Since 2012, Rojava (NE Syria) has become a beacon of hope for the democratic left both in the Middle East and around the world. But how did this happen during Syria’s brutal civil war? And […]
Category: Explainers
Explainers give context (and more) about specific countries and key issues of importance for the world.
The African Continental Free Trade Area
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is set to be the largest free-trade area ever established. It encompasses 54 out of 55 African countries and over 1.2 billion people. But will it actually boost […]
Press regulation in the UK
Can you imagine someone referring to immigrants as ‘cockroaches’, unchallenged, on the TV? What about Nazi-era language targeted at Muslims? Abuse directed against entire groups of people – to this extent at least – may […]
‘El estallido social’ – 18 months of Chile’s social insurrection in words and pictures
The people of Chile have been rising up in protest at their country’s inequality and right-wing leadership for 18 months. Phoenix Media Co-op is proud to feature a selection of images by photographer Daniel Espinoza […]
Puerto Rico
The Caribbean island of Puerto Rico (PR) has passed from one colonial ruler to another. Today, the ‘US territory‘ is going through a massive debt crisis. And, as Washington dithers, a longstanding movement for meaningful […]
Somalia
Somalia’s location has led to it becoming a battleground in the fight for regional influence. Somalia has suffered decades of horrific conflict. Dictator Siad Barre’s fall from power in 1991 was a major turning point, […]
Israel and the occupation of Palestine
Israel and its founding ideology – political Zionism – are unique in today’s world for several reasons. Israeli historian Ilan Pappé argued in 2016 that “Zionism is the last remaining active settler-colonialist movement or project”. […]
Land justice
Nearly all land and water in the UK is privately owned and inaccessible to the public. The effects of this are far-reaching. Not only does it confine people’s leisure time, but it impacts everything from […]
Iran
Iran’s recent history is full of imperialist meddling and the national backlash against it. And since the biggest revolt against outside interference in 1979, its government’s refusal to submit totally to US interests has made […]
Zero-hours contracts
What are zero-hours contracts? And what are the realities facing workers on ZHCs in the UK? The Charted Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) says a zero-hours contract (ZHC) is “unlike a traditional contract of […]
