“What the United States Government did was shameful – and I am sorry.”

In 2010, former US President Bill Clinton apologized for the experimentation on African Americans against their knowledge for the purpose of understanding the disease syphilis. This experiment lasted from 1932-1972 years - and was not the only medical research horror of its time... How could this happen? How could it last so long? And what … Continue reading “What the United States Government did was shameful – and I am sorry.” →

The Pandemic

Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next. We can choose to walk through it, dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred, our avarice, our data banks and dead ideas, … Continue reading The Pandemic →

Forms of Solidarity and the Politics of Crisis

While making it through this crisis alive and in one piece is probably the most imminent goal in everyone's mind, the corona crisis, with all its horrors, has provided us with a unique opportunity to chose a new trajectory for the world. It is at this time that we must remember lessons from the past to make sure that the society that emerges from the corona crisis can embark on a new path. It is now that we are free from path dependence, and can reshape our institutions by righting the wrongs of neoliberalism, capitalism and egoism. However, just as liberals and left-leaning activists and politicians are using the corona crisis to advocate for their interests, right-wing governments and autocrats are doing so, too. In this 8-paragraph article, I touch upon the politics of crisis, social psychology, different forms of solidarity, and on the need to be aware of the complexities of the world.

Brief thoughts on the use of petitions and the Indian legal system

Do petitions work? That totally depends on what they are for and in what legal system they seek to operate. Today, I sent around a petition to my Indian friends, which asks to sign in order to bring charges for a politician who apparently incited violence at the recent Delhi protests. Many of my friends … Continue reading Brief thoughts on the use of petitions and the Indian legal system →

Snap Out of It, You’re Not Actually Thinking Outside of the Box

Climate change, poverty and inequality are not symptoms of humanity – instead, they are symptoms of our current system of organizing ourselves. For decades, economists could only think in terms of “GDP growth” – strategies regarding improving human livelihoods may have differed vastly across political camps, but all groups agreed: Growth is a must and cannot be compromised. Today, economists are slowly starting to imagine economic prosperity to be possible without GDP growth. At this point, the whole underpinnings of society might have to be overturned, everything we think must be taken for granted. But how does one even learn how to think outside of the outside of the box? That is the question.

Quoting Macklemore on White Privilege II

Pulled into the parking lot, parked itZipped up my parka, joined the procession of marchersIn my head like, "Is this awkward?Should I even be here marching?"Thinking if they can't, how can I breathe?Thinking that they chant, what do I sing?I want to take a stance cause we are not freeAnd then I thought about it, … Continue reading Quoting Macklemore on White Privilege II →

Can insisting on human rights mess up the delivery of health care in war zones?

Short answer: Yes, it can. It may be no surprise to those who have been following my blog to read yet another article which is critical of human rights narratives and human rights discourse. However, I want to walk you through why exactly using a human rights language may lead to serious issues in regards … Continue reading Can insisting on human rights mess up the delivery of health care in war zones? →

I got fined – and then wrote an assignment about it

This article was originally written as a small assignment for my "Research Design" class in April 2019. It might be interesting to read this, because the task was to come up with a very mundane example of law and then think about how we could do academic research about it. When boarding public transport, an … Continue reading I got fined – and then wrote an assignment about it →

Islamism and Islam in Bangladesh – who killed Avijit?

What job can a white person do in the development sector? – Personal thoughts on my own career prospects

With advancement in my studies, I am being asked more and more frequently what I want "to be" in the future. Earlier, before I started studying, that question would have been easy to answer - I wanted to become a field worker, create policies to improve people's lives, do community development, I wanted to do … Continue reading What job can a white person do in the development sector? – Personal thoughts on my own career prospects →