The prominent theme of the Yemeni Civil War has unfortunately been extreme famine. It is another example of a poor, vulnerable population caught in the middle of a deadly clash. In fact, Yemen is the poorest country in the Middle East, with a per capita GDP of just $1,300, according to 2017 estimates. Syria’s GDP […]
On October 28th, far-right former military captain Jair Bolsonaro was elected president of Brazil by 55%, defeating Fernando Haddad of the left-leaning Workers’ Party and cementing a win for the country’s far-right movement.[1] Over the last few decades, Brazil’s political institutions have faced constant turmoil. In 1985, the country saw a glimmer of hope when […]
The Kavanaugh hearings took the top spot on my ever-growing list of most disappointing moments in recent politics. The initial hearings put on bright display some of the most unnerving trends in modern partisanship, from the fight over the release of documents to Cory Booker’s (D-NJ) open revolt against Republicans.[1] The vitriol between the parties […]
Without policy recommendations, complaints about economic inequality are as empty as complaints about the weather. We can criticize market outcomes and their adverse impacts, as I did with my second and first articles respectively. However, without an agenda for our elected officials, this criticism will remain in the realm of discussion, instead of actually improving […]
In the recent in-party election held on September 20th, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe secured a historic third term as the Prime Minister of Japan, defeating former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba by an overwhelming margin.[1] Guaranteed executive control of the central government for the next three years, Abe has begun to set his political agenda for […]
I initially began reading Eleanor & Park because it features an Asian-American protagonist who doubles as the main love interest—a rare occurrence in popular contemporary American literature. Upon being published in 2012, the young adult novel by Rainbow Rowell received favorable reviews; it made NPR’s list of Best Books of 2013, won the 2013 Boston […]
Katia Santiago-Taylor wore a tailored suit and high heels but her demeanor was warm and inviting, much like the couch-filled conference room in which we sat. Santiago-Taylor is the Advocacy and Legislative Affairs Manager at the Cambridge-based Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC). Originally from Puerto Rico, she has previously worked at the Massachusetts Office […]
The 2015 UN Paris Climate Change Conference named a global temperature rise of 2 degrees celsius as the ultimate boundary that humanity should not cross in its battle against climate change.[1] However, at the time, many scientists, activists, and small island nation representatives argued that 2 degrees of warming was a dangerously inadequate benchmark.[2] According […]
Feel-good Hollywood movies are a hallmark of American culture. From childhood Disney films like Aladdin and Cinderella, to classics like Rocky and Forrest Gump, American media saturates our screens with moral heroes who overcome challenges and earn deserved rewards, leaving the wicked villains with their just deserts. This fondness for satisfying endings isn’t new. During […]
The summer of 2018 saw a flurry of legislative efforts to curb the opioid epidemic that reached a record high of 72,000 victims in 2017.[1] On August 16th, 2018, President Trump asked Attorney General Jeff Sessions to bring a “major lawsuit” to opioid-producing drug companies.[2] On August 22nd, Sessions announced a “warning” to opioid distributors, […]
