Category: OPINION

Viewpoint by Jonathan Power Long before the Coronavirus and global warming, the great philosopher Bertrand Russell wrote: “Unhappy men would increase their happiness more by walking 6 miles every day than by any conceivable change in philosophy.” LUND, Sweden (IDN) – Shouldn’t we be Panglossian when it comes to the progress now being made to […]

Viewpoint by Anthony Barnett* This article was originally published on openDemocracy. Any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of IDN-InDepth News LONDON (IDN) – In 1957-58, a flu pandemic killed around million people world-wide. In the UK estimates of the deaths it caused vary from 14,000 to […]

Viewpoint by Anthony Barnett* This article was originally published on openDemocracy. Any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of IDN-InDepth News LONDON (IDN) – Nine moments forged the processes described above to shape the globalisation that has now gone into shock. In identifying them I’m […]

Viewpoint by Anthony Barnett* This article was originally published on openDemocracy. Any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of IDN-InDepth News LONDON (IDN) – The word ‘globalisation’ has different meanings. In the broadest sense of ‘the interconnectedness of humanity’ it began when early homo-sapiens in […]

Viewpoint by Anthony Barnett* This article was originally published on openDemocracy. Any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of IDN-InDepth News LONDON (IDN) – Medically we can foresee that cures or vaccines could be developed that might prevent the future rampage of COVID-19. Politically, a […]

Viewpoint by John Scales Avery* COPENHAGEN (IDN) – Elimination of excessive economic inequality makes societies happier and better, underlines the incontrovertible evidence that a new freely downloadable book presents. Going back to history, the Age of Reason or the Enlightenment was an intellectual and philosophical movement that dominated the world of ideas during the 17th […]

Viewpoint by Gema Cortés The writer is Public Information Officer, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Caracas. He contributed the following to UN OCHA on June 1. CARACAS (IDN) – When I arrived in Venezuela ten months ago, access to basic services and products such as food and medicines was […]

Viewpoint by Eleanor Russell and Martin Parker* CAMBRIDGE | BRISTOL (IDN) – In June 1348, people in England began reporting mysterious symptoms. They started off as mild and vague: headaches, aches, and nausea. This was followed by painful black lumps, or buboes, growing in the armpits and groin, which gave the disease its name: bubonic […]

Viewpoint by Azu Ishiekwene The writer is the Managing Director/Editor-In-Chief of The Interview magazine based in Abuja, Nigeria. ABUJA (IDN) – I first watched the movie in the lockdown. At the beginning, it was funny when the pair was fiddling with their entrée in the restaurant and wondering why they had both avoided each other […]

Viewpoint by Richard Kozul-Wright The writer is Director of Globalization and Development Strategies, UNCTAD. GENEVA (IDN) – The COVID-19 crisis is stress testing the capacity of governance arrangements to deal with unexpected shocks. Results point to considerable variation at the national level, but it’s difficult to give anything above a B minus to the response […]