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,
▶︎ 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
The Search for the Billion-dollar Industry: Saudi Arabian cinema
Ayman Zaid, Wikimedia Commons The fall and rise of Saudi Arabian cinema The tides might be turning in Saudi Arabia. Gender segregation at restaurants has been eased up, music concerts are becoming more accepted, women enjoying greater freedom on the job market, and a 35-year ban on cinemas has been
Flat Earthers: What Drives People To Believe In Conspiracies?
If you are reading this, you should know that everything you’ve been taught is a lie. It is a sunny, cloudless day and you and your friends decides to go chill at Lomma beach. You know that the earth feels flat walking across the pavement towards the sand. You will
▶︎ Abrisham Ahmadzadeh: The Kung Fu Panda Obsession
Ever watched Kung Fu Panda? For one of our speakers the film has nearly taken over her life. Abrisham Ahmadzadeh talks about the realism with which the movie portrays Kung Fu practices and Chinese traditions, even though it is an American production – and all of that despite being a
By UPF Webzine Articles/Culture/Freedom of Speech/Health/LGBTQ/Media/North America/Pop culture/Women The Bold And The Beautiful: Beauty Pageants Going Political
Beauty pageants are often associated with sexism and superficial showbiz. They are considered as silly competitions where bikini-clad women make starry-eyed appeals for world peace. At first glance, these contests might seem like something we should be attempting to rid ourselves of in this politically conscious #MeToo-era. However, recent changes
K-Pop as lip-gloss diplomacy
Many North Koreans die escaping their country. Mind you, many North Koreans die not escaping their country too. Without luck, bribery or help from a skilled trafficker, the chances of running across the border and living to tell the tale are very slim. This is especially when you run across
By UPF Webzine Articles/Culture/Europe/Freedom of Speech/Human Rights/International Relations/Media/Nationalism/Pop culture/Russia Russia’s Euro-vision for the future
From Finnish rock bands to Portuguese opera singers, Eurovision is the place where once a year Europeans gather and showcase their unique, sometimes strange, yet always entertaining music acts, and there is a level of mutual respect between countries that always shines through our television screens. This year Ireland’s entry,
By UPF Webzine Articles/Culture/Democracy/EU/Europe/Freedom of Speech/Human Rights/Lobbying/North America/Pop culture/Technology/USA/Women/Youth Are young people going to change the world?
For decades, young people have been the catalysts for change all over the world. Protests against the Vietnam War and nuclear weapons as well as movements such as the Arabic Spring have all been pushed forward by the young generations. These movements tend to occur together with some core question