Jamaica: Trying to be Better.
Flying over Jamaica is a little bit like watching advertisements for your dream vacation. The beauty is literally breathtaking. Yes, there are resorts. Yes, the water is spectacular. And yes, the food is phenomenal. But those are just perks. And unfairly, those perks aren’t available to most of the population. The beauty of Jamaica, though, […]
Rethinking Democratization: Authoritarian Reformism in Post-Revolutionary Egypt
On February 11, 2011, President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt resigned after almost thirty years in office. The culmination of eighteen days of protest and demonstration across Egypt, this resignation brought an end to an age of authoritarianism and inspired hope for a new era of democracy, egalitarianism, and economic prosperity. Parliamentary elections were scheduled for […]
Is Greece’s Economic Future Destined for Failure?
The current situation in the Eurozone and its reception throughout the world remains twofold: while many people claim that the European economy is gaining momentum, skepticism largely dominates the Greek economy, which has carried heavy financial burden and wavers on the verge of collapse. Therefore, it is no surprise that when most people think about […]
H&M: Fashion’s Human Rights Faux Pas
In the midst of a thick smog and blistering heat, they stand in huddled masses on overcrowded trucks. The young women, in groups of around 20 or 30, are on their way to a new day at work in the Kandal province, only a short trip from the heart of Phnom Penh. Noticeably in pain, […]
Women, India and Change
A country bound by culture, belief, religion and hope for a new tomorrow has recently become a symbol of misogyny. For several decades, women in Indian society have experienced a number of atrocities, some of which go unrecorded, while others are recorded but never publicly acknowledged. History narrates stories of early marriages, which sometimes involved […]
Is India a Safe Place for Women?
On the evening of December 26th, 2012, 23-year-old Jyoti Singh and her friend Awindra Pandey were heading back home from the theatre when they spotted a bus and hailed for a ride. Unaware that the bus was privately rented out for the evening by a group of intoxicated men out on a joyride, the two […]
How the UK Can Finally Decide on its EU Commitment
The formation of the modern European Union did not occur at a single identifiable point in time, but rather through a gradual process over several decades that some now claim has progressed too far. This sentiment is particularly audible in the United Kingdom, where controversy regarding the nation’s membership in the EU is substantial and […]
Kenya’s 2013 Presidential Election: Recurring Violence or a Peaceful Transition?
Between 2002 and 2007, Kenya was an African leader. In one of the most hostile areas of the world, where Islamists had taken control of neighboring Somalia, Sudan faced constant ethnic conflict, and rebel groups were attacking civilians in nearby Uganda and eastern Congo, Kenya managed to flourish. The economy grew at an average of […]
Drones, Deception, and Double-Tapping: the Obama Administration is Killing Innocents Abroad
For Waleed Shiraz, 22, life in northwest Pakistan was once uncomplicated. A former student of Political Science and foreign languages, Shiraz recalls days spent studying in the hujra, a traditional guest drawing room – he liked it there because it was “peaceful and quiet.” The oldest of three brothers, Shiraz hoped to pursue his Master’s […]
Srdja Popovic
On Thursday, November 29th, Srdja Popovic visited Professor William Lovely’s Modern Political Thought class to lecture on the importance of non-violent activism. Popovic has an extensive history in the realm of peaceful action. He and his colleagues have significantly impacted the direction of Serbian politics, and they continue to be a major influence in nonviolent […]