The Gezi Occupation: for a democracy of public spaces

“Respect” has become a new slogan tagged on walls all over the cities, and expressing the need for a return to civility and call for politeness in Turkish public life. Gezi occupation reveals to us all, how “public square” becomes literally vital for our democracies.

Bilderberg 2013: 100% privacy & 100% security? "YES SOME CAN HAVE IT"

Apart from the regular conspiracy reactions, in the present context the Bilderberg Conference is proof of the favoured treatment of the elites over the masses when it comes to privacy, security and convenience.... (visual montage)

Death in Woolwich: a case of déjà vu?

The Prevent strategy in the UK has not worked. Prevent 2.0 needs a fundamental rethink if the mistakes of the past are to be avoided. The old faith-based  policy foundations must be broadened to include secular and frontline experts, and “moderate” religious leaders must be scrutinized more closely, says Yasmin Rehman

Lost childhoods: age disputes in the UK asylum system

Children seeking asylum in the UK are regularly disbelieved about how old they are and can end up facing harmful, protracted disputes. The culture of disbelief so often criticised in the Home Office has seeped into some local authorities, says Kamena Dorling.

In the thick of it - a review of '5 days in May: the Coalition and beyond'

Andrew Adonis’s insider account of the Lab-Lib coalition talks provides a vivid and vital, and often surprising, insight into the crucial politics of the day – and is also particularly relevant to the prospects for both parties after the 2015 general election.

The scale of debt in the western world now threatens a serious collapse

There can likely be no repeat of the 2008 bailouts, sovereign states do not have the capacity. But the accumulating debt is now so large, the point of no return may have been breached. Euro collapse could trigger far wider meltdowns.

Miscarriage, stillbirth, psychosis. Pregnant in UK immigration detention

It is government policy to detain pregnant women in only very exceptional circumstances. But it happens a lot. The Royal College of Midwives and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists warn that women and their babies are being put at risk.

Which sultan is Erdogan?

It is a sad state of affairs when an elected official is likened to a modern-day Ottoman sultan; however, the comparison is both startling and striking.

Istanbul protests: what consequences for Turkey’s peace process?

The recent protests are redefining Turkey's democratic culture. But what consequences will they have on the historic ongoing Kurdish peace process?

Welcome to the digital commons

openDemocracy calls itself a digital commons - but what does that really mean - and is it a sustainable model in a digital landscape dominated by tech giants? Dan Hind starts a conversation on digital commons and what they offer the future of the internet.

Why the Turkish protests are necessary, but not sufficient

The crackdown on Turkish protesters and Prime Minister Erdogan's refusal to accept the demonstrations as legitimate represent another deviation from the country's fragile commitment to democracy. But this may also offer a new hope for the leftist opposition in Turkey - will they take it?

Needless heartbreak: new UK rules on family migration

Today's report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Migration exposes deep injustice in new restrictions on family migration. Much pain and trouble might have been avoided had the government paid due regard to human rights.

This week's window on the Middle East - June 10, 2013

Arab Awakening's columnists offer their weekly perspective on what is happening on the ground in the Middle East. Leading the week, Why use violence against peaceful protesters?

The UK's proposed royal charter on press freedom undermines parliament

Royal Charters are an inappropriate means of regulating the press, a monarchical hangover that debases the role of parliament and reaffirms the view that it is the monarch, not the British people, that should be the ultimate check on parliament.

'This American Life' in Israel-Palestine

Breaking the mould of uncritical US media reporting on Israel-Palestine, a recent broadcast by This American Life draws attention to the routinised disruption of Palestinian lives as central to domination under occupation, but fails to pick up on a gender perspective which sheds critical light on power, says Katherine Natanel  

Beauty and the Beast on Britain and Europe

The war of words over Europe in Britain cannot be called 'debate'. A former Europe minister examines two serious and opposite thinkers on Europe, and asks whether their arguments could have impact in Britain.

Leymah Gbowee: five words for the men of Libya

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Leymah Gbowee was recently invited to Tripoli to deliver a speech on the role of women in transforming conflict and leading reconciliation in Libya. When she saw who was in the audience, she changed her prepared speech...

Husby and territorial stigma in Sweden

This statement appeared at the beginning of June in the Swedish broadsheet SVD, calling for a public investigation into the recent uprisings in Swedish suburbs.

Constraints on the internet in Lebanon

Freedom of speech stakes are far higher in Lebanon than other countries, owing to the tightrope walk along the delicate sectarian balance.

Sir David Nicholson's latest bright idea for the English NHS

Sir David Nicholson's parting shot to the NHS is to suggest scrapping the hated 'purchaser-provider split' - and replacing it with something far worse.

This week's guest editors

openGlobalRights editors

Our guest editors James Ron, Leslie Vinjamuri, Sophie Arie and Archana Pandya introduce this week's theme of:

Emerging powers and human rights.