Stories about Ethnicity & Race from June, 2009
Haiti, U.S.A.: Danticat Cops Guillén Prize
Repeating Islands reports that Haitian-born author Edwidge Danticat has won the 2009 Caribbean Philosophical Association’s Nicolás Guillén Prize.
The Balkans: Agim Ceku
A Fistful of Euros writes about Agim Ceku and his arrest and release in Bulgaria last week.
Algeria: On France's burqa ban
Algerian-American blogger The Moor Next Door remarks upon France's intended burqa ban, saying, “The trouble the French may want to worry about is not the burqa as it is worn in France today, but that such a ban, as the headscarf ban has done, will make the garment a greater...
Morocco: The Last Jews of Essaouira
Reading Morocco mentions an article on the last Jews of the town of Essaouira but says of the discourse: “I am intrigued by the history of Jews in Morocco but there needs to be a little more constructive criticism of Jewish out migration from the country, especially to Israel; and...
Israel/Palestine: Human Rights Activist Reports on Mission
Reporting from Israel, human rights activist Rae Abileah reflects on her recent Gaza solidarity mission. “It felt really powerful to be taking a stand against occupation in this very tangible way.” She adds, “While I know that we enjoy the privileges of these fun-filled actions, there is an ever-present awareness...
Palestine: Website Honors Memory of Fallen Daughters
Among the casualties of the Gaza war with Israel this winter were four young women of the Abuelaish family. Daughters For Life is Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish's tribute to their memory. Jewschool calls it: “A powerful endorsement of non-violence in the face of Palestinian extremism and Israeli belligerence.”
Bosnia & Herzegovina: Croats
Croatian Crescent writes about Bosnain Croats.
Indonesia: Ancient manuscripts digitalized
A literature foundation in Surakarta has announced that it plans to digitalize more than 6,000 ancient Indonesian manuscripts and books in its possession.
Ukraine: “Lady Ethnographer”
Maria Sonevytsky of My Simferopol Home writes on being a “lady ethnographer” in Ukraine and on xenophobia in Crimea: “Ukraine today is caught between two warring accounts of history, as it is caught between two different attitudes towards otherness, be it gendered, ethnic or raced otherness.”
Israel: Bedouin Village Relies on Green Energy
The Bedouin village of Darajat is gaining acclaim for its focus on clean energy. The Green Prophet reports: “Most residents have solar water heaters and electric systems, the school is powered by wind and sun, and students learn hands-on about alternative energy by reading the power meters in their classrooms....
Israel: Music Videos Unite Jewish & Arab Youth
Windows for Peace, a nonprofit based in Tel Aviv, Israel, is waging practical solutions for peace. This summer, Jewish and Arab Israeli teens will unite to create short music videos that represent their ideals. According to Israelity, the project's goal is “showing young people in the region that communication with...
Albania: Female Solo Singers
A post on “some of the most important Albanian female solo singer artists of the last century” – at The Balkan Crew.
Metropolis TV and Hivos: Independent People Videos
Metropolis TV is a Hivos and VPRO TV project based in the Netherlands, which brings together film-makers and civil video journalists from all over the world to record and transmit different aspects of life and culture in their homeland. Following, a few videos selected and played on the Netherlands TV station VPRO forWorld Humanist Day around a specific subject: to recognize individuals who live under the ideal of independence and being in control of their own lives.
Philippines, Hong Kong: Swine flu and racial profiling
After being tagged as superbug carriers, Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong are now accused of spreading A(H1N1) virus in the city. Kape’t Yosi believes this is racial profiling.
Azerbaijan: All hail Iranian women
Following a post from Armenian blogger Ianyan in praise of women in Iran comes a similar response from Azerbaijan, another country that borders the Islamic republic. Re-posting an earlier video interview on the changing role of women in Iran, Baku-based Global Voices Online author Ali S. Novruzov also pays homage.
UK: Romanians Attacked in Belfast
LimbicNutrition Weblog writes about violence against Romanian immigrants in Belfast.
India: rights of the linguistic minorities in Mizoram
Musings of a Chakma discusses the violations of the rights of the linguistic minorities in Mizoram by the state government.
South Africa celebrates Youth Day and remembers the past
June 16, which is now referred to as Youth Day here in South Africa is day when we remember the past. On June 16, 1976 the Soweto uprising occurred sparked by laws that would force all education to be delivered in Afrikaans.
Trinidad & Tobago: The Outsiders
“We are all begging to be let in. For our voices to be heard. For our opinions to matter. And the father of the nation builds a big tall wall around what is for him and those who support him. Like a club bouncer he gets to say who gets...
Sri Lanka: Enigma of Prabhakaran and the Tamil Tigers
Muttukrishna Sarvananthan at Groundviews discusses the enigma of Prabhakaran and the Tamil Tigers which pricks the conscience of many Sri Lankan Tamils.
Azerbaijan: Dynamic blogosphere
In what is fast becoming the most dynamic blogosphere in the South Caucasus, and especially in English, Azeri bloggers continue to write poignant entries.