by News Decoder | 20 Aug 2019 | Europe, Future of Democracy
By Robert Hart Nearly four months have passed since Spain voted in a general election, but Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has still not been able to form a new government. The hiatus is causing frustration at home and concern in the European Union, which is...
by Colin McIntyre | 7 Aug 2019 | Europe, Future of Democracy, Nationalism
The UK will leave Europe no matter what, says new British PM Boris Johnson. But his hard-line Brexit stance is exposing cracks within the UK itself. A Stop Brexit campaigner protests in London, 1 August 2019 (EPA-EFE/Andy Rain) Can the United Kingdom leave the...
by Jonathan Sharp | 30 Jul 2019 | Asia, China, Future of Democracy
As protests against Hong Kong authorities become more violent, worries that China’s army might intervene are mounting. A protester confronts Hong Kong police near land just transferred to the People’s Liberation Army, Hong Kong, China, 29 June 2019...
by News Decoder | 25 Jul 2019 | China, Culture, Future of Democracy, Ryerson University, Youth Voices
By Ashley Fraser I recently returned from a class trip to Hong Kong, where I reported on disappearing fishing villages in the semi-autonomous territory. I met with Wong Wei King, a curator of the Tai O Culture Workshop and community member of Tai O, a...
by Malcolm Davidson | 11 Jul 2019 | Donald Trump, Europe, Future of Democracy, Technology
Populist parties are the political groupings of the 21st century. Insurgents who get social media right can make big gains. But not all succeed. A supporter of Change UK party holds a poster advertising for voting in the European election in London, 14 May 2019 (AP...
by News Decoder | 28 Jun 2019 | Future of Democracy
By Ben Barber In the last decade, one in four journalism jobs in the United States has disappeared. Hundreds of U.S. newspapers have closed. Meanwhile, around the world from Turkey to Poland, to Thailand, to Russia, to China, to Pakistan, billions of people can’t buy...
by News Decoder | 24 Jun 2019 | China, Discovery, Future of Democracy, Ryerson University, Youth Voices
(All photos by Karen Longwell) By Karen Longwell Evening had come, but the heat of the day still lingered. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I made my way through the crowds. It was June 4, the day of a vigil in Hong Kong commemorating the 30th anniversary of...
by Jonathan Sharp | 18 Jun 2019 | Asia, China, Future of Democracy
Youth in Hong Kong have poured into the streets to protest against a proposed law they say threatens the city’s autonomy. Are they pushing their luck? Protesters against an extradition bill in Hong Kong, China, 16 June 2019 (EPA-EFE/Roman Pilipey) Twice in the...
by Atiq Rahimi | 7 Jun 2019 | Asia, Future of Democracy
Millions of children in Afghanistan work full or part time. After Kabul’s public transit system collapsed, a new form of work emerged: street shouting. A “little shouter” in Kabul, Afghanistan (Photo by Atiq Rahimi) Children all over Afghanistan work, and this...
by David Schlesinger | 7 Jun 2019 | Asia, China, Future of Democracy, Nationalism, Personal Reflections
It’s been 30 years since China’s army crushed protests in Tiananmen Square. Can Beijing come to terms with its past without remembering? A man tries to pull a Chinese soldier away from his comrades as citizens confront troops heading to Tiananmen Square,...