Welcome

It is a well-known fact of life that many of those accused or even convicted of sexual assault, harassment, or abuse within the U.S. Armed Forces can go about their daily lives without much change. Many are able to lead active and personally prosperous lives while their victims in some cases are jailed, forced out of the military, or take their own lives. One such individual is Michael D. Kepner II, an honorably retired Lieutenant Colonel of the United States Army. He is a sexual assaulter who has been able to engage in an active, financially and professionally profitable life outside of the military despite a conviction and sentencing.

The world is experiencing an increase in terrorist attacks, including environmental terrorism. The presence of natural resources and infrastructures, especially water-related ones, in contested areas subjected to traditional forms of terrorism, requires further attention within terrorism-related research. The case of the Nagorno-Karabakh war is an interesting case with regard to the concept of environmental and eco-terrorism. In this respect, the implications of water issues after the 2020 war and the dangers involved for the future of the region are of particular interest.

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.

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?

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.

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.