Reading

Created
Fri, 22/03/2024 - 06:00

In April, the School of Social and Political Sciences, in collaboration with the Justice and Inequality research priority of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, will be hosting Mike Savage, Martin White Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics. He has a longstanding interest in the social and historical sources of inequality, within and across nations. From 2015 to 2020 Mike was Director of the LSE’s International Inequalities Institute, and his most recent book is The Return of Inequality: Social Change and the Weight of the Past (Harvard University Press, 2021), praised by Thomas Piketty as a “major sociological contribution to the ongoing global debate on inequality and the return of social class”.

Created
Fri, 22/03/2024 - 06:00

In April, the School of Social and Political Sciences, in collaboration with the Justice and Inequality research priority of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, will be hosting Mike Savage, Martin White Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics. He has a longstanding interest in the social and historical sources of inequality, within and across nations. From 2015 to 2020 Mike was Director of the LSE’s International Inequalities Institute, and his most recent book is The Return of Inequality: Social Change and the Weight of the Past (Harvard University Press, 2021), praised by Thomas Piketty as a “major sociological contribution to the ongoing global debate on inequality and the return of social class”.

Created
Fri, 22/03/2024 - 06:00
That Haley faction isn’t dissipating From Truthout: Although former President Donald Trump has attained more than enough delegates to secure the Republican Party’s nomination for the 2024 presidential contest, his primary election numbers are likely worrying his campaign team. On Tuesday night, Trump easily won all five Republican contests. But he isn’t winning near-universal support from GOP voters, as a significant number of those taking part in the primaries are opting for alternate candidates. In Ohio, for example, more than one in five voters (20.8 percent) chose to vote for an option other than Trump. In Arizona, 22.1 percent of voters opted for other choices. Kansas saw nearly a quarter of all voters taking part in the Republican primary voting against Trump, with 24.5 percent choosing someone else. In Illinois, 19.3 percent voted against him. Even in Florida, a state with a closed primary — where voters who are not registered as Republicans are barred from taking part — Trump still struggled slightly, with 18.8 percent of GOP voters selecting options other than the presumed nominee.
Created
Fri, 22/03/2024 - 05:15
This morning I had a one hour five minute meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister Mr Wang Yi. This was a very pleasant and engaging event which, in the main, was a big picture discussion about the geostrategic balances and influences in the world. A portion of that devolved to Australia’s long term relationship with Continue reading »
Created
Fri, 22/03/2024 - 04:58
Penny Wong has a new mantra for Australia China relations. Foreign Minister Penny Wong previously said, “Co-operate with China where we can, disagree where we must.” This week, she has told the press that in her meeting with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi she described her outlook as “Australia will be Australia; China will be Continue reading »
Created
Fri, 22/03/2024 - 04:56
The Australian Government’s bipartisan planned war on China must dominate the next election. Australia’s democracy is currently dead to war, and to America. But the ballot box is the only recourse for Australians. Foreign Affairs Minister Wong recently gave a long interview with historian James Curran. She revealed some guiding principles for how Australia’s foreign Continue reading »
Created
Fri, 22/03/2024 - 04:54
This week, Gideon Levy interviewed by Phillip Adams on the ABC’s Late Night Live and Gershon Baskin in the Times of Israel, reminded us why the Israel Palestine conflict is so intractable. Baskin described the stubbornness of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, his authority within Hamas and his steadfastness to refuse negotiated compromises. Levy told us Continue reading »
Created
Fri, 22/03/2024 - 04:53
Australia is trailing its neighbours in the race to acquire China knowledge and capability, which can only come from in-country experience, writes Louise Edwards. Chinese universities are keen to see more Australian students in their courses and on their campuses. At Beijing’s most important annual political meetings held in March this year, the Director of Continue reading »
Created
Fri, 22/03/2024 - 04:52
When we choose not to show empathy for the people of Syria, it leads us to ignore their country’s ancient history and the rich fabric of Syrian society today. I’m writing to you as an anti-war activist, seeking your support for Petition EN5846 – Help ameliorate the humanitarian crisis in Syria by suspending sanctions. (The petition Continue reading »
Created
Fri, 22/03/2024 - 04:51
TikTok’s owner is once again navigating troubled waters in the United States, where the US House of Representatives has issued an ultimatum: divest or face shutdown within six months. In Australia, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and Senator James Paterson, the shadow home affairs spokesperson, want Canberra to follow suit. TikTok, owned by the Beijing-based tech Continue reading »
Created
Fri, 22/03/2024 - 04:30
Uhm, nope: Look what’s already happening: Nigeria reported two cases of chloroquine poisoning after U.S. President Donald Trump praised the anti-malaria drug as a treatment for the novel coronavirus. Health officials are warning Nigerians against self-medicating after demand for the drug surged in Lagos, a city that’s home to 20 million people. Two people were hospitalized in Lagos for chloroquine overdoses, Oreoluwa Finnih, senior health assistant to the governor of Lagos, said in an interview. “Please don’t panic,” she said via text message. “Chloroquine is still in a testing phase in combination with other medication and not yet verified as a preventive, treatment or curative option.” Nigeria’s Centre for Disease Control warned that the World Health Organization hasn’t approved use of the drug against the virus. Africa’s most populous country reported 22 infections as of Saturday. Trump said Thursday that chloroquine and its less-toxic cousin hydroxychloroquine had shown “tremendous promise” to treat the new illness. Hospitals in the U.S. are rushing to stockpile the drug.
Created
Fri, 22/03/2024 - 04:06

Prior to my adventure, I am assigned a primitive survival rating (PSR) by a team of experts. I have never been camping or hunting, and if I have to pee while hiking, I will turn around and drive forty-five minutes into town to a public restroom. Even so, I have combat skills and tenacity, as demonstrated by a recent fight at Ross Dress for Less over the last pair of irregular Levi’s in my size. I have been rated with a PSR of 1.01 out of 10.

As I am driven into the jungle to meet my partner, I pray that I made the right choice to spend hundreds of dollars on laser hair removal instead of outdoor survival classes. I meet my partner, Wolf, who has a PSR of 7.5, and who I am annoyed to discover is much more attractive than me. I ask the producers if a schlubbier man is available because shouldn’t they have done an attractiveness-matching thing if this is being televised?

Created
Fri, 22/03/2024 - 03:00
They think they are, but they’re not Journalist John Hendrickson, who wrote that incredible piece about Joe Biden’s stutter for the Atlantic went to a Trump rally and asked the attendees how they felt about his repeated mocking of people with disabilities. They professed that they didn’t think it was very nice, but that’s just how it goes and they’ll vote for him anyway. There is no awareness of what it says about his character as a man or a leader. They just don’t care: On Saturday, as we awaited Trump’s arrival by private plane, my colleague Hanna Rosin and I spent the day wandering the grounds of Wright Bros. Aero Inc., asking rally attendees uncomfortable questions about what they’re comfortable with. Virtually everyone was bothered by specific examples of Trump’s recent bullying. But as they unpacked their thoughts, they continually found ways to excuse their favored candidate’s behavior. Many interviewees repeatedly contradicted themselves, perhaps because of a particular variable: I’m a person who stutters, and that day, I was asking real people how they felt about Trump making fun of stuttering.