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Continue reading →: Wrong Thoughts in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR)
State control is a tricky business. If an ideology or faith challenges the supreme power of the state, what actions can be taken to reassert authority? In the 1950s and 60s the gulags and psychiatric hospitals were full of Russian dissidents, or people merely suspected of not toeing the party…
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Continue reading →: Art
I had a quick look at the annual exhibition of the Royal Academy of Ulster Arts on at the Ulster Museum. Two artists grabbed my attention, Diego Fabro for his painting with eerie blue lighting and Catherine Creaney’s portrait of a woman standing with her back to us in front…
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Continue reading →: Cracking stories – a pause -Week 6
Apologies to anyone who had been eagerly anticipating some new developments in the story of academe, terrorism and mystery. I have been beaten by deadlines that whizzed past as the working day took its toll on my energy levels. I will try to wrap the story up in Week 7,…
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Continue reading →: The times and tides of humanity
In the West the 1960s were a time of great hope. Feminism, black power and love-ins were accompanied by protest marches, violent repression and the assassination of prominent liberal politicians. We had a dream and it has been partially fulfilled. Queer bashing and paki bashing are no longer tolerated by…
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Continue reading →: Carys Davies – well worth a read
I was given a ticket by my favourite Welshman for a book reading at No Alibis bookshop yesterday by Carys Davies. Her selected readings from “West” were well read, and the chat with fellow writer Jan Carson interesting insights into the author’s writing process. I have started reading her book…
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Continue reading →: Journalistic freedom and integrity
The recent case of Jamal Khashoggi is another example of authoritarian regimes committing murder and believing that they can get away with it. Whatever sanctions may be imposed on Saudi Arabia by its allies, the murder of a journalist for daring to criticise an obviously dictatorial regime, should not only be…
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Continue reading →: Cracking Stories – Week 5 -countermeasures
Standing at the tram stop outside Bordeaux train station, the small group led by Dermot were soaking up the autumn heat and revelling in it. Eoin, Dermot’s friend and colleague had joined the researchers at the last minute after some persuasive arguments put by Dermot to the Head of School…
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Continue reading →: you have to train for it
My body is worn out A great weekend was in prospect when an old friend came to stay. I knew that drink would be an essential part of the proceedings but had forgotten how ill-equipped I am for heavy drinking. You need to have the constitution and metabolism of someone…
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Continue reading →: Cracking Stories – Week 4 – the plot thickens
Building work on restoring the School of History to its original state was moving on apace. Academics and admin staff had temporarily been sharing offices with their colleagues in the School of Politics, but it looked as if they would be moving back in a couple of weeks. Dermot had…
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