Thai artist Tada Hengsapkul dredges up history the government wants hidden Published: 15 December 2021 Photo story One of the most radical political artists in the Thai scene, 34-year-old Tada Hengsapkul ties together nationalism, often-ugly politics, and the bruises of the Cold War in provocative, thought-provoking art. In the current political climate where police violence against pro-democracy protesters has been increasingly rampant, his past works still ring true. By Asaree (Mind) Thaitrakulpanich and Luke Duggleby
Young Filipino feminists: the personal and the sexual are political Published: 15 December 2021 Commentary Educated on diverse gender perspectives by the internet and emboldened by global feminist movements like #MeToo, Filipino youth are boldly pushing the issues of body autonomy and sexuality to the frontlines of the struggle for gender equality. With social media as a platform for convergence, alliance and advocacy, they are treading territory that previous feminist movements shied away from. By Ana P. Santos
Free country, free university – students at Hungary’s University of Theatre and Film Arts protest against restricted academic freedom Published: 18 September 2020 Background “Shall we occupy the university?” “Yes!” cheered a roomful of applauding students from Hungary’s University of Theatre and Film Arts (SZFE), surrounded by the sound of drums, over a week ago. They then proceeded to block the entrance with the red and white stripes that have since become the symbol of a resistance movement supporting the autonomy of the SZFE and standing up against a further attack by Viktor Orbán’s conservative, nationalist Government on the freedom of art, culture and education in Hungary. By Anna Frenyó
CEDAW in Tunisia: EnaZeda fights against sexual violence and discrimination Published: 13 January 2020 Analysis Since September, Tunisians have been reporting experiences of sexual violence online under the hashtag EnaZeda, Tunisian Arabic for "me too". In the meantime, the protest has spread to the streets. By Rachel Doelker
Parallel judiciary system in Hungary is to the Government's taste Published: 12 March 2019 Analysis The Hungarian government is about to form a parallel judiciary system where politically sensitive cases could be moved. By Bernadette Somody
Hot winter in Hungary: Protests against the “slave law” Published: 12 March 2019 Analysis During the winter of 2018-19, a demonstration wave spread across Hungary in response to a labour law amendment. These events turned around many trends in Hungarian politics. By Gábor Vágó
Why Armenians Call for a Velvet Revolution Published: 23 April 2018 Interview For almost a week now, huge rallies have shaken the Armenian capital of Yerevan, where Nikol Pashinyan, one of the leaders of the movement, called for a “velvet revolution”. But will the protesters this time successfully press for democratic accountability? By Olya Azatyan and Dr. Sonja Katharina Schiffers
Protests, boycotts and resistance Published: 31 October 2017 In many countries, people are resisting agrarian and trade policies that boost the power of the multinationals. Individual companies also come in for criticism. By Reinhild Benning
Photo Gallery AfriqUPrising Published: 10 August 2017 [external_media:flickr.com/photos/boellstiftung/sets/72157687344058886]
Shrinking Civic Spaces in ASEAN Published: 2 August 2017 Despite its diversity, ASEAN member states have one common trait: state repression. This is in contrast to ASEAN´s aspiration to be people-centered. How repression looks on the ground can illustrate the example of the Bersih movement for fair elections in Malaysia. By Dr. Khoo Ying Hooi
Azerbaijan – Closed Space? Published: 4 July 2017 On 22 June 2017 international experts Gerald Knaus, Rebecca Vincent, and Berit Lindeman spoke with Anar Mammadli and other representatives of Azeri civil society about the critical human rights situation in the country, ways to potentially solve it, and European strategies. By Alexander Formozov
The role of irony in the political activism of Hungarian youth Published: 31 May 2017 In April 2017, a series of demonstrations took place in Budapest against an amendment to the Higher Education Act. They were organised by mostly social media-based groups, but they differed in several aspects from the demonstration culture that has been the norm in Hungary in recent decades. By Andrea Szabó
Zimbabwe: "The socio-economic challenges are huge" Published: 21 July 2016 The political situation in Zimbabwe is getting worse, the population is protesting with a Stay-Away against corruption, bond notes and a lack of payment. Paula Assubuji, from our office in South Africa, has spoken with Kudakwashe Chitsike about the current situation in the country. By Paula Assubuji
„We want the government to act according to the constitutional law.“ Published: 26 May 2016 At the beginning of May, large demonstrations against the policy of the government have taken place in Warsaw, Poznan and Wroclaw. The initiator of these and other former demonstrations in the last months is the movement KOD (Komitet Obrony Demokracji), the Committee for the Defense of Democracy. Veronika Felder and Michael Álvarez Kalverkamp spoke with Aleksandra Śniegocka-Goździk und Jarosław Marciniak, two KOD members, about the movement and the current situation in Poland. By Veronika Felder and Michael Álvarez Kalverkamp
Morocco: Democracy still a dream? Published: 19 February 2016 Five years after the democratic upheaval Morocco is closing down spaces for civic and human rights. By Soufyane Fares, Anja Hoffmann and Dorothea Rischewski
Protests: A broad alliance with staying power Published: 18 November 2015 Around the world, people are fighting back against the coal industry. Theyface repression, harassment and violence – but sometimes they are successful. A chapter from the Coal Atlas. By Benjamin von Brackel
Ayotzinapa: "The families ask for a search for their children" Published: 15 December 2014 There is still no trace of the students of Escuela Normal Rural of Ayotzinapa who disappeared towards the end of September. We spoke with María Luisa Aguila from the Tlachinollan Centre about the situation, the role of the Mexican government and the responsibility of the European Union in the Ayotzinapa case. By Ines Thomssen
The People’s Climate Published: 6 October 2014 The People's Climate March was just the start of popular pressure on world leaders. By Hans Verolme and Monica Araya
Human Rights in Azerbaijan: Chronicles of a Crackdown Published: 25 August 2014 Azerbaijani human rights activist Leyla Yunus has been arrested in Baku. The regime’s savage crackdown on press and opposition started long before the presidential elections of 2013. By Nino Lejava
The Aam Aadmi Party: A democratic revolt against the old order Published: 26 February 2014 Emerged from an anti-corruption movement, the Aam Aadmi Party has made a spectacular entrance into Indian politics and challenged the rules of Indian politics. By Ajaz Ashraf