https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr en-us 2020-09-28 10:19:56 UTC 2025-10-25 15:49:46 UTC hello@padlet.com B122921 https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/809669511 Hirch's article and David Olusoga's documentary show how xenophobia in Britain is entirely focused on black people and in favour of white immigration. Hirch states that “the less visibly “other”” is deemed to be unproblematic despite having the same effect as black immigrants on the UK economy. ]]> 2020-10-07 09:20:04 UTC https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/809669511 B122921 https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/809674156 Han notes how the community in a low-income area is caught between the gangs and the police, there is fight for who to abide by and who can be trusted. With the recent regression of covid-19 restrictions being implemented across the UK to varying extents, it is evident that there is a similar weigh up being made by the citizens.]]> 2020-10-07 09:22:48 UTC https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/809674156 B122921 https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/809685653 At what stage of Westernization are we?
An interesting question presented in Hakan Arslanbenzer's article in relation to Turkey and the process of Americanism, which mirrors "The romance of resistance" by Lila Abu-Lughod. ]]> 2020-10-07 09:30:23 UTC https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/809685653 B122921 https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/840242657 Khosravi discusses the ways in which physical borders reinforce the borders within a society, this is an interview has been very insightful after our lecture which discussed Khosravi's comments about the making and breaking of a person. The way someone dresses, looks, talks, and the documents you hold are the main determinants of how you are treated at a border check.]]> 2020-10-19 08:26:54 UTC https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/840242657 B122921 https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/840245114 2020-10-19 08:28:01 UTC https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/840245114 B122921 https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/844120029 Recently I watched the film Just Mercy which highlighted the injustice within the American justice system. Although the film is set in the 1980's, it is still incredibly relevant as the unequal policing of black people still takes place everyday in the US as well as the UK.]]> 2020-10-20 09:08:12 UTC https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/844120029 B122921 https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/844127540 American Dirt follows the story of a mother and son who travel to the US to escape violence in their community. American Dirt highlights the horrific experiences people go through in order to enter the US, seeking asylum and leaving behind their lives in order to find safety. Border control can an attempt to cross the border can be the death of many people which emphasis the desperation to make such a dangerous journey. As we have been taught in the lectures, borders are a site of ritual and reinforcement of binaries between those who have the right to travel and those who don't. The book is really fascinating in grasping an understanding of what forces people to flee their home. ]]> 2020-10-20 09:12:02 UTC https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/844127540 B122921 https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/844144614 Looking at structural violence locally it is evident that systematically the UK is part of the problem as black men are five times more likely than white men to be stopped and searched by police in England and Wales. 45% of children in BAME families live in poverty by comparison to 26% of children in white British families. These facts mirror the symptoms of structural violence stated by Paul Farmer (2004).]]> 2020-10-20 09:20:34 UTC https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/844144614 B122921 https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/844175715 I watched the Egyptian Revolution The Square documentary about Tahrir sqaure and the power that the pople protesting in that square gained from taking up the physical space which symbolises the heart of Egypt. The protesting is still in action and sadly the people are paying the price instead of receiving the social and economic rights they have been waiting for. Protests are usually the exception, instead of the norm, but the past 9 years of protests have become a part of the everyday life for the people of Cairo. ]]> 2020-10-20 09:36:35 UTC https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/844175715 B122921 https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/857923532 Hage (2003) outlined the contradictions of condemning suicide bombers when the response is coming from a very privellegd Western viewpoint. Without knowing the environment and conditions that a potential suicide bomber has been brought up in, it is challenging to give a response that considers the circumstanecs which leave suicide bombing as the only form of gaining control of life.  Trumps' description of suicide bombers as "losers" emphasis the lack of understanding to the conditions of life which lead to suicide becoming the respectable social norm in different cultures.]]> 2020-10-24 10:32:35 UTC https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/857923532 B122921 https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/857948479 “When we explain an act as the product of a particular history and particular social circumstances we give its perpetrators some of their humanity back.”(Hage, 2003:86-7) . Devji depicts how ordinary the London suicide bombers are as one of the men changes their trousers prior to the bombing, and this is further explained by someone who knew the man and stated that he took care of his appearance. Describing the suicide bombers as ordinary can be shocking to many people who only see the devastation caused but it would be inaccurate to suggest otherwise. ]]> 2020-10-24 11:21:17 UTC https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/857948479 B122921 https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/904897720 This piece highlights that terrorism is "integrated with other sub-state entities, such as criminal organisations and are gradually assuming a measure of control and identity with national governments." which leaves is a reminder of suicide bombers and the belief that the only way to gain pride and respect is through suicide bombing. This environment which harnesses individual's vulnerabilities to act out political events doesn't leave the government exempt from criticism. As an environment which encourages suicide bombers is a product of political situation at play, then blame can be shifted to the people holding power as little is being done to disband these conditions of living.]]> 2020-11-09 16:29:49 UTC https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/904897720 B122921 https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/905040716 The documentary "We are all neighbours" showed the impact of the civil war on a community in a village in Bosnia. In our tutorial it was brought up that there is never any explicit violence shown and only the sounds of violence in the distance which you can hear in the background of clips. This documentary showed how violence impacts daily life and relationships even if the violence is never against you. I then found this article which highlights the impact of the prevalence of gun violence in the US and the detrimental effect this can have on someone's mental health. I thought, sadly, that this suits this week's discussion perfectly as the violence has a significant impact on people who can be very removed from the physical act of violence.]]> 2020-11-09 16:59:04 UTC https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/905040716 B122921 https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/905147493 The ambiguity of ‘who are the people’, that populism gives power to, is taken advantage of by politicians in the UK and around the world. The left is typically seen to give power to the working class by “championing greater inclusion”, while the right uses the same format to reinforce class boundaries. The majority of the population which is supposedly represented by both parties, however in very contrasting ways, has a very small amount of power in actually defining what they want. This is how both parties can use a vague briefing of populism to amplify their voice. Peter Bloom notes in this article the importance of less focus on critiquing those at the top and an improvement in the definition of “who the “people” are what they can achieve together”. British politicians focus a lot of energy into defining themselves as the party of the people without actually following through on the changes which are needed to better the country. ]]> 2020-11-09 17:20:58 UTC https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/905147493 B122921 https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/915901038 For the people? or, only for certain types of people? 
This podcast helped solidify my understanding of populism in relation to Trump, Latin America, and Europe. As well as considering the gendering of populism and the idea of a "tough guy that gets things done" and the romanticisation of the hero coming to save a nation.]]> 2020-11-12 10:36:31 UTC https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/915901038 B122921 https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/916307357 Margaret Conovan (1999) speaks of the two faces of populism which are the redemptive and the pragmatic. These two sides of populism allow for an array of ideologies to be sustained through the idea of populism and democracy. Similarly, The Guardian article highlights the prevalence of populism across US politics which includes Sanders, Obama, Warren, Trump, and Harris.  ]]> 2020-11-12 13:27:33 UTC https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/916307357 B122921 https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/916332880 Interesting diagram to consider in relation to my previous post about Conovan and The Guardian article.]]> 2020-11-12 13:34:27 UTC https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/916332880 B122921 https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/916587991 Consider implications of daily learnings on the person we become, endorse, or discriminate against.]]> 2020-11-12 14:29:00 UTC https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/916587991 B122921 https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/916652048 Sonny Lo Shiu Hing discusses how populism has led to political violence in Hong Kong. The article demonstrates how populism can be manipulated by opposing types of people (democratic and nationalistic) as there is now clarity regarding who should and who should not support populism, as well as how populism can be used for political gain.]]> 2020-11-12 14:41:47 UTC https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/916652048 B122921 https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/921020707 Populism, in this case, aims to erode public faith of ‘the establishment’ in order to cast distrust on mainstream parties and election results. A mistrust of the legitimate leaders is likely to lead to a rejection of results when it comes to elections and therefore Trump is a key supporter of promoting this perception of fraudulent behaviour by elites. This is done in order to undermine results, evident in Trump's rejection to acknowledge his loss and Biden’s win in the 2020 election. This mechanism of distrust is used to catalyse political protests and create an illusion that elites are overruling the majority.]]> 2020-11-13 17:24:28 UTC https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/921020707 B122921 https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/921040071 Populism causing an increase in political participation? This article looks at the potential for populism to cause an increase in voter turnout and political participation as people who may have felt previously underrepresented may turn to the voting booths. Alternatively, it can be seen in the recent US presidential election that voter turnout can often increase if the stakes are higher and the outcome of the election is of greater significance to 'the people' as the prospect of a populist leader may encourage a vote against that outcome.]]> 2020-11-13 17:28:54 UTC https://padlet.com/B122921/ysm944coid259zmr/wish/921040071