Scholars, advocates, and activists seeking to make the U.S. a more responsible global partner.
Women

Gender and U.S. Bases in Asia-Pacific

by , | Mar 14, 2008

The power dynamics of militarism in the Asia-Pacific region rely on dominance and subordination. These hierarchical relationships, shaped by gender, can be seen in U.S. military exploitation of host communities, its abuse and contamination of land and water, and the exploitation of women and children through the sex industry, sexual violence, and rape. Women’s bodies, the land, and indigenous communities are all feminized, treated as dispensable and temporary. What is constructed as “civilized, white, male, western, and rational” is held superior to what is defined as “primitive, non-white, female, non-western, and irrational.” Nations and U.S. territories within the Asia-Pacific region are treated as inferiors with limited sovereignty or agency in relation to U.S. foreign policy interests that go hand-in-hand with this racist/sexist ideology.

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The Post-Washington Dissensus

The Post-Washington Dissensus

by , | Sep 21, 2007

Development circles were not shocked last year when two studies detailed how the World Bank’s research unit had been systematically manipulating data to show that neoliberal market reforms were promoting growth and reducing poverty in developing countries. They merely saw these devastating findings, one by American University Professor Robin Broad, the other by Princeton University […]

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Interview with Iranian Poet Farideh Hassanzadeh

Interview with Iranian Poet Farideh Hassanzadeh

by , | Jun 12, 2007

Farideh Hassanzadeh (Mostafavi) is an Iranian poet, translator, and freelance journalist. Her first book of poetry was published when she was 22 years old. Her poems appear in the anthologies Contemporary Women Poets of Iran and Anthology of Best Women Poets. She writes regularly for Golestaneh, Iran News, and many other literary magazines and newspapers. Her poems translated into English appear in Kritya, Jehat, interpoetry, museindia, earthfamilyalpha, and Thanalonline. Her anthology of contemporary American poetry will appear in 2007. You can read her poem Isn’t It Enough? here.

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Indigenous Womens Pushback

by , | May 25, 2007

Indigenous activists are putting up a fight – against violence. At the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, activists are focused on passing a declaration that recognizes the right of Indigenous Peoples to their lands, territories, and resources. This organizing drive is seeking international legal protection from the violence done to Indigenous Peoples, which over the centuries has threatened their very survival. Indigenous women, meanwhile, are organizing against gender-based violence. This violence has derived not just from gender discrimination and subordination but also from the violation of the collective rights of Indigenous communities.

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Toward a More Inclusive Forum

Toward a More Inclusive Forum

by , | May 8, 2007

As my first experience as a participant to the WSF Nairobi, my feeling was one of elation and exuberance as we joined the opening march as a delegation of peace women representatives from throughout the world. To be freely shouting slogans for peace and democracy and to demonstrate freely for what we stood for, as we joined thousands of like-minded groups and individuals, was a liberating experience.

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Curing AIDS Policy of Greed and Dogma

by , | Nov 30, 2006

A whole generation into the AIDS pandemic, we now have significant (though still insufficient) knowledge of how to combat the disease. But while the world’s collective understanding is gradually advancing, U.S. AIDS policy remains mired in a right-wing economic and social vision that is curtailing progress and costing lives.

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