141 nations voted in favour of the UN General Assembly motion condemning the invasion of Ukraine. Beyond the two nations – Russia and Belarus – responsible for the invasion of Ukraine, only three countries voted against the resolution approved by the UN General Assembly: North Korea, Eritrea, and Syria. While this was a strong endorsement … Continue reading Remember the General Assembly Vote
politics
A Message to the Russian People from Ukraine
[The following is an email message on 1 March 2022 from a colleague in Ukraine, which she received from a former doctoral student now living in Kyiv. While English is not the writer's first language, I'll post this with very little editing to convey its more personal experience of being in Ukraine during the 2022 … Continue reading A Message to the Russian People from Ukraine
Hold a Mirror Up to Russia
Hold a Mirror Up to Russia and the World in Ukraine: Avoid Censorship There is a UK debate over the wisdom of allowing RT Russia to broadcast, given its breach of broadcasting rules enforcing impartiality. During Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched today, this debate needs to be broadened and more seriously considered in the … Continue reading Hold a Mirror Up to Russia
Social Media and the Post Office Scandal
Social Media Might Have Saved Many from the Post Office Horizon Scandal From 2000 to 2014, Post Office Ltd, a publicly owned company, accused over 700 hundred sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses, the individuals running small local post office operations in the UK, of false accounting and theft of revenues. An inquiry has determined that the evidence … Continue reading Social Media and the Post Office Scandal
The Humanity of the Animal Airlift from Kabul
Might the animal airlift from Kabul Airport have been the right, humane thing to do? It does not seem to be such as simple issue as assumed by many accusations framing this as prioritizing ‘people over animals’. It was the right thing to do, and it was done in the right way. Most importantly, it … Continue reading The Humanity of the Animal Airlift from Kabul
Steven A. Peterson (September 10, 1947–December 10, 2021)
Loss of a Team Leading Pioneer in Politics and Public Policy: A Memoriam to Steven A. Peterson (September 10, 1947–December 10, 2021) by William H. Dutton Steven A. Peterson died suddenly at home on December 10, 2021 at the age of 74. Steve Peterson and I were both born in 1947 and over half a … Continue reading Steven A. Peterson (September 10, 1947–December 10, 2021)
Hobbesian World of TV News in Britain
The Hobbesian World of Broadcast TV News in Britain As an American, I often find broadcast TV news in Britain to be completely out of character with my expectations. For example, as I would expect, BBC World Service is almost always polite, civilized, correct, and informative, while also entertaining. In contrast, all too often, BBC … Continue reading Hobbesian World of TV News in Britain
Public-Private Tensions in the UK
UK Business and Government Tensions: Towards a More Functional Relationship The handwringing over sleaze accusations and the fuss over Peppa Pig referenced as an example of a major business success are just two recent manifestations to what I’ve sensed to be a long-term, awkward, and dysfunctional relationship between business and government in the UK. The … Continue reading Public-Private Tensions in the UK
COP26 Signals Progress on Climate Policy and Practice
Disparaging press preceded and followed the 26th UN Climate Change Conference, the Glasgow COP26 summit, focused on implementation of the 2015 Paris climate accord. News outlets forecasted an unsuccessful summit and then told us it did not achieve all its aims. However, denigrating the progress made at COP26 was wrong and foolish. Despite the forecasts of … Continue reading COP26 Signals Progress on Climate Policy and Practice
Private Emails Are Not (Yet) a Thought Crime
Private Emails? A Personal Perspective on Politicizing Norms of Communication In Orwell’s 1984, Winston Smith opens himself up to accusations of thought crimes for walking onto a street with a shop where he could buy pen and paper. In 2021, politicians and even the UK’s Information Commissioner wonder if ministers are guilty of some criminal … Continue reading Private Emails Are Not (Yet) a Thought Crime