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Mental Health
PC: Prismo
Procrastination might be seen as extreme laziness for some, for others, it is a real curse and one that ought not be underestimated. For all of you out there who don’t understand how people continue to procrastinate and complain about it, you should know that procrastination is usually involuntary behavior. Otherwise, duhh, we wouldn’t be crying in a corner everytime we have to finish a university dissertation in one night while everybody... READ MORE
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Do We Need A Ministry for Loneliness?
With the advent of social media and the ever-increasing stride towards digital lives - a strange thing has happened: the world has become lonelier. More people are reporting feeling sad lonely or depressed and as of yet - there hasn’t been a solution put forth. A 2017 report even said loneliness was as harmful to health as smoking... READ MORE Mental Health and School Shootings in the US
Throughout the years some, of us have conveniently misdiagnosed the cause of the unforgettable but preventable attacks on America’s schools. For a long time, several influential but misguided people have blamed school shootings and other attacks across the United States on the right to bear arms (a portion of the 2nd amendment) and shut out the aspect of mental ... READ MORE |
For years there had been no definitive research carried out to see if those who are on hormonal birth control, are at risk of depression. Most people were self-diagnosed or simply changed to a different dosage to see if that would fare better with them. Mood changes did occur but it was found to be solely tied to birth control, rather society continued... READ MORE
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When the Netherlands comes up in conversation, the topics often turn to windmills, canals, and the famous Dutch city of Amsterdam. What doesn’t come up as often is suicide, and that, in of itself, is surprising. Last year 1,894 people committed suicide in the Netherlands - a rate of around 11 per 100,000 people. In 2015, the country reported... READ MORE
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With our daily lives focusing around work and school, it’s easy to ignore your mental health. Most of us can function perfectly fine without taking a moment to breath and to consider what’s going on “up there.” But that shouldn’t be the case! Though it may be the “norm” to pull all-nighters and to push yourself to the... READ MORE
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Sports Diplomacy
What Happens After the Olympics?
Once the gold medals are passed out and the tourists go home, the cities that host the Olympics face a problem. What do they do with the stadiums and massive investment in infrastructure? What happens to the pavillions made for millions of tourists once their trip has ended? As is with most complex problems, the answer is: it depends. READ MORE
Athletes have long served as some of the most important activists. They are respected by their fans based on their performance, their work ethic, and their way of life. In turn, they have earned a platform to discuss and to highlight issues they deem important. Thus, athletes have become essential diplomats and advocates for real change. READ MORE
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As we celebrate the Olympics and competitive sports in all of its formats, let’s not forget that sports include more than the aspect of games. “To do sport” is faire du sport in French or “Fitness machen” READ MORE
Every two years, the world is joined together in what is known as Olympism. And every two years, this universal symbol reemerges: five interlinked rings with one each in blue, black, red, yellow, and green on a white background. READ MORE
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Chances are - if you watch the news, you’ve heard of doping. In the past few years, Russian athletes in particular have been tarred with this particular brush and banned from competing in the games. But what is doping? According to UNESCO: 'Doping' refers to an athlete's use of prohibited drugs or methods to improve training and sporting results. READ MORE
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Tickets for the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games
The Winter Olympics are fast approaching. On February 9th, the 2018 Olympic Games will kick off in the South Korean city, Pyeongchang. While there is the anticipated buzz of excitement that always accompanies the Olympics - from both viewers and athletes alike, this year is different.
Climate Change
If you have any doubts about anthropogenic climate change, I’d invite you to check out resources from the American Association for the Advancement of Science What We Know initiative or from NASA Global Climate Change to learn more about the scientific study of climate change. Discussions on the environment can be overwhelming. While conversations on impacted indigenous communities, non-renewable energies, ecosystem and biodiversity loss, global land use, and ... READ MORE |
Measuring Soil Health
I have crouched over rain-soaked fields in the spring and made ball, after ball, after ball of soil in my hand. I have rolled these packed clumps around, dropped them on the ground, and then once more, just to be sure, during monsoon spells of utter inundation and concluded---“Nope, too wet to work these fields.” Why should I or any other farmer care whether a packed handful of wet mud is indeed, packed and mud? READ MORE Squaring Public Trust in Science with Climate Change
One of the most striking characteristics of the last American presidential election was the amount of fact-baseless claims politicians have made. Candidates simply made statements about climate change, whether or not it was true -without deeming to source their information at all. The man who perpetrated this most of all? America’s newest President: Donald Trump. Since taking office, he has instituted a number of policies that seem to bring America closer towards... READ MORE |
The Senate has no resolution to vote on a measure that would halt a government shutdown, and without a rare showing of bipartisanship - the government will shut down. Although the House of Representatives... READ MORE
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Climate Change and the Lake Chad Crisis
Lake Chad, located amongst the nations of Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Nigeria is a life sourcefor the people in its surrounding communities. Since 1963, the lake has diminished in size byover 90% primarily due to climate change. Consequently, “The Lake Chad Basin crisis iscurrently one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world” with 11 million people in need of assistance. In this paper, we address not only the impact of Lake Chad’s decline on itssurrounding communitie... READ MORE |
The Aral Sea is located between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and has been cited several times in historical documents from the Silk Route era.
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5 Ways to Live More Sustainably
Shopping smart can be the first thing that could help cut on your carbon footprint, but it can also cut your shopping bills! This year make a choice to shop smarter by buying goods in bulk and items with less packaging. If you start off the year by purchasing household goods in bulk, such as flour, sugar, olive oil, along with ... READ MORE |
The region was occupied by desert nomadic tribes and the Sea was often used as a source of fishing. How, then, did it change from local water basin to desert-like status? The answer is simple: human intervention. When newscasters talk about climate change, the usual suspects ... READ MORE
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Good Things that Happened in 2017
2017 can be seen as a dark year in our contemporary history. It was a year filled with environmental catastrophes, political change and the growing problem of the Islamic State. But we’ve had enough of bad news. It’s time to spread light on the good things that shaped this year. These positive events are often less talked about or even completely ignored. In this article we will try to review some of this past year’s positive events and promising initiatives. READ MORE |
What happened in 2017
2017 recently came to an end and we thought it was time to remember what happened in the past 12 months. It is hard to tell if 2017 was really worse than any other year, but it does seem like a lot of unfortunate events took place and that dark times repeated themselves. Marked by environmental crisis, political turmoil and terrorist attacks, this year was full of upheavals, ... READ MORE 
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Feminism
Throughout the fall of 2017 the hashtag #metoo exploded on social media. It started as small scale hashtag where women noted how they too had been affected by sexual harassment— unnecessary comment and unwarranted attention based off of objectifying women and classifying them as merely sexual beings, rather than considering their intellectual capacity, and their innate abilities, whether it be athletic or artistic. Throughout history women consistently have been disregarded when it comes to their worth as individuals and instead singled out based solely on their sexual attributes. This has most commonly come in the form of unwanted comments, mansplaining, ... READ MORE
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Support and Spread the Fury Agains Sexual Abuse
Revolution Books, a bookstore that is home to books that start revolutions, forces critical thinking and hosts a variety of talks. In the heart of Harlem, one of the revolution bookstore locations hosted a talk on December 5th, 2017, titled “Support and Spread the Fury of Against Sexual Abuse.” READ MORE Bringing Women into Post-Conflict
Conversations After any kind of conflict ends, the first debate is - how to reimagine a post-conflict society? Who will take power? What kind of power-sharing needs to take place? What will be different from before that will ensure a lack of violence in the future? But one of the questions that is rarely dealt with is the issue of bringing women into post-conflict conversations. There is a chronic lack of representation of women in post-conflict negotiations. Women don’t have a seat at the table nor do they have a say in what comes after. READ MORE |
Have you ever considered where your books really come from? The brief answer is, the author. People like JK Rowling and Neil Gaiman are famous for the words, characters, and worlds that they’ve created. But beyond that, the longer answer is the publishing industry, and if you think about it - what do you know about women in publishing? There is much written about the popular statistics of diversity in governments around the world, but in the literary arts industry? Not so much. READ MORE
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Positive Women-Led Initiatives From 2017
Again and again, the world has witnessed leaders across its many communities work towards change. These leaders try out different techniques, strategies for growth and financial schemes to create positive and lasting change. As we’re celebrating women this month, Sub-Stances is highlighting some of the best positive women-led initiatives that are making strides from the past year. 68 Voces - Created in 2013, 68 Voces is a non-profit multimedia project led by Gabriela Badillo in Mexico to promote all of Mexico’s 68 native... READ MORE |
Walls
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Reservations
Did you know that within the United States there exist sovereign nations? That’s right – they are the Native American Reservations. But just how sovereign are they? Before we delve into life on reservations, let’s cover the basics. READ MORE And the Stalemate Continues
Over the last few months, there has been a marked increase in aggressive rhetoric between the United States and North Korean governments. It suffices to say, that the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) has gained new prominence in the news. The DMZ is one of the longest existing walls that continues to divide the Korean Peninsula. It represents the lack of consensus and compromise as well as the remnants of the Cold War’s... READ MORE |
PC: Florida Trend
Across the United States, if you are born in a zip code that has undergone extreme redlining, has access to poor public transportation, and is comprised of primarily minorities, it is likely your access to a great education, is also limited.
Public schools, funded directly by the tax dollars of the neighborhoods’ residents, are better in more affluent communities. The discrepancy in tax based funds favors the status of education in wealthy areas —by pulling in better educated teachers, providing better access to resources, and creating a network of support that is always there for students. All of this fuels student development, and ultimately, the scores students reach on state tests. READ MORE |
Puerto Rico, the Journey towards Statehoood
When Puerto Rico comes to mind, most people will now certainly associate the small island with Hurricane Maria. News organizations have been covering Puerto Rico as the most obvious illustration of where FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) funds are failing to make any impact. The majority of the island is without power and ... READ MORE Accomplishments of the Trump Administration Over the Past Year
For months, the election of Donald Trump was thought of as a joke. In the primaries it was mere entertainment, by summer he had proved his point and showcased that that nothing would stand in his way, and even all... READ MORE |
Genocide
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How Your Textbook Changes History
Do you remember how high school history textbooks taught about World War Two? How do you think that very same content is taught in Russia? Or a question even closer to home for our American readers - how do you think certain extremist groups are taught about in Texas? READ MORE 
Global Citizen is an app that is committed to making social change. This app helps individuals become social activists in terms of pressing global issues. The objective of Global Citizen is... READ MORE
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Why the Rohingya?
Over the past month, the plight of the Rohingya has been publicized across the world, with even a top human rights official of the United Nations reporting it as a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing.” Since the end of the August 2017, around 507,000 Rohingya have fled their own countryinto Bangladesh. Where they will go is as much a question as to how Bangladesh will support this swell of IDPs (Internally Displaced People) in their borders. And unfortunately, it’s not just a question of shelter. The government and the international community have to think about access to food, clean water, proper sanitation and treatment for those attacked in their own country, The International Organization for Migration has trucked over 243,000 litres of water but is that enough? Can any one organization do enough? READ MORE |
Project Social T is more than just a fashion line. Based in Los Angeles, all of its materials are locally sourced and its goal is to show the authenticity of its consumers as well as its models.
“Project Social T wants to know about you. We are interested in your dreams, your struggles, and most importantly, your passions. READ MORE United Voices 4 Peace
VIDEO - Creating a Culture of Peace. Understand and Support the Syrian Refugee Crisis. DISCOVER MORE |
Religion
Starting their day with a cup of coffee, whether it be the fan-favourite Pumpkin Spice Latte or simple splash of black coffee, is the way 54 percent of Americans start their day. That’s over half of the population who spend a portion of their earnings and their time on drinking coffee. There was 9.13 million bags of coffee exported last year alone in the world. That’s almost religion-high levels of consumption. But do these coffee-drinkers know where their coffee is coming from? READ MORE
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What Does Religion Mean to You? Katelyn Mueller
Religion is created by man. It is a tool that can be used for good or for bad – depending on the people or person in power, using it. That being said, it is something that has guided my friends and many of my family members. In many ways, I find it beautiful —it gives them purpose, and provides them with a compass that helps them bring good into the world through charitable actions and a way of life. READ MORE Talking Identity and Representation with Fatima Mohie Eldin
PART ONE - PART TWO Fatima Mohie-Eldin is co-editor for Muftah’s Egypt and North Africa pages. She is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Near Eastern Studies at NYU’s Hagop Kevorkian Center. Fatima holds a BA in International Relations from Boston University where she studied Religion and Muslim Societies. READ MORE |
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Are Governments Swiping Left or Right on Religion?
When thinking about the relationship between government and religion, I find it easiest to think of the matter in terms of an app that almost everyone knows about: Tinder. The infamous app simplifies the matter to a right swipe (approval) or left swipe (disapproval). How you think about religion and government depends on where you come from. For those of us from the United States, the separation of church and state is something that is ingrained in us at birth. But try syncing that with the amount of religious... READ MORE |
Sociology of Religion: Hinduism and Judaism
Religion, as defined in class involves a community, rituals, and transcendent beliefs. (YukichClass Notes). The sociology of religion focuses on how religion and society affect one another(Yukich Class Notes). So, when posed with the assignment to conduct sociological research on tworeligions, I decided upon the two that intrigued me the most: Hinduism and Judaism. Thereupon, Iwas grouped with two of my classmates who wished to research the same religions, Emily DiModugno and Grace... READ MORE |
Islam, Media, Conflict
The aim of this research paper is to analyze how Muslims and Islam areportrayed in the March 1st Kunming Knife attacks through online print media. To conduct this content analysis, two online news media sources were utilized - one geared towards a Western, specifically Australian audience while the other, towards an Eastern, particularly Chinese demographic. Content analysis is defined as a research method utilized “to determine the meaning, purpose, or effect of any type of communication, such as literature, newspapers, or broadcasts." READ MORE |
Migration Crisis
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Multilevel Governance and Anti-Migratory Sentiment
First it was Germany, who in September 2015 reintroduced border controls within the Schengen Area. Austria and Slovenia quickly followed in a mere matter of days, throwing up restrictions against the free movement of people. Since then temporary border controls and checks have become the norm throughout most of the Schengen Area. Countries usually prone to more liberal policies have begun to adopt anti-migratory measures as their citizens emotionally respond to an increase in terror attacks and refugee inflows. Two months later in November, interior European ministers met to discuss the potential extension of these restrictions. READ MORE |
Judging the European Convention on Human Rights
How does a country judge the worth of following sets of basic human rights? Is it possible that any country could survive the political and cultural fallout of leaving such an all-encompassing document and set of norms? Before Brexit, not many analysts – let alone political leaders – would imagine that any country could break free of the European Union. In the months since July 2016, however, expectations have shifted. Recently elected Prime Minister Theresa May said, as early as that April, that it was time for Britain to leave the confines of European Union Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) no matter the results of the EU referendum. Six months later, she kept to that promise. READ MORE |
Mental Health Rights for Refugee Children
The phenomenon of a refugee is becoming a common occurrence in our globalizedworld. Today 65.3 million people have been “forcibly displaced” from their homelands, a third of which are considered to be refugees according to The UN Refugee Agency. Of all of these refugees, half of them are children who have been forced to leave their homes due to internalconflict and extreme rates of violence. Some children are... READ MORE A 72-Year-Old Reminder
Seventy-two years ago today, the United States became the first and only country to use nuclear weapons during warfare. The bomb “Little Boy” was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima on August 6th, while the bomb “Fat Man” was used on the Japanese city of Nagasaki three days later. Between both bombings, an estimated total of 129,000 Japanese citizens were killed, an indeterminable number more poisoned with radiation that would continue to affect the rest of their lives and those of their descendents. READ MORE |
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Germany Welcomes One Million Refugees in 2015: The Reconstruction of Western Europe
Germany is the answer migrants are seeking; it is a nation with a prestigious economicsystem, many social programs that accommodate their people and a promise for a better life.Germany is the modern day land of hope. The demographics of Germany are currently beingdrastically reconstructed. Germany, while its 20th Century legacy may have claimed to possessa 'superior race,’ it has become the home to hundreds of thousands of migrants who have beenforced to leave their homeland due to... READ MORE |
Archives
PC: Stolen Generations - Pressbooks
It is estimated that there are around 5000 indigenous tribes and communities inthe world today, that speak around 4000 languages. Indigenous peoples have their ownculture, usually their own language, a specific societal system and very often a strongrelationship with their land and their natural environment. The structure of their societyis based on ancestral traditions and values. Even if they are spread across differentcontinents, many of these communities face similar problems in their respectivecountries. They often lack political... READ MORE
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Intergovernmental Nuclear Fuel Banks:
Reexamined As it stands, the effectiveness of the nuclear non-proliferation regime is no longer as sturdy as itonce was. Russia’s departure from the plutonium disposal treaty, re-ratified in 2009, ushers in anew era of nuclear uncertainty. Not only do the existing obstacles against nuclear proliferationcontinue to grow, but world leaders also seem less willing to move forward with pre-existingefforts. The elections of... READ MORE The Impact of Brexit in the European Union and Pakistan
The Brexit – the blend of two words, “Britain” and “exit” – refers to the referendumof the 23 June 2016 in the United Kingdom – where the people decided to leave theEuropean Union (EU). On that day more than 30 million people of the UnitedKingdom voted. The 51.9% crossed the option of “leave” on the voting paper,against the 48.1% – who voted... READ MORE |
According to the World Food Programme, it is due to internal conflict that Yemen has experienced extreme rates of food insecurity, “the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.” Not only is there a lack of food internally but when food is available, it lacks nutritious value, leaving many citizens to survive solely off of oil, bread, and sugar. Although it is positioned on the Gulf of Adenand the Red Sea, Yemen has a largely arid climate which leaves the ability to grow sustainable agriculture very difficult. With an ongoing humanitarian crisis, civil war,and extreme rates of poverty, combating food insecurity in the coming years will be vital for the future of Yemen. This paper looks at the options that would lead to a sustainable future in Yemen, where sustainable agricultural practices could be... READ MORE
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Solutions and Social Movements for Childhood Obesity in America
Childhood obesity, the disease of reaching the 95th percentile in Body Mass Index,according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, is both an issue on the domestic scaleas well as on a global scale. It is a social problem, created through means of institutions, corporate power, radical historical changes within the food movement and the transformation to a moreconvenient lifestyle. The Institute of Medicine reports that childhood obesity roots from large scale structuralenvironmental problems, rather than poor decisions by individuals. READ MORE 
Bastille Day is the common English name given to the National French Day, or “Fête nationale”. Celebrated every 14th of July and also regularly called “le 14 juillet” in French, Bastille Day is a national holiday in France. It refers to the... READ MORE
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While some Americans celebrated the Fourth of July yesterday with large BBQs and fireworks, a vast number of American expats celebrated Independence Day in the adopted countries abroad. Here’s a quick roundup of how some Americans felt about their country this year and how they celebrated their holiday. READ MORE
"La Mujer Nueva": entre calle y casa: Ideological Conceptions on the Gendered Division of Labour in Socialist Cuba
When looking at statistics and reports by national as well as non-governmental organizations Cuba does fairly well compared to other countries in the Latin American and Caribbean region regarding social rights and gender equality. According to the United... READ MORE |
Venezuela, currently faces a good amount of governmental corruption, because Maduro, who took place of Chavez in 2013, also controls a very repressive government. For instance, while Chavez was elected in 1999, in 2004 he was beat out by the opposing party and he convinced the legislature to grant him 18 more months, making him a virtual dictator. The fact he was initially elected shows there was a voice from the people, but in 2004 this was not case, Chavez was not reelected. The people of Venezuela either align with the Unified Socialist Party with Maduro or they oppose him. READ MORE
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It's hard being black, admitted Taylor Johnson, 22, as she contemplated the question of race in Berlin versus the United States. Recipient of the Congress-Bundestag Exchange for Young Professionals, Johnson spent most of 2015 living, studying and working in Berlin. Although she tries not to make race a part of her daily life, Johnson acknowledges that, "people don't understand, when you're black, race plays a role in every... READ MORE
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In continuing with our theme of breaking down stereotypes, we interviewed Ahmed Hussein, an International Relations student from Khartoum, Sudan. Ahmed spent his childhood traveling back and forth between homes in Sudan and Germany, so he offers a unique perspective on Sudan. With us, he discusses the current situation in Sudan, Sudanese stereotypes, his identity, and the future role he hopes to play. READ MORE
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Into Your Hands Africa
Across the African continent there are thousands of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), who aim to promote and increase the living standards of community members. Some NGO’s focus solely on education, whereas others focus on making clean water readily available to local communities. READ MORE Bernie Sanders Comes to Berlin
The Freie Universität Berlin, with Ullstein Verlag and newspaper, Die Zeit, organized the German book presentation of Bernie Sanders’ “Our Revolution: A Future to Believe in.” Though the purpose of this event was to focus on his book release, Senator Bernie Sanders, to the pleasure of the crowd, took to the stage and opened by explaining “what the hell is going on in the United States.” READ MORE |
Trump's First Trip Abroad
For the first time as president, Donald Trump set out on a nine-day trip to the Middle East and Europe. Beforehand, Trump had hosted several foreign leaders at the White House. Nevertheless, this was his first time leaving the United States as President. During this trip, Trump met with leaders of the world’s three primary monolithic religions. READ MORE Trump's Triumphs
United States President Donald J. Trump has been in office for nearly five months. During this time, Trump’s activity has dominated the media. After having reviewed such coverage, I have pinpointed what I believe to be his greatest accomplishments, or “Trump’s Triumphs.” Please have a read and be sure to leave any comments or questions below. READ MORE |
Ten Things to Learn from the French Election
On Sunday night, the Europe Union sighed a breath of relief at the results of the French general election. In a shocking result, the first independent party candidate, Emmanuel Macron, swept 66% of the votes - leaving populist and far-right candidate, Marine Le Pen with only 34%. Though Macron was ahead in the polls in the days leading up the election, many voters were still skeptical. Was this yet another election to have an unexpected outcome and thereby, further impact the global political scene? If Le Pen had won the vote, the pressing question today would be: How much longer would the European Union and consequently, the Euro, exist? However, the focus is now on inclusivity and a stronger European Union -both politically and economically. READ MORE |
PC: News Junkie Post
Donald Trump’s presidential victory of the United States will fuel the extremist groups ofIslam, such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The president elect campaigned on a platform to rid Muslims from the United States; there have been claims to register Muslims andto put extreme barriers into entering the United States. READ MORE
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European Unity on Migrational Policy and Security
Around the world the European Union (EU) is recognized as an institution that promotesdemocracy, a growing economy and means to a stable and secure life. Since the end of WorldWar II Europeans came together to support fiscal growth and to establish closer ties across borders while still recognizing and allowing the integrity of each single... READ MORE Slave Reparations Analysis
This proposal outlines how reparations if made through the form of investments inmodern society are able to be paired with cultural diplomacy to create substantial outcomes in oppressed communities, both historically and today. READ MORE |
PC: accordinternational.org
Today, hundreds of millions of girls have to udnergo female genital mutilation (FGM) each year. One could ask himself: how is that still possible? Female genital mutilation is widely considered a violation of human rights, but it is also part of a specific culture, often limited to a country or community. What then prevails? And why would we interfere in someone else's cultural habits? READ MORE
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Afghanistan: A Call for thr Protection of Women's Rights
Afghanistan has been labeled as "the worst place in the world to be a woman" (The Guardian Online). Factors attributed to this title include "targeted violence against female public officials, dismal healthcare, and desperate poverty." READ MORE Ethnic Division in Bosnia-Herzegovina
Rich in complexity and ethnically divided beyond what a peace treaty can simplyfix, Bosnia Herzegovina is, to many, the fundamental case study of Europe’s periphery. Political breaches and economic disparities combine to create a melting pot where unemployment, by some estimates, reaches... READ MORE |
 PC: Fair Observer
Organized crime, a business that is said to be 1.5% of the total global GDP, has become an aspect of our society that is often overlooked because crime groups are so interwoven in so many different aspects. The roots of organized crime groups date back centuries, however, their influence and economic control continues to play a significant role in the global... READ MORE
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