Human Enhancement Technologies and Democratic Citizenship
Human Enhancement Technologies and Democratic Citizenship [Originally published in Steven John Thompson’s Global Issues and Ethical Considerations in Human Enhancement Technologies. I really enjoyed the Isaiah Berlin-inspired fiction method employed for this essay: Steven was open to the prospect of my thinking through what electoral democracy, democratic citizenship, and technology could look like in the […]
Building a Gramsci-Foucault Axis of Democracy
Building a Gramsci-Foucault Axis of Democracy [This book chapter, originally published in David Kreps’ Gramsci and Foucault: A Reassessment, offers a consideration of democratic citizenship built from comparing and contrasting Gramsci’s works with Foucault’s. I remember the writing and editing process for this being an enjoyable one; especially good was reading the other chapters in […]
If our underwhelming politicians don’t pass the test, perhaps its time to make them sit one
If our underwhelming politicians don’t pass the test, perhaps its time to make them sit one Originally published by The Conversation, February 16, 2012. [Meritocratic folly. But I still think there’s something in this call to a higher epistocratic standard for politicians in Australia and other countries like it. I am now wondering, too, if there […]
Conflict in the 'South China Sea': Lessons from the Dene Peoples and the Arctic Conflict?
Conflict in the ‘South China Sea’: Lessons from the Dene Peoples and the Arctic Conflict? Originally published September 26, 2011, by the Centre for Strategic Research and Analysis (online April 1, 2014). [John Raulston Saul and Stephen Kakfwi spoke about “Aboriginal Sovereignty in the Arctic” on January 13, 2011, at the Munk School for Global […]
The Olympic closing ceremony celebrates the myth of nations
The Olympic closing ceremony celebrates the myth of nations Originally published by The Conversation, August 13, 2012. [A critical gaze on the ceremony and symbolism of nations and nationhood in the Olympics.] As I sat there this morning watching the London 2012 closing ceremony, I was impressed by the artistry, choreography, stage-setting (an artistry unto itself), […]
TPP revealed: at last we have the details – and a democratic deficit to be fixed
TPP revealed: at last we have the details – and a democratic deficit to be fixed Originally published by The Conversation, November 9, 2015. [This short essay was written to emphasize the democratic deficit in the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations which took place over many years prior to 2015. The negotiations were defined by their secrecy, lack […]
Sorry Clive Palmer, Wayne Swan’s vision is better for Australia
Sorry Clive Palmer, Wayne Swan’s vision is better for Australia Originally published by The Conversation, March 5, 2012. [Saw a dust-up between then Australian Treasurer Wayne Swan and corpulent billionaire turned politician Clive Palmer over economic equality in Australia and thought I’d venture a comment or two.] Australians are in a unique place today – we […]
Post-Colonial Public Law: Are Current Legal Establishments Democratically Illegitimate?
Post-Colonial Public Law: Are Current LegalEstablishments Democratically Illegitimate? Originally published by the African Journal of Legal Studies, 3(1), 2012, Pp. 21-43. [My time serving as an intern at the International Labour Organization in Geneva, Switzerland is directly responsible for this essay. It was there, learning from diplomats and delegates, furiously scribbling notes from assemblies and […]
An Interview with Dr. Jean-Paul Gagnon on Democratic Theory and Politics
An Interview with Dr. Jean-Paul Gagnon on Democratic Theory and Politics Originally published December 11, 2011, by the Centre for Strategic Research and Analysis (online March 28, 2014). Interview conducted by Husrev Tabak. [The first interview I gave aside from answering a few questions for a local journalist who visited my grammar school when I […]
The End of War? Global Citizenship and Changes to Conflict
The End of War? Global Citizenship and Changes to Conflict Originally published December 11, 2011, by the Centre for Strategic Research and Analysis (online March 31, 2014). [In reading about global democracy and its prospects for peace I came to think about how societies have changed, in large part due to technologies relating to media, […]
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