Category Archives: Political History

Diseased Neoliberalism

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If the present crisis, defined by a rising and self-confident politics of reaction, is understood historically as the diseased radicalization rather than the demise of neoliberalism, perhaps we might yet make a proper interregnum of our time. That is, we might begin to struggle toward a new order, doing so not with inherited instruction manuals but instead with new ones born from “a spirit that embraces the notion of a deep and indeed unsettling transformation of society.” As diseased neoliberalism continues to self-generate all measure of morbid symptoms, we might find suddenly that there is all the more collective will to give it the death it deserves.

Lessons from the Past: How Mark Carney and the Liberals Can Tackle Housing Challenges in First Nations with a Renewed Focus on Building Homes and Reconciliation

A black-and-white copy of a house blueprint. It is a modest one-and-a-half story home with a little porch. The cladding is labeled "1X8 rustic". The roof is labeled "shingles". A feature on the roof is labeled "ventilator." The whole image is labeled "perspective view."

The Indigenous and Northern Housing plan within Canada’s current National Housing Strategy is a good start, but it does not go nearly far enough to meet the long-standing housing needs of First Nations communities. With the new Liberal platform prioritizing the rapid development of affordable and sustainable homes, Prime Minister Mark Carney has a chance to begin remedying some of the historical and ongoing injustices that First Nations peoples encounter regarding housing on reserves. This can be accomplished by integrating the AFN’s proposal into the National Housing Strategy, providing a streamlined process for First Nations to benefit, and working directly with First Nations to meet the specific needs of each community, steering clear of the paternalistic dynamics that have largely fueled the housing crisis experienced by First Nations communities throughout Canada.

Shocked, but not Surprised: The End of USAID in Historical Perspective

Photograph of a young Black girl. She is wearing a collared shirt with pink stripes and using a pen to write in a notebook.

It was a shock when I read that as the unofficial head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a group that has no Congressional authority, Musk began to shutter USAID operations at the beginning of February. Musk bragged on his social media platform that he was putting USAID “into the wood chipper.”  At that time, the USAID website went dark, and as I am writing this, it is still down.

On Bill 18: Danielle Smith, the Calgary School, and the Politics of Academic Freedom

Photo of a white woman with shoulder-length brown hair wearing blue and black in front of a blue background.

Mack Penner On 10 April 2024, the United Conservative Party (UCP) introduced Bill 18, or the Provincial Priorities Act, in order to “support Alberta’s government in pushing back against overreach by the federal government.” If passed, the bill would require “provincial entities” of all kinds to pass any agreements with the federal government through provincial review. The bill fits neatly… Read more »

Fictions of a Fascist France

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By Paul Cohen One of the most striking things about Donald Trump’s presidency is just how surprised Americans were that it happened at all.  On the very eve of the election in November 2016, despite polls’ margins of error showing him within striking distance of Hillary Clinton, Trump’s victory was unthinkable, a scenario too fantastic to contemplate (reportedly, even by… Read more »

Will Sanctions Against Russia Work?

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Russian-owned Sovcomflot oil tanker

Lorenz M. Lüthi Europe and North America have reacted to Russia’s outright aggression against Ukraine with an unprecedented slate of economic and political sanctions. Municipal governments, private companies, sports associations, cultural institutions, and other entities are taking matters into their own hands, too, by reviewing or even terminating links with Russian counterparts. States usually impose sanctions against an aggressor for… Read more »

What’s in Putin’s Head?

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Lorenz M. Lüthi As we are slowly coming to terms with a new reality in international relations, we try to make sense of it using the anecdotal and fragmentary information available to us. Few outside of Russia can claim to understand what is going on in Vladimir Putin’s head. Most of us are guessing about the rationale behind the war,… Read more »

Nostalgia and the Politics of Selective Remembering

By Omeasoo Wahpasiw, Adele Perry and Sean Carleton Timing is everything, and context and connections matter. A week after the US Capitol riot on January 6 sparked a reckoning with the growing threat of white supremacy and far-right extremism in North America, an open letter appeared as a full-page ad in the National Post celebrating the “remarkable” legacy of John… Read more »

This Inauguration Day, Americans will start over again 

J.M. Opal Anniversaries make you feel old and young at the same time. An important date marks the time, reminding you of how many years you’ve already trod during your sojourn on Earth. Then again, these dates also promise renewal, a chance to clean slates and start fresh. Today’s inauguration of Joseph Biden will be the 58th anniversary of this… Read more »

Towards a History of Canadian Climate Diplomacy

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Daniel Macfarlane In 2013, Canada was bestowed the satirical “Lifetime Unachievement” Fossil award by Climate Action Network International in recognition of the country’s record of obstructing global climate change talks. This dubious distinction was well-earned by Stephen Harper’s Conservative government. But its Liberal predecessors and successors didn’t do much better when it came to actually reducing the country’s greenhouse gas… Read more »