It is widely acknowledged that names are important. Identities are built around them, and they are instrumental in creating a sense of dignity and autonomy. They often embody the independence of that person, their status, and encourage them to stand up for their rights. Names may therefore be seen to have a massive psychological impactContinue reading “What’s in a Name? Afghanistan and the #WhereIsMyName Campaign”
Tag Archives: culture
Life Online: How our Social Media Culture Advances the Cause of Human Rights Advocacy
Social media has played a major role in publicising events at Standing Rock Indian reservation and as a platform for protests, both against the pipeline and against local authority responses to protests. More than 1 million Facebook users checked in to Standing Rock reservation in response to a call to ‘overwhelm and confuse’ the MortonContinue reading “Life Online: How our Social Media Culture Advances the Cause of Human Rights Advocacy”
Arts and Culture: The Missing Piece of the Peacebuilding Puzzle
Thoughts from the Beyond Borders International Festival of Literature and Thought 2016 The last weekend of August was a warm and slightly drizzly one in the Scottish Borders. I found myself spending it milling around the grounds of the beautiful Traquair House, in marquees, yurts, and wig-wams filled with diplomats, artists, politicians, and writers. FumblingContinue reading “Arts and Culture: The Missing Piece of the Peacebuilding Puzzle”
Erasing the Past: Daesh and Iconoclasm
In August 2015, the Temple of Baal in Palmyra was reduced to rubble. Completed in AD 32, it has served as a Mesopotamian temple, a Christian church, and an Islamic mosque, but now the iconic ruins stand as a reminder of the physical impact of Daesh, also known as Islamic State or ISIS. Worldwide outrageContinue reading “Erasing the Past: Daesh and Iconoclasm”