India-Pakistan VR, Kurdish Shadow Media, Bangladesh Unrest, and More
The latest at Inkstick Media.
Hello, everyone.
In 1947, the partition of the Indian subcontinent displaced and killed millions. For decades, many of the displaced have been unable to visit their childhood homes. Now, as Jyoti Thakur and Hanan Zaffar report, a new virtual reality project allows them to glimpse the places they had to leave behind.
Meanwhile, elections are coming up in Iraqi Kurdistan. Although the vote is slated for October, as Winthrop Rodgers notes in a new dispatch, the region’s so-called “shadow media” has already launched into action — and partisan outlets that mimic legitimate news operations are on the attack against rival political opponents.
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“The Future of Bangladesh After Sheikh Hasina” by Marcus Andreopoulos (Aug. 26)
On Aug. 5, Sheikh Hasina fled Bangladesh, resigning as prime minister, and giving in to deadly protests that have marred the country since early July. Yet, her flight hasn’t quelled unrest, leaving questions about the country’s future.
“The Consequences of Expanding the Pentagon Budget” by Adults in a Room (Aug. 27)
For the better part of the last century, a defining feature of the United States has been its overwhelming military might. In this month’s edition of Adults in a Room, experts ask what consequences an ever-expanding Pentagon budget have had on the US.
“Ahead of Elections, Iraqi Kurdistan’s ‘Shadow Media’ Ramps Up” by Winthrop Rodgers (Aug. 28)
Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region will hold elections in October. Although the formal campaign has not yet begun, the so-called “shadow media” is already in full swing spreading disinformation, promoting political spin, and attacking rivals.
“VR Takes India-Pakistan Partition Survivors Back to Their Childhood Homes” by Hanan Zaffar and Jyoti Thakur
Partition triggered the largest forced migration in 20th-century South Asia that was not driven by war or famine. As the last generation of partition survivors grows older, the project hopes to offer some closure. And document their stories before it's too late.
“Deep Dive: Turning Left in Southern Europe” by Emily Tamkin (Aug. 30)
The transition to post-industrial economies led to a realignment of partisan preferences in most advanced economies in the Western hemisphere, but attention has mostly focused on mainstream and far-right parties. A recent South European Society and Politics article examines the support behind radical left parties in the region.
From the desk of Patrick Strickland, managing editor of Inkstick Media.
Photo: Greek leftists prepare to march in remembrance of the 1973 student uprising at the Athens Polytechnic University in November 2017 (Patrick Strickland)