Stories about Ethnicity & Race from January, 2015
30 January 2015
Language Politics Back in the Spotlight in Afghanistan
Dari and Pashto, Afghanistan's two most widely-spoken languages, are also the country's two official languages. In parliament, the two tongues vie for power.
23 January 2015
Israel's Arab Sector on Strike Over Alleged Police Brutality
The "unintentional" deaths of two men from the Bedouin city of Rahat has brought to the fore tensions over "the conduct of the police in confronting Arab citizens."
22 January 2015
Caribbean Perspectives on the Charlie Hebdo Free Speech vs. Intolerance Debate
Two Caribbean bloggers discuss religious fundamentalism in the context of the Charlie Hebdo attack and wonder if the tragedy can be used as an opportunity to change the idealogical narrative.
18 January 2015
Reports of Forced Religious Conversions Grab Headlines in India
On Christmas day, 59 Christians in Kerala reportedly were "converted" to Hinduism by two Hindu nationalist organizations with ties to the leading BJP party. What happened to religious tolerance?
15 January 2015
Outspoken ‘Israeli Zionist Arab Muslim’ Teen Emerges from Hiding in the US
"I had to leave Israel...for trying to show the world the real face of regular Arabs and Muslims who're simply sick of their leaders' corruption and unlimited hate..."
14 January 2015
The Internet Takes Down Fox News’ ‘Terrorism Expert’ for Saying Birmingham Is a No-go Area for Non-Muslims
In the aftermath of the Paris attacks, Emerson told the news channel UK city is 'totally Muslim'.
13 January 2015
Twitter Mocks Anti-Muslim Comments with #FoxNewsFacts after ‘Expert’ Says Birmingham, England is ‘Totally Muslim’
Twitter users quickly got into the game, trending #FoxNewsFacts globally. Social search engine Topsy reports that the tag has been tweeted more than 400,000 times this week.
10 January 2015
Is Panama Still a ‘Melting Pot'?
With Facebook groups and discussions on other citizen media outlets, Panamanians search for ways to understand and react to the challenges that come with immigration from its neighboring countries.
8 January 2015
Your Guide to Sri Lanka's 2015 Presidential Election
Incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa faces off against his former health minister, Maithripala Sirisena, in a presidential contest rife with electoral violations, social media manipulation, and constitutional stakes for Sri Lanka.
7 January 2015
This Snowboarder Was Lost for 2 Nights in the Snow, But It's His Hair People Can't Stop Talking About
Three Japanese snowboarders were rescued from a snowy mountain. One member of the group not only had to apologize for getting lost, but also endured speculation about his hair.
6 January 2015
Eastern Ukraine Unfiltered, By the Numbers

RuNet Echo has interviewed and profiled 12 bloggers, citizen journalists, and social media users in Eastern Ukraine and Crimea. Here's how that breaks down.
5 January 2015
Nationalist Vigilante Group in Kyrgyzstan Targets Chinese Expatriates and Suspected Sex Workers
A vigilante group with apparent ties to Kyrgyzstan's weak government is unrepentant after its members physically intimidated and lectured girls they believed were selling themselves to Chinese businessmen.
2 January 2015
Activists Persecuted for Opposing Land-Grab-Driven Slavery in Mauritania
Dah Abeid and a few other human activists were arrested by the police in November and are now awaiting their trials.