Can we trust the Natives? Researchers, Indigenous Peoples, and Scholarly Authority
There is renewed debate over interpretation and authority in constructing histories of indigenous peoples. Some historians such as David Silverman have critiqued sustained collaborative approaches with indigenous communities in writing their history. They contend...
“Dad, what did you do for racial justice?”
Years from now, kids will ask their parents, "Dad, what side were you on during the great protest for racial justice of 2020?" Can you look them in the eye and say "On the...
Do truth and reconciliation commissions heal divided nations?
As long as unresolved historic injustices continue to fester in the world, there will be a demand for truth commissions.
Unfortunately, there is no end to the need.
The goal of a truth commission — in...
“Will there ever be permanent peace and equality in the world?”
A frequently asked question: “WILL THERE EVER BE PERMANENT PEACE AND EQUALITY IN THE WORLD?”Yes, I think there can be “more” world peace. The emphasis is of course on “more” because peace is never...
War has no real winners
After months of fighting, Kurdish fighters battling the Islamic State jihadists in Syria finally succeeded in recapturing the key town of Kobane. The Kurds defeat of the Islamic State jihadists was widely celebrated as...
World enduring ‘more dangerous times’ than at height of Cold War:
By Bonny Ibhawoh,
Global security expert: Insurgencies making world more dangerous than even at height of Cold War | CTV News
The world is a more dangerous place “than even at the height of the Cold...
#BringBackOurGirls: Let the Outrage Persist
By Bonny Ibhawoh,
The global outrage must persist until the young girls kidnapped by militant Islamists in Nigeria are found and brought back home. In our 24 hour media news circle, I worry that the...
Three Lessons from Mandela’s Life
Following the death of Nelson Mandela, there has been much outpouring of accolades on the former South African president. Mandela has been praised as a hero and a reconciler who saved a nation. But...
Egypt: The Ballot must be Sacrosanct
By Bonny Ibhawoh,
The military intervention in Egypt and the ousting of the democratically elected Islamist regime has been hailed by some as a victory of a popular revolution. Amidst the euphoria, however, we must...
Africa’s spreading extremism concerns experts, expatriates
The Diamondback, Thu May 30, 2013.
As the U.S. continues to focus most of its military efforts on fighting extremist groups in the Middle East, university students from Africa know this is a battle playing...
Beaver or bear? The Battle over Canadian National Identity
This lighthearted story about the debate over replacing the beaver with the polar bear as Canada’s national emblem was one of the most read stories on the BBC website this week.
Apparently the rest of...
Reading of the Month: “The Death of the Liberal Class”
My reading for the month has been “The Death of the Liberal Class,’ by Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Chris Hedges. In it he makes the argument that the “liberal class” which has historically been at...
Independent South Sudan: Between Promise and Fear
By Bonny Ibhawoh,
It was delightful to watch on TV, the celebrations that greeted the declaration of South Sudan as an independent nation – the world’s newest nation. Given the history of this troubled region...
Ivory Coast: Laurent Gbagbo, Tyranny and Obstinacy
By Bonny Ibhawoh,
The crisis unfolding in Ivory Coast is a tragic and familiar one. A dictator without any legitimate claim to power sits tight in office in defiance of his people’s will and international...
Quote of the Week by “Arthur Koestler”
“The fear of finding oneself in bad company is not an expression of political purity; it is an expression of a lack of self-confidence.”
- Arthur Koestler
President Obama Message to the Iranian People
By Bonny Ibhawoh,
Obama’s message to the Iranian people marks a refreshing break from the adversarial and belligerent rhetoric that has characterized US-Iranian relations for over three decades. Hopefully this marks a small but significant...
Book of the Week: John Foran, Taking Power: On the Origins of Third World...
By Bonny Ibhawoh,
I just finished reading John Foran’s new book, Taking Power (2005) and I think is a must read for anyone interested in human rights, social justice and peace. Although Foran is a...
Reflecting on the Meaning of Change
By Bonny Ibhawoh,
The Hamilton Magazine asked a panel of scholars to reflect of the meaning of "Change." These are excerpts from my reflections. The full article makes for interesting reading.
http://www.hamiltonmagazine.com/sitepages/?aid=211&cn=Features&an=Change%20Now
“There’s an old Chinese proverb,”...
Beware the Aspirational Gap
By Bonny Ibhawoh,
As Obama is sworn in as President of the United States, there seems to be global expectation that all things will now pass away and behold, all things will be made new....
Obama Election Victory Celebration
A moving rendition of "Lift every voice" at an Obama victory celebration in Washington on the night of the election.