The openMovements series invites leading social scientists to share their research results and perspectives on contemporary social struggles. Concejo Mayor de Gobierno Comunal. Authors' photographs.The struggle of Cherán is one of the most important emerging social movements of recent years in Mexico, both for its visibility and for the political, economic, social and cultural alternative…
President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia presents a copy of a peace agreement that was forged in his country to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Sept. 19, 2016. AP Photo/Craig Ruttle. The final agreement between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) has attracted a great deal of interest from the…
With the passage of the Republicans’ health care act, the House of Representatives seems to be saying that coming up with a plan to insure Americans really wasn’t all that hard after all. It just took a bit more of a subsidy— $8 billion to be precise—for really sick people to make Congress comfortable with…
British troops carry out an evening patrol targeting smugglers at an oil plant in southern Iraq in 2003. Credit: David Cheskin / PA Archive/Press Association Images. All rights reserved. The long-awaited Chilcot Report was finally released today, examining the UK’s involvement in the Iraq War and occupation. Unfortunately, on the most important question, the report’s…
In the wake of Roger Ailes’ death, many will remember him for his 20-year reign at the helm of Fox News, and his strategic approach to programming that took the network to new heights. But to journalism ethicists, he will be remembered as a poster boy for conflict of interest. Of Ailes’ many departures from…
An anti-narcotic police officer guards packages of cocaine in San Jose del Guaviare, Colombia. AP Photo/Fernando Vergara. All rights reserved. The war on drugs has been the way the Colombian state has related to extensive marginal areas of the country; and its counternarcotics policies, the language the central government has used to meet the challenges…
Paul Ryan, Donald Trump and Melania Trump. Alex Brandon/AP/Press Association Images. All rights reserved.The assault on Mosul in northern Iraq has been eclipsed somewhat by the aftermath of the presidential election in the United States. A stuttering military campaign and a messy transition process, however, are also two parts of the same reality. Decisions now…
Lame duck politicians operate in a relaxed state knowing that there’s no re-election on the horizon. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, carrying with him a beach-closing scandal and a 15% approval rating, took his lame-duck status onto a local call-in sports radio show. Only one week removed from a flurry of criticism following his family outing to…
Nasser Nasser/AP/Press Association Images. All rights reserved.A quick glance at the official Ultras Ahlawy Facebook page offers a harrowing reminder of the last five years in Egyptian history. Instead of a timeline dedicated to football fandom and hardcore support for the Al-Ahly club, poignant pictures of various youth crowd the screen, each with a similar…
Canada is calling to some Americans like a siren song. In fact, when Trump won the presidential election last fall, Google searches for “Canada Citizenship” surged 4,550 percent, and Canada’s immigration site crashed. And what’s not to love with friendly folks, decent pop music (i.e., Go for Soda), free universal health care, and dreamboat Justin…