By Georgios Giannakopoulos, King’s College London | – (The Conversation) – For centuries empires were the dominant form of political organisation. In the west there is some degree of familiarity with the British, French and German empires, and the empires of Spain and Portugal. Not to mention the Romans or the Greeks. But one empire […]
Citizens’ Social Media can provide an Antidote to Propaganda and Disinformation
By Robert W. Gehl, York University, Canada | – In early October, the Pew Research Center released a report called “The Role of Alternative Social Media in the News and Information Environment.” While the report is well-researched and reveals a great deal about the current state of digital media, news and right-wing propaganda, it is […]
Iran: Protesters call for Move to a non-religious State. What Changes would that Bring?
By Hossein Dabbagh, University of Oxford | – My friend was in Tehran during protests after the death of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the morality police (Gasht-e Ershad). My friend went into a grocery shop intending to buy milk. The seller refused to sell anything to her. “Why are you refusing?” she […]
Elon Musk is wrong: Research shows Content Rules on Twitter help preserve Free Speech from Bots and other Manipulation
By Filippo Menczer, Indiana University | – (The Conversation) – Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter on Oct. 27, 2022 has triggered renewed debate about what it means for the future of the social media platform, which plays an important role in determining the news and information many people – especially Americans – are exposed to. […]
French-Algerian War: 60 Years on, what is behind France’s reconciliation Agenda?
By Jonathan Lewis, Bangor University | – (The Conversation) – If you cross the Seine in the centre of Paris at the iconic Pont Saint-Michel and walk along the promenade, you may glimpse a small plaque on your way towards the steps that lead down to the riverbank. Placed not on the actual bridge itself, […]
Palestinian Gaza’s Food System has been Stretched to Breaking Point by Israel
By Georgina McAllister, Coventry University | – “Control oil, and you control nations; control food and you control people.” This aphorism, often attributed to Henry Kissinger, recently came to mind when I saw first hand how both strategies have been effectively deployed in Israel’s occupation and blockade of Gaza. As a researcher of conflict-affected food […]
Solar Panels are the Cheapest Energy in World History, but they Can be Even more Efficient and Inexpensive
By Renate Egan, UNSW Sydney | – The cost of turning sunlight into electricity has fallen more than 90% over the last decade. Solar is now the cheapest form of newly built energy generation. Job done? Not quite. Right now, solar works well at cost-competitive prices and can help us cut emissions significantly. But with […]
The Protests in Iran are part of a long History of Women’s Resistance
By Niloofar Hooman, McMaster University | – On Sept. 16, Mahsa (Zhina) Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman, died in Tehran while in the custody of Iran’s morality police. Her death set off a massive wave of demonstrations that have spread across the country. While the protests started with anger over the enforcement of the hijab, […]
‘Just Stop Oil’s’ Tomato Juice on van Gogh: Do Radical Protests actually Backfire or do they Raise Consciousness?
By Colin Davis, University of Bristol | – Members of the protest group Just Stop Oil recently threw soup at Van Gogh’s Sunflowers in the National Gallery in London. The action once again triggered debate about what kinds of protest are most effective. After a quick clean of the glass, the painting was back on […]
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