Guam in the Crosshairs, Mexico Gun Violence, Gaza Protests, and More
The latest at Inkstick Media.
Hello, everyone.
First up this week, Inkstick’s “Things That Go Boom” podcast has received a nomination in the 2024 International Women’s Podcast Awards. The latest season has set out to figure out this new thing spreading like wildfire across the world: feminist foreign policy. To catch up on the available episodes, visit our website here.
And while you’re on the site, you should also catch up on our latest reportage and commentary. One of our recent pieces examines how Mexico is trying to clamp down on gun violence. To that end, the country is banking on holding gun companies in the United States accountable for the weapons that flow across the border, reports Ann Louise Deslandes.
In Indonesia’s Mount Ijen, domestic and foreign tourists alike come to see the active volcano, the blue flames, and the acidic lake in its crater. Yet, as Alexandros Zilos notes in a photo essay, local sulfur miners have become a tourist attraction in recent years, raising questions about the line between tourism and voyeurism.
Meanwhile in Greece, the government has introduced new plans to bring tens of thousands of migrant workers from a slate of countries, part of an effort to help fill in a gap in the labor market. In a new dispatch, Victoras Antonopoulos explores the details of those plans and the criticisms rights groups have raised.
That’s not all we’ve got at Inkstick. And if you’re not already, please follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Threads, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
“In Nuclear Crosshairs, Guam Still Doesn’t Control Its Own Affairs” by April Arnold (May 20)
In recent years, Guam has found itself at the center of tensions between the United States and countries in the Pacific. As the tiny island sits on the frontlines of the competition for influence in the region, Guam has increasingly come under threat of being a prime target for nuclear attack by China or North Korea.
“How To Stop Traffic: Mexico Bets on Suing US Gun Companies” by Ann Louise Deslandes (May 20)
Mexico’s case against the gun companies rests on the downstream acquisition of their weapons by armed non-state actors, as per the parlance to designate the members of organized criminal groups who kill thousands in Mexico with US guns.
“How Student Protests for Gaza Give Us Hope” by Assal Rad (May 21)
In the United States, we live in a society that is arming and funding the mass slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza, while our so-called leaders vilify American students who are appalled by the unending atrocities. Under the guise of “student safety,” campus protests have been violently suppressed and student activists have been smeared as supporters of “terror.”
“Will Greece Improve the Plight of Undocumented Workers?” by Victoras Antonopoulos (May 21)
Greece has plans to import tens of thousands of migrant workers to help fill a labor shortage in industries like construction and agriculture, and recently introduced a new measure to legalize some 30,000 undocumented workers in the country. But rights groups point out that there are some 300,000 migrant laborers who don’t have residency or work permits.
“How the US Senate Completely Misunderstands USAID” by James Chabin (May 22)
In the US Senate, Republicans have gone to bat against the USAID budget. Yet, their arguments show a misunderstanding of how USAID works and what the agency strives to do in the world.
“‘Scars on My Body’: The Sulfur Miners at Indonesia’s Mount Ijen” by Alexandros Zilos (May 22)
Every day, hordes of tourists ascend the steep slopes of Mount Ijen, an active volcanic complex located in Indonesia’s East Java province, to witness the blue flames rising from its sulfur deposits. In recent years, tourists have also come to witness the grueling labor of the local sulfur miners, who often earn only $10 and $15 a day.
“Deep Dive: It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! It’s Super Identity!” by Emily Tamkin (May 23)
A “superordinate” identity is one that brings different subgroups together, making them all one group. But how does doing so change their attitudes toward outgroups? A new paper explores the relationship between European identity and attitudes toward immigration.
“Why Kenya Needs US Help to Promote Peace” by Alex Rondos (May 23)
Amid East Africa’s broadest turmoil in recent memory, and unprecedented climate disasters, Kenya is balancing tough challenges: to sustain democracy, manage heavy debts and meet the political demands of a demographic tidal wave of youth. The United States welcomes a partner in Africa that has tried to sustain democracy and maintain an open economy.
“Nuclear War is a Melted Wristwatch” by Emily Faux (May 24)
Can Hiroshima and Nagasaki be “truly” represented? How do we bear witness to such an event? What does this look like? Does it need to be heard, watched, or read? Does it require facts and figures? Testimonies or eye-witness accounts? Photographs or relics? Is a death toll a more “truthful” representation than a child’s drawing?
From the desk of Patrick Strickland, managing editor of Inkstick Media.
Photo: At Indonesia’s Mount Ijen, miners lug heavy loads of sulfur some 9,000 feet for some $5 a trip (Alexandros Zilos for Inkstick)