FIFA: the Human Rights Bubble Refusing to Implode
Football is the most popular sport in the world. Billions play, watch, and devote parts of their life to the sport. This article explores how FIFA has allowed itself to benefit from human rights abuses, tainting the sport as a whole. It hopes to spark some sort of self-reflection in the everyday fan or at least reveal the extent of the problem. Football might represent the height of sporting entertainment, but it comes with a global human cost.
The Least Favoured Nation: BREXIT and the WTOâs Most Favoured Nation Principle
With BREXIT on the horizon for the UK, the trade realities of the decision are beginning to materialise. Under WTO law, the UK should face no discrimination under the Most Favoured Nation Principle. However, the reality shows a very different picture.
The Difficulties of Translation: From Grammatical Errors to Donald Trump
The global market for languages service is booming and translation plays an important part in our daily lives. A life without translations seems impossible. In an increasingly globalised world, everyone who is confronted with translated material has to consider the work that goes into translating and how a wrong translation can have wide reaching consequences.
BREXIT For British Lawyers: A Finely Presented Opportunity Or Poisoned Chalice?
BREXIT provides legal uncertainty which means clients are flocking to lawyers. However, will BREXIT ultimately be an opportunity for British lawyers or are there long term implications which threaten legal London?
Meritocracy Kills Creativity and Breeds Populism
Recent years have seen disillusioned voters move away from moderate standpoints towards populist parties on both the left and the right of the political spectrum. Populismâs rise can be linked to the mental separation of âestablished elitesâ for whom the system caters to, and the âordinary peopleâ, who are left behind.
Defacement, toppling and social activism: why are statues so important to us?
In November, the first and long-overdue statue celebrating famous feminist philosopher and educator, Mary Wollstonecraft, was unveiled in London, instantly sparking outrage and a massive social media backlash.
The EUâs Failure In Times of Corona: How a Healthcare Crisis Exposed EUâs Deeper Problems
When COVID-19 first hit, the EU failed to cooperate their measures and each nation focused on its population and protection. Can an organisation that is not united prevail on the stage of world politics?
Charles Henry Turner and the Bias in Academia
Is higher education free of institutional racism? The case of C. H. Turner, a 19th century African American scientist, might answer this question.
The Crossroad between Abortion Law and Womenâs Rights
Is it possible to be an advocate for womenâs rights and for the delegalisation of abortion, or are they simply two sides of the same coin?
Early Vote â All Votes Count
Elections are the most vital moment for a democracy. Every single vote of every single elector counts.
There Is No Fraud in the US Presidential Election
After a gruelling week of unbearable waiting, we can be fairly certain that the next president of the United States will be Joe Biden.
An Election Decided Behind Closed Doors
Place yourself two weeks into the future. The US presidential election has been and gone. Where do you think the country will be?
5 Reasons Why Biden Could Win the Election
The clock is ticking and with each hour that passes the election day is drawing nearer. This is one of the most unpredictable US elections and there is strong case to be made in Bidenâs favour.
5 Reasons Why Trump Could Win the Election
With less than a week to go until the US Presidential Election on November 3rd, it is more important than ever to take a step back from the heat of the battle and evaluate both candidates. Let’s start with Donald Trump.
Helping environmental migrants is the least we can do
By Mauragh Scott. For as long as humans have lived on the Earth, migration has been an essential part of life. It is believed that the earliest form of human migration begun around two million years ago. However, in recent years migration has become an extremely controversial issue, which is set to get even worse … More
Iran as a Showcase of the EU’s Geopolitical Struggles
By Pavel Dostalik. The opening of the new decade saw a truly roaring development â an escalation in the Middle East as a result of high-tension relations between the United States and Iran. Maintaining stability in the Middle East is of particular importance to Europeans as a disrupted region might provoke another wave of migration, … More
Time Is Running Out: Europeâs final chance to push for climate action
By Pavel Dostalik. Europeâs new raison dâĂŞtre seems to be green. In 2019, Europeans cast their ballots expressing record-high support for parties focused on fighting the climate emergency. The new European Commission made a pledge to take action and turn Europe into the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. Commission President von der Leyen unveiled the … More
A Permission To Hate?
By a guest writer. The rise of the populist, right wing parties and organisations is a phenomenon that has been experienced everywhere in the western world. From Donald Trump to Austriaâs FPĂ, and from Finlandâs very own Jussi Halla-Aho and his Finnsâ Party to Franceâs Front National and Australiaâs Pauline Hanson, the impact of these … More
Veganism on The Rise: Not a Diet, but a New Economy
By Chiara Riezzo. Only a few months into the new decade, the year 2020 has already consolidated a number of retail trends that have, over the past years, revolutionized both the global and the UK market. Amidst the Brexit uncertainty and anticipation of new global trade deals, retail in the UK keeps growing and changing … More
Brexit: What Happens Next�
By Teodor Ispas. Yes, you can stop pinching yourself now and yes Brexit has finally happened, as on the 31st of January the UK has officially left the European Union. However, those who might think that all is over and that the UK can now completely move on, would be mistaken. What follows next? While … More
What is the Iran Nuclear Deal and what could be the possible consequences of Iranâs withdrawal?
By Ema Sichmanova. Nuclear weapons remain the most dangerous armaments in the world. This threat has led to the establishment of a nuclear non-proliferation regime aimed at the prevention of an increase or distribution of nuclear weapons. The cornerstone of this regime is the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Although many criticise … More
Iran as a Showcase of the EU’s Geopolitical Struggles
The opening of the new decade saw a truly roaring development â an escalation in the Middle East as a result of high-tension relations between the United States and Iran. Maintaining stability in the Middle East is of particular importance to Europeans as a disrupted region might provoke another wave of migration, an infamously polarizing … More
âOutward-looking Europeâ needs to look inward first
By Pavel Dostalik. With the recent changes in leadership of European institutions, the European Union and its policy priorities are changing too. The incoming Commission of Ursula von der Leyen calls for âmore Europe in the worldâ and promises to enhance external actions of the Union. At the same time, the ability to turn the … More
In Yellow, We See You: My Account of Amnesty Internationalâs Scotland Activists Conference 2019
By Lucy Macdonald. On Saturday 19th October 2019, activists of all ages gathered in the centre of Glasgow for the Amnesty Internationalâs Scotland Activists Conference. It was an event to not only celebrate the work carried out by Amnesty Internationalâs high-ranking offices but also to recognise the work done by local activists this past year. … More
The Populism of Brexit
By Teodor Ispas. It is the year 2019, the UK Prime Minister has met with the European Union Commissioner to ask for a Brexit extension. No one knows or remembers what this is about or how it started. In the UK it is a celebrated Holiday. Firstly, the UK wants to leave the European Union; … More
The Freer the Market the Freer the People? The Paradox of Free Market Democracy in the 21st century
By Chiara Riezzo. According to free market proponents, the market ought to be based upon voluntary exchange and determined by the interaction between supply and demand without government intervention. In a society that wavers between technological advancements and human retrogression, they argue that the free market enables people to reach âthe ultimate freedomâ that social … More
Protecting our European Way of Life â from migration or the far-right?
By Pavel Dostalik. The European Union is entering a new phase. In May, Europeans made their voices heard in one of the worldâs biggest elections and elected a new European Parliament. This also means a new European Commission, the legislative body of the Union, which will be responsible for much of the impending changes in … More
BRAZIL OIL SPILL: Hashtag Activism
By Ravneet Kahlon. Social Media to Social Impact⌠Social media has been hailed a revolution in activism. With its far-reaching platform, it engages with people from all walks of life and unites people from opposite ends of the world. It encourages public scrutiny and transparent governance as well as improving civic participation and engagement throughout … More
What the Amazon Fires Mean
By Mauragh Scott. On the week beginning the 19th of August, international media was ignited with the news that the Amazon rainforest was on fire. Smoke from these fires caused the skies of Sao Paulo, 3000km away from the source of the fire, to darken. This story, one of the many which came out of … More
The Captivating Narrative of Populism in the Tale of the XXI Century
By Julia BÄ k. The story of populism is not a new one although it has seen a surge of popularity in modern societies around the world, as figures like Donald Trump (USA), Marine LePen (France) or JarosĹaw KaczyĹski (Poland) appear on the political scene. The term populism itself is known to be ambiguous and hard … More
The Trade Game
By Teodor Ispas. Are we on the brink of a global recession? Many recent economic signs do point towards that direction. The same signs also point towards one of the major causes for this: The Trade War. In the last two months, the U.S. Federal Reserve has performed dramatic interest rate cuts that are comparable … More
Decolonising Environmentalism
By Katharina Schmitz. Current environmentalist movements aim to make people realise the local harmful effects of climate crisis, such as floods, heat waves, and the extinction of species. Naturally, it is only once one is actually affected that the climate crisis becomes personally experienced in its threatening dimensions. Also, local and regional elected stakeholders can … More
The SNP & Scottish Independence:
By Graham Davidson. âCan the Dominant Force in Scottish Politics Adjust to Cultural Changes in Politics?â As an electoral force, the Scottish National Party (SNP) continues to defy both expectations and political precedent. Oftentimes, local and European elections in the UK tend to be used as a protest vote against incumbent governments. Even in its … More
Abraham (2019): Queer Intentions: A (Personal) Journey Through LGBTQ+ Culture â A Review
By a guest writer. From creating safe spaces, the growth of Pride and IDAHOT, marriage equality, and to the increasing visibility in popular media, there have been, and are, huge successes for LGBTQ+ people. However, in an era of Trump and Brexit, there has also been a rise in hate crimes towards LGBTQ+ people (such … More
A Review of Pittsâ Boundaries of the International: Law and Empire
By Oskari Mantere. Almost by definition, international law is universal. This belief seems nearly tautological, thus true to the point that it is almost silly. Of course, international law is universal; otherwise, it would not be truly an international law. This self-indulgent and unreflective belief is merely a false historical narrative. The fact is that … More
A Cross-case Analysis of the Realities of Unpaid Internships: the UK & Italy
By Anastasia Roscia. Achieving a degree has become increasingly common in the past few decades. The job market has never been so competitive; âstanding out from the crowdâ with a good degree and high grades is not possible anymore. In addition, macroeconomic factors such as the 2008 economic crisis have worsened the situation and impacted … More
Automation & The Threat to the Left
By Graham Davidson. My previous article for The International Viewpoint on the rise of populism and the decline of the centre-left suggested that the earnings gap between graduates and non-graduates needed to close. However, in as little as 20 years from now, this may come to be seen as a woefully short-sighted strategy. There may … More
Moyn, S. (2018), Not Enough: Human Rights in an Unequal World
By Oskari Mantere. When historians became interested in the history of human rights in the 1990s and early 2000s, they traced their history either to ancient philosophies, the Christian natural law, the Age of Enlightenment, or the horrors of the gas chambers. It was the revisionist argument that modern human rights had their origins in … More
Do Fathersâ Rights Movements Undermine Domestic Violenceâs Victimsâ Claims?
By Anastasia Roscia. Fathersâ rights movements are political and social groups of activists that declare themselves to be defenders of gender equality for men, especially in matters such as financial support and child custody after divorce and separation. They are a truly international movement and can be found under different names and associations in many … More
The US College Scandal, The UK âClassâ Ceiling, & The Meritocracy Ideal
By Anastasia Roscia. Last month, the biggest US college scandal to date led the FBI to accuse famous Hollywood actresses, CEOs of law firms and prominent business leaders of paying thousands of dollars to help their children get into competitive elite universities. There were a variety of unlawful methods used, including bribing coaches working at … More
International Broadcasting: Public Diplomacy or Propaganda?
By Berit Braun. Flipping through the channels available on my hotel TV, I stumbled not only onto Portuguese soap operas and Italian talent shows but also onto a channel that left me confused: On France24, an obviously not-French presenter discussed the current situation in Libya in heavily Irish-accented English. The next channel, Deutsche Welle, left … More
Europe and Africa in the Post-Colonial Era: Building Mutually Beneficial Relationships
By William Kennedy. In an ever connected and interdependent world, it is time to embrace opportunity in Africa â Europe relations. The two continents share a long and intricate history, with both positive partnerships to advance and historical grievances to address. Forums for cooperation – including EU and AU institutions – are already in place, … More
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Discrimination within anti-discrimination
By Magdalena Raykova. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is the first UN human rights treaty to be adopted in the 21st century and is allegedly the fastest negotiated ever. It has also received unprecedented support from the international community upon its adoption. Furthermore, the document has been hailed as introducing … More
Crimea Five Years On: What has Russia Gained?
By Hans Nasman. Just over five years ago, Russia shocked the international community by annexing the Crimean Peninsula. This move set the stage for a further, ongoing crisis in Ukraine in which Crimea came under Russian control and two widely unrecognised peopleâs republics in eastern Ukraine were formed. No end is in sight to this … More
We Need to Talk about Gendered Violence in Films
By a guest writer. Films have never been more accessible. Services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO, and Hulu are limitless. We are no longer restricted to Blockbusterâs three movies weekend offer; instead, we have endless options. But the accessibility of films means violence becomes an everyday encounter. Yet, rarely do we connect these things … More
Social Division & The Decline of the Centre-Left: Can Populism Be Stopped?
By Graham Davidson. In his 1845 novel Sybil, future British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli described the rich and the poor as âTwo nations between whom there is no intercourse and no sympathy; who are as ignorant of each other’s habits, thoughts, and feelings, as if they were ⌠inhabitants of different planetsâ. Fast forward to … More
Pay Gap, But Worse: Why We Should Be Talking About the Gender Pension Gap
By Berit Braun. International Womenâs Day is often used to highlight the gender pay gap – one of the key metrics that prove that women and men in Europe and around the world are still far from equal. It is a persuasive argument. Statistics donât lie, and women literally get paid less for doing the … More
