The relationship between democracy and development has been debated amongst scholars for many years. They assess whether democracy is critical to developing and changing a given society. For some liberal scholars, development is a transition of countries towards capitalism; a liberal model of governance emphasises individual freedom, a parliamentary or presidential system of election, and...
We often view strikes as a significant disruption that damages our society. Negative connotations surround the word, and the action of strike often favours the right. However, some people turn a blind eye to the significance of this form of direct action in the past, present, and future, particularly in the 21st century, where democracy...
I want to share my experience participating in a study abroad exchange program for one semester. This was a simple online application; I had to provide personal information with a short cover letter about why I wanted to do the program. Later, we had an online briefing session with the go-abroad team. It was a...
You are scrolling on Spotify to find the next big tunes, and suddenly, ‘podcasts’ appear. What are podcasts, and why do people stream them? Podcasts are online audio files (and videos) made available on the internet for downloading to a mobile phone, PC, or any other portable device. They are typically known as a series....
I recently went on a field trip to Hanoi, Vietnam, with the University of Westminster. This was my first time travelling abroad, and it was a fantastic experience. As soon as we stepped off the plane and out of the airport, I was struck by Hanoi’s intense heat and humidity. It was a far cry...
My name is Trinh. I am a third-year student at Hanoi University in Vietnam. It was a great honour for me to have an opportunity to support the students from the University of Westminster when they conducted their field trip in Vietnam. However, before their arrival, I was anxious about how I would help the...
Having been to a South-East Asian country before and a country ruled under communism, I had presupposed views on what Vietnam was going to be. The second we touched down in Hanoi, however, I realised Vietnam was different from any country I had visited before. The people were lovely and welcoming, although the traffic and...
Encompassing many cultures and ethnicities, Istanbul is a unique metropolis representing its unique identity. During this trip, I had the pleasure of meeting people from different backgrounds: Turkish, Kurdish, Levantine, Armenian, Greek and the list continues. Despite how some Western viewers portray Turkey as a typical post-colonial Islamic state, I found out how, on the...
The field trip to Istanbul was amazing and gave me much more to learn and experience than I had expected. The first thing that struck me most was the number of homeless people in the city. However, I knew from the news and articles that Istanbul’s economic situation could have been better. Seeing so many...
Firstly, the field trip to Istanbul allowed me to make new, amazing friends with people I have been on the same course with for two years but have rarely, if ever, spoken to. Unlike other trips I have attended, I went to Turkey without any close friends to spend time or share a room with...
Visiting Turkey was a fantastic experience, from the sites we saw to the people we met and learned so much about. Before visiting the country, my knowledge surrounding the social and economic position was very surface level, only knowing about the issues within Turkey from media outlets and conversations. The entire trip was memorable as...
For me, in the first place Vietnam was not just a field trip but more than that. I want to call it “school”, not just because it contributed unforgettable memories to my life but, above all, to my personality. As a keen international relations student, one of my dearest fantasies has always been about experiencing...