· March, 2011

Stories about Ethnicity & Race from March, 2011

Macedonia: Holocaust Memorial Center Opens in Skopje

  15 March 2011

Balkanalysis.com writes about the Holocaust Memorial Center opening ceremony, held in the capital of Macedonia on March 11: “Even though things will never be as they once were in a country where little more than 200 Jews survive, at least for a moment one could feel something of what the...

Jamaica: Skin Bleaching Perspective

  14 March 2011

Dancehall artist Vybz Kartel gives a talk at the University of the West Indies; Active Voice comments: “Kartel is on the cutting edge of research and thinking about this phenomenon when he argues for the changing role skin bleaching plays in this society today.”

Libya: Sub-Saharan Africans in Serious Danger

The crisis in Libya since the uprisings against Colonel Mouammar Gaddafi has not only had dramatic consequences for Libyans, but also for Sub-Saharan African citizens residing in Libya. Thousands of refugees are exposed to terrible conditions on journeys to the nearest borders, and numerous black Africans currently do not dare to leave their homes.

Brazil: Where Violence Has an Age and Skin Color

  11 March 2011

On February 23, 2011, Brazil's Justice Department published the 'Violence Map 2011 - The Brazilian Youth', a study aimed at following trends in youth (15 to 24 years of age) mortality from violent causes. The conclusions are frightening.

Mexico and Afghanistan Border Conflicts Juxtaposed

Netizens are responding to several reports that juxtapose the violence in the Mexico/US border with the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan and its border with Pakistan. Though uncoordinated and apparently disparate, the reports have served to crystalize problematic aspects of American policy.

Taiwan: Social Media Makes Indigenous Voices Loud and Clear

  9 March 2011

Stories about the Taiwanese indigenous population's struggle for identity, sustainability and dignity are missing from the country's public sphere, as a result of relative social and political domination by the majority Han Chinese population. Now, thanks to social media, indigenous youth are making their voices heard and reconnecting with their traditions.

South Africa's Continuous Struggle With Race

  7 March 2011

A change of government and the destruction of an entire political, cultural, social and economic system like that of Apartheid does not necessarily guarantee the destruction of its legacy. The last couple of months have seen South Africa go through an interesting dilemma and debate with regards to its race relations.

South Asia: Comparing Indian States with India's Neighbors

  5 March 2011

“India clearly has a coherent identity as the world’s largest democracy, but aggregating economic and social data on the national level, and using it to compare India to its neighbors, is possibly very misleading,” comments Razib Khan at Sepia Mutiny.

Macedonia: What About the Census?

A number of Balkan countries were scheduled to run a census this spring: Macedonia, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Albania, and Bosnia & Herzegovina. Filip Stojanovski reviews what Macedonian bloggers are writing about the political aspects of the procedure.

Azerbaijan: Social media for 11 March

While Flying Carpets & Broken Pipelines [EN] explains the purpose and introduces the group behind a Facebook group launched for 11 March, the date scheduled for pro-democracy protests in Azerbaijan, RAUFRAY | my point of view [AZ], a blog apparently by an activist from the pro-government İRƏLİ Public Union, attempts...

Azerbaijan: Discrediting Facebook?

Global Voices’ Caucasus editor posts a translation of an article naming prominent alternative voices in Azerbaijan who have Facebook friends in Armenia. The reaction from many in the country still effectively at war with its neighbor is that the article was intended to discredit those activists and the the use...