Where people once gathered freely to speak, debate, and protest, a new kind of listener has arrived — one that doesn’t blink, doesn’t sleep, and never looks away. Artificial Intelligence is now part of the way our cities watch us. Town squares, high streets and shopping centres have always been important democratic spaces. They are...
For decades, female students entering government secondary schools in Ghana have been required to cut their hair short. This policy, rooted in colonial-era practices from the 1940s, was originally intended to distinguish natives from colonisers and to exert control over young women attending school. Today, this tradition continues to spark debate over its relevance and...
When a powerful storm strikes a great tree, its branches may tremble and shake violently, its leaves may fall to the ground, and even its great trunk may squeak under the immense pressure. Yet amid this chaos of slashing wind and violent trashing, the trees’ roots dig themselves ever so deeply into the ground, reinforcing...
A while ago, I wanted to purchase a skincare product. Somebody highlighted on social media that this product would help my skin type, and like any other person interested in Korean skincare, I wanted to buy it. When it came to the payment, the store only accepted card payments. Unfortunately for me, I had the...
There was a time when public space meant something tangible: the city square, the park, the crowded streets filled with voices echoing for change. A place of presence. You showed up, you stood together, and your body became part of the message. Today, that space has expanded, not disappeared, but reshaped. Into screens, algorithms, and...
The United Kingdom is the sixth richest country in the world, and yet, we still have 14 million people who struggle to put food on the table. In a society that has become increasingly willing to turn a blind eye, I feel that it is no longer a problem that belongs to the few. It...
Many people think of Japan as a peaceful place. They imagine ancient temples next to modern skyscrapers, beautiful cherry blossoms, and the popularity of anime. This image shows calmness, creativity, and cute culture. However, if you ask someone in Seoul or Nanjing, they would share a different story that focuses on imperialism and colonisation. This...
Violence, hate, division – these are factors that, for over a decade, have shaped Polish politics. Many of these problems can be traced back to the 2015 parliamentary elections and the Law and Justice Party (PiS) rise under Beata Szydło’s government, which was a turning point for Poland’s political and media landscape. One person who...
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...
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....