Our Network
AUTHOR: Dr. Jason Abbott
URL: http://profjabbott.blogspot.com
AREA: Southeast Asia (comparative politics, democratization & international politics)
SLOGAN: Blogging is a way to break out of the cloistered ivory towers of academia
ABOUT ME: I specialize on Southeast Asian politics with a focus on democratization and comparative political science. Having previously taught at the Nottingham Trent University, the University of Ljubljana, the School of Oriental and African Studies and The University of Surrey. I now live and work in Louisville, Kentucky and am the Director of the Center for Asian Democratization. Having grown up in the North of England I profess a certain degree of support for Manchester United and a penchant for *northern* humor and music.
AUTHOR: Natascha Adama
URL: http://natascha23.blogspot.com
AREA: Caribbean (From Northern Brazil to Southern USA)
SLOGAN: I am from all over the World, no Boundaries
ABOUT ME: I enjoy treading unchartered and unexplored areas of research, specifically on the Caribbean, where political systems and frustrated development is attributed to outside forces and actions by foreign actors. I currently work as a research fellow and visiting professor, just finished writing my first book on the political system of Suriname. I also love to sing Jazz, and I enjoy preparing copious diners for friends and whoever stops by.
AUTHOR: Hana Shams Ahmed
URL: http://hanashams.wordpress.com
AREA: Bangladesh
ABOUT ME: I am the coordinator of the International CHT Commission (http://chtcommission.org) and a freelance journalist.The CHT Commission’s mandate is… “to promote respect for human rights, democracy, and restoration of civil and political rights, participatory development and land rights in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh, including examination of the implementation of the CHT Peace Accord of 1997″. I have worked as the Assistant Editor of FORUM, the monthly news magazine of THE DAILY STAR. Before that I worked as a Feature Writer of THE STAR magazine, the weekly magazine of The Daily Star from 2000-2008. My investigative reports focus on gender, child, labour, migrant and the rights of minorities. I am a member of Drishtipat.org, a global network of Bangladeshi human rights activists. I am a graduate of the University of Westminster, London, with a Post Graduate Diploma in International Journalism.
AUTHOR: Bachpan Bachao Andolan
URL: http://www.bba.org.in
AREA: Child Labour
SLOGAN: Save the Childhood Movement
ABOUT US: Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) is not a conventional NGO or a typical institution; it is the ray of hope in millions of hearts, the first dream in their eyes, and the first smile on their faces. It is the sky and wings together for innumerable children, excluded from human identity and dignity, with a desire to fly in freedom. It is the tears of joy of a mother who finds her rescued child back in her lap after years of helplessness and hopelessness. It is a battle to open the doors of opportunities, a fire for freedom and education in the hearts and souls of thousands of youth committed to wipe out the scourge of slavery and ignorance from the face of mankind.
AUTHOR: Reed Brundage
URL: http://americasmexico.blogspot.com
AREA: Latin America
ABOUT ME: Dr. Brundage is a retired or, as he prefers to say, ‘jubilado’ clinical psychologist now living in Mexico. He has developed an intense desire or ‘inquietud´ to educate his fellow estadunidenses and other concerned persons about the impact of U.S. laws and actions, especially in the areas of drug prohibition and immigration, on the well-being of the people and the civil society of Mexico. Blogging provides a vehicle for him to increase understanding of these critical issues.
AUTHOR: Ahmed T. B. / Cabalamuse
URL: http://cabalamuse.wordpress.com/
AREA: Morocco
SLOGAN: venture down those ominous ways thread into that austere city
ABOUT ME: Write! Write a word…on a paper or on the very table…on the floor or on the sky. Write a word on a wall…open someone’s mind…and drop it in there…like a seed…and they’ll heed.
AUTHOR: Garima Dimri
URL: http://www.bba.org.in
AREA: Child Labour
SLOGAN: In search for non hierarchical spaces to learn, live and grow!
About Me: Whether it was my grandmother’s story about a king whose touch turned everything into gold or the stories I stumbled upon through my growing up years made me realize, that there were numerous tales waiting to be told. I thought to myself “a story isn’t anything till it is told and what makes all the difference is – how it is told! This is where began the first phase of my journey towards being a storyteller. From packed auditoriums where thousands of eyes tried to understand what this 13-year-old was doing in a theatre festival to a bustling narrow lane of Chandni Chowk, where this girl gave her first live outdoor broadcast 10 years hence, for me, every new day held a new story. in my job as a reporter, I was introduced to the concept of ‘selective story telling’. The motto was ‘ignore the dying hungry. Instead, start a vague social awareness campaign and replace those by a Bollywood star’s exclusive interview’. Unfortunately, the television I was introduced to, catered only to “entertainment”. This made me think further – “once I have told a story, is my job considered done?” This is when the second phase of my journey began – in the form of introspection. Television taught me some very important lessons of my life. To start with, the importance of taking a pause. Only if we take a pause, we will know what we are running for. So, i paused, quit my job as I realized I want to take my passion for story telling a step further by becoming a part of a successful tale. I am now working with Bachpan Bachao Andolan (bba) as a program coordinator, communications. As far as the success stories goes, I continue to part of many, courtesy’s BBA’s active participation in rescuing children caught in bonded labour. Hi, i am Garima Dimri, someone who is in search for non hierarchical spaces to learn, live and grow! To know more about BBA and my work area, please log on to http://www.bba.org.in.
AUTHOR: Bolivia Information Forum
URL: http://www.boliviainfoforum.org.uk/
AREA: Bolivia, UK
SLOGAN: promoting the rights and interests of the people of Bolivia, in particular the poorest sectors
TWITTER: @boliviainfo
ABOUT US: The Bolivia Information Forum (BIF) was formed in mid-2006 by a group of people interested in the country and keen to make information about current political and social developments in Bolivia more easily available to a European audience. All of the BIF’s founding members have expertise in and direct experience of Bolivia or Latin America in general. The BIF produces a regular bulletin which is written by experts in Bolivia and in the UK and also includes frequent guest contributions from practitioners and reporters on development and human rights issues. The BIF is committed to keeping the UK and Europe informed about developments in Bolivia, building links between the Europe and Bolivia and supporting the Bolivian people at this critical moment in the country’s history.
AUTHOR: Laura Carlsen
URL: www.cipamericas.org and http://americasmexico.blogspot.com
AREA: Mexico
ABOUT ME: Laura Carlsen holds a B.A. in Social Thought and Institutions from Stanford University and a Masters degree in Latin American Studies, also from Stanford. In 1986 she received a Fulbright Scholarship to study the impact of the Mexican economic crisis on women and has lived in Mexico City since then. She has published numerous articles and chapters on social, economic and political aspects of Mexico and recently co-edited Confronting Globalization: Economic integration and popular resistance in Mexico, and co-authored El Café en Mexico, centroamerica y el caribe: Una salida sustentable a la crisis. Before joining the Americas Policy Program, Carlsen was a correspondent for Latin Trade magazine, editor of Business Mexico, freelance writer and researcher. As program director, she is responsible for writing, assigning and editing materials; representing the organization in public forums; seeking out and maintaining collaborative relationships; and administering the Mexico City office and staff.
AUTHOR: Cassandra Clifford
URL: www.bridgetofreedomfoundation.org and http://children.foreignpolicyblogs.com
AREA: Global, human rights, slavery
SLOGAN: A world without slavery
FACEBOOK: BridgetoFeedomFoundation
TWITTER: @BTFF
ABOUT ME: Cassandra Clifford is the Founder and Executive Director of Bridge to Freedom Foundation, which works to enhance and improve the services and opportunities available to survivors of modern slavery. The organization is focused on moving “from surviving to thriving”, for which they seek to empower survivors through the Division of Research and Evidence-Based Programming and Personal and Professional Development Programs.
AUTHOR: Derek Charles Catsam
URL: http://africa.foreignpolicyblogs.com
AREA: Africa, The United States
SLOGAN: Bridging the gap between academia and journalism
ABOUT ME: I am an associate professor of history at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. I received my BA from Williams College, my MA from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, and my PhD from Ohio University, where I was a student in the Contemporary History Institute. I also spent a year as a postgraduate student at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, South Africa where I was a Rotary fellow. I am the author of Freedom’s Main Line: the Journey of Reconciliation and the Freedom Rides (University Press of Kentucky, 2009) and Bleeding Red: A Red Sox Fan’s Diary of the 2004 Season (New Academia, 2005). I am currently working on books on bus boycotts in the United States and South Africa in the 1940s and 1950s, the Ole Miss integration crisis, South Africa in the 1980s, and sports and sport and politics in South Africa since 1994. I write about African affairs for the New York-based Foreign Policy Association and also have contributed columns on both American and African politics to many newspapers and other publications. I live with my wife, who is also a historian, in Odessa, Texas, and maintain my lifelong love for Boston sports teams.
AUTHOR: William Nicholas Gomes
URL: www.williamgomes.org
AREA: Democracy and Rule of Law
SLOGAN: Break the Silence
ABOUT ME: As an investigative journalist he wrote widely for leading European and Asian media outlets. He is also active in advocating for free and independent media and journalists’ rights, and is part of the free media movement, Global Independent Media Center – an activist media network for the creation of radical, accurate, and passionate telling of the truth. He is the Bangladesh correspondent of Sri Lanka Guardian. He is accredited by the Press information department of Bangladesh government. He worked for Italian news agency Asianews.it from year 2009 to 2011, on that time he was accredited as a free lance journalist by the press information department of Bangladesh. During this time he has reported a notable numbers of reports for the news agency which were translated into Chinese and Italian and quoted by notable number of new outlets all over the world. In year 2010, he interviewed the President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications Monsignor Claudio Maria Celli and reported it in Asia news and subsequently It was quoted by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications. He is the listed columnist for South African news paper Modern Ghana. He is listed author for prominent opinion-making sites Faith Freedom International and Islam watch. In different occasions his investigative reports were quoted by the Australian Refuge review tribunal and also in the country advice. He has widely raised voice for the freedom of expression and the protection of the journalists, writers and bloggers.
AUTHOR: Sean Guillory
URL: http://seansrussiablog.org and http://newbooksinrussianstudies.com
AREA: Russia and Eurasia
SLOGAN: For a ruthless criticism of everything existing
ABOUT ME: I’m currently a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pittsburgh. My specialization is in the modern history of Russia with a focus on youth, politics, culture and identity. Between teaching, research, writing, and changing diapers, I seek to demystify the enigma that is Russia.
AUTHOR: Nangayi Guyson
URL: http://www.thelondoneveningpost.com
AREA: Global political, social , and economic news happenings
ABOUT ME: I am a young African journalist as well as Writer from Uganda East Africa and i write mostly on political and humanitarian issues. I am the Editor and CEO of Life Youth Ministry and Life Orphanage Of Uganda, A charity organization for orphaned children and old people above 75 years. Writing is part of me , i enjoy writing true African stories and making interviews on certain issues. Am also writing my first book entitled “The thoughts of the poor”. I also enjoy doing Charity and visiting war toned places to deliver to Aid. I hate politicians who describe politics as a dirty game, Politics is only dirty to dictators but not freedom fighters.
AUTHOR: Hadi Hairan
URL: http://www.hadihairan.com
AREA: South Asia (AfPak region)
SLOGAN: Democracy and freedom or religion in Afghanistan
ABOUT ME: I was born in northern Afghanistan to a Pashtun family and was brought up in the refugee camps of Pakistan. I studied in Islamic madrassahs for six years and left them after I realized that they taught only hatred and ignorance. After years of intensive self-education, I worked with several media, research organizations and translation companies around the world. Three of my Pashto books have been published. Currently I live in The Netherlands and am working on my English books.
AUTHOR: Hossam el-Hamalawy
URL: http://www.arabawy.org
AREA: Egypt
SLOGAN: I blog for the revolution
ABOUT ME: Hossam el-Hamalawy is an Egyptian journalist, blogger and socialist activist. He is a member of both the Revolutionary Socialists and the Center for Socialist Studies in Cairo.[1] He is a graduate of the American University in Cairo, where he was detained and tortured by the State Security Investigations Service (SSI), with the institution’s complicity in 2000.[2] After the January revolt of 2011, el-Hamalawy called for rejecting military rule and the transitional government, endorsing instead the labor strikes and unionization attempts.
AUTHOR: Martin Hijmans
URL: http://the-pessoptimist.blogspot.com/
AREA: Northern Africa, Middle East
SLOGAN: Absurdism as weapon against the (ir)realities of daily life in Palestine/Israel
ABOUT ME: I’ve been covering the ME since 1977 and have been a correspondent in Cairo. I started my ‘Abu Pessoptimist’ blog in January 2009 out of anger during the onslaught in Gaza
AUTHOR: Wanjohi Kabukuru
URL: http://www.africasia.com/
AREA: Eastern Africa
ABOUT ME: Wanjohi Kabukuru is the Eastern African reporter of “New African” the oldest English language, pan-African monthly magazine published in London and distributed in over 100 countries. Formerly he was an investigative reporter specialising on human rights and environmental justice with “The People Daily” in Kenya and contributes articles to Radio France International (RFI), BBC Focus on Africa magazine, Mail and Guardian, Inter Press Service among other media entities. Wanjohi is a multiple award winning journalist who also serves as a regional editor for the Minority Rights Group International (MRGI). He is a former editor of “Zwazo” magazine, in Seychelles. He writes a monthly geo-political article for “Diplomat East Africa”, the leading East African regional bi-monthly magazine. Wanjohi has been a media consultant for several International Non Governmental Organisations. He also trains journalists and is a media researcher who has presented papers in media conferences across the globe.
AUTHOR: Ndumba Jonnah Kamwanyah
URL: http://foreignpolicyblogs.com/
AREA: Southerns Africa
SLOGAN: If it cannot be done, let’s do it anyway
ABOUT ME: Ndumba Jonnah Kamwanyah, a native of Namibia in Southern Africa, is an independent consultant providing trusted advice and capacity building through training, research, and social impact analysis to customers around the world. As of recently Ndumba returned from a nine-month consulting assignment in Liberia in support of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). In his recent previous life Ndumba taught (as an Adjunct Professor) traditional justice and indigenous African political institutions in sub-Saharan Africa at the Rhode Island College-Anthropology Department. He is very passionate about democracy development and peace-building, and considers himself as a street researcher interested in the politics of everyday life. Fluent in English, Afrikaans, RuNyemba, RuKwangali, RuSambyu, Rumanyo, Oshikwanyama.
AUTHOR: Seth Kaplan
URL: http://www.fragilestates.org
AREA: fragile states
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/#!/fragile_states
ABOUT ME: Seth is a writer and policy consultant focusing on fragile states, governance, and development. He is the author of Fixing Fragile States: A New Paradigm for Development (Praeger Security International, 2008) and a forthcoming book on poverty and state governance. A Wharton MBA and Palmer scholar, Seth has worked for several large multinationals and founded four companies. He speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese and Japanese.
AUTHOR: Jon Kofas
URL: http://jonkofas.blogspot.com
AREA: Global
SLOGAN: Blogging can contribute to the common human goal of peace and social justice
ABOUT ME: I am a former university professor living in Greece since 2005. International political economy was the research/publishing field I pursued while an educator in the USA. I have just published my first novel in Greece. While i am trying to have the first novel published for an English-language audience, I am in the process of completing my second novel. Since 2004, I have been a fellow of the World Association of International Studies (WAIS – Hoover Institution at Stanford University) for which I have contributed blog articles, but since August 2010 I started my own blog. Besides blogging, I love swimming and nature walking.
AUTHOR: Jim Kouri
URL: http://www.renewamerica.com/
AREA: Global
ABOUT ME: Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police. He’s former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed “Crack City” by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations. He’s also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. Jim writes for many police and crime magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer, Campus Law Enforcement Journal, and others. He’s appeared as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, Fox News, etc. His book Assume The Position is available at Amazon.Com, Booksamillion.com, and can be ordered at local bookstores. Jim holds a bachelor of science in criminal justice and master of arts in public administration and he’s a board certified protection professional.
AUTHOR: Richard Matthews
URL: http://www.thegreenmarketoracle.com
AREA: global, sustainability, environment
SLOGAN: Leading Sustainable Business Advocacy
ABOUT ME: The Green Market covers the convergence of sustainable capitalism and the global environment. Written by Richard Matthews, a consultant and widely published author, The Green Market is one of the most comprehensive resources for information and tools on sustainability.
AUTHOR: Mr. Willie McDonald
URL: http://www.orbital-decay1.blogspot.com
E-MAIL: cdnld30 [at] gmail.com
AREA: Global Warming
SLOGAN: Global Warming is the apocalypse
ABOUT ME: I have been involved with climate change for the past 28 years, since 1983. Greenhouse gases are not to blame for climate change, the sun is to blame. Earth orbit around the sun is destabilizing. Please go to my to learn the truth about climate change at: blog at: http://www.orbital-decay1.blogspot.com. climate change is the apocalypse. If my direction are not adhere to all life on this planet will perish. In the future there will be food, and water shortages, which will promote cannibalism, and all other forms of disorder.
AUTHOR: Elias Mhegera
URL: http://mhegeraelias.blogspot.com
AREA: Tanzania
ABOUT ME: I am a 45 years old Tanzanian Journalist very much interested in human rights and politics. I would like to be understood as a person who never give up, I always take challenges positively, I know many people are out there to see I don’t live to my ambitions. That is even part of my unique side because I do see some of my friends who have had a very smooth life through and they jump into conclusions that my plans will never work out. Instead I intend to take them by surprise while they have already forgotten everything about me.
AUTHOR: Nasos Mihalakas
URL: http://mihalakas.wordpress.com and http://chinatrade.foreignpolicyblogs.com/
AREA: China, International Trade, Globalization, Global Governance, Constitutional Developments
SLOGAN: “The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem to lightly. ‘Tis dearness only that gives everything its value.” (Tomas Paine)
ABOUT ME: I have over nine years of experience with the U.S. government as a trade policy analyst, covering U.S trade policy, globalization, U.S.-China trade relations, and economic growth through trade. I have an LLM from University College London, and a JD from the University of Pittsburgh, with a BS in Economics from the University of Illinois. I have worked for both a Congressional Commission advising Congress on the impact of trade with China and for the U.S. Department of Commerce investigating unfair trade practices. My expertise’s also include international trade law, international economic law and comparative constitutional law, subjects which I have taught as an adjunct professor during the past couple of years. Currently, I am an adjunct professor with the UNYT, and a contributing analyst with Wikistrat.
AUTHOR: Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam
URL: http://iranhr.net/
AREA: Iran
ABOUT ME: I am a Norwegian-Iranian neuroscientist and human rights advocate, spent a few years in the city of Kerman about 1000 kilometers south-east of Tehran in Iran and arrived in Norway as a refugee of minor age, via Pakistan in 1985. I completed my medical studies in 1996 at the University of Oslo, and later obtained a PhD at the Center for Neuroscience and Molecular Biology [1] in that university. In 2004, I received the King’s gold medal for the best medical doctorate at the University of Oslo. Furthermore, I have been a collaborator to Peter Agre, who received the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 2003 and I was awarded the Anders Jahre medicine prize for young scientists in 2008. I am also a member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters and I received the Norwegian Amnesty International’s human rights prize in 2007 [4] for his work against the human rights violations in Iran. Today I works as a group leader at the Center for Molecular Biology and Neuroscience, and head of the Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience at the University of Oslo. Of course I am also co-founder and spokesperson for the NGO Iran Human Rights which monitors the violations of human rights in Iran.
AUTHOR: Swapan Mukherjee
URL: http://www.ccdftcindia.org/
AREA: India, trafficked children, orphans
SLOGAN: Let them smile
ABOUT ME: During the devastating flood in 1978, thousands of houses were washed away in West Bengal. Along with friends, Swapan undertook flood relief activities. After 45 days floodwater receded, re-construction became essential. The group formed the organisation “Centre for Communication and Development – CCD” under the stewardship of Swapan Mukherjee and started flood re-construction and rehabilitation work in an organized manner. Swapan enabled rural youths to form community-based organization in villages and undertake community development activities. Over 500 community-based organizations have been formed under his guidance. CCD helps children in need like victims of a fire explosion in a factory, crippled children and trafficked children. CCD runs 65 schools (13,000 children) and a shelter home for orphans, abandoned and rescued boys. Swapan guided the formation of “ Nari Vikas Kendra” a platform of community-based rural organisations. Over 700 have formed themselves, as Self Reliant Groups (SRG) and they are also members of the platform. Members of the community-based women organizations keep vigil on trafficking of girls. CCD activists have rescued 612 girls from Delhi, Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Bangalore brothels during the last 10 years. The rescued girls are rehabilitated in their respective families. CCD has purchased a plot of land to construct a Transit Home cum Vocational Training Centre for the rescued girls.
AUTHOR: Pabitra Mukhopadhyay
URL: http://pabitraspeaks.com
AREA: Eastern India and Bangladesh, Himalayas, Environment
SLOGAN: Want to leave my son a safer world
ABOUT ME: Pabitra is an Honors graduate and Fellow in Civil Engineering. He has specialized in the field of River Hydraulics working for more than two decades training rivers, protecting banks and beaches and fighting erosion of the river banks/beds. He has worked with Bio-Engineering models involving mangroves using them as tools for cost effective and natural means of anti-erosion technology. His work is mostly concerning the extremely morpho-dynamic Hugly estuary with Bay of Bengal. In course of his work, he got exposed to indigenous people of the Sunderban wetlands, who are fighting a losing battle against aggressive Industrialization. Pabitra loves to read and write and he is full of crazy ideas. He is a contributor member of THINK ABOUT IT platform of European Journalism Center and a winner of the recently concluded competitive blogging on Water. He also writes regularly in Project Reason about his secular and progressive ideas. Pabitra believes that he has a tryst with the strange river-country south of Bengal.
AUTHOR: Cyril Mychalejko
URL: http://upsidedownworld.org
AREA: Latin-America
SLOGAN: I don’t believe in charity; I believe in solidarity. Charity is vertical, so it’s humiliating. It goes from top to bottom. Solidarity is horizontal. It respects the other and learns from the other. I have a lot to learn from other people. (Eduardo Galeano)
ABOUT ME: Cyril Mychalejko is an editor at www.UpsideDownWorld.org, an online magazine covering politics and activism in Latin America. His writing and analysis has appeared in publications such as the BBC, The New York Times Online, The Miami Herald, New Politics, Common Dreams, Toward Freedom, NACLA Online, Green Left Weekly and Z Magazine. Cyril received two Project Censored awards in 2009 for his articles about the “Rights to Nature” clauses in Ecuador’s constitution and about the Bush Administration withholding lifesaving aid from Haiti. He has also worked in Ecuador in solidarity with communities resisting mining.
AUTHOR: Henry Neondo
URL: http:// www.africasciencenews.org
AREA: Kenya
SLOGAN: Covering African science, technology and agriculture like no other with an African eye
ABOUT ME: I specialize on African science, health, technology, agriculture. Have a background in animal science, have previous experience in animal production , teaching high school mathematics and now live by reporting on science.
AUTHOR: Adri Nieuwhof
URL: http://www.samora.org
AREA: Europe, the Middle East, Southern Africa (human rights, migration, cultural diverr\sity, international politics)
SLOGAN: Walk your talk
ABOUT ME: I work as an independent consultant since 1999. Campaigning for justice and advocating human rights is a leitmotiv in my career at the Holland Committee on Southern Africa, the Regional Refugee Council in Delft, the Netherlands, and as consultant.
AUTHOR: Paul Ohia
URL: www.paulohia.blog.com and www.paulohia.blogspot.com
AREA: Africa (diplomacy and foreign relations)
SLOGAN: Perfection means persistent improvement on the inadequate
ABOUT ME: I am a Nigerian journalist, currently Group Foreign/Diplomatic Editor of Thisday, an influential Nigerian daily. I am also the Nigerian correspondent for Press Trust of India, the Asian country’s premier news agency. I associate with Global Unification International, an Australian based industrialization organisation as the secretary for media affairs. I was educated in Nigeria’s first state university, Abia State University as a translator and conference interpreter in the nineties after which I pursued a passion for journalism after completing Masters degree (MA ) in French/English translation and international relations terminologies. My passion for journalism was influenced by the post war situation of Nigeria when my region in Eastern Nigeria was engaged in a war of secession from the entire country. I grew to witness the oppression faced by my people who were not represented well in the media. Then, I developed the urge to give vent to the voice of people who are neglected anywhere in terms of development.
AUTHOR: Julie Owono
URL: http://bantupolitics.blogspot.com/
AREA: Sub-Saharan Africa
SLOGAN: We have the means and the capacity to deal with our problems, if only we have the political will (Koffi Anan)
ABOUT ME: Cameroonian citizen living in Paris. Holds a Postgraduate degree in International Law at the Sorbonne Law School, preparing the Bar exam. Aspiring lawyer, currently consultant in International Relations, interested in issues related to development and Governance in Africa, ICT4D. Grew up in Moscow and worked at the International Organisation for Migration in Lao People’s Democratic Republic.
AUTHOR: Roshni Pereira
URL: http://voiceofwomenindia.blogspot.com
AREA: India, Asia, women
SLOGAN: Justice is needed for reconciliation!
ABOUT ME: I am involved in networking with various NGOs about Women’s rights and Children’s rights-related issues in India. I write from a Gender-neutral perspective. I am an educationist with B.Ed and MA in Child Care. I have various blogs which give the Testimonies of victims of various social situations.
AUTHOR: Qureish Raghib
AREA: Indian sub-continent, West Asia
SLOGAN: Think different…it makes a difference.
ABOUT ME: A Mumbai based freelance writer, the author is a Media and PR Associate since the last two decades. His work allows him to interact with politicians, bureaucrats and academics to propagate international peace and social justice. He considers himself ‘honored’ and ‘enlightened’ to have served in community development activities in nearly a hundred cities, towns and villages across India, Australia, East and North Africa, UK and in UAE. Apart from having prepared a number of books, internet sites and recently, worked on a documentary film, his articles on socio-political issues has been published in a number of newspapers, magazines and on-line portals.
AUTHOR: Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi
URL: http://www.pvchr.net/
AREA: India
SLOGAN: We are what we think. With our thoughts we make our world (Buddha)
ABOUT ME: My view on caste, conflict and social change took shape while I worked with bonded laborers. I was born into a high caste Hindu family which can be describes as “feudal.” I noticed that not a single child bonded in the sari or carpet industries came from an upper caste, even though some high-caste families were often just as poor as the lower castes. I realized that caste, not class, was at work. By the end of 1996, I was championing the rights of lower-caste people. Early experiences taught him that confrontation was dangerous and not the most effective method. Increasingly, I recognized caste in all kinds of social conflict and envisioned a movement that could break the closed, feudal hierarchies of conservative slums and villages by building up local institutions and supporting them with a high profile and active human rights network.
AUTHOR: Shreedeep Rayamajhi
URL: http://www.rayznews.com
AREA: Kathmandu, Nepal
SLOGAN: It’s people’s right to be heard and the more the voices are suppressed, they will have more zeal to outcry. You have the power to change so make you voices heard…
TWITTER: @weaker41
ABOUT ME: I’m a freelance writer who has been working in this field of journalism from the past 7 years. Starting my career as a main stream journalist from The Rising Nepal in 2004 and moving on to a Magazine, my journey has been phenomenal with relative ups and downs. Grasping the importance of the online news corresponding, I started freelancing and blogging from 2007. With issues and controversies making headlines, my words have always voiced stories at its best. I’m an active social worker and believe in giving back to the society where Climate Change, Politics, Development and internet Governance are the issues of my interest. I say “Change is possible but it’s possible by your own will and action, it cannot be addressed by external force or hesitation. It has to be self-realized and self-initiated. Every person has the will to change but it takes that one effort to bring it, so believe and it’s possible.”
AUTHOR: Lynda Renham-Cook
URL: http://www.renham.co.uk
AREA: Palestine, the Middle East, UK
SLOGAN: The power to change things is with us
ABOUT ME: I am a freelance writer and correspondent. I spent time in Israel and the Middle East and feel the oppressed need a platform for their voice. I am an activist and support the rights of the Palestinian people. I am a novelist and currently writing my second novel. My first one is available on Amazon under the name of Lynda Renham. I also write a humorous online blog. I am associate editor for the scavenger magazine online.
AUTHOR: Ricky
URL: http://semoa.wordpress.com
AREA: Global, aviation
SLOGAN: I am blogging any interested aviation news
ABOUT ME: I am former of student in University of Pelita Harapan born in Indonesia. I am under graduated for year 2009. My major is in Economist Management. Reading and writing down the aviation especially in military coverage since 1996 departing from the hobby and became a serious fan geek in military aviation news. I started at about late 2008. Hobby in accessing aviation book, website, magazine and other sources related. My Objective is satisfaction in writing down and giving the opinion about the military aviation also other related.
AUTHOR: Rezwan
URL: http://rezwanul.blogspot.com/
AREA: Bangladesh, South Asia
SLOGAN: Limit your need, you will lead a happy life
ABOUT ME: I am a blogger/ translator from Dhaka, Bangladesh. I started blogging in April 2003 at The Third World View, which tries to portray Bangladesh and Bangladeshis beyond the typical headlines seen in news. I have been bridgeblogging the Bangladeshi and South Asian Blogosphere in Global Voices since 2005.
AUTHOR: Charles Nhamo Rupare
URL: http://www.proudlyafrikan.org
AREA: Sub-Sahara Africa
SLOGAN: Live life through the creative eye
ABOUT ME: I’m of Shona origin and currently based in South Africa. I work across Sub-Sahara Africa as an African –centred branding specialist, freelance writer, creative director and a social development coordinator. I’m chief editor of www.kush.co.za, a co-founder of Kush Kollective (a Pan African youth movement), A partner at www.proudlyafrikan.org and a Partner of TEDx Soweto (www.tedxsoweto.co.za). When time allows I manage musicians and artists. I’m an avid collector of African music and indigenous musical instruments. Kwame Nkrumah, Tomas Sankara, Steve Biko and the powerful words of Wole Soyinka inspire me.
AUTHOR: Saleem Samad
URL: http://bangladeshwatchdog.blogspot.com
AREA: Bangladesh, Dhaka
ABOUT ME: A whistle-blower of the secret arrival of the remnants of the Jihadist fleeing Afghanistan after NATO invasion. His articles in TIME magazine, TEHELKA.com and Daily TIMES on the export of terror with knowledge of the Bangladesh security services invited trouble. He was twice detained and tortured by military security service (DGFI). He was imprisoned in 2002 for making a documentary for British Channel 4 TV on the rise of home-grown Islamic vigilante and appalling religious freedom. His detention and torture by dreaded DGFI invited international uproar and was released in early 2003. After his release DGFI kept him under surveillance. In 2007 the military-controlled government unilaterally relieved him of sedition charges and two foreign journalists. He has co-authored books and published numerous articles on conflict, security, forced migration and ethnic crisis of Jhumma people. After living in exile for 5 years in Canada he has recently return home and excited
AUTHOR: Moritz Schneider
URL: http://eu-med.blogspot.com
AREA: Euro-Mediterranean Relations, North Africa, Middle East, Migration policy
SLOGAN: Only together we can make a difference
TWITTER: @eu_med
ABOUT ME: The Mediterranean is “a thousand things together. It is not one landscape, but numerous landscapes; it is not one sea, but a complex of seas. It is not one civilisation, but a number of civilisations, piled one above the other.” (Fernand Braudel). The Euro-Mediterranean space is a complex and heterogeneous region full of common history, culture, and charm but also of tensions and misunderstandings. The Mediterranean Sea divides but also unifies the people of the two shores; it is a frontier and a bridge. I am a writer and political analyst on EU policies with special interest on the Euro-Mediterranean Relations. With my blog http://eu-med.blogspot.com I combine both my interest in the European Union and the countries of the Middle East and North Africa. This blog is devoted to improve the quality of the debate on Euro-Mediterranean affairs and to contribute to the discussion how to deepen the political, social, and economic relationship between the two shores of the Mediterranean. It is a forum to discuss ideas, policies challenges and new initiatives from across the region.
AUTHOR: Dr. Sudhirendar Sharma
URL: http://chimalaya.org
AREA: Political Economy of Development; Transboundary Resource Management; Innovations in Human Development; Water Resources Management; Understanding Poverty Manifestations
SLOGAN: Raising right questions is more important than seeking right answers
ABOUT ME: Faulty development policies and unabashed exploitation of natural resources make Sudhirendar Sharma worried about the future. He puts people before progress and never shies away from raising uncomfortable questions to the policymakers. Having a flair for words, he hits hard and on the spot.With masters degree in agriculture, a doctorate in environmental sciences and a hands-on experience at the print media, he finds himself at an advvantage to prism development `as it not’. Sudhirendar Sharma is an independent writer, researcher and academic. Sharma has a doctorate in environmental science from Delh-based Jawaharlal Nehru University; has experience of designing and implementing rural development projects at the grassroots; has been senior journalist with leading publications like India Today (weekly) and The Pioneer (daily newspaper); and has worked at the World Bank. Currently, he provides consultancy support on development issues to bi- and multi-lateral organisations in the south-Asian region. Based in New Delhi, Sharma can be reached at .
AUTHOR: Shout Africa
URL: http://www.shout-africa.com
AREA: Africa
ABOUT US: Shout-Africa is an African news hub featuring latest news on the continent, her people, the diaspora, the arts and culture, sports, business, religion and more. The news hub carries relevant pan-African news published in African countries and abroad, and seeks to provide avenues for cooperation and to optimize coverage of major news events in the continent.
AUTHOR: Shankar Sharma
AREA: India (Welfare of masses through responsible harnessing of our environment; power sector efficiency and environmental protection)
SLOGAN: Inclusive decision making is essential for the all-round development of the humanity
ABOUT ME: An electrical engineer and a power sector professional with more than 30 years experience in electricity generation, transmission and distribution in India, New Zealand and Australia. Presently working as a power policy analyst. Since 2004 has been involved in advocacy and activism on energy efficiency and environmental protection. Participated and presented papers on power sector issues in many seminars, workshops and discussions. Contributing relevant articles to print and electronic media regularly. Actively engaged in various efforts to bring paradigm shift in power policies in India.
AUTHOR: Ahmad Shuja
URL: http://afghanistananalysis.wordpress.com
AREA: Afghanistan, Pakistan, post-conflict state-building, development, human rights, law, public policy
TWITTER: @AhmadShuja
ABOUT ME: I am a writer, analyst and student of political science and economics at Berea College. I am from Afghanistan, but I have lived a big part of my life in Pakistan. Most of my posts here will be about these two countries and issues pertaining thereto.
AUTHOR: Parvinder Singh
URL: http://www.cellimages.blogspot.com
AREA: Asia (anti-poverty and rights based campaigns and movement, women and child rights)
SLOGAN: Playing the bard telling stories of change and struggle
ABOUT ME: For over a decade I have been driven by change powered by people struggling for rights and equity. I see myself more as a storyteller and communicator of change. Through stories, blogs, images, events and publications, while working with media and development organisations, I have worked on policy, advocacy and fundraising communication. I have worked on issues of disability rights, education, environment and poverty. With a passion for partnering with rights-based struggles and communicating change, I led communications engagement for ActionAid in India till recently. Currently, I am with SOS Children’s Villages as Continental Communications Advisor in Asia. I hold a research degree in Social Sciences from JNU and have worked with UNI, IANS, NCPEDP, Toxics Link and Avaaz.org.
AUTHOR: Hans Sluijter
URL: www.NL-Aid.org
AREA: the Netherlands, global
SLOGAN: Let’s agree to disagree
ABOUT ME: In a nutshell: initiator of NL-Aid, author of ‘development cooperation does not develop cooperation‘, producer of documentary ‘Tussen Goot en Geluk’ (Van der Brugge / 2006) and of motion picture ‘Abraça-me’ (Van der Brugge / 2009), a huge fan of composer Amadeus Mozart, rock band Iron Maiden, guitar-player and artist Adrian Vandenberg, artist Ans Sluijter (my mother). But above all, I am a huge fan of my wife and kids. Career: after my master ‘Develpoment Studies’ at Centre for International Development Issues in Nijmegen (CIDIN), I have worked in India. Back in the Netherlands I was mainly focussed on publishing about the effectiveness of Dutch aid.
AUTHOR: David Stephen
URL: http://www.trpns.com
AREA: Global Science
SLOGAN: Science Mothers The World
ABOUT ME: Theoretical Research Place News Service (TRPNS) is principally a news website providing reviews on preliminary research papers especially on the ozone layer and climate change. Review focus also include
geoengineering to save depleted parts of the ozone layer.
AUTHOR: Mujtaba Syed
URL: http://mujtabas-musings.blogspot.com
AREA: India
SLOGAN: Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love, allow love transced all boundaries…..
ABOUT ME: Syed Ali Mujtaba teaches Visual Communication at School of Mass Communication Vels University (www.velsuniv.org), Chennai, India. He has taken doctoral degree from School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He has authored two books, “The Demand for Partition of India and British Policy 1940-45,” in 2002 and “Soundings on South Asia”, in 2005. He has contributed a chapter each to four edited volumes. His research papers have appeared in several reputed journals in India and abroad and an abstract appeared in Political Science Abstract, France. He was on government of India’s grant to pursue doctoral research in England. He resented a paper at the Darwin College Cambridge. Mujtaba also presented a paper at the Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu Nepal. He as qualified National Education Test, conducted by University Grant Commission, India, After completing academic research, Mujtaba shifted to journalism and spent fifteen years in that profession. He was a Jefferson fellowship at the East West Center, Hawaii. As part of this fellowship programme Mujtaba visited US, South Korea, and Vietnam. He has visited Thailand twice for media conferences. Syed continues to write for several newspapers, news syndicates and websites He has shot a documentary film “Beyond Empires,” commissioned by Lamppost media (www.lamppostmedia.net). He is a member of International Federation of Environmental Journalist Association (IFEJA) and the founder and moderator of South Asia Contact Group. Mujtaba was in the AMU Aligarh Muslim University’s Football team from where he has taken the Bachelors and Masters Degree.
AUTHOR: K. N. Vajpai
URL: http://vajpai.org and http://chimalaya.org
AREA: Himalayan
SLOGAN: Leadership is action, not position
ABOUT ME: Looking upon present trend of development and socio-environmental changes in Himalayan Mountains, it is expected that the ongoing downstream migration from Himalayan region will be at peak by 2050, to seek food, water and livelihood. On other hand there will be increased efforts and financing towards research, development and establishment of institutions in the region! So, what entails to present efforts and establishments! And, what great the increase will do! This blog is compilation of my personal opinion on various socio-environmental issues, which I observed and learned over the years from these mighty terrains. They examine about various social, environmental and developmental efforts, processes, within these mighty mountains and to its dwellers. They are about practices, policies and institutional functioning, and about contemporary to traditional science. They are contextual, and entail the veracity of development in Himalayan Mountains! A native of Himalayas, my work and interest remained in these mighty and beautiful mountains. A seasoned professional, worked on various environment and development issues over decade in India and its mountains. Trained in various ecosystem approaches in water resources, bio-diversity, farming and climatic issues. At present work on an initiative, called ‘Climate Himalaya Initiative’ http://chimalaya.org and involved in developing the first phase of knowledge networking and partnership among interest groups.
AUTHOR: Wereldburgers.tv
URL: http://www.wereldburgers.tv
AREA: Netherlands
SLOGAN: Just facts!
TWITTER: @WereldburgersTV
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/redactie.wereldburgerstv
LINKEDIN: www.linkedin.com/…
ABOUT ME: Wereldburgers.tv is a Dutch news channel focussed on ‘global society’. The developers aim to bring independent news for critical global citizens. Wereldburgers.tv may be cocky and cheeky at times, but is never cynical. The makers want to create awareness based upon knowledge rather than emotion. Wereldburgers.tv investigates and reports. Wereldburgers.tv will never promote causes. On our portal you will find provocative questions and sharp debates. Wereldburgers.tv is there to ask questions, not to provide easy answers.
AUTHOR: Kourosh Ziabari
URL: http://www.intifada-palestine.com
AREA: Middle East
SLOGAN: Searching for truth in the world of untruthfulness
ABOUT ME: Kourosh Ziabari is an Iranian media correspondent, freelance journalist and the author of Book 7+1. He is a contributing writer for websites and magazines in the Netherlands, Canada, Italy, Hong Kong, Bulgaria, South Korea, Belgium, Germany, the U.K. and the U.S. He was once a member of Stony Brook University Publications’ editorial team and Media Left magazine’s contributing writer, as well as a contributing writer for Finland’s Award-winning Ovi Magazine. As a young Iranian journalist, he has been interviewed and quoted by several mainstream mediums, including BBC World Service, PBS Media Shift, the Media Line network, Deutsch Financial Times and L.A. Times. Currently, he works for the Foreign Policy Journal as a media correspondent. He is a member of Tlaxcala Translators Network for Linguistic Diversity and World Student Community for Sustainable Development
AUTHOR: Carlos Zorrilla
URL: http://decoin.org
AREA: South America; global (Sustainability, human rights, community and mining, transnational mining)
SLOGAN: Future generations will judge us not so much for what we did but – and primarily- by what we left undone
ABOUT ME: Though a planetary citizen first, I am American in the broad sense of the word. I was born and lived in Cuba till I was 11, in the US for 12 years, and, since 1978 in the Intag region of Ecuador, rich in stunning cloud forests and farming communities. Besides growing coffee and other crops, I co-own and administer a farm and small ecological tourism lodge, and am involved full time in working for DECOIN, a small grass-roots environmental I co-founded to keep this part of the world free of large-scale metallic mining. We work on Environmental Justice issues, environmental education, and conservation of forests, water and biodiversity. I hold sustainability issues very close to my heart, and have written and presented papers on this and other topics, including impacts of mining on communities, human rights and resistance movements, agroecology, and reforestation with native species. I am the main author of Protecting Your Communities Against Mining and Other Extractive Industries. I like farming, photography, writing, and watching clouds play with the forest.
Suicide Hitler proven (The Seduction)
Palestinian children testify about cruel treatment by Israeli soldiers in new short film (VIDEO)
Heart-to-Hearth on the Drug War
Harry Wu and the Quality of Labor
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Palestinian-Dutch “Disarming Design” project inspired by artwork in captivity
Food speaks the language of Tradition and Culture
Execution of at least 10 prisoners postponed until Saturday
Aeras, GSK deal to Advance TB Vaccine research
CPN Maoist says a new war has begun (VIDEO)
Doubts Raised About the Alleged Assassin of Marisela Escobedo
Urgent: 10 prisoners scheduled for execution today
Kenya’s Professionals call for a supreme natural resource law
Africans innovators called to participate in Project Incubator Award
Israel goes to the polls in two or three months
Morsi’s 100 days, a performance which is viewed with mixed feelings
