I'd like to unpack the
widespread idea that one's freedom of speech is relinquished when it
is used in the form of “hate speech” or to “spread hate.”
Hate is a legitimate and reasonable response to certain morally
reprehensible realities.
Something must be done about Israel’s number one ally, the Palestinian Authority, otherwise what we are witnessing today will be merely another flare-up, as opposed to a turning point for decolonization and the beginning of an end to the occupation.
The roots of the
most recent crisis in Iraq can be traced to the US-led invasion of 2003 and western
meddling in Syria. At stake, is the neoliberal blueprint of post-invasion Iraq,
now defended in an effort coordinated between the Baghdad government and its western
backers.
The loss of control over processing agricultural goods, such as turning grains into flour, have made it easier for the regime to punish large regions with starvation, and will in the future make it easier for foreign powers to grab hold of Syria through its dependent state.
Kurdish nationalism in Iraqi-Kurdistan has been transformed from an ideology that strengthened resistance to the Iraqi Baathist dictatorship to a tool now being employed to help build shopping malls.
Arab countries should be wary of applying new neoliberal economic policies, since it may have been adherence to these policies that led to the conditions causing social unrest
In Part 2, the author dispels the myths used by the Syrian regime to legitimise itself. Is anything left of the regime's rhetoric of socialism, secularism and anti-imperialism?
Benefits Street was born from coalition government rhetoric: no one should receive 'anything for nothing'. The failure to transform is always personal. Nobody should be helped.
'Common sense' is key to how we negotiate politics collectively. Rather than fighting the right on its own populist turf, the left must draw out, embrace, and frame its campaigns around, the ‘good sense’ which exists within ‘common sense’.
They say that ours is the age of information. Libraries gave us power. But now, the forces of neoliberalism are trying
to take it away. In Bradford, a group of radical librarians
gathered to discuss how to defend and extend the openness of one of our
most important institutions..
Today, social responses to peoples' needs are being pushed to the margin by the reframing of all tasks in terms of economic gain. But the development of human capabilities depends on relationships. A different set of values is needed.
openDemocracy is an independent global media platform covering world affairs, ideas and culture which seeks to challenge power and encourage democratic debate across the world. Read more...
This year, the theme is ‘populism’. Is the problem fake news or fake democracy? What media, what political parties, what politicians do we need to re-connect with citizens and make informed choices in 21st century democracy?
Civil Society Futures is a national conversation about how English civil society can flourish in a fast changing world. Come and add your voice»