Tag: Israel

The Islamic Republic of Iran and Western Empire: The 80 Year Obsession Over Oil and Regime Change

At 9:45am IRST on 28 February, Iranians starting their workday were met with US-Israeli attacks, targeting key civil and military infrastructure. A history of Western aggression, sanctions, and regime change make this chapter in Iran’s history no surprise; however, with the US-led decline of the rules-based order, and a far more concerted effort by Iran to threaten the global oil trade, it remains to be seen how the world will rear from the newest iteration of an 80 year long rivalry between Iran and Western ambitions. … Continue readingThe Islamic Republic of Iran and Western Empire: The 80 Year Obsession Over Oil and Regime Change

Burning books, bombing campuses: the logic of intellectual destruction

Across time and across continents, powerful states and regimes have suppressed and extracted knowledge to maintain control. Whether through the destruction of universities, the silencing of dissenting scholars, or the recruitment of talent from less resourced nations, these strategies have shaped global power structures for centuries. … Continue readingBurning books, bombing campuses: the logic of intellectual destruction

Protector or puppeteer: Israel’s weaponisation of sects and sovereignty in Syria

After 13 brutal years of war, the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December, following a flash offensive by Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS), a breakaway faction of Al Qaeda, felt like a long-awaited victory for many Syrians.

The authoritarian state that had ruled through fear, censorship, and brutality had finally fallen. Relief bloomed, and along with it, hope for a new beginning, not dictated by differences but by unity. But, that moment of relief was short-lived. … Continue readingProtector or puppeteer: Israel’s weaponisation of sects and sovereignty in Syria

Living Through History: How the Middle East is Being Reshaped in 2025

The Middle East has long been a geopolitical hotbed – a land of shifting alliances, ancient rivalries, and religious divisions, where empires have risen and fallen, leaving behind a legacy of both culture and conflict.

But in recent years, something remarkable has begun to unfold: historic changes that are quietly, yet significantly, reshaping the region and its alliances. Understanding these changes is critical, because the future of the Middle East could look very different from its past. On a grander level, this can impact the global landscape. … Continue readingLiving Through History: How the Middle East is Being Reshaped in 2025

Lights, Camera, Action: Celebrity Political Power in International Affairs 

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 

Posted on by Vy Tran

Unravelling the Complexities: Understanding the Current Israel-Palestine Conflict

Conflict has broken out across the Gaza strip after a coordinated assault via land, sea, and air by terrorist organisation Hamas on Saturday. The Israeli government has “declared war” in response to the attack, which has seen over a thousand civilians killed and counting. While … Continue readingUnravelling the Complexities: Understanding the Current Israel-Palestine Conflict

IT ALL STARTED WITH AN ARTICHOKE: THE ITALIAN-ISRAELI ARTICHOKE WAR

With sectarian violence, nuclear proliferation and nationalism currently the focus of the international news cycle, the economic and cultural partnerships of states well beyond our borders are not often addressed. This is evident with the intricate and perplexing dimensions of Italian-Israeli relations. Yet, from the … Continue readingIT ALL STARTED WITH AN ARTICHOKE: THE ITALIAN-ISRAELI ARTICHOKE WAR