Stories about Ethnicity & Race from August, 2011
India: Acid Survivor Denied Access To Mumbai College
Shirin Juwaley, an acid attack survivor, writes in her blog that she was recently denied entry to a Mumbai college. Dheera Sujan writes an open letter to the principal who...
Azerbaijan: Ramadan
Aaron in Azerbaijan introduces its readers to Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting also known as Ramazan, and comments on a reflection on gender and faith during the period of...
South Korea: Anger Erupted over Video of Afro-American Man Assaulting Elderly Couple
A video of an African American man mocking, cursing and assaulting a defenseless elderly Korean couple was spread online, prompting public anger. Police is investigating the case and it is...
Spain: Racism and Intolerance Advance Relentlessly
In Europe, xenophobia advances at an immense rate. Author Ana Lucía Sá writes about the situation of immigrants in Spain, the invisibility of the issue of racism and hate crimes in public discourse, and offers comments and analysis from bloggers and organizations that work against racism.
Trinidad & Tobago: The “Granny Quilla” Video
Railing against the current state of emergency, a teen posts a video on YouTube; the government interprets it as racist and containing threats against the Prime Minister - Jumbie's Watch...
Jamaica: Disrespecting Garvey
President Barack Obama may have lost at least one vote in his re-election bid based on “the White House[‘s] disrespect [for] Marcus Garvey, a national hero of Jamaica”. Geoffrey Philp...
Turkey: An Armenian Adventure on Two Wheels
Despite historical differences and a closed border, an Armenian motorcyclist travels across Turkey, blogging his experiences and observations en route.
Russia: Court Rules Out to Block An Undisclosed LiveJournal Account
Samara city court had ordered a local ISP to block an undisclosed blog at LiveJournal platform that ‘incites hatred towards an ethnic and social (professional) group,’ the website of Samara...
Mauritania: 13 Activists against Child Trafficking Arrested
Four advocacy organizations against human trafficking note that a peaceful sit-in outside the Bureau of juvenile affairs was organized [fr] by l’Initiative pour la Résurgence du mouvement Abolitionniste (Ira) to...
Jamaica: Obama Rejects Plea for Garvey Pardon
Geoffrey Philp is surprised by the Obama administration's rejection of the request for a presidential pardon for Marcus Garvey on the grounds that “it would be ‘a waste of time...
Cameroon: Strength in Diversity
Africavox published [fr] a dossier on the differences between the 250 ethnic groups in Cameroon. It states that “mixed marriages, cultural adaptation to their neighbors’ practices and a relative appeasement...
Madagascar: Expectant Mothers, Beware
In an interesting post on “Fady” (cultural taboos) in traditional Malagasy society, blogger Ariniaina lists a few “do not” tips for pregnant women [fr], for example: “Do not carry fish in...
Kyrgyzstan: Bloggers Take a Stand Against Manas-pulation
As Kyrgyzstan prepares for its 20th anniversary of independence and subsequent presidential elections, its legendary warrior king Manas is becoming more and more real by the day. Bloggers discuss the phenomenon.
Bermuda: BAD Call to Boycott
“Bermudians Against the Draft have launched a campaign to persuade young black men not to cast their ballot in the next general election [because] neither political party supports their position”:...
Jamaica: Marcus Garvey's Birthday
Diaspora litblogger Geoffrey Philp posts a poem to honour the anniversary of Marcus Garvey's birthday.
Lebanon: Racism in Banks
The Terrorist Donkey posted a new story[Ar] about racism in Lebanon. This time it happened in a very well known bank where they refused to open an account for a...
Lebanon: New Migrant Center Opening in Beirut
Lebanese blogger and Nasawiya activist Nadine shares some exciting news for the migrant communities in Lebanon: their Migrant Center is in the final stages of opening and it needs your...
Hungary: Hate Crimes and Double Standards
Hungarian Spectrum writes about the Hungarian authorities’ dubious ways of dealing with what by all accounts appear to be hate crimes against the Roma.
South Korea: Blood Type Personality Theory, How It Works
The blood type personality theory claims that people's blood type is predictive of their personality and compatibility with others. Nowhere is this belief more popular than in South Korea and Japan. Yoo Eun Lee delves deeper into the theory's history.
Armenia-Azerbaijan: Unlikely Pen Pals?
Tamada Tales comments on an exchange between the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and an Armenian child living in the breakaway territory of Nagorno Karabakh. Tensions between the two ethnic...
Armenia: An accident and Ramazan
One Hell of a Ride, a blog by an Armenian biker, continues its travelogue documenting a journey across Turkey. After an unfortunate accident, the blog notes the professionalism of the...
