Stories about Ideas from March, 2011
Côte d'Ivoire: A Solution to the Post-Electoral Crisis?
The post-electoral crisis across Cote d'Ivoire is dragging on since two opposing leaders, Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara both claim to have won. A sequence of violent events have followed, and there seems to be no prospect of a viable solution.
Jordan: #HashtagDebates and Reforms
The second #HashtagDebates organized by 7iber took place at Makan House in Amman this evening (March 7). 7iber, the Jordanian youth-orientated independent media outlet has been contributing to growing public dialog both online and offline through several programs and activities.
Palestine: Life in the Eyes of Two West Bank Students
Linah Alsaafin and Heba Awadallah are students at Birzeit University near Ramallah in the West Bank, who started a blog together a year ago. Called Life On Bir Zeit Campus, the blog takes an incisive and entertaining look at student life and Palestinian politics amongst other topics.
USA: Twittersphere Debates Kristof Column on Islam
A column by New York Times writer Nicholas Kristof riled the Twittersphere today. In the column, Kristof asks if Islam is the reason for stagnation in the Middle East and North Africa. Readers take issue with his characterizations of the region.
Nepal: Legalizing Prostitution
Nepali Blog is advocating for legalizing prostitution in Nepal.
Bahrain: Tweeps Dreaming of a Better Bahrain
On Saturday morning, a new hashtag appeared on the Bahrain Twittersphere and many tweeps expressed their hopes, dreams and highlighted their demands through #IdreamofaBH.
Israel: A new participatory online video project
“Bits of my life in Israel” is the title of a new video project, initiated by Israeli journalist and blogger Ziv Kitaro. The project invites Israelis to upload short videos in English documenting bits from their daily life dealing with any aspect of life, outside politics. the aim of the...
Cuba: USAID controversy?
Along the Malecón suggests “10 reasons why the U.S.-funded Cuba programs are intriguing and controversial.”
Puerto Rico: remembering Corretjer
3 March was the birthday of Puerto Rican poet, journalist, and activist Juan Antonio Corretjer Montes (1908-1985). Repeating Islands summarises this year's anniversary commemorations across the island.
Suriname: Mickey Mouse art
Artist Wouter Klein Velderman, on a residency in the town of Moengo in Suriname, shares images of his current work in progress: a monumental Mickey Mouse sculpture made of wood, “a symbol for a certain kind of transition.”
Trinidad and Tobago: advertising anthropology
“The culture of a country is not only found in the country’s song, dance and shark and bake but also in the full-page ads in the newspapers,” writes This Beach Called Life. “These ads sometimes show, in a subtle way, who are the real power brokers.” He shares some recent...
China: In Memory of Post-80s Trash Poet, Xiao Zhao
On February 14, 2011, 25-year-old poet Xiao Zhao ended his life by jumping off a bridge near his home in Hunan province. While the urban post-80s generation blogging star Han Han has caught the world's attention and become one of "The World's 50 Most Influential Figures in 2010", Xiao Zhao's short life tells a completely different story of the same generation in China.
Cuba: Independence or Authoritariansim?
Generation Y observes the preparations for a military parade, calling it “the choreography of authoritarianism.”
Trinidad & Tobago: The Death Penalty Debate
“Rather than focus on trying to remove the perceived barriers to implementing the death penalty, the government should be focused on other things that don't need Opposition support for implementation”: KnowTnT.com blogs about the proposed re-institution of the death penalty.
Suriname: On Beauty
Srananart's Blog republishes Wim de Pauws’ views on the true meaning of beauty.
Jamaica: You Gotta Have Faith
“Our society is so riddled with corruption and frustration-inspiring situations that Jamaican people seem to have lost faith in a LOT of things and people”: Ruthibelle blogs about some of them.
China: Not Tweeting a Revolution
Why did China tweet a revolution and then have almost no one show up? See what Chinese idealists were posting to Twitter leading up to February 20, the day of the first rallies in what many hoped would become the country's own "Jasmine revolution".
