The right to food movement means a lot to me. I got involved earlier this year. Jeremy Corbyn and Yiannis Varoufakis were speaking at our university. At this talk, Azaria, a close coursemate of mine, met a teacher at the university, Sharon Noonan-Gunning, who introduced her to the movement. Azaria later asked if I would...
Step right up! Examine the features. Light enough to be palatable, dark enough to be exotic. Skin somewhere between coffee and cream… they used to auction people this way, by shade, by texture, by blood. And somehow, centuries later, we still are asked: what are you? “They bred us like cattle, then blamed us for...
Democratic Education Network (DEN) – Alumni Interview Alumni Spotlight: Samira Aziz (BA Politics & International Relations, University of Westminster) Now a Business Engagement Officer at the Maternal Aid Association (MAA), Samira reflects on how DEN shaped her path from student advocate to social-impact professional. Through leading Students4Refugees and collaborating across Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam, she...
When you are coming home or going to work, how many homeless people do you see on your way? But when night falls and we are safe in our homes, have you ever thought about the struggles of their night? In one of my year 2 modules, Democratic Engagement in an International Context, this week,...
We are all familiar with at least one public space near where we live. Perhaps right now you are envisioning your local park, a city square, a form of public transport, your nearest library, or simply a street or road. Public spaces serve many functions: they are places of leisure, social interaction, and cultural expression....
The Middle East is often portrayed through a narrow, Eurocentric lens of conflict, oil, and ancient culture. To move beyond these stereotypes and understand its real development challenges, we must first decode the region’s past using key theoretical tools. Theories of colonialism, capitalism, and Orientalism are not just academic exercises; they are essential for diagnosing...
The first time I heard friends talk about pornography, they focused on similar questions: Is it a private issue? Is it empowering? Isn’t it just entertainment? However, very few considered what it means for the girls and women affected by it—the ones who do not choose the stories, do not own the platforms, and do...
How to Write a Blog?This is a basic and quick practice run at crafting a blog title, hook, and outline. We are hoping to develop not only your confidence but also the necessary skills to write and share your ideas within our community. Step 1: IntroductionWhat is a blog? A brief, personal, or possibly academic...
Marharyta Andreieva is a third-year student at the University of Westminster. In her interview with DEN, she shares her experiences of making Westminster feel like home, developing effective study routines, and how projects and trips organised by DEN – especially the field visit to Hanoi – have enhanced her confidence in public speaking and writing....
To enhance student representation and foster a sense of community within the University and the Democratic Education Network (DEN), we are conducting interviews with second- and third-year students. The stories we gather will reflect their insights and experiences, helping to ease the integration process for their peers. In this interview, Afra Bhuiyan provides personalised guidance...
Coming to the University of Westminster has been both an exciting and transformative step in my life. I grew up in Taiwan, and after some years of study and life experience, I decided to pursue my undergraduate degree in Psychology in London. This is not my first time living here – I completed a foundation...
This interview with Charlene Okai explores her three-month field placement in Gaborone, Botswana, with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), delivered through an IOM–University of Westminster partnership. Beyond recounting her work and learning, Charlene shares practical advice for students on how to prepare for—and make the most of—similar opportunities at the University. Which country and...