This article is a contribution from Amit Singh, a visiting researcher at Lund University’s Department of Political Science. Views expressed in this article are the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of UPF Lund and The Perspective. In the 2020 Human Freedom Index, which ranks civil, economic and
Bombs, Borders, and Blackmail – A look backwards and forwards at the turbulence in the Western Sahara
The Western Sahara, the territory on the Northwest coast of Africa which is sometimes called ‘Africa’s Last Colony’ due to its listing by the UN as a non-decolonized territory, has had an extremely turbulent year. From escalating violence in the South of the territory to diplomatic fights over international recognition,
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The Race to Vaccinate the World – A Global Power Play in Latin America
Victor Idrogo / Banco Mundial, Flickr For centuries, Latin America and the Caribbean have been the site of geopolitical power plays. The Covid-19 pandemic has made the region once again the stage for competition over the world’s leadership position – this time between China and the United States. This past
Ten Years On: The Challenge of Rebuilding Syria
Photo: Freedom House, Flickr In the last ten years, Syria has suffered through a brutal civil war. This war has failed to uproot President Bashar al-Assad from power and instead left the country fractured and deeply wounded. This article will explore the challenges facing Syria when attempting to rebuild the
How the COVID-19 Pandemic Fuelled the Fire of New Conspiracy Theories
Since the storming of the U.S. Capitol, QAnon has flourished as a widely-known conspiracy theorist cult. Its followers believe that paedophiles control media and politics and that a deep state – where a hidden government rules over the legitimate elected body – has been created in the United States. They
How far “left” is the US Democratic party?
Gage Skidmore, Flickr Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of UPF Lund and The Perspective. With the advent of the ambitious Biden administration, it will not come as a surprise to see the Democratic Party moving further left as they maximize their slim federal majority
The Arabian Union and why it doesn’t exist
Paweldotio, Unsplash Cultural similarities, historical connections, and the same spoken language. At first glance, the countries of the Arab world seem to enjoy good circumstances for a regional economic integration similar to the European Union. The countries are young and the borders separating them do not stem primarily from interstate
The Humanitarian Crisis in Tigray, Ethiopia – A Witness Report
Steve Evans, Flickr It has been six months since the Ethiopian government launched a military operation against the regional Tigray People’s Liberation Front, TPLF, on November 4th 2020, after weeks of rising political tensions. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed declared a state of emergency and all communication to and from the
Eurovision: Politics Seeps In
On 18 May 2019, Duncan Laurence lifted the Eurovision trophy for the Netherlands. His ballad Arcade gave the Dutch their first win in forty-four years. The EBU (European Broadcasting Union) might have been hoping for a quieter contest in Rotterdam – but it looks set to be anything but. The
Rap, threats, and freedom of expression
On the 3rd of March 2021, the Swedish supreme court ruled that the musician and rapper Frej Larsson would not be convicted for threatening a public servant in his song “Då ska hon skjutas” (Eng.: “Then, she will be shot”). The song includes explicitly threatening lyrics about specific police officers,