The UK response to the “refugee crisis” is theoretically sound but practically counterproductive

The UK Conservative government has a strategy for tackling the current “refugee crisis” that is theoretically convincing but practically contradictory. The strategy consists of letting as few refugees onto UK soil as it can...
by Gustav Isherwood
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Gay Marriage: A Thorn in the Side of the Conservative Party?

Since becoming the Leader of the Conservative Party in 2005, David Cameron has gone to great lengths to leave the ‘nasty party’ reputation behind. As part of his plan to make the Tories more socially liberal, the coalition ...
by Tom Danaher
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International Political Forum

The Farcical Elections In Syria: Political Theater Amidst Chaos

For the past 3 years, Syria has been immersed in a bloody and complex civil war that has claimed the lives of over 150,000 people. Millions more have been displaced, and it is unlikely that they will be returning home anytime s...
by John Haltiwanger
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In Japan, Dancing in the Wrong Place at the Wrong Time Can Get You in Trouble.

Japanese law requires that public venues be licensed to permit dancing. Clubs and dance halls that are unlicensed can be – and are often – raided by the police. The Entertainment Business Act [ja] (“Fueiho” in Japanes...
by Keiko Tanaka
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Pragmatic Politics And The Debate Over Torture

In international law there are two absolute forbidden acts: genocide, and torture. However, the way academia approaches the two issues is strikingly different. Genocide is taught as an absolute wrong: that it is an act of ultim...
by James Hopkins
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International Political Forum

Why Can’t Madagascar Settle on an Election Date?

Four years since a military takeover plunged the country into political crisis in 2009, Madagascar cannot seem to find a way out. One of the critical steps in the consensus road map [fr], an agreement signed by the head ...
by Lova Rakotomalala
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International Political Forum

Crooks, Thieves, & the Independent Mayors Who Run Russia

The mayor of Yaroslavl and several of his colleagues will spend the next two months behind bars on extortion charges. Evgeny Urlashov, a former United Russia member who ran as an opposition-friendly independent, won the mayorâ€...
by Global Voices
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You Better Work, Kids

If you asked anyone in the developed world about what they thought about child labour, the answer would be an almost universal condemnation. Yet, what if your country was so impoverished that parents sending their children to w...
by Naomi Hanna
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International Political Forum

Indian Politicians Are At The Heart Of The Country’s Misogyny Epidemic

Recently George Osborne visited India on a mission to encourage further trade links. There was much talk of the economic potential of India, to match the weight of expectation the Indian people have placed on Narenda Modi’s n...
by Lucy Ratcliffe
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