How Widespread Science Suppression Disempowers the Public
Limiting communication, modifying findings, restricting funding and self-censorship for fear of punishment are some examples of science suppression. These dangerous yet prolific acts occur to the benefit of some but at the expense of everyone — especially the environment. A recent
Turn in Thy Neighbour — Hong Kong’s New Informers’ Hotline
On Nov. 6, it was reported that Hong Kong’s ‘Informers' Hotline’ received over 1,000 reports within hours of police launching the initiative on social media. Day two saw numbers soar beyond 2,500. The ‘National Security Department Reporting Hotline’ has been established
How BLM Protests Have Targeted City Governments
Black Lives Matter (BLM) has been asking for societal reforms and change since 2013, but this summer was different. A video showing the treatment of George Floyd at the hand’s of the Minneapolis Police pushed people to their limits. This
Your Smartphone Could Have Contributed to Devastation in the DRC
The early 2000s saw coltan help further technological development - but at what cost to the DRC? To understand the weight coltan has on the people of DRC and its wildlife, we need to talk about what coltan is. Also known
Gender As Symbolic Glue For Different Extremist Movements
The demonization of ‘gender ideology’ has become a key rhetorical tool in the construction of a new conception of ‘common sense’ for a wide audience. It is simplistic to believe that Kaczynski, Orbán, and Trump have risen to power simply by
How Leaders Can Make Sound Decisions on COVID-19 With Scarce Data To Guide Them
COVID-19 presents an unprecedented predicament: Every day, leaders must make momentous decisions with life or death consequences for many—but there is a dearth of data. In this interview with Impakter, Oded Netzer - a Columbia business professor and Data Science Institute
Surviving Climate Change: Where Should We Place Our Hope?
With the level of knowledge that humans have amassed, there's no reason why we shouldn't be able to address this challenge BUT we're are complicated creatures
Climate Change Doesn’t Have Time for Broken Two-Party Politics
Earlier this month I appeared on a BBC morning talk show with Victoria Derbyshire discussing the climate emergency. The presenter opened by talking about climate change and inquired 'Don't we know about all of this already?' And I'm wondering if we
The Western Balkans and the EU-Russia Tug of War
Russia’s resurgent presence and strengthened role in the Balkan region has been the focus of increased attention and renewed interest in recent years. Highly catchy press titles such as “The Western Balkans are a testing ground in a new Cold
Why There is No Climate Debate in American Politics
Was the climate crisis able to take center stage in the Democratic presidential debates? Simple answer: no. It had more of a poorly spot-lit role in the stage wings. We still have no serious climate debate in American politics, not
Colombia’s Peace Process: the Role of Activists, the Government, and the International Community
On Friday July 26th, people in more than 80 Colombian cities and in 58 other cities worldwide participated in the "March for Life," demanding justice for the nearly 500 Colombian human rights activists and peace campaigners who have died since
The Decline of Debate and its Impact on Democracy
We are no longer surprised to see President Trump’s tweets in which his hostility towards his political opponents and certain ethnic groups is evident. Even tweets that hold threatening messages of war to other nations are expected or those in