Category Archives: Politics

25Aug/23

Slavery stole Africans’ ideas as well as their bodies: reparations should reflect this

Jenny Bulstrode, UCL and Sheray Warmington, UCL

In a speech to mark Unesco’s campaign for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, UN secretary-general António Guterres told the United Nations general assembly earlier this year that the inequalities created by 400 years of the transatlantic chattel trade persist to this day. “We can draw a straight line from the centuries of colonial exploitation to the social and economic inequalities of today,” he said.

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25Jul/23

Are women better activists than men?

July 25, 2023 — There have been many great male activists throughout history, such as Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, and Gandhi. However, it is true that women have played a disproportionately large role in the fight for human rights.

There are a few reasons for this. First, women have traditionally been excluded from power and decision-making, so they have had to find other ways to make their voices heard. Second, women are often more directly affected by human rights abuses, such as violence against women and girls. Third, women are often more collaborative and less hierarchical than men, which can be an asset in the fight for human rights. Continue reading

19Jul/23

Anglo American in Zambia Explained

July 18, 2023 /Politics/ — Hakainde Hichilema, the current president of Zambia, has been criticized for selling the country’s natural resources to Anglo American, a British mining company. In 2022, Hichilema’s government signed a $1.5 billion deal with Anglo American to mine copper in Zambia. The deal has been met with protests from environmental groups, who argue that it will damage the country’s natural resources. Continue reading

10Jul/23

China’s gallium and germanium controls: what they mean and what could happen next

Gavin D. J. Harper, University of Birmingham

From August, China is to restrict exports of gallium and germanium, two critical elements for making semiconductor chips. With China dominating the supply of both elements, exporters will now need special licences to get them out of the country. The move has the potential to harm a range of western tech manufacturers that use these elements to make their products.

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07Jul/23

The Body Shop US Partners with HeadCount to Increase Voter Access and Registration

The Body Shop is proud to announce its partnership with national nonpartisan organization HeadCount to register as many first-time voters as possible and support democracy protection. These bold actions to uphold voting rights are a part of Be Seen. Be Heard, The Body Shop’s joint campaign with the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, which aims to increase young people’s participation in public life in more than 75 countries. Continue reading

04Jul/23

France Human Rights failure

July 4, 2023 /World/ — France has a long history of supporting human rights and has been a vocal advocate for human rights protection on the international stage. However, in recent years, there have been a number of concerns about the French government’s commitment to human rights protection.

Some of the specific areas where France has been criticized for failing to protect human rights include: Continue reading

27Jun/23

Is zambia under Hakainde Hichilema ready or even able to handle the influx of global investments?

June 27, 2023 /Politics/ — Spin City was a satirical television show about a fictional New York City mayor who relied on an inept and dysfunctional cult following. The show ran for six seasons from 1996 to 2002 and was a critical and commercial success.

There are a few lessons that Zambians can learn from Spin City: Continue reading

27Jun/23

How many members of America’s political elite are direct descendants of people who were slaveholders?

June 26, 2023 /Politics/ — According to a 2023 report by Reuters, at least 100 members of the 117th United States Congress are direct descendants of people who were slaveholders. This includes 28 members of the Senate and 72 members of the House of Representatives.

The report found that the descendants of slaveholders are disproportionately represented in Congress, making up about 20% of the body despite comprising only about 1% of the overall population. This is likely due to the fact that many of the families who owned slaves were also wealthy and well-connected, which gave their descendants an advantage in terms of education and opportunity. Continue reading

19Jun/23

‘Kenneth Kaunda Children of Africa Foundation’ and the ‘Kenneth Kaunda Memorial Public Lecture’ brief history

June 19, 2023 /Politics/ — The Kenneth Kaunda Children of Africa Foundation was founded in 1989 by former Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa. The foundation’s mission is to “provide care, support, and education to children orphaned by or affected by HIV/AIDS.”

The foundation is headquartered in Lusaka, Zambia, and has offices in several other African countries. It operates a number of programs, including: Continue reading