Category: Uncommon Ground

Women’s Rights in the Philippines – A Humanist Perspective

April 25, 2017 | by | 0 Comments
Humanism, as an ethical and philosophical worldview, provides the basis for proper action in the world with an emphasis on this world, the natural world. There is a phrase, “deed before creed,” that speaks volumes to the emphasis of humanism. Principles are nice; rights and privileges are good. But how do these affect the world? Answer: through action. Read more

An Interview with Amanda Poppei

April 24, 2017 | by | 0 Comments
Minister Amanda Poppei is a Senior Leader and Unitarian Universalist Minister at the Washington Ethical Society (Ethical Culture and Unitarian Universalist). She grew up in upstate New York. Here is her story. Read more

When Reporting on Conflict, Western Mainstream Media is Failing

April 24, 2017 | by | 0 Comments
  In my opinion, I struggle to find something of value in the pieces on international conflicts and wars on mainstream media channels. Don’t get me wrong, there are many catchy pieces of vocabulary, organised in an easy-to-follow structure. Why is it, however, that we insist on turning news into entertainment in such a way? […] Read more

Can Honduras Finally Have Democracy?

April 24, 2017 | by | 0 Comments
The upcoming presidential election in November is an empty democratic act, which merely serves to legitimise the dominance of supreme forces ruling the whole of Central America behind states’ institutions. There is an unhappy past haunting the people of Honduras. Eight years ago, the Honduran capital Tegucigalpa witnessed the brutal ousting of its democratically elected president […] Read more

For the Rise of Extremes, Blame the Centre Ground

April 24, 2017 | by | 0 Comments
Much has been said recently about the threat of populism on the right and the left. People have been calling for tolerance and freedom of speech – sentiments which I wholly agree with. When we tolerate people and their right to hold opinions however, it doesn’t mean we have to tolerate the opinions themselves. It means […] Read more

Why has Saudi Arabia been elected to a UN Commission on Women?

April 24, 2017 | by | 0 Comments
In a move bound to invite the scorn, disillusionment and anger of women’s rights advocates from all over the world, as well as confirm the general impression among many that the UN is failing as a guardian of human rights, Saudi Arabia was elected via secret ballot in the UN Economic and Social Council to […] Read more

Atrocities: Coming to Terms With Our Past Isn’t So Easy

April 24, 2017 | by | 0 Comments
It’s easy to point out the failings of others; it’s harder to do so for the failings in ourselves. There was a recent poll which showed that almost a majority of people in the UK see the British Empire favourably, reminding us that coming to terms with the atrocities of the past is incredibly difficult. […] Read more