By More than eight years after the Rio Conference on Sustainable Development, the first legally binding agreement emerging from it will enter into force in April: the Escazú Agreement. It is praised as a unique treaty breathing new life into the fight for environmental democracy and justice in Latin America and
Myanmar’s Strife
John Owens (VOA), Wikimedia Commons Myanmar—or Burma, as it was known—is a country with a troubled history. The latest example of this came to light in February 2021, when a coup d’état took place, enabling a group of military leaders (otherwise known as a ‘junta’) to grip the reins of
The Crown and the Army: Thailand’s Struggle for Democracy
Cover Photo by Wikimedia Commons Forty-three years. That is the sentence levied upon a Thai woman in her sixties who was found to have posted audio clips on Facebook and YouTube that allegedly insult the monarchy. Such a shocking forty-five year long sentence was issued because the court found the
The People Have Spoken – The Effects of Direct Democracy in Switzerland
On the 7th of March 2021, a controversial referendum was held in Switzerland. The outcome was that Swiss citizens voted for a ban of full facial coverings in public, passing by 51.2% to 48.8%. This measure was popularised by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) who campaigned with slogans such
Germany’s Super Election Year – What comes after Merkel?
Simon Varwell, Flickr The pandemic might have eclipsed some important upcoming political events, but with only six months left until the parliamentary elections to the German Bundestag, tension is mounting in Germany and amongst curious onlookers. The parliamentary elections on September 26th, 2021 will not only lead to a new
▶︎ Hitting the Wrong Note: The Politics of Music
Is censorship an obstacle to artists’ freedom of self-expression? Spanish rapper, Pablo Hasél, was recently sentenced to nine months for insulting the crown and glorifying terrorism through the content of his songs. His case made us reflect on how music can be used as a political tool and how governments
Is there a new Pink Tide on Latin America’s horizon?
Casa Rosada (Argentina Presidency of the Nation) In the early 2000s, a wave of left-wing politics swept through Latin America, the so-called Pink Tide. In the mid-2010s, it was countered by a conservative, right-wing political wave. However, in the last few years, we have witnessed reactions to the conservative movement,
Women in Leadership – Barriers to female political representation
European Parliament, Flickr When you hear the word “political leader”, what comes to mind? A man in a suit? Despite significant gains in female representation in powerful roles, such as New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Arden, women remain dramatically underrepresented in political leadership positions. Of the world’s heads of state
By UPF Pod&Radio
Democracy/Freedom of Speech/Human Rights/Podcasts/Realities of Human Security/UPF/USA
▶︎ All About Human Rights – Freedom of Speech
All about Human rights is a new series on this podcast that sets out to discuss the broad topic that is human rights! In this first episode, we talk about the importance of one of the most fundamental and vital rights, namely freedom of speech. We look at the distinction
▶︎ Olympic Diplomacy
Where did the worlds largest sporting competition start and what has it become? Can sports and politics really be separated in todays global climate? And what does the futurre of the olympics really look like? These questions and our thoughts and opinions on the matter are presented and discussed in