Setting Alight the Molotov Cocktail: The Kashmir Question
“It is an irony of history that by a combination of fortuitous circumstances a tiny nation of Kashmiris has been placed in a position of great importance, where it can be instrumental in making or marring the future of so many.” – Prem Nath Bazaz (1967) Hindustan’s partition into Pakistan and India precipitated problems and […]
Resources, Education and Stigma: Deficits of the American Mental Health Care System
While America may not have a reputation as the world’s healthiest country, both state and local governments are working towards improving the health of the populace. Initiatives such as, First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign, New York City’s ban on large sugary beverages, and the requirement of restaurants and similar establishments to provide nutritional […]
Military Politicization in the Arab Spring
The Arab Spring in Northern Africa and the Middle East is arguably the first widespread liberal democratic uprising in the history of the region. While nearly every country in this area of the world experienced backlash against the government in one form or another, the North African Arabian belt, specifically Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, and Algeria, […]
The Bull, the Bear, and the Wolf
The Wolf of Wall Street, by Martin Scorsese, has just become the veteran director’s top grossing film after more than 40 years behind the camera.[1] The movie stunned audiences and critics alike, with its crude language and hedonistic plot. However, what makes the film so appalling to some members of society is what makes […]
The Third Gender People of Pakistan
Perhaps the most appropriate way to begin this article is by stating a disclaimer: the name attached to this article is a pseudonym, and I have chosen to write this under a false name for a number of reasons that do not need to be elaborated upon. However, this was an article I felt […]
Northern Ireland: A Winding Road to Peace
A place that many consider a “post-conflict” society, Northern Ireland, is a Gordian knot of ideology further entangled through the problematic limbo customary of the road to peace. Never has the pathway to peace been a linear one—not in Bosnia, not in Rwanda, and not in Northern Ireland. Following a period characterized by ethno-nationalistic violence, […]
Commercializing Vice: Marijuana, Tobacco and Alcohol Policy in the US
“Please drink responsibly.” These words are etched into every bottle of booze and embedded into the fine print of television advertisements, reminding consumers that the producers and distributors of beer, wine, and spirits have the public’s best interests in mind. However, as public policy expert Mark Kleiman notes: “responsible drinkers don’t build breweries.”[1] The […]
Syria’s Frontlines: Creative Resistance as a Tool to Challenge the Official Discourse
The Syrian uprising is not merely an armed struggle between regime forces and different opposition groups, as the mainstream media and politicians describe it. When looking closer at the uprising, something becomes clear; there is also a cultural struggle with words as the primary weapon in music, literature, humor, slogans and theatre that is taking place […]
Food for Thought: What Brandon Stanton’s HONY Presentation Helps Us to Understand About Politics, Information, and Social Media
When the Northeastern University student body packed Blackman Auditorium for a sold-out show featuring Brandon Stanton, the man responsible for the immensely popular Humans of New York photojournalism blog, the general consensus seemed to be that no one knew what to expect. Although some were undoubtedly in attendance to learn something new or to […]
Janelle Monáe: Revolution Through Music
I recall casually browsing Tumblr one day and coming upon a picture of an extremely pretty black woman, button-nosed and petite, with the most fabulously coiffed pompadour afro, rocking a sharp tux and sharper cheekbones. My interest was instantly piqued, but I never really listened to her music until someone uploaded an Mp3 track from […]