Since its introduction in the mid-1950s, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has nothing but gained momentum in development, rapidly becoming a tool that permeates our lives and must be reckoned with. … Continue readingARTIFICIAL IS THE NEW REALITY: HOW AI IS CHANGING ELECTIONS IN 2024
With increasing female representation in positions of power across the world, some scholars are now pointing to a more feminist future. However, the rise of the far-right movement and the prominence of female political actors within these spaces paints a different, much more complex, picture. … Continue readingAre women empowered, or just in power: Politics, ‘Choice’ Feminism and the Far-Right
When considering influential actors and where global power is concentrated in the international space, examples of heads of state, major multilateral organisations come to mind. This concentration of power makes it challenging to conceive how a a singer-songwriter turned global pop superstar could substantially steer developments in international affairs. … Continue readingPower, Politics and the Pop Princess
World leaders spend their political lives at a perpetual crossroad.
Stuck between fervent, varied interpretations of the past and the crushing imminence of competing priorities, the enduring question asked of our politicians is what to do next.
Leaders proverbially climb Mount Everest each and every day. Concocting, balancing, convincing. … Continue readingGuest Article – The Fight to Stay in the Show
From the recent success of Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ to Putin’s threats of all out nuclear war, there has been a fevered reinvigoration of interest in nuclear weapons and the likelihood of WW3. This article will explore both the past and present of nuclear power, to judge truly just how close we are to midnight. … Continue reading21st Century Oppenheimer: The History and Future of Nuclear Weapons and the Fight to Turn Back the Clock on Doomsday.
2020 witnessed celebrities donating to relief services in the wake of devastating bushfires in Australia, with advocacy on social media to escalate climate change policies and action.
Between 2020-2022, black squares posted by world renown music artists swarmed social media platform Instagram for #BlackOutTuesday, in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, a social movement combating institutional racism and police brutality against the Black community.
The 2024 Oscars hosted numerous celebrities who were seen wearing red ceasefire pins to draw attention to ceasefire demands in Palestine, at the most prestigious award ceremony for cinematic achievements, bringing the current conflict into this acclaimed Hollywood space. … Continue readingLights, Camera, Action: Celebrity Political Power in International Affairs
In April 2022, the People’s Republic of China and the Solomon Islands signed a security pact that sparked a widespread response from the West. This pact entailed boosting the national security capacity of the Solomon islands via access to Chinese police, armed forces, military personnel … Continue readingCHINA IN THE PACIFIC: MAKING NEW FRIENDS
“Over the past two years, natural gas prices have more than doubled. Those of us who use gas every day, such as for cooking and heating our homes, have seen enormous cost increases but many are unsure why. So what has happened? Everything.”
Monique Westcott addresses this burning question. … Continue readingSurging Prices: The Reasons behind Increasing Global Gas Prices
On a single day in 1965, an Indonesian coup rapidly turned into a full-frontal massacre, resulting in an estimated 500,000 to three million deaths. Although the September 30th Movement, as it later became known, was an event of incredible brutality, many parts of this story have regrettably not been told. The atrocities committed as a result of this coup have been largely concealed — unfortunately swept beneath Indonesian and foreign governments’ carpets, for purely economic and strategic aims.
Monique Westcott delves into the history of one of Indonesia’s darkest periods, and the Western interference that helped precipitated it. … Continue readingIndonesia: Swept under the Carpet
As we enter another year, it is imperative that we reflect on previous significant events in order to anticipate what the coming twelve months may bring. While much of 2021 has been overshadowed by COVID-19, the emergence of the Delta and Omicron variants, and the rollout of various vaccines, significant geopolitical rumblings have brewed and will continue to rumble well into 2022. The following issues may define the upcoming year in international affairs and even have impacts into 2023 and beyond.
… Continue reading2021 – THE SEQUEL | WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2022