· June, 2011

Stories about Governance from June, 2011

Spain: Manuel Castells at #AcampadaBCN

  27 June 2011

Ivan Chaar-López posts the videos of sociologist and communications scholar Manuel Castells [es] speech on “Communications, Power and Democracy” which he offered during his visit to activists in Barcelona, Spain.

China: The politics of hydroelectricity

  27 June 2011

Sinologistical Violoncellist has a guest post by Kristiana Henderson of Pacific Lutheran University which addresses the politics of hydroelectricity projects in Tibet by looking into the history of conflicts between indigenous Sami community with the Norwegian government since 1850s.

China: Lawyers for Murder Suspects Detained Under Controversial Law

  26 June 2011

After four defense attorneys were recently detained for challenging confessions to a murder in Guangxi province which their clients are presumed to have given following the use of police force, a legal dream team has assembled and flown in from across the country to defend their colleagues.

Africa: Thoughts of Africa 2.0

  26 June 2011

Tolu's thoughts on Africa 2.0: “The point is this: in the emerging Africa it is harder for the government to carry on as though the people didn’t exist, or as though they existed to be deceived, because the citizens are losing the fear that once held them down. And then...

Peru: Residents of Puno Resume Protests

  26 June 2011

Once again the inhabitants of the Puno region have taken to the streets in protests, this time against the contamination caused by the mining of minerals. Six people died as a result of the protests on the day when Peru celebrates the Day of the Peasant.

China: Update on the Independent Candidate Campaigns

  26 June 2011

The spokesperson for the Commission on Legislative Affairs of the National People’s Congress stated [zh] on June 8 2011 that no legal basis exists for independent candidacy in grassroots people's congress elections. To be a candidate in grassroots representative elections, he said, one has to first be endorsed by a...

Barbados: The Warner Effect

  24 June 2011

Barbados Underground comments on Jack Warner's FIFA resignation: “Warner is generating ‘heat’ which is not doing T&T and the wider Caribbean any favour in the international arena. All the world waits to hear if the sordid details arising from the Fifa Ethics Report will be leaked to the media. Worrying...

Trinidad & Tobago: The CL Financial Letter

  24 June 2011

Afra Raymond posts a copy of “the CL Financial letter of 13th January 2009″, which he finally has in his possession after “three applications for this document under the Freedom of Information Act.”

Mozambique: The Controversial Basket Against Poverty

  24 June 2011

In Mozambique, one of the measures proposed by the Government to mitigate the impact of the increases in the cost of living for Mozambicans has generated controversy with citizens. In spite of all expectations, the Basic Needs Basket Subsidy “abortion" was pronounced on June 16.

Colombia: Video Mapping the City to Hip Hop

  24 June 2011

In just four days, a creative cast of characters got together in the city of Medellin, Colombia, where they set out to produce videos and place them on a map of the city to reflect topics that affect their communities: militarization, poverty, forced displacement, crimes of state, resistance movements and more.

Balkans: Ratko Mladic and Justice

Posts on the capture of Ratko Mladic and justice being done (or not) – by Katharine Engelhart and Ozren Jungic at OpenDemocracy.net, by Blogging Balkanistan/The Daily Seyahatname, and by Marko Attila Hoare and David Pettigrew at Greater Surbiton.

Croatia: EU Membership Approval

On June 10, 2011, Croatia was cleared to become the newest member state of the European Union. There is still a long road before Croatians are officially a part of the EU, and the timing at the moment is, at best, precarious, creating many skeptics. Miquel Hudin reports.

Macedonia: How the Protests Started

Tamara Atanasoska posts a personal account of the beginning of the protests against police brutality in Skopje, Macedonia: “We were walking, a handful of people, […] not knowing each other, hitting the streets to get attention. We just wanted an answer, someone to say what happened. We knew for sure...

Haiti: The Other Side of the Martelly Story

  22 June 2011

Wadner Pierre refers to a mainstream media article about Haiti's new president, saying that the story fails to mention “the illegitimacy of the way in which he was elected, and the ongoing destruction of earthquake camps that his government is helping to facilitate.”

Spain: Massive Demonstrations on June 19

  21 June 2011

The blog #Acampadasol, launched during the days of massive demonstrations in Madrid last May, chronicles [es] the most recent protests that flooded the streets of many cities in Spain last Sunday June 19.