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Society, Politics & Law
9/11: Reflections on political leadership
On September 11 2001, hijackers took control of four aircraft and crashed into the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, in events that changed the world forever. It raised questions not only about the United States’ foreign policy but also about its assumed dominance as the leading international superpower. Ten years on since 9/11, the political...
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Society, Politics & Law
My town, your town, whose town?
Step into the shoes of a community leader in this game and tackle crucial issues impacting UK towns right now.
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Society, Politics & Law
Wales: Culture and identity
Wales is a vibrant nation with its own language, musical heritage and strong cultural identity. Central to this identity and a source of national pride, is rugby, which is deeply embedded in the national consciousness and explored in ‘Rugby and welsh identity’. Away from the sports pitch, this collection also looks at place and belonging, gender...
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Society, Politics & Law
Berlusconi: the politically incorrect politician
Sex scandals, divorce, alleged links to the mafia, showman, entrepreneur, and as some might describe him – the politically incorrect politician. The Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been sworn in four times since 1994, but is Berlusconi a glimpse of political leadership of the future? What is the cost of populism, Berlusconi-style, ...
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Society, Politics & Law
Digging up Spain's dead
General Franco’s authoritarian dictatorship lasted for almost forty years. When he died in 1975, political parties of both the left and the right agreed to draw a line under the past for the sake of Spain’s peaceful transition to democracy. So why now, over 30 years later, is Spain breaking its self-imposed silence about its past?
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Society, Politics & Law
Seeking Sanctuary
How do refugees and asylum seekers find political voice? Many face hostility, isolation and exclusion, but while waiting to seek sanctuary what positive, constructive and engaging contributions can they do for society? City of Sanctuary is a movement set up to foster a culture of hospitality in sixteen major cities across the UK.
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Society, Politics & Law
Human trafficking: Modern day slavery?
The phrase "human trafficking" conjures up shocking images of modern slavery, abuse and victims. But are people who have been trafficked necessarily asking for protection? Rather than helping, is the language and terminology surrounding this very serious issue just part of the problem?
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Society, Politics & Law
Is citizenship nationality?
You can quit the gym, join a new golf club and move to a new city, but joining the citizenship club is not a choice; we are governed by the powers that decide who we are and what nation we belong to. Without agreeing to or choosing it, the vast majority of people in the world have their nationality conferred on them by where they were born or ...
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Society, Politics & Law
Cider: The new politics of food
As police crack down on social problems such as binge drinking, how can a small artisan cider maker take cider away from the streets and back onto the restaurant table? The humble apple - and cider, one of it's most pleasurable products lie at the heart of a new politics of food activism while the decline of the British apple orchard reveals a ...
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Society, Politics & Law
Pitfalls of Polls
What are opinions polls? A public form of political gossip, a way for politicians to test public reactions to policies or an accurate prediction of how people will vote? Opinion polls have their uses, but it is important to remember they do not, and are not intended to, predict the future. Getting political opinion polling in perspective is not ...
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Society, Politics & Law
The insecurity of security
Do you feel safe in your own home? Security measures, such as gated communities and CCTV, can remove people's rights and have a long-term physical impact on everyday life. Do these increasing attempts at security help or is it a vicious circle which increases our feelings of insecurity?
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Society, Politics & Law
Thailand: The Politics of Blood
In Thailand, the international media is the battleground for political ideas. Protests have become increasingly dramatic and well organised. In October 2008, Red-shirts, in their thousands, donated their own blood and poured it on the walls and under the gates of Government House while Yellow-shirted protesters staged a sit - in at Bangkok ...