UTBLICK

Last UTBLICK of 2018!

The last issue of UTBLICK of this year has arrived!

We have covered human rights: the rights we have for simply being humans, supposedly inherent to all of us without discrimination. Something you would think would be “set in stone”, however, they have been growing and evolving since their conception. What’s more, their application is constantly on the line. Sadly, this makes it possible to talk about the multiple violations of human rights.

You will be able to learn more about some of the infringements, for example the refugee status and its links with the duty to rescue in the French case or the Australian government policy. We also discuss foreign domestic workers, their fragile citizenship and the abuses they are subjected to, such as inhumane working hours.

You can read about violations of the right to a fair trial and some creative outcomes of it; the dubious status of disabled people as bearers of rights around the world and the treatment of homeless people in the UK. Also,the extents to which nationalisation of giving birth and bearing life in China has gotten to, exemplified by the changing of its one-child policy.

You will also be able to delve into reflections about the complex connection between the nation state and civil society; the relationship between human rights and climate change and an article about Aung San Suu Kyi and her status as a fallen human rights figure.

Lastly, and perfectly matching this season of the year, we have an interesting perspective on tradition and innovation, exemplified with the Dutch Sinterklaas and Black Pete.

Finally, we would like to thank Emma, who took over as Utblick’s graphic designer this fall and couldn’t have done a better job!

You can read the new issue HERE.

Hope you have enjoyed this year of UTBLICK as much as we did putting the issues together!

We wish you happy holidays and pleasant reading,

Moa and Ariadna

UTBLICK Nr 3 is finally here!

The first issue of the autumn 2018 is finally HERE!! In this number we’ve talked about the broad subject of MEDIA.

For more than a decade the press freedom has declined in the world, but at the same time new kinds of media are on the rise.

Recent events have made us wonder about which changes media will go through in the near future (digital revolution?). Since cases such as Snowden’s whistle-blow or Cambridge Analytica, how much do we know about how the data we provide and the data we receive is being handled? Furthermore, could the current state of a decentralized and extremely rapid flow of information have any consequences with practices like biohacking?

But we should not forget the people behind technology, and for instance, how the information is being moderated outside of algorithms; who are the people behind the reporting button?

This leads us to social media and how we interact with it; from the narcissistic use of social media to the unconsented recording of Korea
n women in public spaces. And also fake news, a term that has come up and been discussed all over during the last couple of years. But what exactly is fake news and how does it affect you? We hope you can find some answers with the specific case of Macedonia and how fake news managed to disband the country’s renaming referendum.

We also want to build your hopes up with a very inspiring inte
rview with Swedish news reporter Carina Bergfeldt and her thoughts on the journalistic career, the current politics and how has she managed to do some amazing things such as reporting the KKK from within.We should also be aware of the role of the more conventional media, by some cases such as Singapore and LGBT rights, performative violence and its treatment by the conventional media and lastly, Spain and its controversial freedom of expression. And on a bigger trend, the tu

rn to illiberalism in democracies. So, to wrap it up, you will be able to find an “authoritarian handbook” :)

You can check the magazine here.

Pleasant reading!

Moa Persson and Ariadna Carrascosa

New issue of UTBLICK out now!!

The second issue of 2018 is finally here!! This time we have explored the theme of elections and democracy in a changing world.

This year we are facing an enormous amount of elections. One of the most important aspects of a democracy is elections, free and fair elections is what gives voice to our societies. Earlier this year we have seen Putin’s reelection in Russia, and also Hungary and Poland’s move towards nationalistic politics and anti-european governments. Since previously we have already witnessed the low voting participation in France’s elections, Germany’s struggle with building a government, the victory of Trump in the US. But not to forget some positive trends in democracy as the surprisingly peaceful resignation of Zimbabwe’s long ruling leader Mugabe, that now will lead up to a parliamentary election later this year. As well as the formation of new political parties, like the Demokraterna in Gothenburg, who is claiming to be neither left or right and the left wing Podemos in Spain, just to mention a few. So we thought it would be the right time to explore the concept of elections and a myriad of issues entailed to it, especially with the upcoming Swedish election that will be held in September.

We wanted to look at elections in a wider spectrum and from different countries and cultures. So in this number of Utblick we hope you will learn about some of the elections which are taking place this year and some trends we are witnessing in the world right now. Such as the worrying lack of participation of the young generation in elections or the disconnect between society and politicians. This has brought to life alternatives like e-democracy initiatives such as DigidemLab.

This is not to undermine national election issues, such as the coming mexican election, which is believed to shake the country’s policies. As well as the need to critically review parliamentary and presidency laws that might be discriminatory, such as the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Or democratic retreats, like in Cambodia.

So, in this issue we have compiled these and many more articles and topics that we hope you will enjoy.

You can check the magazine here.

Or grab a copy in different campuses, libraries and cafés around Gothenburg!

Pleasant reading!

Moa Persson and Ariadna Carrascosa

Lithium: the new oil?

By Ariadna Carrascosa

Lithium is one of the essential components of electric batteries that power electric cars, smartphones, tablets, etc. The demand for lithium has steadily been increasing and it is expected to almost double until 2025. For this reason, it is safe to say that lithium as a commodity has a great potential of being a game changer, in the same sense that oil has been for many years.

The world largest producers of lithium are China, Australia, Chile and Argentina, although Brazil, Zimbabwe and Portugal also produce the mineral but in smaller quantities. However, Bolivia has one of the biggest reserves though not really exploited yet.

In South America there is an estimated 60% of the Earth’s lithium resources and reserves. Bolivia, Chile and Argentina, also known as the “Lithium Triangle” or “Lithium Belt” have had really different approaches to the exploitation of this mineral.

Chile has some companies operating, like SQM and Chemettal. Its free market economy has been very attractive for foreign direct investment. The government is trying to introduce a production quota, and there have been some labour disputes and water shortages which have been regarded as negative by the investors.

In South America there is an estimated 60% of the Earth’s lithium resources and reserves.

Meanwhile, Argentina has left protectionism behind with current president Mauricio Macri. This is expected to encourage investment. Nonetheless, the activity has been merely extractive so far, which raises the question of how much of it will actually enrich the country.

On the other hand, Bolivia, which is estimated to hold half of the world lithium reserves, has just started planning how to produce the mineral. So far, president Evo Morales does not want Bolivia to become a mere exporter of lithium but rather wants that value-added activities are settled in Bolivia as well, such as battery plants and car factories. However, the raw materials the country has are not as pure, which can make the processing more expensive. Moreover, the country’s weak infrastructures could be problematic as well. Another challenge that Bolivia faces is the reluctance of foreign investors to invest in Bolivia due to Evo Morales being from a left wing party.

In the case of Brazil, lithium reserves are way scarcer than in the “Lithium belt”. The country produces lithium which cannot be used for batteries but it may be able to develop its lithium industry in order to produce lithium that can power secondary batteries, capable of powering smartphones. Lithium in Brazil is also regulated by the National Nuclear Energy Commission because of its possibility of being used in nuclear technology, which makes it harder to exploit. All of the above-mentioned, together with the “custo Brasil”, the high cost of doing business in Brazil, are burdens for the trade of the mineral that would put Brazil behind Bolivia, Argentina and Chile regarding this commodity and thus, changing the geopolitical landscape of the region.

Another factor to be considered is the role of Asian countries. There has been an increasing demand for lithium from China, Japan and South Korea. China has a considerable amount of lithium reserves but its interest has not stopped there, rather it is the contrary. China has stakes in lithium mines and companies in Australia and South America and is also focusing on cobalt which is used in the production of batteries as well, by purchasing a cobalt mine in Congo, for example. This secures China’s position, thus reinforcing its value-added industry, as it is one of the biggest electric vehicles and smartphones producers. On the other hand, Japan and South Korea are way more dependent on South American lithium reserves.

So, the Lithium belt has a very powerful commodity at the moment, that could possibly change the power structures within the South American region, diminishing Brazil’s former hegemony. Also, South Korean and Japanese companies will be equally important in how this develops, especially regarding challenging China’s already secured battery market. So, the ability of the Lithium belt countries together with Japan and South Korea to build an stable alternative to China will be crucial. Likewise, it is unknown how Argentina, Chile and Bolivia will manage to keep some of the capital and benefits from the lithium market if they want to benefit their countries from their ‘white gold reserves’ and not become mere exporters.

Finally, other challenges ahead are the uncertainty concerning the evolution of battery technologies. There is the possibility that alternative sources to lithium are found. It is also unknown if the electric cars hype ends up the way it is predicted or if they do not really end up establishing in the market, especially given some of the problems they face such as their limited range or the fear of automatization and accidents. And finally, it could be that hydrogen takes over and becomes the source of future cars.

Cover photo taken by (Luca Galuzzi) http://www.galuzzi.it

Lithium stones picture By Dnn87 – Self-photographed

Anyone else fed up with hypocritical Hollywood?

By Rebecca Hartill

I’ve arrived in the movie star capital of the world without any clue of who is who and what is what. Hollywood and the entertainment industry is to me an unknown field, which is partly why I find my time in L.A so interesting. Something that has not slipped my attention however is the #metoo earthquake, and being a political science major, the issue of social representation and its connection to individual rights is a topic that lies close to heart. The #metoo movement has apparently not rocked the boat enough to upset the status quo, as we this year saw the fewest female winners in six years while the ethnic representation remained highly westernised.

As a firm believer that habits rather than talents are key to success, I’m perplexed by all the high heels and close fitted low-cut dresses leftover from a conservative world that sought to sexualise women. Females are highlighted for how they look and males for what they do. Males dress in the identical black-tie outfits not by coincidence, but because the assumption is that they do not need to dress in any other way. You see males are carried by their brains, while females are successful though their looks.

The #metoo movement has apparently not rocked the boat enough to upset the status quo, as we this year saw the fewest female winners in six years while the ethnic representation remained highly westernised.

HOLLYWOOD, CA - MARCH 04: Fatma Al Remaihi attends the 90th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) — HOLLYWOOD, CA – MARCH 04: Fatma Al Remaihi attends the 90th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

However, I suppose I should cut Hollywood some slack and realise that it, just like me, is a product of its social circumstances (I too wore a tight dress and stilettos to work during the Oscar evening). Maybe it isn’t my place to say, since I don’t even recognise half of the people walking the red carpet.

Whether it be a sign of ignorance or a receipt of how out of touch Hollywood is with the rest of the world, I find it almost amusing that a film portraying Winston Churchill as a faultless national hero can receive so much praise when Mr Churchill in fact made quite a few doubtful choices during his political career. Maybe historical accuracy is of only secondary concern to the Academy, but I know one or two who would categorise the film as an infotainment way to present an ”alternative truth”. This is ironic, considering that Hollywood spends so much time worrying about the wide reach of the very same phenomenon.

Nonetheless, someone did catch my eye, and both her persona and her outfit are a refreshing sight. Fatma Al Remaihi, who does not have a wikipedia site (yet), is the CEO of the Doha Film Interview and carried her Middle Eastern heritage down the red carpet with fascinating gusto, just like she does in her work.

References 1st Issue 2018 on FEMINISM

As we could not include the references and suggested readings in the first issue of 2018 we have compiled this list, by order of the articles in the magazine.

Ariadna Carrascosa author of “History’s hidden feminists”

Maya Angelou “Still I rise” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qviM_GnJbOM

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie “We should all be feminists” (2014). http://jackiewhiting.net/AmStudies/Units1415/Texts/We%20Should%20All%20Be%20Feminists%20(Kin%20-%20Chimamanda%20Ngozi%20%20Adichie.pdf

Betty Friedan “The Feminine Mystique” (1963).

Olympe de Gouges “Déclaration des droits de la femme et de la citoyenne” (1791) http://gallica.bnf.fr/essentiels/anthologie/declaration-droits-femme-citoyenne-0

First Wave Feminism without White Women https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gj23X2ngUQs&list=LLorx7s8blLDdLQQbfGaFQUA&t=75s&index=16

Second Wave Feminism without White Women: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc0xwxae6Q4&list=LLorx7s8blLDdLQQbfGaFQUA&t=0s&index=15

About Huda Shaarawi: https://afrolegends.com/2016/01/14/huda-shaarawi-egypts-great-feminist/

Nawal El-Saawadi “The hidden face of Eve: Women in the Arab world” (1977).

Kathryn Schulz “The many lives of Pauli Murray” (2017) https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/04/17/the-many-lives-of-pauli-murray

Sojourner Truth’s ‘Ain’t I a woman’ speech (1851) http://www.sojournertruth.com/p/aint-i-woman.html

10 Hours of Walking in NYC as a Woman

Rebecca Hartill author of “On the origins of International Women’s Day”

Temma Kaplan, On the Socialist Origins of International Women’s Day in: Feminist Studies, 11, 1985, S. 163–171.

Lena Halldenius, Mary Wollstonecraft and Feminist Republicanism: Independence, Rights and the experience of Unfreedom, 2015, Chatto (Publishers) Ltd and Mary Wollstonecraft, feminismen och frihetens förutsättningar, 2016, Thales

Moa Persson author of “Lesbisk Frukost”

http://lesbiskmakt.nu/users/lesbisk-frukost-goteborg

Ella Petrini author of “Calling for reproductive justice”

Roberts, Dororthy. (2017), “Reproductive justice not just rights”. Dissent Magazine. Retrieved from: https://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/reproductive-justice-not-just-rights

US Department for Health & Human Services, Center for Disease Control and Prevention. “Pregnancy related mortality” retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/pregnancy-relatedmortality.htm

Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (2016). “The sexual and reproductive health rights of undocumented migrants”. Retrieved from: http://picum.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Sexual-and-Reproductive-Health-Rights_EN.pdf

Transgender Europe, TGU, “Legal Gender Recognition” retrieved from: https://tgeu.org/issues/legal-gender-recognition/

Fentiman, Linda. (2017) Blaming Mothers: American Law and the Risks to Children’s Health. New York: New York University Press.

Ottar, (2017). https://www.ottar.se/artiklar/bb-avst-nden-kar-s-l-ngt-r-det-i-din-kommun

European Women’s Lobby. (2012) “The price of austerity – The impact on women’s rights and gender equality in Europe” retrieved from: https://www.womenlobby.org/IMG/pdf/the_price_of_austerity_-_web_edition.pdf

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/dec/22/japanese-mothers-rise-nuclear-power

UN Women, (2015) “The Global Study on resolution 1325” retrieved from: http://wps.unwomen.org/resources/

Internationella Kvinnoförbundet för Fred och Frihet, IKFF, (2016). “Grejen med små och lätta vapen”. Retrieved from: https://ikff.se/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Grejen-med-små-och-lätta-vapen_WEB.pdf

Brown, Wendy. (2000). Suffering Rights as Paradoxes. Constellations, 7(2).

Egil Sturk author of “Gendering the Nation”

Emma Lazarus, “The New Colossus” (1883)

Franz Kafka, “Amerika” (1927).

Thomas Hylland Eriksen, “Historia, Myt och Identitet” (1996)

Sverker Sörlin, “Nationalism” (2006)

Johann Gottlieb Fichte, “Addresses to the German Nation” (1808)

Shakira Mills author of “Self Worth: Mouring as a wear black” and “Are all feminine Issues the same”

She has the blog http://shakiranmills.wixsite.com/serenitymotivated

Davis, V. (2017). “Speaks at woman’s march”: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mM5ONxQxQu8

Guillaumin, C. (1981). The Practice of Power and Belief in Nature. Part I The Appropriation of Women. Feminist Issues, vol 1, nr 2: 3-28.

McCann, Carole R. & Kim, Seung-Kyung (eds.) (2017). Feminist theory reader: local and global perspectives.“Introduction: Feminist theory, local and global perspectives”. Fourth edition. pp. 1-8

McCann, Carole R. & Kim, Seung-Kyung (eds.) (2017). Feminist theory reader: local and global perspectives. “Section 1. Introduction: theorizing feminist time and spaces”. Fourth edition. pp 9-30

Tailer, P. (2016) “Feminism and Feminisms”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N91L9OBCLb8

Lisa Sutton author of “#Metoo – How subjective narratives created a transnational social movement”

Castells, M. (2010) ”Toward a Sociology of the Network Society” in Readings in Globalisation – Key Concepts and Mayor Debates, Ritzer, G. and Z. Atalay (eds.), 246-252. West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell.

Death, C. (2010) ”Counter-conducts: A Foucauldian Analytics of Protest”, Social Movement Studies,Vol. 9, No. 3, 235–251.

Keck M. E. & Sikkink K. (1991) “Transnational advocacy networks in international and regional politics”, International Social Science Journal, Vol. 51, No. 159, 89–101.

Mohanty, Chandra Talpade. 2003. “‘Under Western Eyes’ Revisited: Feminist Solidarity through Anticapitalist Struggles.” Journal of Women in Culture and Society, Vol. 23, N 2, 499–535.

The New York Times. ”The Woman Who Created #MeToo Long Before Hashtags” https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/20/us/me-too-movement-tarana-burke.html

UN News Centre ”Seizing on global trend, Afghan women reporters empower voices against violence” http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=58247#.WjfGDFSdVHQ

World Health Organisation ”Global and regional estimates of violence against women: prevalence and health effects of intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence” http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/85241/1/WHO_RHR_HRP_13.06_eng.pdf?ua=1

Della Porta, D. & Tarrow, S. (2005) ”Transnational processes and social activism: An introduction” In Transnational Protest & Global Activism, D. Della Porta & S. G. Tarrow (eds.), 1–18. Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield.

Reka Paul author of “#Menot- Reflections on Postmodern Feminism and Social Media”

https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews/videos/10155554251332217/

https://www.bl.uk/votes-for-women

http://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/facts-and-figures

http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/stats/Crime/Rape-rate

Knoller, Rasso, Schweden ein Länderporträt (2016)

http://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-42961928/102-year-old-woman-says-men-are-control-freaks

Maximilian Weik author of “Antifeminism as an ideological ground of right-wing populism”

AfD. 2017. „PROGRAMM FÜR DEUTSCHLAND. Wahlprogramm der Alternative für Deutschland für die Wahl zum Deutschen Bundestag am 24. September 2017“. https://www.afd.de/wp-content/uploads/sites/111/2017/06/2017-06-01_AfD-Bundestagswahlprogramm_Onlinefassung.pdf.

Butler, Judith. 2011. Competing Universalities. In Butler, Judith, Ernesto Laclau, and Slavoj Žižek. Contingency, hegemony, universality, London; New York: Verso, 136–181.

Butler, Judith, Ernesto Laclau, and Slavoj Žižek. 2011. Contingency, Hegemony, Universality. London; New York: Verso.

Forst, Rainer. 2017. Normativity and Power: Analyzing Social Orders of Justification. New York: Oxford University Press.

Melter, Claus. 2017. Koloniale, nationalistische und aktuelle rassistische Kontinuitäten in Gesetzgebung und der Polizei am Beispiel von Schwarzen Deutschen, Roma und Sinti. In Karim Fereidooni and Meral El. Rassismuskritik und Widerstandsformen, Wiesbaden: Springer VS, 589-612

Sen, Amartya. 1999. Choice, welfare, and measurement. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

WDR Doku. 2017. Frauenanteil: „Es gibt immer mehr Anzüge im Bundestag“. Docupy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JIIaaX2Dno.

Viktor Warg author of “En hyllning till spraket av en otillräcklig apa”

Nick Haslam https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1047840X.2016.1082418?journalCode=hpli20

Soraya Post’s Interview https://www.svtplay.se/klipp/16793349/det-har-vill-svenska-eu-parlamentariker-astadkomma-2018-soraya-post-fisochd?start=auto

Get to know our contributors!

Here is a list with all the people that contributed to the first issue of 2018 on FEMINISM and what they did in it. We have also written something they like and something they hate, so you can get to know them a little bit better!

The writers

Rebecca Hartill hartill.rebecca@gmail.com – Burmese cats / Bullshit

Moa Persson – moa.persson@utblick.org – Snow/ Peanut butter

Ella Petrini – ella.petrini@gmail.com – Broad City/ Getting up before 8 am

Egil Sturk – egilsturk95@gmail.com – Irony/ Infants on airplanes

Shakira Mills – shakira.n.mills@gmail.com – Cheesecake/ Scary movies

Lisa Sutton – gussutli@student.gu.se– Vulnerability/ The patriarchy

Reka Paul – rebeccapaul@hotmail.de – The smell of old things/ People cutting in line

Maximilian Weik – maxweik@hotmail.com – Bulk waste furniture/ Cold hands

Viktor Warg – viktorerikwarg@gmail.com – Good friends we have/ Good friends we’ve lost

The graphic designer

Ahyoung Kim- guskimah@student.gu.se – Sour jelly/ Blood

The illustrators

Ibou Gueye – hej.ibou@gmail.com – Cake/ Trump (and all he stands for)

Charlotte Gunnarsson – charlotte_gunnarsson@hotmail.com Racoons/ The sound of cutlery against teeth

Jenny Lundin Johansson – jenny.lujo@hotmail.com – Heavy rain/ That Blue song by Eiffel 65

Elisabeth Pavon – elisabeth.p.r@hotmail.com– To get in the shower/ To get out of the shower

The proofreader for English articles

Brea Pluta – brea.pluta@gmail.com – Long walks on the beach/ Small talk about the weather

The editors

Moa Persson – moa.persson@utblick.org – Snow/ Peanut butter

Ariadna Carrascosa -ariadna.carrascosa@utblick.org – Sunset/ White asparagus

First Utblick of 2018 out now! FEMINISM

HEJ HEJ!

This issue has been carefully curated and edited by yours truly, Moa Persson and Ariadna Carrascosa, the new editors of UTBLICK magazine for this coming year 2018. We are very excited and glad to offer you this issue focused on feminism that we hope you enjoy as much as we did putting it out together!

You can grab a copy in different campuses, libraries and cafés around town but you can also read it HERE if you prefer.

This is the beginning of an incredibly exciting and promising year in UTBLICK magazine and we hope you will come along with us.

We wish you a pleasant, critical and feminist reading,

Moa and Ariadna

moa.persson@utblick.org, ariadna.carrascosa@utblick.org

Link to the magazine: 1st Issue 2018 FEMINISM

Utblick nr 4 2017 out now!

25189544_10203841689920222_1891558650_o Power is a complex concept. What is power, who has it and what are the consequences of power being exploited? None of these questions can be immediately and easily answered; they require careful analysis and critical thinking on the ever-changing rules of power. In this last issue of 2017, we try to shed some light on these faces of power. Some of the covered aspects are the power of discourses, the role of money, and the authoritarian state mechanisms of disciplining the masses. These are however only scratches on the surface, yet we hope they give some insights and trigger some thought about the role of power in a modern society.

So feel free to pick a copy of the magazine in a university campus or library, or read the online version here!

We wish you a pleasant read,

Axel and Mikael

Utblick nr 3 2017 out now!

Dreams and nightmares of politics is no new thing. Used as a rhetoric tool, as means of analysis and subject of comparison, utopias and dystopias has from time to time been an influential ingredient of public debate. Carrying hope and dreams of a better future, utopias also come with the risk of oppression – if the ends justify the means, hope might quickly turn into despair.

The third issue of Utblick 2017 examines these topics in greater detail. Covering subjects like (but not limited to) the state of contemporary politics, the role of social media, and the former colonial capital of Great Britain, we hope to provide some interesting reading for most of you. Pick up a copy of the magazine in a university campus or library nearby, or read it as PDF here.

Pleasant read,

Mikael and Axel