Archives March 2019

Why Formula One Drives Me Crazy

By Cassandra Bockstael F1 racing has fascinated and gathered families and friends over the past 70 years. The fastest cars, the best drivers in the world, the strategies, rivalries and passion all combine for more than two hours of intense competition. As far back as I can recall, I remember sitting with my parents in front of the TV on Sundays to watch the race. I remember the amazing cars speeding as fast as they could around the track and the incredible battles between drivers and teams to finish first. The sport inspired me as it promoted determination and cooperation to reach the top.


Photo by Andrew James

Sex-Trafficking of Native American Women and Girls

By Meredith Veit Since the “discovery” of America, the native populations of the United States have been repressed, silenced and marginalised, and the fetishized, disparaging violence against Native American women and girls remains a serious problem. Gender based violence and the selling of native women were weapons used by the colonisers, and yet, hundreds of years later, lady liberty is still leaving many of the citizens under her purview without protection, justice, or reparations.


Are we Treating Extreme Right Terrorism Differently than Islamic Terrorism?

By Tamara Siwczyk Last week the world was shocked by the terrorist attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, which left 49 people dead and was the most lethal attack during peacetime in New Zealand’s history. Only a few days later on Monday an attack was committed in Utrecht, Netherlands, where three people were killed, and three days later the alleged gunman has been charged with terrorist intent.


Internet and Democracy: Please Wait… Loading!

By Marwa Azelmat Cyberspace is often presented as a purely non-legal domain. This view is based on a number of assumptions. The first assumption is that cyberspace is different from real spaces: its aterritorial, borderless and ubiquitous aspects differentiate it from the physical and bounded spaces that are subject to legal regulation. The second assumption is that cyberspace should remain an open, decentralised and participatory space not hampered by legal regulations.


The System Crashed, Change the System! Focus on Economic Rights

By Federica Russo “Marx was right” was the title of several mainstream journals, such as such as ‘The New York Times’, ‘The Economist’ and ‘The Guardian’ a few years into the crisis. Apparently, the German thinker predicted the crisis and its consequences. Apparently, the 2008 Global Financial Crisis led many experts to question the ability of the dominant economic system, driven by neoliberal policy, to guarantee wellbeing and human rights.


The Heavy Cost of a Call for Peace: The Academics for Peace

By Emine Ay Academics for Peace is an initiative established by a group of academicians in 2012 to call on Turkish government for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing war between the Turkish army and the PKK forces. The academics came together to speak up against asymmetrical warfare applied by the government in the Southeast Anatolia against Kurdish people, including armed forces and civilians, and the violation of human rights protected under international treaties.


The Rise of the Extreme Right in Spain: We thought we were Different to Europe

By Myriam Erquicia Leon Periods of crisis often lead to the rise of the extreme right. In Europe, since the 2007 crisis we have seen examples such as the rise of the League in Italy, the National Front in France or Golden Dawn in Greece. Spain, on the other hand, had always been characterised as not having a prominent extreme right political party. That is, until now. On the Andalusian elections of the 2nd of December 2018, the Spanish extreme-right party Vox gained 12 seats in the Andalusian Parliament. This is the first time in the history of Spanish democracy that an extreme-right party has gained seats in a regional Parliament.