The actions taken against the Uyghurs fulfill the criteria for genocide. So why are states hesitant to call it such?
Posted inThe Big Picture
How Lebanon Managed COVID-19 Amid Economic Turmoil
As of 2019, Lebanon began facing their worst economic collapse to date. This led the country to completely mismanaging COVID-19.
Posted inUncategorized
Hawai’i & the Politics of Escapism in COVID-19 Era
Pandemic-fatigued Americans are fleeing to Hawai’i, putting locals at risk and adding to the complicated relationship between the Hawaiian tourism industry and colonialism.
Posted inUncategorized
Unpacking Sri Lanka’s Burqa Ban
The Sri Lankan government has proposed a ban on the burqa and a shutdown of over 1000 Islamic schools across the country. This is the latest in a series of human rights violations against Sri Lankan Muslims.
Posted inOpinion
The UK Must Reckon with the Royal Family’s Colonial Legacies
In light of allegations of racism against the royal family, the UK must face its colonial history and question the role of the Monarchy to begin addressing systemic racism.
Posted inThe Big Picture
BP vs. Exxon: Oil Majors in the Age of Climate Change
Oil companies have come under intense pressure to shift their business models away from fossil fuel extraction to limit damage done to the climate. Two of the largest, BP and Exxon, have responded in significantly different ways.
Posted inAnalysis
Breaking Down Ecocide: Should Killing the Earth be an International Crime?
Climate change has long been a global issue that is continually worsening. Lawyers and activists alike are looking to add ecocide to the list of international crimes in the hopes of having legal protection for the Earth in coming years.
Posted inOpinion
Keystone XL Cancellation Reveals Canada’s Failure to Support a Sustainable Transition
Biden’s cancellation of the Keystone XL Pipeline reveals the failure of the Trudeau government to ease Canada into a more sustainable economy that prioritizes Indigenous communities and energy workers.
Posted inEvent
EVENT RECAP: Censorship and Silence: A Conversation on the Uyghurs
Disclaimer: While the panelists mostly mentioned the Uyghur people by name, they as well as Spheres of Influence and UBC International Relations Students Association recognize the oppression of other minorities in the region, including the Kazakh, Kygyz, and Hui, among others. On March 24th, 2021, Spheres of Influence and the UBC International Relations Student Association […]
Posted inOpinion
Biden’s Letdown of Progressives: The Need for a Post-Trump Politics
The first two months of Joe Biden’s administration have been a rebuke to progressive aspirations as the spectre of Trump still looms over the American political landscape.
Posted inThe Big Picture
The Impact of COVID-19 on National Cultural Traditions
Clandestine Jewish Purim and Carnaval celebrations in Israel and Brazil, and the relevancy of the cultural celebration of Day of the Dead.
Posted inThe Big Picture
Stateless People and the Impacts of COVID-19
Stateless people have been some of the most vulnerable groups when it comes to accessing health services, especially as a result of the pandemic. In response, the UNHCR has issued certain recommendations.
Posted inOpinion
Will China’s Economic Intimidation of Australia Backfire?
China and Australia are engaged in a trade war over Australia’s calls for an inquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. While acting overtly, China’s position may be more vulnerable than may first appear.
Posted inSpotlight
Facebook and Illegal Land Sales in the Amazon
Facebook declines to take action as the BBC reports that plots of Indigenous land in the Amazon are being sold on the site.
Posted inUnderreported
Addressing Human Trafficking in Mali
To address human trafficking in Mali, the government, NGOs, and the international community need to work together to create a comprehensive and sustainable solution that address underlying economic grievances.
Posted inOpinion
Canada Labels the Proud Boys ‘Terrorists’ – is it Enough?
Canada has been applauded for labelling the right-wing group the Proud Boys as a terrorist organization. A bold move, and arguably an important one, but hardly sufficient. The issue of extremist right-wing and white supremacist groups in Canada is not new nor is the Proud Boys an isolated anomaly. Its shameful existence is the result […]
Posted inAnalysis
Vaccine Hesitancy Rooted in Systemic Racism Requires Systemic Solutions
Rates of vaccine hesitancy among Black and Indigenous communities are in part due to centuries of systemic racism within the medical field, and thus require systemic solutions that prevail beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
Posted inUnderreported
Kidnappings in Nigeria: A Reactive vs. Proactive Government Response
The Nigerian government needs to take proactive measures to increase the security and socioeconomic status of the country to properly address high rates of kidnapping.
Posted inAnalysis
Decriminalization in Vancouver: A Potential Turning Point in the Opioid Crisis
For years, Vancouver has been seen as an epicentre of Canada’s opioid crisis. Decriminalization is now on the table and change is imminent, yet many local advocates wonder if this will be enough.
Posted inThe Big Picture
Anti-Asian Racism in the COVID Era: Unpacking the Underlying Causes
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a surge in anti-Asian racism in the U.S which has taken place in the context of long-standing Sinophobia in American history, media, and culture.