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oD Highlights 2016

Re-shaping Britain must include the BBC

NIKI SETH-SMITH

A new free e-book from openDemocracy and Commonwealth Publishing rethinks what Britain in the 21st century needs from its public media. Rethinking the BBC brings together contributions major political and literary figures, from Philip Pullman to Mariana Mazzucato.

openDemocracy.net - free thinking for the world

Diversity on TV: a discussion with Lenny Henry

OURBEEB TEAM

Following the BBC's commitment to new diversity targets, we publish the footage of a discussion about diversity on TV with Lenny Henry, Pat Younge, Dawn Foster and Bev Skeggs.

The real Whittingdale scandal: a cover up by the UK press

JAMES CUSICK

I spent five months with another senior journalist at the Independent newspaper investigating why other papers had shut down a story about the culture minister, only to see my editor shut the investigation down too. Here is the anatomy of a press cover-up.

Lord Puttnam: the BBC must confront a "total" loss of trust

DAVID PUTTNAM and NIKI SETH-SMITH

The film producer and chair of a major inquiry into the future of public service broadcasting calls on the BBC to help rebuild trust in Brexit Britain.

The BBC’s Question Time can no longer be a megaphone for lies

ELLIE MAE O'HAGAN

If the BBC is to take balance seriously, it can’t leave panellists to voice untruths, unchecked.

The General Strike to Corbyn: 90 years of BBC establishment bias

TOM MILLS

On the anniversary of the 1926 General Strike, looking back to the early BBC helps us understand the latest bias scandal, over coverage of Labour's anti-semitism scandal vs Tory election fraud.

Muslims in the media: a call to UK editors

HASHI MOHAMED

In a sea of stereotypes, journalists and the public must educate themselves about the facts beyond the headlines.

Was truth the casualty of the BBC’s impartiality rules?

DAVID GRAHAM

Following a referendum campaign in which the UK media has been accused of failing in their duty to educate, momentum is building to scrap, or revise, the BBC's impartiality rules.

The British were dangerously ill-informed about the EU referendum

MIKE BERRY

Research suggests that the UK media are failing to adequately inform the British public.

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A weekly roundup of world affairs, ideas and culture.

oD Highlights 2016

Re-shaping Britain must include the BBC

NIKI SETH-SMITH

A new free e-book from openDemocracy and Commonwealth Publishing rethinks what Britain in the 21st century needs from its public media. Rethinking the BBC brings together contributions major political and literary figures, from Philip Pullman to Mariana Mazzucato.

openDemocracy.net - free thinking for the world

Diversity on TV: a discussion with Lenny Henry

OURBEEB TEAM

Following the BBC's commitment to new diversity targets, we publish the footage of a discussion about diversity on TV with Lenny Henry, Pat Younge, Dawn Foster and Bev Skeggs.

The real Whittingdale scandal: a cover up by the UK press

JAMES CUSICK

I spent five months with another senior journalist at the Independent newspaper investigating why other papers had shut down a story about the culture minister, only to see my editor shut the investigation down too. Here is the anatomy of a press cover-up.

Lord Puttnam: the BBC must confront a "total" loss of trust

DAVID PUTTNAM and NIKI SETH-SMITH

The film producer and chair of a major inquiry into the future of public service broadcasting calls on the BBC to help rebuild trust in Brexit Britain.

The BBC’s Question Time can no longer be a megaphone for lies

ELLIE MAE O'HAGAN

If the BBC is to take balance seriously, it can’t leave panellists to voice untruths, unchecked.

The General Strike to Corbyn: 90 years of BBC establishment bias

TOM MILLS

On the anniversary of the 1926 General Strike, looking back to the early BBC helps us understand the latest bias scandal, over coverage of Labour's anti-semitism scandal vs Tory election fraud.

Muslims in the media: a call to UK editors

HASHI MOHAMED

In a sea of stereotypes, journalists and the public must educate themselves about the facts beyond the headlines.

Was truth the casualty of the BBC’s impartiality rules?

DAVID GRAHAM

Following a referendum campaign in which the UK media has been accused of failing in their duty to educate, momentum is building to scrap, or revise, the BBC's impartiality rules.

The British were dangerously ill-informed about the EU referendum

MIKE BERRY

Research suggests that the UK media are failing to adequately inform the British public.

Get openDemocracy emails

A weekly roundup of world affairs, ideas and culture.

This week's editor

En Liang Khong

En Liang Khong is openDemocracy’s assistant editor.

Understanding the rise of Trump

More

Why Yemen matters

More

Digital Liberties

How to fight for digital human rights?

More

Brexit Chasms

Paris

More

Anti-Semitism and the left

Anti-SemitismLeft

More

Polar self Portraits

Zsuzsanna Ardó 22 December 2016

Shimmering, calving, evolving. A new art project seeks to connect people with the climate change surrounding them. 

What would a populist Corbyn look like?

Aaron Bastani 22 December 2016

Eight things the UK's Labour leader should do if he wishes to catch the populist wind.

The BBC and Wales' information deficit

Daniel Evans 22 December 2016

Wales suffers the unique problem of a lack of information, as opposed to misinformation. Welsh people need to explore alternative media forms to create a Welsh public sphere

Kalmykia’s long goodbye

Badma Biurchiev 22 December 2016

Seventy years after their horrific mass deportation by Stalin, the Kalmyk people still live with its traumas. Русский

Political eruption in Guatemala

UPDATE 22 December 2016

Innovation cannot be understood without its context. Recent developments in Guatemala help to explain emerging innovative proposals. Español Português

War and peace, a tale of two museums

Paul Rogers 22 December 2016

The city of Bradford has Britain's only dedicated peace museum. But seek other sites upholding peace and a better world, and ye shall find! 

Community Philanthropy must reflect on power

Jenny Hodgson and Francesc Badia i Dalmases 22 December 2016

“Modelling a different kind of participatory philanthropy, where ordinary people can feel their power through the act of cooperation is a very powerful idea”, says Jenny Hodgson in Johannesburg. Interview. Español

Illicit drug sales in the deep web don’t really make trading safer

Isabel Pereira 22 December 2016

Crypto markets for buying drugs might make things safer for consumers, but they do nothing to protect people in producer or transit countries. Español

A silver lining in the gilded age of Trump

Mishana Hosseinioun 22 December 2016

The upsides of the United States presidential election, in seven points.

The Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled against the UK government, but will they listen?

Nik Williams 22 December 2016

The court has ruled that the indiscriminate retention of electronic communications data by governments is incompatible with a modern democracy. But what will this mean following the Brexit vote?

'We don't want a Charlie Hebdo in Sweden'

Hala Akari 21 December 2016

In small town Sweden, a Syrian immigrant has tried to bridge the gap between "Swedes" and "newcomers" by organising pioneering cultural events in her local library.

Professional skill-sharing should be at the heart of refugee inclusion

Katarina Stiessel Fonseca 21 December 2016

Programmes such as 'Swedish for Professionals' pave the way in providing practical support for recent migrants, as well as ensuring wider social inclusion.

Refugee solidarity: the view from Ghent

Kathleen Van de Kerckhove 21 December 2016

A coordinator from the Ghent Taskforce on Refugees outlines that the best approach to integrating refugees is one grounded in solidarity, not charity.

In community philanthropy, relying on existing local institutions is the answer

Gerry Salole and Francesc Badia i Dalmases 21 December 2016

‘Assuming the fact that local communities have a better understanding of what their exigencies and needs are, is what ‘shifting the power’ really means’ says Gerry Salole in Johannesburg. Interview. Español

The murder in Ankara is vultures coming home to roost

Mark Galeotti 21 December 2016

Russia’s “wins” have largely been destructive and destabilising. The assassination of its ambassador to Turkey shows consequences are never far behind.

Whatever is happening to the Egyptians?

21 December 2016

As the Egyptian economy delves deeper into crisis, society is increasingly fragmented.

Sports and politics

21 December 2016

While the regime in Bahrain is using sports to advance its own agenda, in Egypt the state is actively ensuring the elimination of its football fan base.

The military industrial complex

21 December 2016

As Egypt’s economy slumps further into crisis, the military continues to slowly but surely expand its empire across all segments of the economy, be it education, medicine, staple foods, and others.

Help us rename Arab Awakening!

21 December 2016

Do you have any ideas for an alternative name? Let us know what you think! We are collecting suggestions and will announce the new name soon!

Principles down the pipeline

Jo Ram 21 December 2016

News of fresh fossil fuel loans and corruption confirm a harsh truth — European and international institutions continue to actively support the Aliyev regime in Azerbaijan.

The complex reality beyond the trial of Dominic Ongwen

Sarah Kihika Kasande and Virginie Ladisch 21 December 2016

Dominic Ongwen faces trial at the ICC for crimes of which he was also a victim—forcing us to reevaluate dichotomies of guilt and innocence. A contribution to the openGlobalRights debate on the International Criminal Court.

The battle of governments against extremism has to be credible

Richard Norton-Taylor 21 December 2016

Byrne writes, ‘the starting point for radicalisation may in fact be rage rather than religion…it’s not the madrassa that is the problem, it’s your mates.’ Book review.

India and Israel - bedfellows indeed

Umar Lateef Misgar 21 December 2016

The Israeli treatment of Palestinians might serve as an ideal vantage point to scrutinize Indian rule over Kashmir.

Rojava, where water is twice as expensive as oil

Cemal Özkahraman 21 December 2016

Turkey is now in Jarablus town with Special Forces personnel and heavy weapons including tanks, and making advances enabling it to control a strategic part of the region.

Catalonian lessons: civil society has something to offer on the gaming tables of governance

Simona Levi 21 December 2016

A statement made before the Catalan Parliamentary Committee for the Study of Anti-Corruption Measures and for Democratic Regeneration.

Turkey’s draft constitutional amendments: harking back to 1876?

Ahmet Erdi Ozturk and İştar Gözaydın 20 December 2016

Detailed regulations in the draft raise the prospect of a possible perpetual state of emergency hinging on a perception of personal threat.

Out of prison, Barrett Brown recommits himself to agitating against existing order

Brian Sonenstein 20 December 2016

After four years behind bars on hacking-related charges, journalist and activist Barrett Brown, still plans a global platform by which to generate real, cogent, viable opposition to the state of things.

Can prayer also be action?

Tanya B. Schwarz 20 December 2016

Prayer can break down or reinforce power structures in surprising ways. 

The tyrants bring the invaders

Leila al-Shami 20 December 2016

Russian’s bombing campaign in Syria has helped put an end to Aleppo’s civil democratic experiment, once a beacon of hope. What next?

Catalonia revisited: farewell to great expectations?

Patrice de Beer 20 December 2016

On the eve of 2017, author of ‘Catalonia vs. Spain - a clash of two nationalisms’ has second thoughts about what’s possible.