Emilia Pérez, Intersectionality, and “Good” Representation
With thirteen Academy Award nominations, twelve British Academy Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) nominations, and ten Golden Globe nominations, Netflix’s Emilia Pérez defined the 2024 awards scene. Critics initially praised the movie-musical for its inclusivity, covering underserved topics such as Mexico’s cartel crisis and, within that, the struggles of the transgender community. Yet, with a […]
Rewriting Economic Narratives: China’s Innovation Imperative
The United States has long been a dynamic force of creativity, media, and entrepreneurship, using the idea of the market economy to limit government interference in business activities. From this position of influence, US politicians have cultivated an “America-first” narrative that inflates the US’ economic success and demeans the economies of competing nations—a narrative that […]
The Rise of Authoritarian Populism
There’s no denying that the tendrils of authoritarian populism have been slowly strengthening their grip on the political institutions of democratic countries all over the world. Freedom House’s 2021 “Freedom in the World” report documented a sharp acceleration in the global decline of democracy since 2020, and found that the share of countries identified as […]
Not All Men, but Enough Men
We often consider gender-based violence against women to be an individual man’s fault with “bad apples” engaging in these actions, but the reality is that there is a systemic problem within global societies which allows and encourages femicides and violent actions towards women. Deflecting attention away from the accountability of men in the conversations of […]
Venezuelan Immigration Crisis In Chicago: How A Sanctuary City Has Struggled
For centuries, people from Latin America have been coming to Chicago to escape persecution, poverty, and war. Mexican migration to Chicago began in the 1910s, spurred by the Mexican Revolution and the demand for labor during World War I. From 1942 to 1964, the Bracero Program brought Mexican laborers to the US to work primarily […]
Trump and the Deterioration of EU-US Relations
Donald Trump is a controversial president—from both a national and global perspective. His stark rhetoric sparked a frenzy of international debates, leaving many to question the future of democracy. Researchers across disciplines have noted a significant shift in EU-US relations, despite the relatively stable alliance that existed following WWII. Both Europe and the US are […]
The Republican Trojan Horse: Bringing Migrant Havens Down From The Inside
Historically, the Trojan Horse stands as a symbol of cunning deceit—a strategic ploy that led to the unsuspecting downfall of Troy. Today, as we grapple with the complexities of the migration crisis, a metaphorical Trojan Horse seems to be making its way into the political landscape. This time, however, it’s not wooden, but rather made […]
Lukashenko and Putin, Till Death Do You Part?
Alliances in the Russian-Ukraine War The moment Russian soldiers marched across the Ukrainian border, much of the world turned further against them. Anti-Russian rhetoric was already strong pre-Ukraine War, but with the US doing everything it could to blame the war on someone else, Russia was the perfect target of continued criticism. Though it was […]
What Americans Fail to Understand about Central American Immigration
Immigration at the United States-Mexico border has surged to record levels in recent years. Between October 2019 and March 2023, nationals of Central America made up one-third of the 5.8 million total immigrants who sought entrance to the United States. According to The Council on Foreign Relations, most Central American immigrants migrate from El Salvador, […]
The Truth Behind Bitcoin Country
In September 2021, El Salvador established Bitcoin as legal tender. In doing so, the government declared its validity as acceptable payment within the country: a landmark decision that attracted significant international attention. Soon after the glamorous headlines and Bitcoin billionaires’ hustling toward the country, economic stagnation and challenges to daily life began to plague the […]