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,
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
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
By UPF Webzine
Activism/Articles/Corruption/Democracy/Leaders/Lecture/Migration/Nationalism/Security/UPF
The Contradictory Journey of Alexei Navalny: Liberalism, xenophobia and a progressive attitude
Evgeniy Isaev, Flickr To oppose an authoritarian regime is dangerous but to be the de facto leader is a danger on a completely new level. The threat of being silenced, murdered or imprisoned are ever present. Alexei Navalny represents this struggle; as an opposition leader in Russia he is currently
By UPF Webzine
Articles/Conflict/Europe/Human Rights/International Relations/Leaders/Middle East/Realities of Human Security/UPF
Yemen’s crisis: seven years of bombstorms, seven years of stalemate
Ibrahem Qasim, Wikimedia Commons Ten years ago, an unprecedented wave of social movements, sparked by weariness, hope, and a yearning for liberty and justice, led to the uprooting of several autocratic regimes in the Arab world. The mantra “the people want the fall of the regime” inspired millions of people to
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
By UPF Webzine
Activism/Articles/Asia/Economics/Economy And Trade/Gender Equality/International Relations/UPF/Women
Fashion: Personal liberation in the west, a form of mass incarceration for the rest
Maruf_Rahman, Pixabay One year ago during March 2020, fashion retail giants including the likes of H&M, Primark and Zara decided to retroactively cancel orders of clothing without paying for them. This had disastrous consequences for ready-made garment (RMG) workers in Bangladesh as many live subsistence-based due to meagre wages. This
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,