The Afghan women working project This eight-part series interviews Afghan women who have escaped Taliban rule, giving them space to voice their experiences and, in their own words, share how they want Afghan women to be understood by the rest of the world. I began working alongside these women in Bangladesh while teaching at the… Continue reading Beyond a veil — “I was a journalist before I left Afghanistan” — Masturah’s story
In political and public affairs analysis, the resurgence of the far right is often framed as a fractured viewpoint — an unforeseen force with the intent of sabotage that has emerged in response to the crisis at hand. Some would call it the cry for help, much like the replacement of a blunt bent blade… Continue reading The rise of the far right isn’t sudden — we just stopped paying attention
“I am my own biggest critic… But for the rest of my life, I am going to be with me, and I don’t want to spend my life with someone who is always critical”. Most of us, myself included, believe that one of the most valued qualities we can have is that of self-reflection. I’ll… Continue reading The danger of knowing ourselves too well — when introspection turns into self-interrogation
It is often said that the only constants in life are death and taxes. But history suggests a third certainty — migration. As nations build borders and societies imagine themselves rooted in myths of permanence, humanity has always been in motion. Civilisations rise, expand, splinter and reform; people leave, arrive, return and transform the very… Continue reading A funnel in both directions — how global movement mirrors the age of empire
Watching the Louis Theroux documentary, apart from the obvious shock of hearing slurs and misogynistic remarks so loudly and thoroughly that you might think these manosphere men and society as a whole are doomed, I couldn’t help but see a blaring subliminal message behind all of the offensive noise. The manosphere wasn’t just incel aggression… Continue reading You’re not in the manosphere — you’re a Marxist
People online love to joke that “men used to build things”, usually paired with a photo carousel of the Taj Mahal, Registan Square or Versailles. Behind the humour is a real point. Art once occupied a central place in public life, and the people remembered across empires were often philosophers, poets, architects or scientists whose… Continue reading How the Cold War killed creativity
Following new asylum reforms, England has witnessed an intense outbreak of anti-immigration protests since April 2025. Many of these demonstrations have resulted in harassing minorities and shouting racist slogans, which has instilled an atmosphere of fear and incertitude. These anti-progress movements have made people all across the UK despair and believe that, despite popular belief,… Continue reading Anti-progression as the first and absolute sign of progression?
Russia has quietly built a sprawling billion-dollar network across Central and West Africa. Its secret weapon is a mix of mercenaries, resource deals and shadowy trading companies that funnel money directly to Kremlin-linked paramilitaries and indirectly to Moscow itself. Wagner Group and now its successor, Africa Corps, operate at the heart of this system, blending… Continue reading The Kremlin’s African gold rush — how Moscow turns gold into power
As I am writing this piece, Palestinian families, friends and neighbours are gathered in their ancestral olive groves. The small green or black fruits are ready for plucking during the annual mawsim al-zaytoun (“olive season”), which typically lasts from the 1st of October to the 30th of November. Once the freshly picked olives are packed… Continue reading Eco-sumud — olive harvests as resistance in Palestine
Of all the New Year’s resolutions to have been put forward by various celebrities, I find Zarah Sultana’s message to be the most hopeful. Her short, sweet and simple tweet didn’t beat around the bush and got straight to the heart of the matter. It read: “My message of hope for 2026. Abolish the monarchy.”… Continue reading Abolishing the monarchy through identity
