openDemocracy's founder, Anthony Barnett writes on the global day of action against surveillance, Don't Spy on Us, calling for an independent inquiry into surveillance in the UK. India too has seen the rise of the surveillance state, and Martin Eiermann writes on the economic component of the issue.

The tragic death of the academic Stuart Hall, and his contribution to Cultural Theory, was a big theme on oD this week. Jeremy Gilbert pays tribute to Hall, and explains how he influenced his own life and work. Feminist scholar, Angela McRobbie adds her own memories of the man she had known for 40 years, followed by collegues Nirmal Puwar, Les Back, Yasmin Gunaratman, Avtar Brah and Iain Chambers and Lidia Curti – and Red Pepper editor, Hilary Wainwright.

In Spain, Liz Cooper writes on how a new law restricting abortion threatens womens' rights. The forced sterilisation of 300 000 women in Peru comes under investigation by Mariella Sala. Oguz Alyanak and Funda Ustek tackle the issue of child brides, and argue that it is the social system itself which should be investigated. A video on transgender rights in Mumbai is part of openSecurity’s 'Whose Police' series.

Syria's peace process at Geneva offers 'little hope of a breakthrough', according to Paul Rogers, who elsewhere writes that the violent repression in Egypt and jihadist resistance threatens to eclipse the promise of the Arab Spring. Islam Abdel-Rahman also reports on the continued repression of journalists and other voices in that country.

Andrew Smith from the Campaign Against the Arms Trade criticises the EU for continuing to ship weapons to the Middle East, whilst South Korea recently stopped exporting to Bahrain.

On Valentine's Day, oD Editor Rosemary Bechler gives us 14 reasons to celebrate 200 years of Jane Austin's classic Pride and Prejudice. Radical love and creating change are the subject of Claudia Horwitz's article, while Karima Bennoune writes on the death, 20 years ago, of Aziz Smati, an Algerian TV producer. And finally, the myth of the Black Widow is tackled on oDRussia by Jean-Francois Ratelle.

 
Don't miss

• Hopes, and Homes, Crumbling on Indian Tea Plantations

• El Salvador: Quest for Justice

• Interview: Leading Ghanaian investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas

• Rolling Stone’s Matt Taibbi on yet another scam by the Mega Banks

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