|
It has all the ingredients of a potential Cold War: two powerful countries engaged in intense geopolitical rivalry, mixed with militarised competition and dangerous nationalism. Only this time, as Nick Bisley writes, it’s not the USSR and the US, but China and the US. The risks of the current rivalry escalating into a new Cold War are real unless the two countries can step down from the escalatory cycle they are on.
Namibia is due to hold its Second National Land Conference in October to discuss the racially skewed inequality in land ownership that it inherited from its colonial and apartheid past. This inequality has persisted for almost 30 years since Namibia gained independence in 1990. Luregn Lenggenhager and Romie Vonkie Nghitevelekwa write that most Namibians are unhappy with the pace and method of land reform.
|
The US and China find it extremely difficult to see the world from the other’s perspective.
AAP/EPA/Roman Pilipey
Nick Bisley, La Trobe University
Cold War 2.0 may not be fanciful: The US and China are plainly entering a period of significant geopolitical rivalry, and each has ambitions that are mutually incompatible.
|
Land reform discussions in Namibia don’t address capital or profits.
shutterstock
Luregn Lenggenhager, University of Basel; Romie Vonkie Nghitevelekwa, University of Namibia
Shortcomings of Namibia's land reforms suggest that voluntary, market-based transactions might not be suitable.
|
Politics + Society
|
-
Robert Muggah, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio)
Up to 5,000 refugees flee hunger and chaos in Venezuela each day – a migrant crisis rivaling Syria's. Most arrive to poor South American border cities that are dangerously unprepared for the influx.
|
|
Arts + Culture
|
-
Andrea Witcomb, Deakin University
The desire to eulogise, as often appears to be the case in this exhibition, does not allow space for questions that might allow for a fuller explication of the nature of Mandela’s legacy and its relevance beyond South Africa.
|
|
Environment + Energy
|
-
Mark Hartl, Heriot-Watt University
The warming of the oceans means that the plants and organisms used as warning systems for pollution are being rendered ineffective.
|
|
Science + Technology
|
-
Jacek Debiec, University of Michigan
Two neural systems record traumatic memories, meaning they can be remembered in both conscious and unconscious ways.
|
|
