Home to 3.5 million people, daily life in West Papua is characterised by widespread violence, intimidation and political suppression. On July 9, a boycott against the Indonesian presidential election was organised by activists – 14 of whom were reportedly tortured by the military and now reside in prison. Officially named Irian Jaya Barat until it… Continue reading Indonesia’s military crackdown on the West Papuan independence movement

On March 8, 2007, International Women’s Day, the United Nations released a report estimating that 200 million women and girls were “demographically missing.” According to the report, half of that number came from Asian countries, especially China and India. Some experts believe that this demographic anomaly can be attributed to gendercide, or the systematic killing… Continue reading Answering for India’s “Missing Girls”: Sex-selective abortion in India

On December 16, 2012, a 23-year old woman was gang raped and brutalized by six men on a bus in India’s capital New Delhi. Jyoti Singh Pandey died as a result of the injuries she sustained during the attack 13 days later. There are particular elements to this case which make it stand out against… Continue reading Violence against women in India: culture, institutions and inequality

Cuts in spending and the replacement of academic staff by technology are not the only pressures faced by British academia. Increasingly, education is fashioning students into a productive labor force rather than teaching them more traditional academic ideals. Last year’s plans to raise tuition fees in Britain to a maximum of £9000, $13,731 at today’s… Continue reading Neoliberalism and the commercialization of higher education

All across suburban America, hundreds of shopping malls have become vacant and indebted hulks. Demographics and economics, from the decline of the city fringe to the rise of online shopping, has finished them off. The website deadmalls.com documents and memorializes more than 400 derelict American malls. More are set to join the list. A recent… Continue reading The Death of the American Mall and the Rebirth of Public Space

Though Greek culture is famous for its sociability and its nightlife, the country’s economic crisis is making people spend a little more time at home with their TVs. And with Greek TV channels looking for cheaper content, the airwaves are now filled with imported Turkish soap operas, says Asli Tunç, head of the Media School… Continue reading Soap Opera Diplomacy: Turkish TV in Greece