Imagine lazing on a beach on an island in the South Pacific — the temperature is always 80 degrees, the water always perfect, a mimosa in one hand and a pair of sunglasses in the other. Life has never been better on the paradise of the Nauruan shores. This isn’t real. What won’t be noticeable […]
Tag: Australia
In the Shadows of Australia’s Citizenry
The Australian Aboriginal people were victims of terra nullius: the driving principle behind much of European colonial ventures meaning “no one’s land.” Despite their 65,000-year history in the lands of Australia, the Indigenous population faced displacement upon the arrival of unfamiliar people, culture, and languages from Europe. From a Eurocentric standpoint, the “barbaric” behavior of […]
How COVID-19 Illuminated Racism in Australia
COVID-19 took everyone by surprise, with its wildfire spread and infection rates. While not particularly deadly in and of itself, COVID-19 can worsen the effects of preexisting conditions and cause complications that lead to death. Around the world, indigenous communities lacked the resources to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to their communities. The disparities caused […]
What does AUKUS mean for future geopolitics?
On September 15th, 2021, US President Biden, Australian Prime Minister Morrison and UK Prime Minister Johnson announced the finalization of a new Indo-Pacific security deal, dubbed AUKUS. At first glance, AUKUS looks like a mutually beneficial agreement. It allows for a greater sharing of intelligence from the United States and the United Kingdom to Australia, […]
Australian #MeToo Movement in full force: Sexual abuse survivors protest from the streets of Canberra to the halls of Parliament
Trigger Warning: This article mentions details about sexual assault, harassment, violence and rape. In early March 2021, Australian Attorney General Christian Porter announced that he would be taking “a short period of leave” since being accused of raping a 16-year old girl in 1988, despite denying the allegation. Recently, current and former female employees […]
The Stolen People: Australia’s Aboriginals
“They take your young from you and you have so many taken, you are not whole,” says Helen Eason, an indigenous Australian woman. The Stolen Generations, only brought to a halt in the 1970s, remains a traumatic and salient black mark on Australia’s history. As part of the government’s Child Removal Policy, Helen Eason had […]
Manus Island and Australia’s Complex Relationship with Humanitarianism
On July 23, 2013, Kurdish journalist and now refugee Behrouz Boochani arrived in Australia via broken-down boat after two months of travel, accompanied by 65 other refugees fleeing Iran. Boochani was leaving his home country to avoid impending arrest and imprisonment for his politically inflammatory writing, and hoped to find in Australia a new home […]
Stuck in Limbo: Asylum Seekers in Nauru Unsure of Their Fate Under President Trump
Nauru, the world’s smallest republic which lies about 1800 miles off the coast of Australia, has recently been in the spotlight because of President Donald Trump’s and Australian Prime Minister’s Malcolm Turnbull’s well-publicized phone call. The week after Trump issued his executive order, which banned travel by non-citizens from 7 Muslim majority countries and all […]
The Trans-Pacific Partnership and Fast Track Authority: What’s the Big Deal?
A cornerstone of President Obama’s trade agenda has created a rift between his administration and his Democratic base, who have joined with Tea Party Republicans in an unusual marriage of convenience. The legislation in question, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), is a colossal proposed trade agreement that involves twelve countries, including Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, and […]