Stories about Ethnicity & Race from September, 2011
Cameroon: Calm Before the Storm?
Cameroon's presidential election will take place on October 9, but the lack of stake in the outcome felt by the general population is leading to a lack of interest. The threat of post-election violence and ethnic tension is also hanging over the country.
Caribbean: Bloggers Saddened by Wangari Mathai's Death
Bloggers from Jamaica, Barbados and the Bahamas mourn the death of “The great African (Kenyan) environmentalist…and the first African woman to win the Nobel Prize, Wangari Maathai”.
Jamaica: Gratitude to Garvey
In his ongoing effort to petition President Obama to exonerate Marcus Garvey, Geoffrey Philp says: “Marcus Garvey's cause was justice, plain and simple. And it is ironic that unjust methods...
Bulgaria: Clashes Between Roma and Ethnic Bulgarians in Katunitsa
Violent clashes in the Bulgarian village of Katunitsa broke out Friday night, following the death of a 19-year-old ethnic Bulgarian, who had been run over by a vehicle driven by a man linked to the local Roma clan leader. Ruslan Trad reports on the Bulgarian netizens' reactions.
Russia: Racial Propaganda in the State-Owned Media
Drawing on a rich tradition of "political technology" honed under both the Tsarist and Soviet police states, the Russian media are now rife with paid stories planted to advance specific agendas. Will Partlett examines what appears to be a recent example of this practice.
Israel: Beyond ‘us’ and ‘them,’ Lihi Yona is an Arab Jew
Israeli woman Lihi Yona, a Moroccan Jew descendent, reclaims her Arab roots and complicates local identity politics on a bus ride to Jordan to attend a Lebanese band performance. The...
Russia: Jokes and Xenophobia
Donna Welles writes about Russian jokes (and a blog that translates Russian and Ukrainian jokes into English) – and about xenophobia.
World: Mourning the Execution of Troy Davis
The state of Georgia has executed Troy Davis, despite a brief reprieve. Twitter users from around the globe are expressing their feelings about Davis's case, as well as about the state of capital punishment in the United States.
World: Twitter Rallies for #TroyDavis
With the execution of Troy Davis looming, Twitter users from around the world rally for clemency. Davis was granted a temporary reprieve, but the cries continue. Jillian C. York reports.
South African: Facebook Profile Picture Creates Controversy
South Africa's Facebook profile photo creates controversy: Authorities in South Africa are investigating a white man’s Facebook profile picture with a hunting rifle and a big grin kneeling in a...
Curacao: Images of Slavery Inappropriate
TRIUNFO DI SABLIKA takes issue with certain images on the Golden Coach, which has become the symbol of the Dutch monarchy: “The sidebar ‘Tribute of the Colonies’ activates great resistance...
Comoros: Reactions of the Comoran Community to Minister's Accusation
After the French Interior Ministry stated that Comorian Community is to blame for some of the violence in Marseille[fr], the governing body of the Comoros Union is denouncing such stigmatization...
Trinidad & Tobago: Hair & Now
Struck by a report in which a detained man's hair was shaved by soldiers, Attillah Springer says: “This shouldn’t be the story that gets you the most vexed out of...
Egypt: Turkey's Response to Kurds Questioned as Erdogan Speaks in Cairo
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's speech about the Palestinian bid for a statehood at the Arab League was translated online live by members of social networking sites, namely Twitter, for those who did not speak Arabic or Turkish. Ruwayda Mustafah reports.
Lebanon: Empowering Migrant Workers With Language
A community of enthusiastic young people in Beirut, The Migrant Workers Task Force, are working to support foreign domestic workers in Lebanon whose living and working conditions are often desperately unfair. Thalia Rahme reports.
Japan: Most rational, least traditional country?
Hashi at Tofugu blogs about the World Values Survey results that show that Japan is “one of the most rational, least ‘traditional’ countries out there” and tops the list of...
Africans in Guangzhou: Opportunities & Discrimination
Fauna from ChinaSMACK translated a local news feature about the life of Africans in Guangzhou. There are about 200,000 Africans living in the Southern China city.
Azerbaijan: Caspian Dreaming…
Aaron in Azerbaijan posts a well-produced music video by two of his fellow Peace Corps Volunteers in the country, singing under the name of the Caspian Dreamers, ahead of next...
Peru Enacts Law Requiring Prior Consultation with Indigenous Peoples
The President of Peru, Ollanta Humala, enacted the long-awaited law requiring prior consultation with Indigenous Peoples [es], which is expected to contribute to investment and business development with the participation...
Jamaica: Love & Language
Does it seem impossible for there to be a connection between “a group of rather ‘unchristian’ Christian pastors [coming] out against an advertisement that was promoting love” in Jamaica, racism...
Africa, Latin America: A Portfolio on Black Minorities in South America
Afrique In Visu interviews French photographer Philippe Guionie about his latest photo essay “Les Afros oubliés de la Cordillière” [fr] (The forgotten Africans of the Andes). Guionie traveled to Venezuela,...
