The hollow, self-righteous defence of “our culture” and “our values” has become an incendiary chant of the far right — particularly in Western, majority white Christian nations. Both are allegedly under attack — at risk of extinction no less — from, you guessed it, immigrants. Much of this furore has, unsurprisingly, been stoked by extremist … Continue reading Weaponising Culture: Dividing To Rule

It has been described as the root of all evil. It is that insipid form of cowardice, indifference, and selfishness that allows human suffering, exploitation, and oppression in all its forms to prevail. It feeds apathy and inaction in the face of war, social injustice, and environmental breakdown, and it enables the turning of a … Continue reading The Root of All Evil?

For decades — or perhaps centuries — collapse has been underway: the fragmentation of social, economic, and political order; the hollowing-out of law at both domestic and international levels; and the unrelenting duplicity and hypocrisy of those in power pushing the boundaries. Today, chaos reigns: widespread violent extremism, state impunity, acute social divisions, and appalling … Continue reading This Was Always Coming

Britain is in pieces—politically, economically, socially, and in terms of national identity. The country’s existential mess has deep roots, dating back to the Thatcher years (UK Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990). Under her catastrophic reign, market fundamentalism and privatisation took hold, society was dismantled, and the foundations of the welfare state were eroded. This … Continue reading What has Become of Britain?

We are living in an increasingly lawless, shadowy world—where international conventions and institutions are not just ignored, but actively undermined, as powerful states engage in acts amounting to state terrorism. From Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and Israel’s genocide of Palestinians to the United States’ repeated use of pre-emptive force against sovereign nations, the post–World … Continue reading A World Without Law: When Might is Right

What is happening to the world? It’s a question being asked with growing urgency around the globe. Wars rage on, systems and institutions are faltering; divisions of all kinds, including widening inequalities, are deepening—heightening the risk of conflict. The environmental emergency is accelerating, and uncertainty reigns, fuelling a global mental health epidemic. Is poor leadership … Continue reading Is This What Collapse Looks Like?

The Ethiopian government, led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, is waging war against its own people—specifically, the Amhara. Amhara men, women, and children are being killed and arrested not for their actions, but for who they are. This is targeted ethnic violence. It is, therefore, genocide. The term “genocide” is inflammatory, but in the context … Continue reading The Plight of Amhara people is the Plight of Ethiopia: A Call for Unity

At least now, the choices are clearly defined—the alternatives revealed in ways that were once less obvious: what kind of world we want, what kind of country we aim to be, and what kind of people we aspire to become. It is up to us, then, to make our decision, upon which the future will … Continue reading Clear Choices in a Divided World

In a display of staggering arrogance, even by its own standards, the U.S. administration recently sent a questionnaire to UN aid agencies, asking staff whether they held “anti-American” beliefs or affiliations—as if America were a religion rather than a nation-state—and whether they had any links to communism. The International Committee of the Red Cross also … Continue reading A Strong UN for a World in Transition

Emboldened by the election of Donald Trump as U.S. President, far-right groups are rising around the world. These voices present a major threat, not just to the democracy they claim to revere, but also to social cohesion, minority groups, and the natural world. Intolerance and tribalism are their common currency—social poisons that foster division, fuel … Continue reading The Result of Inaction: Ignoring the People Led To This