Clandestine Jewish Purim and Carnaval celebrations in Israel and Brazil, and the relevancy of the cultural celebration of Day of the Dead.
Posted inFeatured
Big and Bittersweet Changes in Store for 2023
The new year is upon us, bringing with it opportunities for reflection, gratitude, and of course – change. Here at Spheres of Influence, we are kicking off 2023 with some big, exciting, and also bittersweet changes. First, I will be stepping down as executive director. This was an incredibly difficult decision, as the last two […]
Posted inNarrative
Navigating Daily Life: A Brief & Effective Guide to Seeing a Specialist
This article continues the story of “One Woman’s Experience Navigating Disability, Doctors, and Disappointment,” focusing on communication barriers in patient-physician interactions and relationships.
Posted inAnalysis
COP27’s ‘Loss and Damage’ Agreement – Better than Nothing?
After two weeks of challenging negotiations in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, this year’s annual UN Climate conference, COP27, has concluded. Its outcome: bleak. Following last year’s COP26 in Glasgow, many hoped this would be the year in which ideas centered around justice would produce the solutions needed to combat climate change. Unfortunately, many of the COP27 […]
Posted inNews
Concerns over Greenwashing and Gentrification Surround Upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics
Despite progressive promises, local residents and activists worry that the Paris Olympics will cause more harm than good.
Posted inNews
The Civil Resistance Against Foreign Military Intervention in Haiti
Widespread demonstrations against Western military intervention have erupted across Haiti for a Haitian-led solution to the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
Posted inExplainer
COP27: Where We’ve Come from and Where We’re Going
For three decades, the United Nations has demonstrated its commitment to climate change action in the form of an annual meeting called the Conference of Parties, or COP. This November 6-18, almost 200 countries are convening in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt to negotiate consequential decisions on climate commitments. Since the first UN COP in 1992, […]
Posted inOpinion
Misinformation and Misunderstandings in the American Discourse on Policing
After examining the general confusion over what ‘defunding the police’ would actually look like and other countries’ solutions to crime, it becomes clear that the United States continues to have a problematic tendency to solve its problems with violence.
Posted inClimate Change and Conflict
The Arctic Trade War and the Environmental Fallout in Canada’s North
The climate crisis will make the Arctic more accessible to economic development, but at what cost to locals, the environment, and global geopolitics?
Posted inClimate Change and Conflict
Why Has Canada’s Policy on Disastrous Mining Operations in Latin America Not Changed?
Despite Trudeau’s promises to regulate Canadian coal mining in Latin America, human rights violations continue due to profit, lobbying, and apathy.
Posted inClimate Change and Conflict
An Ongoing Genocide: How Brazil is Fuelling Climate Change and Violence Against Indigenous Communities
A deep dive into how Bolsonaro’s policies exacerbate climate change and attempt to eradicate Indigenous peoples from the Amazon.
Posted inUnderreported
The Mekong River: Where Renewable Energy Threatens Southeast Asia’s Environment and Diplomacy
The Mekong River in Southeast Asia has been an important river for multiple countries, but it is now threatened by the numerous dams built without much international coordination.
Posted inFilm review
How a 1987 Box-Office Failure Challenges Hollywood’s Depiction of History Today
As biopics become increasingly popular, a lesser-known 1987 satire of the genre serves as a cautionary tale against nostalgia and historical figure worship.
Posted inExplainer
The Attack on Substantive Due Process: Roe v. Wade and Beyond
The overturning of Roe v. Wade by the United States Supreme Court has stripped rights held for nearly half a century and raises concerns about the new, conservative makeup of the Court. The landmark 1973 case established access to abortion as a federal right, stating overreaching state restrictions were unconstitutional. However, the 2022 Dobbs v. […]
Posted inEvent
Workshop: Mental Health in Journalism (September 10, 2022)
Sat, September 10, 2022 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM PDT On September 10th, Spheres Of Influence is hosting an online workshop on mental health in journalism, another widely overlooked and underreported issue in the field. The workshop will feature Dr. Saranaz Barforoush, a journalist and an assistant professor of teaching at UBC School of Journalism, […]
Posted inUnderreported
The United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Has Been, and Always Will Be, Impotent
After 22 years, the UN mission in the DRC has clearly failed to protect Congolese civilians and build the safe and peaceful environment they had hoped for.
Posted inNews
Rojava’s Last Stand: How the International Community failed a Burgeoning Democracy
Once backed by US troops in the Syrian Civil War, Rojava could now find itself surrounded by two hostile state militaries – a consequence of the International Community appeasing dictatorships over democracies.
Posted inColonial Legacies
The Hawaii Water Crisis: How the U.S. Military and Tourism Industry Exploits Hawaiian Water Sources
With the U.S. military and an overcapacity tourism industry exploiting water reserves, Hawaii is now facing a water crisis that disproportionately affects Indigenous and local communities.
Posted inOpinion
How Colombia’s New Leftist President Can Reset Relations with Canada and the United States
Colombia just elected its first-ever leftist President. Many assume this will lead to a break down in relations with the US and Canada. Instead, it offers a new progressive path for the three countries to set a global diplomatic precedent.
Posted inAnalysis
West Virginia v. EPA Spells Trouble for U.S. Leadership on Climate Change Action
This article examines the implications of the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling on West Virginia v. EPA and questions the ability of the U.S. to lead domestic and international climate action.
Posted inFeature
Twelve New Staff Writers Coming in Hot!
This summer, Spheres of Influence has been honoured to welcome 12 new volunteer staff writers. Coming from diverse academic, professional, and cultural backgrounds, these new numbers bring unique perspectives on a number of pressing, underreported issues – ranging from the US-China trade war to the politics of Indian cinema to the legacy of queer history […]