Activism
Myanmar’s punk pacifists are healing their divided country
Punk Buddha — Punk’s pacifist roots have endured around the world, from anti-war protestors to Riot Grrrls. Now that history is continuing in Myanmar, a country divided by religious conflict, where a group of altruistic rebels are refusing to give into fear of ‘the other’.
Written by: Adam White
Is the boom in slum tourism anything more than poverty porn?
Oi, gringo! — In the last few years, tourists and travellers have been poking around in slums and favelas in unprecedented numbers. Slum tourism could play a positive role in transforming marginalised communities around the globe - but only if residents have a real say, argues Fabian Frenzel, author of Slumming It.
Written by: Alex King
Bringing gender fluidity into the politics of the nipple
#FreeTheNipple — The Free the Nipple is a campaign saturated by conversations on the female body – but what about those who do not fall within conventional gender binaries? Meet two activists bringing trans and non-binary back into the politics of the nipple.
Written by: Taylor McGraa
Remaining in the EU isn't pleasant, but this right-wing Brexit is worse
From where I stand — From unaccountable leaders to enforced austerity, the European Union is far from a progressive institution. But the Brexit campaign has fuelled the British right, and leaving now would endorse xenophobia, prejudice and nationalism.
Written by: James Butler
Whatever the outcome, the EU referendum has been an uncomfortable wake-up call
From where I stand — After months of debate, this week Britain will vote on its future within the European Union. Months ago it seemed remaining was the only possible outcome, but perhaps that was naive. Writer Marie Le Conte takes a nuanced look what's driving people towards the leave campaign across the country.
Written by: Marie Le Conte
Women in Poland are fighting for their reproductive rights
Gals4Gals — Polish abortion laws are already amongst the most restrictive in Europe, and proposals in the country are set to clamp down on women's autonomy over their bodies even further. Gals4Gals, a group that started online, is a movement of hundreds of thousands of women who are fighting back.
Written by: Natalia Domagala
The Travel Diary: Ten dusty days biking through the hidden Himalayas
What you see along the way — After last year's devastating earthquake in Tibet and Nepal, a group of adventurers set out for the once-forbidden nation of Upper Mustang to see what had changed, paragliding and motorbiking along the way.
Written by: James Joiner
Mental illness doesn't kill people, terrorists do
Stripping back the stigma — Jo Cox, a British politician, was yesterday shot dead by a man in her constituency. In the aftermath of her killing the press have been quick to apportion blame - sensationalist headlines ignore his alleged far-right politics, instead focussing on his as yet unknown mental health problems. They say it’s not political, but this killing was political – and so too is our mental health.
Written by: Emily Reynolds
Thousands in fines for graffiti artists fighting Heathrow expansion
Spray cans against climate change — Activists who subverted pro-Heathrow advertising billboards found guilty and given hefty fines by a UK court.
Written by: Alex King
Whatever happened to the Likely Lads?
Those rebels had a cause — It's all kicking off in France. Euro 2016 is in full swing across French towns and cities, with violent clashes between supporters. The Brits are taking centre stage, but these aren't the well-dressed and working class hooligans at war of decades past.
Written by: Michael Fordham
