In recent years, the Brazilian political environment has been dominated by disputes and scandals, with one person continuously occupying the center of attention: the former president, Jair Bolsonaro. The charismatic and incredibly persuasive right-wing leader who once vowed to clean up Brazilian politics is now entangled in corruption allegations. After being elected in 2019, Jair Bolsonaro was seen as a ray of hope for many Brazilians; his sharp and poignant critique against the ruling Workers’ Party appealed to a population tired of the apparent never-ending cycle of corruption. For a moment ..read more

Ever since Luis Inacio da Silva was elected the 39th Brazilian president, the supporters of former president Bolsonaro have made clear their discontent through continuous demonstration dating from December 10th, 2022. On January 8th, these protests were reinforced by around a hundred buses that brought yet another four thousand protesters to Brasilia. The Military Police formed blockages to try and contain them, but to no avail. The protesters, armed with mere wood sticks and rocks, were able to overcome the blockades of the MP and marched onto the Three Powers Plaza where the Planalto Pa ..read more

One of the major effects of 9/11 was the rise of Islamophobia and racially motivated animus toward those from the Middle East and South Asia. Despite the lack of obvious correlation, rising xenophobia has played a major role in nuclear politics. Today, nine countries possess nuclear power: the United States, Russia, France, China, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, India, Israel, and North Korea. When dealing with any of these countries or their close allies, it is clear that the possibility of nuclear retaliation is on the table. The rise of Islamophobia and xenophobia in the Western world has a d ..read more

On Sunday October 31st, Lula was declared the next president of Brazil with more than 60 million votes, thus leaving – finally – the Bolsonarista kingdom behind (2). Being the president of Brazil in 2003, Lula established a hegemony of the Brazilian labor party (Workers’ Party of Brazil) back then. The question now is: will Lula be a better president? And will the people of Brazil be free from Bolsonaro and his ideals? Lula’s victory was already anticipated by many national and international press agencies, reflecting Brazilians’ yearning for change in the government. Since his victory in the ..read more

Where Neoliberalism, Immigration and Futuristic Art Intersect – How Sleep Dealer and Exit West portray the exploitative reality of the Neoliberal economy. Sleep Dealer and Exit West beautifully imagine a borderless, distance-free future. Both pieces of literature introduce hyper technological and almost magical worlds, which are undeniably in close proximity to the Neoliberal reality experienced in the world today. Through Futuristic art, the creators of Sleep Dealer and Exit West expose and condemn the outcomes of Neoliberal systems.  Sleep Dealer is a film centered around Memo Cruz, a M ..read more

Sharī’a is the central religious concept in Islam. It literally means the ‘’path that leads to watering.’’ Religious law is the expression of God’s commands for Muslims. Every believer must follow certain duties, and, in fact, sharī’a allows the believer to derive divine favor in the world. It defines the relationship of man with fellow human beings and with God, while the thinking and and the behavior of people regulated by Islamic law. The fundamental principles of a believer found in the legal tradition الصلا ة are prayer, الز كا ة almsgiving, الصؤ م fasting and الحج pilgrimage. sharī’a eth ..read more

Amy Wax is a controversial figure. When you hear her name, what thoughts or images come to mind? Maybe, racist, xenophobic, or anything else with a negatively connotated -phobia or -ism attached. Or perhaps like those who have donated over $160,000 to her legal defense fund, you think she’s brave and in the green. In any event,her impending case against Penn, with its nuances and complexities ultimately presents her as the poster child for academic privilege.  There are some who celebrate her bravery against the “woke” progressivism she mercilessly bashes, and others who declare her state ..read more

The media and countless think-tanks in the United States and Germany alike have been considering the best possible course through which the countries should repair ties. The discourse usually revolves around how Russia and China, agreement on trade rules, and a shared desire to mend the liberal order could help the two heal their fraught relationship. This speculation is highly reasonable, especially with the considerable possibility of a coalition between the center-right CDU and left-leaning Greens, as the latter of which has a more pro-American and hawkish China policy (quite a difference f ..read more

“Early in 2019, a year before the world shut its borders completely, Jorge A. knew he had to get out of Guatemala. The land was turning against him. For five years, it almost never rained. Then it did rain, and Jorge rushed his last seeds into the ground. The corn sprouted into healthy green stalks, and there was hope — until, without warning, the river flooded. Jorge waded chest-deep into his fields searching in vain for cobs he could still eat. Soon he made a last desperate bet, signing away the tin-roof hut where he lived with his wife and three children against a $1,500 advance in okra se ..read more

Oct 2021 Interview with Abdalaziz Alhumza, Oct 2021 I saw you studied biochemistry at university, so I was wondering how you got interested in journalism and citizen journalism in Syria and how that became a movement of younger college aged people in general.  I was forced by my parents to do biochemistry, but I would say I wasn’t interested in journalism. I didn’t think about journalism at all, but [I started journalism] because of the situation, when the protests started in Syria, with the Arab spring, and the way authoritarian governments control the media. When the protests were all o ..read more