One Protest, Two Perspectives
One-nation, two-systems: the political reintegration of Hong Kong into China after a century of being a British colony has recently proved problematic, as the people of Hong Kong have taken to the streets to demand further democratic development. The 1997 Agreement placed the former British colony in a semi-autonomous position, where basic civil and political […]
The Big Bad Brony: Male Dominance of Feminine Space in the Media
From Barbie to G.I. Joe, American toy stores help to reinforce the socially constructed gender divisions between females and males. By separating and color coding aisles based on what is deemed appropriate for little girls and boys to play with, toy stores and toy companies help to entrench gender identities beginning from an exceptionally young […]
The Media Versus the Environmental Movement: The Unseen Battle
The environmental movement in the United States faces many challenges from varied social, political, and economic pressures. Economic growth and the free market often take priority over all other issues, regardless of the implications of those values. As such, attempts at regulation or environmental protection are viewed as restrictive and infringing upon the rights of […]
Were the Sochi Olympic Security Threats Valid?
After four long years, the image of the mountainous Vancouver landscape slowly faded away as the Olympic spotlight and Sochi geared up for the first Russian Olympic event since the breakup of the USSR. For more than a century, the Olympics have treated spectators around the world to a show that only the world’s […]
Tap Water: The Cleaner, Cheaper, Tastier Choice
The world is consuming bottled water at a rapid rate. Global consumption of bottled water is increasing by 10 percent annually and global expenditures amount to approximately $100 billion per year.[1] The largest market for bottled water is in developed countries, with the United States being the top consumer.[2] In the US, people are […]
Howie Carr Shares Wisdom, Encouragement With NU College Republicans
At the end of his talk with the NU College Republicans Wednesday night, Howie Carr handed out refrigerator magnets. One featured Tamerlan “Speedbump” Tsarnaev, as Carr referred to him, bloodied on a coroner’s table after his brother Dzhokhar “Shipstain” ran him over in a stolen getaway car in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings. […]
Syria’s Frontlines: Creative Resistance as a Tool to Challenge the Official Discourse
The Syrian uprising is not merely an armed struggle between regime forces and different opposition groups, as the mainstream media and politicians describe it. When looking closer at the uprising, something becomes clear; there is also a cultural struggle with words as the primary weapon in music, literature, humor, slogans and theatre that is taking place […]
Food for Thought: What Brandon Stanton’s HONY Presentation Helps Us to Understand About Politics, Information, and Social Media
When the Northeastern University student body packed Blackman Auditorium for a sold-out show featuring Brandon Stanton, the man responsible for the immensely popular Humans of New York photojournalism blog, the general consensus seemed to be that no one knew what to expect. Although some were undoubtedly in attendance to learn something new or to […]
Janelle Monáe: Revolution Through Music
I recall casually browsing Tumblr one day and coming upon a picture of an extremely pretty black woman, button-nosed and petite, with the most fabulously coiffed pompadour afro, rocking a sharp tux and sharper cheekbones. My interest was instantly piqued, but I never really listened to her music until someone uploaded an Mp3 track from […]
Left-by-South-West: The Return of Democrat Politics in Texas
This summer, Texas legislator Wendy Davis, clad in pink sneakers, staged an 11-hour filibuster that successfully blocked Republican efforts to greatly restrict abortion policy.[1] The filibuster delayed the passing of House Bill 2, and successfully launched Davis to political fame, both within the state and across the country. Incumbent Rick Perry will not seek re-election […]