Global Palestine: Contemporary Collisions

John Collins (@djleftover), author of Global Palestine (Hurst, 2011/Columbia UP, 2012), explores the global politics of violence and the representation of violence, paying particular attention to the microcosmic and prophetic location of Palestine in relation to these processes.  (Image: Diego Lopez Calvin)

John Collins (@djleftover)
The "Pacification Industry" Comes to Chiapas
Sometimes the most seemingly innocuous “local” news reports are the ones that contain the seeds of the most profound global understanding. Such is the case with a May 8 report in the Mexican newspaper Excélsior detailing a meeting between a Mexican security official in the southern province of...
April 15, 2013: A Day in Bombs
This article is not meant to disrespect the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings, nor is it meant to make light of the tragedy.  On the contrary, it is meant to honor the victims and give additional meaning to their deaths and injuries by placing them in a broader human context.  ...
WSF2013: Declaration of the Social Movements Assembly
Given the tremendous lack of media coverage of the World Social Forum, held this year in Tunisia, I am reprinting the March 29 Declaration of the Social Movements Assembly. It deserves to be circulated and discussed widely, and something tells me we can't rely on CNN or even MSNBC (which likes to "...
Whose Trash Is It Really?

In our global society, filled with consumerism and materialism, Weave blogger Kate Higgins believes there to be a significant gap between who consumes a product and who consumes the trash said product produces. Where does it all really go? This blog aims to shed light on who are the dumpers and who are the dumpees?

Kate Higgins
Food Is Trash Too
The website StumbleUpon is one of the coolest I've encounted, and while most of the sites it bumps you to lack the "life-altering experience" and useful information our society turns towards the world wide web for, it occastionally drops you into some pretty cool places. Exam week is usually when I...
Informal Economies
Looking at different communities around the world who deal with trash has had some surprising side tracks for me. While it has become increasingly hard to ignore the millions of people who have been forced to make a living in some foul and horrific conditions, it has also made me question the...
Floating Islands of Trash
The phenomenon of "floating islands of trash" is a rather well-known reality, but not the conventional way that I once originally thought. When I first heard about one "island" imparticular, also known as the "Garbage Patch" (although there are a host of other names for this thing), I just kept...
From Rome To Cairo: Struggles for Democracy

The Mediterranean is a place of apparent difference, but one in which politics and culture are often more similar than we might at first suspect. This blog looks at Italy, Egypt and the relationship each has with the other shore of the 'Med', thinking about political trends in both countries, reflecting on the dangers and opportunities for democracy each of these experiences presents us with.

 

Andrea Teti
Background on Italy's General Elections: What's at stake in Italy?
For those who missed the Italian general elections last month, here is a small summary of the issues at stake which first appeared in Egypt Independent a couple of weeks ago as "An Italian spring? Italy’s 2013 general election." ---- As results from Italy’s general elections on 24–25 February began...
Italy's Delicate Balancing Act: Berlusconi in the Balance, Italy on the block
The recent surprise success of the Movimento Cinque Stelle (Five Star Movement, or M5S) in Italy's recent elections and the heavy losses suffered by both Berlusconi and his centre-left counterparts in the Democratic Party have produced a kind of Mexican standoff in which the stakes are not just who...
While Rome is Burning
There has never been such rejoicing at the resignation of a post-war Prime Minster as was on display yesterday in the streets of Rome: music, popped champagne and dancing in the streets, and much talk of a page being turned in Italian history. This, however, remains to be seen. Berlusconi has...
Everyday Islam

Anna Kassab works to overcome the stereotypical association of Islam with violence, terrorism, and the exploitation of women. These stereotypes are related to hte media's failure to properly detach the religion of Islam from what has become politicized as Islamism (a violent political agenda).  This blog works at isolating them and increasing American’s understanding of Islam as a religion. (Photo source: http://muslimvillage.com)

Anna Kassab
Trouble Building a Mosque
Why is building a mosque so controversial?? There are between 6-8 million Muslims living within the boarders of the U.S. contributing to society has anyone else does, as doctors, lawyers, engineers…professionals. These people don’t deserve to be equated unjustly to Osama bin Laden, yet the...
Terrorism? Extremism? Is there even a difference?
During about a week ago, we held a discussion in which we talked about the news coverage surrounding the Oslo attack that took place July 22, 2011. After reading “The omnipotence of Al Qaeda and meaninglessness of ‘Terrorism’: The news reaction to the Oslo events clarifies the real meaning of '...
Media Filter: Results for "Islam"
Today I did a filter search on the New York Times website. I figured this would be a good place to look at news since it’s one of our main sources of information here in the United State. I entered the word “Islam” in the search bar, and decided to look at the top five most recently constructed...
The Big Questions Blog

In addition to the video responses catalogued in our Big Questions section, the Weave's Big Questions project now features its own blog space.  Watch this space for additional video, commentary, and reflections on the issues raised by our Big Questions!

 

SOLIDARITY Avenue

Łukasz W. Niparko invites YOU to come to the SOLIDARITY Avenue; to the space where we recreate the agora of free-thinking individuals who are not afraid of speaking their minds and are ready to shape reality! SOLIDARITY Avenue is a name of the street in Poznań, Poland and memorizes the Polish Movement of Solidarity, which became a platform of freedom operating inside the regime.

 

Łukasz Niparko
When Scheherazade gets silenced...
Over past days, after seeing me more excited and energized than usually, people keep asking: What is so special about the Conference on Media Reform that I had a chance to attend in Denver, between April 4th and 7th that became an ultimate reason for me get my momentum for action. To...
IRAQ - status quo ante...?
Status quo ante - in Latin: "the state of things before" - in this case, before the war that ten years ago destroyed Baghdad and other places in Iraq, leaving behind thousands of killed, refugees, and abuse of human rights just as it was with the most profound case of the Abu Ghraib Prisoners. "The...
"The TERMINATOR" surrenders!
Today, many human rights activists who closely watch stories of war-minerals and violence acts committed daily in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), were alarmed by information of surrendering of one of the most cruel warlords Bosco Ntaganda to The United States Embassy asking for a transfer...
The Feather and the Gavel

Native American communities suffer from an array of issues, but one of the most unknown is within the law enforcement agencies and the states within which they live. This blog will discuss some of the main issues of the problem with a unique inside perspective of Akwesasne, a Mohawk territory with 5 borders.

Chelsea Francis
Blotchy Jurisdiction
              For many Native American groups throughout the country, there are many jurisdictional issues that are faced when dealing with the law. But more so in areas where there are extremely “blotchy” justice systems, such as that of...
Can an Indian steal LAND?!
Native American people have been fighting hard for hundreds of years, since contact basically, to reclaim their traditional lands that were taken from them by force and extermination. Much more in recent decades, we are beginning to see a stronger fight to reclaim those territories that once...
Should you have to sue for justice?
Do you think that after a murder, or a murder for your loved one to be exact, there should be a full out investigation on what happened? I would think, but what if the FBI failed to adequately investigate, or if they just flat out failed to investigate entirely? How would you, as an American...
Weaving the Streets: A People's Archive

Weavers are everywhere, and we are always looking for examples of how ordinary people are using public space to act politically. In this blog we are creating a "people's archive" of street art and other traces of actions, movements, and forms of expression that are often ignored by mainstream media. 

Spanish Street Ephemera (2009)
Originally published on the Weave on November 24, 2009 - reprinted here as part of the "Weaving the Street" People's Archive! ------------------------------------ During my year-long stay in Spain, I have been keeping my eye out for interesting examples of "street ephemera" - graffiti, posters,...
El Laboratorio 3 - A Glimpse of Spain's Past and Future?
To inaugurate our new “Weaving the Streets” blog, I’d like to take a trip down memory lane—back to 2003, to be exact.  Shortly after the US war in Iraq began, I traveled to Spain to promote the Spanish-language edition of Collateral Language, a book I co-edited on the rhetoric used to justify...
Go Fish

Fish. They live in our oceans, streams, and rivers, but what do we really know about their existence in relation to modern topics such as capitalism, environmental degradation, or globalization? Weave blogger Benjamin Landry drags fishing issues out from the deep, untangles the net of secrecy surrounding fishing regulation, and makes known about commercial fishing what the media chooses to ignore!

Ben Landry
Fisheries Investment and Regulatory Relief Act of 2012
Big news for the end of 2012! Check out this article expressing hope for the new federal legislation aimed at saving the US Fishing Industry. http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2012/11/26/3190554/fishermen-hope-legis... GO FISH!
Full Steam Ahead Towards the Future
A radical but interesting plan, this article describes how completely stopping fishing in certain areas would provide long term environmental and economic benefits. By letting the fisheries rebuild, each fish caught would be healthier and weigh more, resulting in more profit per fish. Check it out...
Voices of Reason
Nobody knows the fishing industry of New England better than those who help operate the market. Over the course of the last week, I was fortunate enough to interview two members of the fishing community, both of whom agreed to speak with me under the pretext of anonymity, and they helped me...
The Poverty Report

Urban poverty affects too many people to ignore.  Weave blogger Steve Peraza is exploring the problem's many dimensions and thinking through possible ways to solve it.

Steve Peraza
Faith in the Future of America?
November 2, 2013 will mark the thirtieth anniversary of Martin Luther King Day. It was in 1983 that former President Ronald Reagan signed the bill that established the national holiday. How this day misleads us so! A part of me...
The Poor Don't Matter to Presidential Candidates
A recent news report on al-Jazeera has raised an important question: Why aren’t presidential candidates in the United States paying attention to America’s poor? Two reasons come to mind… 1. Poor people can’t afford to donate to presidential campaigns. According to opensecrets.org, presidential...
The Politics of the Poverty Line Revisited, Pt. I
A little more than a year ago, I wrote about the Census Bureau's effort to redraw the poverty line and the political clashes it might cause. Now the Bureau has worked out the kinks in their new formula and plans to reassess poverty statistics. Great timing, no? As thousands of Americans protest...
Dark Green

This blog aims to provide readers with a clearer understanding of the full realm of actions being taken by global citizens in the name of environmentalism by focusing on the “underside” of the environmental movement through critical analysis of issues like greenwashing, ecoterrorism, and radical environmentalism.

Chelsea Alexander
Environmental Racism in the Works
Let's start by defining the term "environmental racism." Environmental racism is policy or practice that differentially affects or disadvantages (intentionally or unintentionally) individuals, groups, or communities because of their race and/or class. Poor communities and communities of color often...
Ever Heard of Greenwashers Consulting?
Greenwashers is a documentary film by Bret Malley which was first released last year. It is truly the first film of its kind, as it tackles the truths of greenwashing head-on in a variety of comedic, satirical, and shocking ways, through a "mash-up of real commercials, live events, examples, and...
It's Not Easy Being Green!
Ahh yes, Kermit, everyone's favorite frog. I'm not sure how pleased devoted Muppets fans would be if they saw the way Kermit is being exploited in this commercial for Ford. A few weeks ago, I presented an Introduction to Greenwashing which covered some of the basic forms that greenwashing can take...
Defiling Subjectivities

This blog examines media coverage and representation pertaining to subjectivity and the "psy-disciplines" (psychiatry, psychology, and psychoanalysis). What are the effects of proliferating mental health discourse and practices? Does there exist a politics of "therapy," "health," and "well-being?" Where is the subject - the self - in the multiplicity of mental health practices today?

Louis Scuderi
Neurotypicality and The Cartography of the Mind
Several years ago I read a book entitled The Physics of Star Trek. My memory of it is vague, but I can say with confidence that the chapter that fascinated me the most was on Star Trek's relationship to matter: transporting, warp drive, and the holodeck. In other words, vaporizing humans and...
Curiousities Primed for Scientistic Discourse
A piece entitled 'Primed for Controversy' appeared in the February 23rd New York Times. Written by a psychiatric scholar known for her critique of 'therapy culture' and forthcoming critical appraisal of the popular appeal of neuroscience, it discusses how one of one of psychology's most popular and...
The Use of Mental and Physical Illness
These categories tell you something about the way in which sophisticated human beings think, but it is doubtful they tell you anything about the things themselves. -Wilfred Bion It is no secret that psychiatry is in a crisis. Beginning in the 1970s - the so-called emergence of 'therapy culture' -...
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Popular Stories

April 15, 2013: A Day in Bombs
4/15/13 by johncollins

This article is not meant to disrespect the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings, nor is it meant to make light of the tragedy.  On the contrary, it is meant to honor the victims and give additional meaning to their deaths and injuries by placing them in a broader human context.  ...

read more
The Uyghur People of East Turkistan
2/5/13 by faerog10

 

"I come from China but I am not Chinese. I am Uyghur. When I say Uyghur, people don't know, so they don't ask or say anything. When I say, I come from China, people ask questions. Then I say I am Uyghur. I am Muslim."

     ...

read more
Being CONTROVERSIAL - Hugo Chavez...
3/7/13 by Łukasz W. Niparko

In multiple stories and talks regarding the death of President of Venezuela – Hugo Chavez, some statements made me wonder about how Chavez is represented in the world of media, or rather how his actions and his persona is labeled by some as “...

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Guest Blog: The Execution of Christopher Dorner
2/13/13 by johncollins

I am reprinting the following piece originally published today by Counterpunch, with permission, because it gets at some very important issues about structures of violence that resonate not only throughout...

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YouTube wants YOUR MONEY
1/30/13 by Łukasz W. Niparko

There was no surprise that YouTube, after being acquired by Google will make radical steps towards commodification of its content. I guess we all get used to flashing commercials at the beginning of our movies - some that we can skip, and some that abuse our freedoms and cannot be stopped until...

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Weave Writers
japesc08's picture
The NGO Monitor
by japesc08

This blog is a platform for critique and conversation about grassroots humanitarian efforts for education, particularly in East Africa and South Asia.  It seeks to: advocate for the local voices being affected by large-scale and grassroots development strategies, profile non-governmental...
Marina Llorente's picture
Voices of the 'Indignados': 15-M and Beyond
by Marina Llorente

This blog features interviews with members of Spain's "indignados" movement, which began on May 15, 2011 when the people of Spain took to the streets to demand economic justice and a real voice in a truly democratic system. 
bmlong08's picture
From the Streets to the Internet
by bmlong08

As political, cultural and social protests are popping up around the world, it is undeniable that the "old school" style of protesting with signs and banners has changed. This blog will analyze the use of social media in these current movements and how it is impacting the way activists, social...
 

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