The right to know: How does censorship affect academics?
When academics and journalists forego sharing their findings, out of intimidation, we all lose out.
13 November, 2019
- Academic freedom is what makes a university space work as a setting to develop students' capacities. It is the permission to think freely, and have contrarian discussions, that leads to new insights.
- There are whole zones of knowledge that we never get to because of intimidation put on academics: "We simply don't know what we haven't even thought to ask."
- Self-censorship, especially regarding sensitive topics, is the dark matter of the academic freedom universe. Out of fear of being attacked, or their families being harmed, some journalists and scholars will forego publishing their findings.
- The opinions expressed in this video do not necessarily reflect the views of the Charles Koch Foundation, which encourages the expression of diverse viewpoints within a culture of civil discourse and mutual respect.
"Cocaine of the sea" — the illegal fish trade of the Mexican cartel and Chinese mafia
"Sea of Shadows" is a documentary you can't afford to miss.
06 November, 2019
National Geographic
- "Sea of Shadows" tells the story of an illegal fish trade between the Mexican cartel and Chinese mafia.
- The fish bladders, bought for $5,000 from local fisherman, are sold in China for over $100,000 to make an unproven medicine.
- Director Richard Ladkani talks about the intensity and danger of making this film, as well as the hopeful ending.
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Internet activism: How are political movements shaped online?
In today's political world, building a campaign team that is dedicated to a digital presence is key to winning.
25 October, 2019
- When it comes to developing an effective online campaign, it's important to build a team of members who understand their audience and who have a clear understanding of their team's division of labor.
- Successful campaigns understand the pros and cons of various social media platforms — their respective architectures are important when it comes to strategically propagating a message. Having someone who spends concentrated time to really understand how the platforms work, and how to capitalize on their algorithms, is vital to compete in today's political world.
- Young people aren't automatically savvy when it comes to boosting a campaign's engagement. What matters most is having the resources to train team members how to better utilize social media.
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A psychotherapist explains why some adults are reacting badly to young climate strikers
When adults are challenged to behave like adults, by a child, they can go in one of two directions.
19 October, 2019
Barbara Alper/Getty Images
Young climate strikers I spoke to recently are confused and distressed about the things adults are doing.
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Political engagement online takes work, too. Here’s why.
When it comes to effectively propagating a message in the modern day, few do it quite like internet activists.
17 October, 2019
- Groups with more resources, more organizational infrastructure, and more conservatives leanings tend to use the internet for political activism more so than their working class, left-leaning counterparts.
- Building a political movement with a strong online component takes a tremendous amount of work and expertise, such as understanding how to leverage algorithms on social media to better propagate a message.
- When it comes to sending out a message online to as wide an audience as possible, be mindful to develop ways to not just reach those who have the time and resources to be constantly online.
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