1 December 2007

Because a war in Chechnya is still a war

A former conscript of the first Chechen war (1994-6) and volunteer in the second one (1999 onwards) has written a book about his experiences. Entitled ‘One Soldier’s War in Chechnya’, Arkady Babchechenko tells, in full unflinching detail, of “the taste… Read more...

Posted by Barbara Felix at 1 December 2007

Cameron’s bid to make the Tories sympathetic towards rape victims

David Cameron has been speaking out against Britains low rape conviction rate, and has been calling for longer prison sentences for convicted rapists, plus changes in school sex education, and more rape counselling centres. As the report shows, our statistics… Read more...

Posted by Barbara Felix at 1 December 2007

17 November 2007

Learning And Inequality From An International Perspective

There’s also a good piece about learning and inequality in The Economist, but looking at it from an international perspective, which makes for sobering yet occasionally uplifting reading…. Read more...

Posted by Barbara Felix at 17 November 2007

Prostitution and small ads debate

Just thought I’d draw your attention to a fascinating and well balanced piece of journalism in the Economist that explored Harriet Harmon’s recent discussion of small ads for “adult massages” and the like that you so often see in local… Read more...

Posted by Barbara Felix at 17 November 2007

4 November 2007

Wonder if Lauren Henderson could extract any new style feminist enjoyment from this…

In response to Abi’s piece about sexual harassment, couldn’t help but be reminded of an incident that happened on a bus I was on earlier this week. As we were crawling along the rat run route from Oxford Road to… Read more...

Posted by Barbara Felix at 4 November 2007

29 August 2007

7th September in Salford: Volunteers Needed

From The Big Issue In The North: “Organisations that want to know more about the benefits of volunteers from groups not normally attracted to volunteering - such as young people, asylum seekers, black and minority ethnic communities and the unemployed… Read more...

Posted by Barbara Felix at 29 August 2007

26 August 2007

Cool Vs. Freak

Yesterday at the supermarket checkout, I saw a very young girl (let’s say about 7 or 8 tops) wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the legend COOL VS. FREAK. Whilst the first few immediate reactions I had ranged from “Oh my… Read more...

Posted by Barbara Felix at 26 August 2007

19 June 2007

A degree in activism and social change

From The Big Issue In The North, 28/5/07 - 3/6/07: “Leeds University is to launch a new masters degree in activism and social change. The course will bring together the worlds of academia and radical social campaigning and is being… Read more...

Posted by Barbara Felix at 19 June 2007

5 June 2007

Campaigning just got easier…

news comes from the Big Issue In The North that a website has been launched by Advocacy Online to allow individual campaigners and small campaigns to set up online actions. Users will be able to customise every aspect and remain… Read more...

Posted by Barbara Felix at 5 June 2007

30 May 2007

Abortion around the world

There’s a very good report in the May 19th edition of the Economist about abortion in an international context. It mentions the recent Irish case, whilst also mentioning that Mexico City has recently voted to legalise abortion. In China, meanwhile,… Read more...

Posted by Barbara Felix at 30 May 2007

Family Policy, German Style

Germany’s family minister, Ursula von der Leyen, is aiming to increase nursery places in Germany to 750,000, to cover a third of Germany’s under threes. The aim is to make it easier for mothers to work, and to encourage them… Read more...

Posted by Barbara Felix at 30 May 2007

4 March 2007

The brutality of childbirth, with a footnote about post natal depression

According to a report in the independent today, there has been a 21% rise in deaths of pregnant women in the care of NHS maternity services over a three year period. In addition to this, 17,000 women have suffered physical… Read more...

Posted by Barbara Felix at 4 March 2007

4 February 2007

The Trials and Travails Of The Beauty Queen

Just thought I’d draw your attention to this piece on the guardian, an interesting examination by Kira Cochrane of the world of the beauty pageant and beauty queen, I know ‘Interesting’ might seem like an oxymoron in this context, but… Read more...

Posted by Barbara Felix at 4 February 2007