University of Warwick Plant-Based Motion Narrowly Fails, Despite Constant Sabotage By University Committee

After consistent misrepresentation by, and opposition from, official committees the plant-based motion to transition all university catering facilities to a just and sustainable plant-based catering at The University of Warwick still drew nearly 40% of the vote.
Photo source: Some of the plant-based Warwick team during an outreach session

The Quebec Debate: Group vs. Individual Rights

Although French is not a threatened language globally, it is a contentious issue in Quebec. Often, Quebec’s exercise of its right to preserve its French identity has conflicted with Canadian favour of individual rights over group rights. This article looks at both sides of the group versus individual rights debate in Quebec.
Photo source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Quebec#/media/File:Flag_of_Quebec.svg

Plant-Based Universities Campaigners Drop Banners at University of Exeter Highlighting Climate Crisis

At 11:00 this morning (11th June, 2022) students from University of Exeter dropped banners reading “Meat & Dairy = Climate Crisis” at important university buildings.
University Students are encouraged to attend a free, 3 day long, Plant-based University Summer Camp from July 22nd-24th to grow this campaign to more universities across the UK.
Photo source: original

The Controversy over Religious Freedoms in India: A Major Diplomatic Fail for Delhi

Following controversial remarks about Prophet Muhammad by a spokesperson for the ruling government in India, the Arab World has expressed grave outrage. The bilateral relations between India and its Gulf partners are sensitive following this diplomatic breach.
Photo source: https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2019/aug/25/indian-leader-given-high-honor-in-uae-2/

Fight or Flight: France Ends its Counterterrorist Intervention in the Sahel

After nine years of counter-terrorist military operations in the Sahel, President Emmanuel Macron announced the return home of French troops in February 2022. But the terrorist threat is looming over the region more than ever. If he stayed, the decision would have been unpopular with his electorate and abusive to Malians. By leaving, he’s risking African and European security.
Photo source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/29/world/africa/france-sahel-west-africa-.html

Trojan Horse Democracy: How Authoritarians Are Using Democratic Tactics For Their Own Ends

The emerging study of authoritarian innovations provides a promising insight into better understanding the growing challenges that democracy faces This blog post looks more closely at how authoritarians have begun using seemingly democratic tactics to prop up their regimes and what this means for democracy.
Photo source: https://unsplash.com/photos/Hoi3210Wylc

To What Extent Does Anomia Explain Social Deviance in France

Decolonisation shaped today’s society and current social conflicts in France. Today, social deviance is one of the most topical issue in French politics. This article takes a closer look at the turns of events that scarred society, and highlights the theoretical features of anomia and social deviance explaining exclusion.
Photo source: https://secure-referentiel.nouvelobs.com/file/14499495.jpg

Warming up to Citizens’ Assemblies: How Ordinary Citizens Can Revolutionize the Climate Policy Agenda

Governments are increasingly establishing citizens’ assemblies on climate change, calling upon ordinary citizens to formulate bold climate change policies. This blog looks at why these assemblies may be an effective alternative, as well as the lessons learned from recent efforts.
Photo source: https://reporterre.net/La-convention-citoyenne-pour-le-climat-s-ouvre-dans-la-controverse

The Politics in Video Games

Video games are always a sensitive and controversial topic, despite how they are meant to be a source of escapism. As an entertainment medium, this means that many players and creators alike may want to keep it non-political and non-partisan. However, video games can still be political in terms of the content it shows as well as how politicians use video games as a topic or platform in their campaigns.
Photo source: https://www.quanticdream.com/en/detroit-become-human

The Relevance and Reform of the United Nations in The Contemporary World

The United Nations is under scrutiny following it’s failure to meet the objective of conflict resolution across the world. Despite its success with humanitarian missions, states are plagued with cross-border conflicts, civil wars and military occupation. The question thus stands, ‘Is it still relevant in today’s world?’
Photo source: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/sep/13/the-un-united-nations-is-failing-give-its-leader-real-power-to-act-helen-clark

Deliberation Now: How Engaging Citizens Can Help Fight Democratic Crises

Instruments of deliberative democracy, and especially deliberative mini-publics (DMPs) may be a vital first step to addressing the stubborn problems that plague our democracies. This blog post outlines how DMPs may strengthen democracy and argues that these innovations may serve us well amid current crises.
Photo source: https://democracy.fes.de/topics/citizens-assemblies

A Dietary Shift Towards Healthy Choices Is Also Environmentally Friendly

Eating healthy is also environmentally friendly, it’s a win-win! There are several aspects of shifting our diet towards healthier habits that also would help reduce the environmental impact of the food industry. Few nations’ dietary guidelines already contribute to a healthier Earth, but this message is rarely communicated to citizens.
Photo source: https://unsplash.com/photos/UDyvOrz3_3s

The Misogyny Behind South Korea’s 2022 Presidential Election

In the recent South Korean presidential election, Conservative populist Yoon Suk-yeol won to the dread of women throughout the nation. He proposed abolishing the Ministry of Gender Equality and echoes the radical anti-feminist sentiment that pervades throughout South Korea.
Photo source: https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/south-korean-president-elect-yoon-suk-yeol-of-the-main-news-photo/1383548273?adppopup=true

The Inflexibility of the Zero COVID Strategy Laid its Deathbed: Hong Kong

Despite initial perceived eradication of COVID-19, Hong Kong is now faced with a healthcare crisis that threatens to topple economic structures and destroy relationships. The failure of Zero-COVID must serve as a lesson to be remembered in public health policymaking.
Photo source: https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Asia-Insight/China-scrambles-as-COVID-exposes-cracks-in-Hong-Kong-leadership

The African Stance on the Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Following the Russian Invasion of Ukraine on the 24th of February 2022, the latest incident in the ongoing Russo-Ukraine War, much of the international community has come together to condemn Vladimir Putin. However, the African stance on the invasion seems to be decidedly less vehement.
Photo source: https://qz.com/africa/2138584/how-african-countries-voted-on-russias-invasion-of-ukraine/

Extrapolating from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: What lessons could China be drawing from it for its reunification ambitions?

Amidst Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, some have drawn parallels between the current war and antagonistic China-Taiwan relations. Given the association of current developments with Taiwan’s predicament, this begs the question of what lessons China is drawing from the war and how this may impact its designs for Taiwan.
Photo source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/09/world/asia/united-states-china-taiwan.html

Debunking information on Ukraine’s war – an analysis of Russia’s false narratives.

False information has been largely used in war-times to shift the narratives. It is now characterising the war in Ukraine, however the reality of social media represents a great obstacle to spreading just one side of a story and Putin seems to try his best to maintain his story.
Photo source: https://www.pexels.com/it-it/foto/messa-a-fuoco-selettiva-della-fotografia-di-riviste-518543/

The Limits of Populism: Is Peru about to Have its Sixth President in Six Years?

The Peruvian political crisis does not seem to end. The country has had five presidents in five years, and it may have its sixth one soon. How did the government lose its legitimacy in barely seven months, and why populism is not enough to govern?
Photo source: https://elcomercio.pe/politica/gobierno/gobierno-de-pedro-castillo-estrena-eslogan-de-su-gestion-que-mensaje-se-busca-a-partir-de-siempre-con-el-pueblo-noticia/

The Great White North: Racism in Canada’s Policing of Protests

Canada has long been considered a beacon of human rights; unfortunately, a bleaker picture of the Great White North exists. In this article, I take a brief look into the impacts of Canada’s colonial history on policing behaviour, particularly in the context of the Freedom Convoy protest.
Photo source: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/11/canadian-leader-declares-state-of-emergency-over-bridge-blockade-plans-to-arrest-protesters.html

How the ICJ’s Attempts to Settle Disputes Over Water Access in Latin America Have Proven Ineffective

The conflict over access to the ocean and freshwater resources between Chile and Bolivia has outlasted two cases submitted to the ICJ. It is a perfect example of the limitations of international law when purporting to resolve politically charged disputes between States with a long history of hostility.
Photo source: https://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/03/how-bolivia-lost-its-hat/

Making Canada Free Again

Over the past week, Canada’s capital city of Ottawa has been overrun by thousands of protesters, initially responding to the recent 14-day quarantine mandate placed upon Canadian truckers crossing the Canada-US border. The protesters fight for the removal of Covid restrictions, the erasure of Covid mandates, and their right to free choice. Unfortunately, some protesters also fight for something else.
Photo Source: Jewish Telegraphic Agency https://tinyurl.com/4u7hjatn

Biden’s Global Tax Plan

Since being elected President of the United States of America in January of this year, Joe Biden has pursued a markedly more radical policy agenda than most observers had hitherto envisaged. What implications do his proposals for global tax reforms have on international commerce, what challenges do they face, and are they feasible?

2021 Iran Presidential Elections

The blog provides you with a holistic analysis of the upcoming Iranian Presidential elections, scheduled for June 2021- from examining potential Presidential candidates to exploring the election’s implications on domestic, regional and international politics.

Populism in the Tropics: The Rise (and Fall?) of Jair Bolsonaro

At the time of his election in 2018, Jair Bolsonaro was dismissed as just a Tropical Donald Trump. Since he became the leader of the largest nation of South America, he created his own brand of xenophobic, misogynistic, right-wing populism. What exactly makes him a populist and why did people vote for him? Do these reasons still stand in the midst of a global pandemic?