harvesting pigments in photosynthesis and light-sensory pigments of photosynthetic organisms. Recent developments in the biochemistry and biophysics of these pigments are reviewed and an attempt is made to describe their functions of light-harvesting and of information transduction on a molecular level

Simple closed geodesics and the study of Teichm\"uller spaces

The goal of the chapter is to present certain aspects of the relationship between the study of simple closed geodesics and Teichm\"uller spaces.Comment: to appear in Handbook of Teichm\"uller theory, vol II

The Africa Museum of Tervuren, Belgium : the reopening of ‘the last colonial museum in the world’ : issues on decolonization and repatriation

The Africa Museum in Tervuren, Brussels, reopened its doors after a closure of five years. What precisely is on view in the refurbished museum? And how do the choices made by the museum relate to wider discussions in anthropology and museology on decolonization and repatriation? In Belgium, it seems, working towards cooperation between all parties involved is far from finished.