social justice

Working to eradicate inequalities by highlighting institutional, cultural and insidiously socialised biases and bigotries.

Is Australia more feminist?

The Australian prime minister Julia Gillard’s labelling of the leader of the opposition, Tony Abbott, a “misogynist” has become the focus of intense debate both in Australia and here in the UK. What has been most striking for me is… Read More ›

Racebending and Cloud Atlas

Variety described the notion of white actors playing Asians as “exciting,” suggesting that the Wachowskis “put the lie to the notion that casting — an inherently discriminatory art — cannot be adapted to a more enlightened standard of performance over mere appearance.” The irony of this declaration is overwhelming — praising a film for “enlightened” casting choices that merely replay old discriminatory practices.

Fallacy Watch: No True Klansman

I may have contributed to a new term for a rhetorical ploy we see more and more. Here’s how it happened – I’m rather proud of this coinage, but wonder whether we may be reinventing the fallacious wheel. Is there an already apt term in rhetorical jargon?

Media Circus: personality politics edition

Yeah, I know that’s generally how the MSM coverage falls out most of the time, but it’s ratcheted up a few notches in recent weeks, hasn’t it? As usual for media circus threads, please share your bouquets and brickbats for particular items in the mass media, or highlight cogent analysis elsewhere, on any current sociopolitical issue (the theme of each edition is merely for discussion-starter purposes).

International Day of the Girl

I missed posting this yesterday, but I want to raise my bloggy hand to join the call for protecting the right of girls around the world to education. I want to honour Malala Yousufzai and her two schoolmates who were also shot while trying to shield her from assassins.