Terrorists on the Border? The State of Texas’ Classification of Drug Cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and the Efficacy of Such a Policy
The United States Southern border is among the most contentious issues for the U.S. government and society. It affects roughly 30 million American and Mexican citizens living on the border and increased sensitivity to the matter has only grown in the 21st century. In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott signed nearly 800 new pieces of legislation into law. One of them, known as Senate Bill 1900, is the most recently controversial and impactful in terms of border security, homeland security, and immigration policy in Texas.
Is democracy failing us?
In recent years, especially after Covid-19, Europe has seen a rise in far-right attitudes and change in the internal political systems of single states. Some far-right parties have encountered more support from the citizens, some governments changed directions altogether. Can this phenomenon be considered a consequence of the health crisis and to what extent was this development already apparent before the pandemic?
The impact of online Islamophobic discourse on offline anti-Muslim hate-crime
Although online hate speech is deeply rooted in Islamophobic sentiments and exhibits distinct characteristics from offline forms of abuse or violence, substantial evidence supports the assertion that online hate speech serves as a catalyst for offline actions. Amidst the proliferation of Islamophobic discourse in online spaces, the dissemination of fake news and misinformation thrives within echo chambers, perpetuating a cycle of prejudice and intolerance.
Save the Children? A Sound of Freedom, Operation Underground Railroad (OUR), and the White Savior Complex
Sex trafficking is an incredibly serious issue within the larger context of human trafficking, that transcends international borders and involves perpetrators across “racial, ethnic, and gender demographics”. Of all human trafficking victims worldwide, some 27% are children and are used for forced or sexual labor. Child sex trafficking is a serious human rights issue and combatting it should be (and already is in many cases) a priority for all international organizations and nation-state governments. There is also no denying that this issue is often not placed at the forefront of mainstream Hollywood films. If they are, such as in "Taken" (2008), they are quite problematic. The recent release of Sound of Freedom has changed that.
The Breakup of a State: The Balkan Model of the Holocaust
Only a few decades after World War II, the international community largely failed in its role as an intermediary in the war that followed the breakup of Yugoslavia. On the doorstep of the 21st century, new genocides took place in Europe with the ethnic cleansing in Srebrenica, Prijedor, Foca, Bratunac, Sarajevo, as well as all the occupied places and cities under siege in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The terrible events in Srebrenica left a black shadow on European history. According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, 7.079 Bosnian Muslims were killed in Srebrenica between July 12 and 16, 1995, in what turned out to be the worst genocide in modern Balkan history.
How Orbán Exploits Russia’s War in Ukraine for Domestic Political Gains
Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán’s controversial stance on Russia’s war in Ukraine helps, primarily, himself. His anti-Ukrainian rhetoric as well as positioning himself as a “pro-Peace” force in Europe and protector of Hungarians bring him – duly needed – domestic plus points.
Still at Large: The Crimes of Henry Kissinger and the Dark Side of U.S. Foreign Policy
Henry Kissinger is one of the most renowned statesmen in the world and the last surviving member of Richard Nixon’s Cabinet. Kissinger has remained a force in American politics and heavily influencing policy abroad and being sought for his insights by presidents as politically diverse as George W. Bush and Donald Trump to Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. However, a critical examination of his life and work is needed.
