Stories about Ideas from May, 2020
Quarantine debates in Zanzibar conjure memories of colonial racial segregation
In light of Zanzibar’s complex history of racial segregation in the name of public health, social distancing and quarantine measures have been controversial in the fight against COVID-19.
Cryptocurrency scammers flood Facebook users with ads for fake Forbes.com articles
Data publicly provided by Facebook about the adverts' reach indicate they have traveled far beyond North Macedonia, activists warn.
COVID-19 tune educates, empowers Indonesia’s remote Marapu community
"Let’s just stay at home. Let’s wash our hands diligently to protect our health and lives."
Burundi voted — but will the political situation change?
Burundians voted on May 20 for a new president, with official results expected next week. The new president will face pressing questions on international relations, media repression, inclusive economic policies and impunity.
Why Hong Kong isn’t dead yet
"Today Beijing imposed the “national security” law in Hong Kong. It gives them broad powers to go after anyone they don’t like. Anyone who criticizes them. Anyone who disobeys them."
In Tunisia, women stand on the frontlines of targeted hate speech online
In Tunisia, an uprising toppled leadership and lead to revolution in 2011. Since then, digital space has witnessed heated debates about politics and society — including attacks against women activists and journalists.
Nepal’s first 360 degree virtual contemporary art exhibition
Artwork by 19 renowned Nepali artists showcased in an online virtual exhibition named ‘Tangential Stress’ by the Museum of Nepali Art (MoNA).
Addressing ‘gaps in history’ through bush tea: A conversation with Barbadian visual artist Annalee Davis
"Returning to the land today can feed us, contributing to food sovereignty and the wellness sector by expanding our knowledge and use of wild botanicals and their healing properties..."
In Algeria, online repression targets Amazigh protesters active in Hirak movement
In Algeria, the Amazigh people are often associated with France, Algeria's former colonial power. Racial slurs online accuse this group of being separatists who threaten "national unity."
The healing effects of bush tea: A conversation with Barbadian visual artist Annalee Davis
"I have been concerned with how shared historical suffering reveals itself communally and how individuals and nations manage trauma and the desire for self-fulfilment in small places like Barbados..."
Where’s the Pacific voice in the viral ‘real Lord of the Flies’ story?
The story of a group of Tongan castaways goes global thanks to an article published in The Guardian, but Pacific Islanders take issue with its point of view.
Women journalists in Uganda carry ‘double burden’ with online attacks and harassment
Women journalists in Uganda carry the double burden of gender-based abuse online and potential threats related to political reporting. These threats have led women journalists to withdraw from public discourse.
Cameroon’s 3-year separatist crisis: Online threats, attacks on identity and freedom of expression
Journalists in Cameroon have to be very careful about reporting on atrocities related to the separatist conflict. Appearing to side with separatists or the government can lead to online attacks.
Truck drivers blamed for spread of COVID-19 in East Africa
Truck drivers in East Africa face an onslaught of new COVID-19 mandates and restrictions in borders towns — causing confusion, fear, endless traffic queues, protests and disrupted trade.
Former Yugoslavia's brutalist architecture shines in new Star Wars fan film
"If it was gonna be a 'Serbian' story, or an 'ex-Yugoslav' story, let's face it -- it couldn't be a story about royalty."
History, landscape, body: A conversation with Pakistani artist Ali Kazim
Kazim’s works have been exhibited in major international fairs and exhibitions around the world, including New York’s Frieze art fair in 2019.
COVID-19 regulations and the issue of overcrowding in Jamaica's markets
The detection of more than 100 positive coronavirus cases at a call centre seriously spiked Jamaica's numbers and prompted stricter safety regulations — but have some backfired?
How can the Caribbean prepare for a post-COVID-19 world?
As the Caribbean begins to think about a post-COVID-19 future, Lesley Ann Noel proposes a design thinking approach to building back the region's economies and social services.
Benin's partial withdrawal from African Charter of Human Rights is a retreat from democracy
Benin drops 17 places in the 2020 World Press Freedom Index, following the withdrawal from a key document of the African Charter of Human and People's Rights.
