Written by: Pranav Krishnan As General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, Xi Jinping has consolidated near-absolute political power over the People’s Republic of China, making it one of the world’s clearest examples of an authoritarian state. This concentration of power makes China’s foreign policy uniquely responsive to the aspirations and will of a single…
Throwing Food on Art to Protest Climate Change: Performative Activism Done Wrong
Written by: Ken Wang As global warming continues to be a salient issue in world politics, and as the conflict in Ukraine continues, energy crises have spread across Europe. To further raise awareness of the scope of the climate change-related energy crises, climate activist groups across Europe have taken matters into their own hands by…
The Rise of White Nationalism in the United States
Written by: Ken Wang In a political rally in June, Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) thanked the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) for “the historical victory for white life” after the Court overturned Roe v. Wade (1973). Later, Miller’s team clarified that she made a mistake by saying “white life,” but almost all mainstream…
A Tale of Two Foes – A Digest of Brazil’s Election
Written by: Garrett Halak A tale of two opponents who garnered nationwide hatred and adoration has come to a conclusion. Current president, Jair Bolsonaro – also known as the “Trump of the Tropics” – and previous president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (Lula) – “The most hated and loved man in Brazil,” exchanged passionate statements…
Egypt’s Attempt to Hide Behind Greenwashing
Written by: Arabelle Liberacki As the COP27 kicks off, the Egyptian government is attempting to silence their people in the face of a public relations nightmare. In Sharm el-Sheikh, the small strip where the conference is taking place, many preparations have been made to welcome dignitaries and officials from nations participating in the Paris Climate…
Space Satellites, Sanctions, and Social Media: What’s Going on With Elon Musk’s Latest Business Venture?
Written by: Kate Roglieri When Mark Zuckerberg created Facebook in his Harvard dorm room in 2004, he could not have predicted that it would one day have the power to topple dictators. Yet in 2011, dissatisfaction with regimes across Northern Africa led youth protestors to organize and begin a modern political revolution using Facebook as…
Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan Are About to Get Railed: the CKU Railway Deal
Written by: Layne Gebert On September 14th, the heads of state of China, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan met to move forward with plans for a landmark railway deal among their countries. If finalized, this agreement will result in the construction of a rail line that runs from China through Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. Although there has been…
What Went Wrong for Liz Truss?
Written by: Simon Baumberger The British economy has faced numerous challenges in recent years. Brexit in particular created an uncertain economic outlook for the country with new trade restrictions regulating interactions between the UK and its largest trade partner, the European Union. Additionally, the pandemic created its own effects in the market by dragging down…
The Rise of the Far-Right in Europe: A Grim Future for the European Union
Written by: Ken Wang On Sunday, September 25th, far-right nationalist politician and president of Fratelli d’ Italia (Brothers of Italy), Giorgia Meloni secured a major election victory with 45% of the vote. With this victory, another Eurosceptic far-right politician has stepped into European politics. Meloni’s party has its roots in post-World War II neofascism, which…
The Indonesian Soccer Stampede: The Extreme Soccer and Police Devotions in Indonesia
Written by: Marija Markovic October 1, 2022: What was supposed to be a regular rival soccer match between Indonesia’s Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya resulted in a stampede, causing at least 131 deaths and more than 400 injuries. As fans stormed the field post-match, police retaliated and used tear gas and shields in an attempt…
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