benefits of lockdown

The Surprising Benefits of the COVID-19 Lockdown and Quarantine

Introduction This past year has felt debilitating for most. As Professor Richard Friedman said: “The monotony of lockdown life has starved us of spontaneity and serendipity, which enhance learning and memory”, and: “If you’re ecstatic after a trip to the … Continue reading The Surprising Benefits of the COVID-19 Lockdown and Quarantine

Confederate monument, Lexington, N.C.

Selective Memory and Historical Revisionism: A Case Study of Confederate Monuments in North Carolina

The dismantling and removal of Confederate memorials and monuments has been an ongoing process in the U.S. since the advent of the 20th century. The vast majority of Confederate monuments were erected during the late 19th century and the early-mid … Continue reading Selective Memory and Historical Revisionism: A Case Study of Confederate Monuments in North Carolina

Ipanema beach

‘The Girl from Ipanema’: What has Changed in Rio de Janeiro Nowadays?

RIO DE JANEIRO (IPANEMA) — Brazilian elegance steps out into 1960s Rio de Janeiro, chauffeured in a classic Porsche. The pastel pastiche attracts all kinds of people as a guitar picks the city’s hymn: ‘The Girl from Ipanema.’ There is … Continue reading ‘The Girl from Ipanema’: What has Changed in Rio de Janeiro Nowadays?

Effects of Intolerance on Mental Health in LGBT Communities of Eastern Europe and East Asia

“You can’t change what’s going on around you until you start changing what’s going on within you”-Niki Mcbain. In times of harsh injustice, there comes a final resort for a community to become united as a whole. Which is taking … Continue reading Effects of Intolerance on Mental Health in LGBT Communities of Eastern Europe and East Asia

The FARC

Origin of the FARC: Colombia’s Largest Militant Group

The FARC, or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia), are a guerrilla group born in 1964 in the department of Tolima in central Colombia. Its founder was Pedro Antonio Marín Marín, alias Manuel Marulanda Vélez, who … Continue reading Origin of the FARC: Colombia’s Largest Militant Group

Zaide Silvia Gutiérrez as Rosa Xuncax in "El Norte"

Current Events: Why the Celebrated Immigration Saga “El Norte” Is Still Relevant After 37 Years

On its surface, the United States has long been viewed as a secure country of prosperity and opportunity. The land of the free, the home of the brave, a place of diversity and inclusion. At least, that’s how the story … Continue reading Current Events: Why the Celebrated Immigration Saga “El Norte” Is Still Relevant After 37 Years

Kibutz ceremony, 1951

Philosophical Origins and Sociopolotical Evolution of Zionism as a Nationalist Movement

Zionism is a movement that aims for the creation of a Jewish State. In its current form and for most of its history, this state is to be built in the region of Palestine (called Zion צִיּוֹן in the Old … Continue reading Philosophical Origins and Sociopolotical Evolution of Zionism as a Nationalist Movement