“I voted … I’m so happy … I’ve voted for the ANC, is that OK?” One woman, who had just cast her first vote in South Africa’s first democratic elections, asked Elizabeth Sidiropoulos, now the Chief Executive of the South African Institute of International Affairs, this question. This fundamental premise for the people to freely […]
Tag: international
Homeland: Life in the Disputed West Bank
Israeli-Arab diplomatic breakthroughs mean little for West Bank residents August 2020 —A crowd of hundreds marches towards the outskirts of the Palestinian town of Turmus’ayya. They are headed in the direction of an Israeli military checkpoint, located just 500 meters from the edge of their town. The goal of the Palestinian marchers: to pray on […]
Modern Day Indentured Servitude
Lakshmi Senthilnathan has spent most of her adult life working in the country of Oman as the sole breadwinner of her family. While telling her story, she breezes past several accounts of physical and sexual abuse, claiming they are not out of the ordinary. Lakshmi persuades the interviewer that she was fortunate, for some of […]
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 […]