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In Defense of Universal Empathy: Thoughts on Ukraine War (& Reactions to it)
Picture shows populations at risk of mass atrocities around the world. Does not include Ukraine yet, or other countries where human rights are under threat (e.g. Belarus) War sucks. I’ve been trying to articulate my thoughts on the war in Ukraine and the reactions to it. My thoughts are scattered, go in many different directions, and…
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Thanksgiving, Neuroplasticity, and Santosha
I have always been fascinated by neuroscience. As a teenager, my high school psychology professor recommended a newsletter called “neuroscience for kids” that explained neuroscience in a digestible manner. My hotmail address probably still receives those emails to this day. Much is unknown about the brain yet our knowledge of it has also advanced greatly…
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And just like that… I am back. But differently
My love for the written word emerged with my conscience and self-awareness. I may have been five or six years old when I decided I had overgrown kids’ books and I was done with the illustrated ‘childish’ tomes that adults gave me. I can vividly remember being at my grandparents’ mountain home, a cozy evening…
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“It is to history that we owe our frames of reference, our identities, and our aspirations” – hence the need to interrogate it
Saying that these are unprecedented times would be trite. In many ways, they probably aren’t. The world has been through pandemics before. We have seen civil unrest prior to our times. What is happening in the streets of many U.S. and Europeans cities and towns is absolutely necessary in the face of ongoing injustices. It…
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Reflections on Northern Ireland, Catalonia, Division, Institutions, and Post-Conflict Reconciliation
“You need to watch this,” the cab driver told me. I stood outside the cab after I had to retrieve money from the ATM to pay for the ride, half of my body inside the car bent over the rolled down window. In the video, an open casket, a man wearing a black hood that…
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On Literature, Politics, and Empathy
I once heard in a podcast that literature is the best vehicle for empathy. As a social science researcher, it is part of my job to design surveys, analyze data, conduct interviews and focus groups and try to understand our reality to find a way to improve our societies. In this day and age, to…
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Language Orthodoxy and Political Correctness
They say language is performative. I get that. I would not contest it. Over the past month my colleagues and I have been conducting in-depth interviews with Americans of all walks of life. I must say, it has been one of the most interesting professional experiences I have had (quite possibly, this is a feeling…
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Reflexiones sobre el caso catalán
Hay múltiples versiones sobre lo que está sucediendo en Cataluña. Mientras los medios de comunicación españoles y catalanes ofrecen sus respectivas versiones, la prensa internacional se hace eco de los eventos con mayor o menor rigor. Vivimos en un mundo totalmente distópico. La realidad catalana lo demuestra. Mientras algunos en el gobierno español niegan que…
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An attempt to write a balanced account of what is happening in Catalonia
Photo via eldiario.es There are multiple accounts of what is happening in Catalonia. While Spanish media and politicians spread different versions of what is occurring, international media report the events with more or less accuracy. We live in a dystopian world. The Catalan case evinces this reality. While some in the Spanish government claim that…
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Ghana Politics 101 – Elections Contextualized
On Wednesday, December 7th, Ghana will once again celebrate democratic elections. Ghana is usually hailed as the star of Africa or Africa’s most peaceful and stable country. Since 1992, the country has enjoyed substantial levels of political peace and stability. Yet as elections approach, tensions arise and there is a sense of uncertainty in the…
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