For me IFLRY’s 2015 General Assembly was a peculiar occasion. A conference of people who care about addressing climate change, expanding free trade and promoting feminism is not something you would stumble upon in Australia. It was a pleasure to be…
Category: Democracy
Hobbes: Leviathan – The Problem
You can read an introductory post to Krijn’s series on liberal political philosophy here. In what Hobbes calls “the natural condition of mankind” (p. 86), people’s lives are be “solitary, poore, nasty, brutish and short.” (p. 89) Hobbes believes this,…
Here’s what you need to know about the Turkish elections – Ekin Can Genç
It’s been a week since the Turkish general elections. Unlike the previous elections or referenda of the past 12 years, this one was not a clear victory for AKP or the party’s de facto leader Erdogan. Turkish politics has so…
Continue reading Here’s what you need to know about the Turkish elections – Ekin Can Genç
Africa, America, Asia, Climate Change, Continent, Democracy, Europe, Human Rights, Middle East, Migration / Refugees, Oceania
Climate Refugees: The Crisis that isn’t Recognised – Harriet Ainscough
Last year saw the largest number of refugees worldwide since the Second World War, and this year the numbers don’t look to be reducing. There’s an aspect to this crisis which isn’t accounted for within the UN Convention on the…
Continue reading Climate Refugees: The Crisis that isn’t Recognised – Harriet Ainscough
Patronising People: Why is Plain Packaging Plainly Wrong? – Charlie Kingsbury
More and more countries have begun contemplating whether or not to introduce plain packaging for products containing tobacco. Not only does such a policy fail to produce the outcomes governments intend, but it also fails to respect the intellect and…
Continue reading Patronising People: Why is Plain Packaging Plainly Wrong? – Charlie Kingsbury
Of rights and referendums: Ireland votes – Junior Sikabwe
The same-sex referendum that took place in Ireland yesterday is very significant. This is not just because 84.16% of the population identifies as Roman Catholic. It’s not because of the matter either: seventeen countries (eleven of which are European) have…
Continue reading Of rights and referendums: Ireland votes – Junior Sikabwe
The Idea of Liberty
As its name implies, one of the fundamental ideas that underpin liberalism is liberty. However, as with ideas underpinning other political philosophies, people don’t always mean the same thing when they use the term. This is not unimportant. Different ways…
Explaining the #LibDemFightback to our international friends – By Bobby Dean
Let’s start things off with a cliché: a week is a long time in politics *is sick all over self *. But really it is. I mean about a week ago us British liberals were all waiting around for something…
Continue reading Explaining the #LibDemFightback to our international friends – By Bobby Dean
Optimism for a Liberal Future in Africa: Reactions from the Best Practice Study Exchange – Katy Starbuck
The cab ride was marked by a sense of excitement and a concerted effort in trying to remember each other’s names. It was Mellaquez’ first time in Cape Town, and her eyes filled with delight as she peered through the…
The War Against Terror is a Bigger Threat than Terrorism Itself – Eirik Natlandsmyr
The September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center was an attack on a symbol of freedom and cooperation. Just a few days after the attack, the Security Council on behalf of the United Nations pushed through new terror legislation…
Continue reading The War Against Terror is a Bigger Threat than Terrorism Itself – Eirik Natlandsmyr