Stories about Migration & Immigration from July, 2008
Cuba: Glorious Future?
Both Child of the Revolution and Ninety miles away…in another country take issue with a series of articles in the Christian Science Monitor speculating about Cuba's economic future: “It is particularly galling that the resourcefulness they all laud as the sign of a changing Cuba is a harsh expedient forced...
South Korea: History of Traveller's Complaint
Picking up the discussion on “Why expats in Korea complain so much?” Matt from Gust of popular feelings quotes texts from century-old history books on traveller's complaint about Korea.
Liberia: Happy 161 birthday!
Emmanuel at Liberia Journal celebrates the 161st anniversary of the Liberian Declaration of Independence, which was signed on the 26th of July 1847. He also adds a very informative overview of Liberia's history since its birth as a country.
Africa: Until when the white man's burden?
Sam O. Okello, guestblogging at Kumekucha, wonders for how long Africa “will remain the white man's burden”. In his post, that caused quite a debate in the comments section, he urges: “The time for Africa to rise up is now”.
Israel: Welcoming New Immigrants
Jacob Richman of Good News From Israel reports on the nation's newest North American immigrants (olim, in Hebrew): “There were 217 olim on the flight including 50 singles… 28 families with 98 children (98 – wow!). The youngest oleh in the group is 3 months old and the oldest oleh...
Cuba, U.S.A.: Sharpton Calls for Prisoners’ Release
“When it comes to Cuban political prisoners, any publicity is good publicity”: Uncommon Sense and Balablu Blog draw attention to Reverend Al Sharpton's “call for the release of Cuba's prisoners of conscience.”
Russia: Ethnic German Diaspora
Otto's Random Thoughts discusses the question of belonging for the ethnic German diaspora in Russia against the background of regular displacement and forced movement.
Jamaica, U.S.A.: Obama the Hero?
“As the days, weeks, and months have gone by, it has become increasingly clear that Barack Hussein Obama…has been stepping into this role of the ‘selfless superhero'”: Jamaican Geoffrey Philp says time will tell if the Democratic US Presidential candidate can fulfill the “mythical role” that has been hoisted upon...
Zimbabwe: Fear and indifference
A beautiful gift shares his impressions on the situation Zimbabwe after his recent visit to see his family: “I have heard a lot say western media […] exaggerate about the situation in Zimbabwe. On the contrary I now am convinced that western media understate the gravity of the situation in...
Barbados, Cuba, U.S.A.: The Times Rejects Mc Cain
Caribbean blogs are irate over The New York Times‘ rejection of John Mc Cain's rebuttal to Barack Obama's recent editorial on Iraq: Babalu Blog: “Who the hell gave them the power to think they speak on behalf of my best interests?” Barbados Free Press: “As much as we support Obama,...
Jamaica, U.S.A.: Getting Connected
“I remember learning not to try to hold on to people after moving to the U.S. After all, the chances were good that I would never see them again. In Jamaica, the opposite is true”: Francis Wade blogs about the feeling of connectivity he enjoys in Jamaica.
Guyana: Dangerous Times
As news breaks about a reported shootout between Guyana's law enforcement and two of the country's most wanted criminals, Living Guyana examines the impact of such dangerous times on the national psyche: “These criminals may act as enablers for a guilt complex, common to many, that demands we work hard,...
China: No “Go China!” banners at the Olympics
Those attending the Olympics this year will be subject to the standard rules: no outside food or drinks, no sporting of commercial logos of any kind…but among all those is one rule which seems to have struck a nerve among many netizens, as evidenced by it having become the featured...
Haiti: Woman PM?
kiskeácity reports that the woman to be nominated for the post of Haitian Prime Minister is battling “a vicious campaign of innuendo and allegations about her sexual orientation”, but her supporters are hopeful: “The final word is now in the hands of the Senate which will vote on the nomination...
Arabeyes: Moroccan woman refused French citizenship for burqa
Last week a French resident was refused citizenship on the grounds that she was “insufficiently assimilated.” The woman, referred to in the Press as “Faiza M.,” is a Moroccan citizen but has lived in France since 2000 with her husband, a French citizen, and three children, all born in France. The incident has set a precedent and has stirred up the feelings of bloggers around the world, reports Jillian York.
China: Looking back at a campus shooting
“...the first few days with the cast were really strange, everyone kept whispering to each other wondering if I was a big kung fu master back in China.” Why does it always have to be so awkward when Chinese and Americans get together?
Sudan: Reactions to the ICC charges against al-Bashir
Since the ICC's prosecutor asked for an arrest warrant for President al-Bashir of Sudan a few days ago, there haven't been many big reactions in the Sudanese blogosphere (although we covered reactions of several bloggers elsewhere in Africa in this roundup). However, the Sudanese debate has been alive and full of passion on Facebook.
Jamaica, Guyana: “Small Boys”
Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp features a poem by Guyanese writer Marc Matthews.
Armenia: Gay Rights
Unzipped: Gay Armenia comments on letters published in the Boston-based The Armenian Weekly discussing gay rights and same-sex marriage. The blog says the letters set an important precedent for fighting for gay and human rights issues and hopes that the same will occur in Armenia proper.
Armenia: Cigarettes & National Identity
Stuff Armos Like, a new irreverent look at what makes Armenians tick, says that unlike many parts of the world where the anti-smoking lobby has made significant progress, cigarettes are a defining part of the Armenian reality. The blog jokingly says that even if smoking was banned in every other...
Japan: Chinese Novelist wins Akutagawa Award
On Tuesday, the Akutagawa Award for Fiction, considered the most prestigious literary prize in Japan, was awarded to Chinese novelist Yang Yi for her work, “Tokiga nijimu asa”. Yang, who was born in Harbin and whose native language is Chinese, learned Japanese after she came to Japan in 1987. In this post, reactions to the award in Japanese and Chinese media, blogs and forums.
