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Protester at the "Kill the Bill" march in London, 2022,

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?
 
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Anti-racism activists during a March Against Racism in 2022

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.
 
Human Trafficking Protest, NYC

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.
 
Srebrenica Genocide Memorial

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.
 
Viktor Orbán in front of a banner saying "Peace and Security"

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.
 
Henry Kissinger at Vietnam War Meeting in Paris

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.
 
HMS NORTHUMBERLAND during maritime security and counter-piracy patrols

Is it possible to prevent piracy in the 21st century?

Maritime piracy is a challenge in the 21st century because of how it affects international trade. The rise of globalisation, described as the growing interconnectedness between states, highlights the growing dependence on maritime trading routes which is vital to the economic development of many coastal states. The Gulf of Guinea, where Nigeria is located, possesses a high number of natural oil resources which have been put at risk due to the rise in oil theft. As Nigeria has no narrow straights to restrict shipping, it is more susceptible to violent pirate attacks than other areas in the region. The launch of the Deep Blue Project was pivotal in the Nigerian maritime domain and could serve as a blueprint for preventing piracy in other regions.