When hearing the word censorship, cartoons for children and TV series are probably not the first thing that comes to mind. Our brains immediately go to politics, human rights, journalist publications, freedom of speech, and many other historical and contemporary issues. No cartoon seems to carry sensible, political content that may become the target of censorship of any kind. But apparently, leaders and governments all around the world disagree on the matter, as the last 10 years have seen several kids' cartoons or programs of entertainment ending up partly or entirely banned. Winnie the Pooh and civil rights concern one another much more than one may think.
There are numerous languages in the world. They are the symbol of diversity and unity. A language is a country’s identity. It is what creates a bond between its citizens just like a shared history and traditions. Nevertheless, the impact of languages on society is too often underestimated. They are mostly seen as a way to communicate and exchange information, but rarely as a real tool for a country’s soft power across the globe. In this article, I will explain why languages have more influence than it seems and how they can be a real advantage for a country.
As I walked past fascinating displays of various, eclectic collections of different styles of Thai art at a museum, one of Thailand’s theatrical cultures that most captivated my interest was the art of Khon.
“There was something about the intricate, glittery fabric and the powerful voice of both the narrator and the Thai-style music that drew my interest. Furthermore, every element of the art reflected the creativity and the rigorous hours that were put into curating each immaculate scene to illustrate the story of Ramakian.”
It is no secret that there is a correlation between mental health and suicide. The thing about suicide is, there are a variety of reasons and triggers that can cause one to take their own life. Many of these reasons however, relate to our mental wellbeing. As humans, we have all experienced some type of negative life event or feelings of frustration and despair. These negative emotions can heavily contribute to our mental health, raising the question: How do we focus on our mental health to prevent the risk of suicide?
A plaque on a restroom wall reads “Women Friendly Seoul.” This seemingly assuring phrase turns out to be a lie after a young woman is murdered at the Sindang subway station. The once blank wall below the plaque is now flooded with numerous messages on post-it notes from members of the South Korean community voicing their sorrow, fright, and anger.
Like many other schools, Ruamrudee International School has a wide variety of clubs, and for each of them, a team of executives who work hard to direct it. Many challenges come with having a leadership position, and many of you may be unsure about having one. Gavin from EducatoryX and our very own Editor-in-Chief of The Union International (currently independently-run), Pear, have answered some questions relating to their experience in leading a club.
I just turned eighteen and to be honest, nothing has really changed. I just woke up being one year older than the day before. Physically I haven’t changed much since my last birthday, mentally I have evolved for sure but otherwise nothing really incredible happened when I turned 18. Legally though, many things have changed, I am now considered as an “adult” even though being adult means many different things. If I haven’t changed much, there is something that constantly moves: our world. That is why I wanted to tackle three important matters (according to me) in today’s world. I truly believe that young people such as me should reflect upon the various situations and events happening across the globe. We have a voice so let’s use it.
Qandeel Baloch was a 26-year-old Pakistani celebrity. Dubbed “the Kim Kardashian of Pakistan,” she was an activist for women's rights in the Middle East, challenging Pakistan's patriarchal norms and the government for their inequalities and corruption (Alam). Qandeel Baloch inspired thousands of young girls to advocate for themselves in Pakistan. With over thirty-six thousand followers on Twitter, she was a beloved but also a controversial figure, and her controversy led to her death. After her name reached large media companies, people began to wonder who Qandeel Baloch and her family were. On March 29th, 2016, her real name was revealed as Fouzia Azeem, and according to CNN, her family began to receive backlash for “not controlling” (Saifi, et al). Eighteen days later, on April 16, 2016, Qandeel Baloch was found strangled to death by her youngest brother, Khan Baloch. Her brother willingly admitted to the murder saying Quandeel Baloch had brought “shame” and “dishonor” to the family name (Sadiq). Her brother, later on, said he did not regret killing his sister, claiming it was his responsibility to hold his family accountable and make sure the family name was not tarnished. Khan Baloch was given life in prison for his crimes. However, three years later, he was acquitted of all charges due to a loophole in the Pakistani legal system (Sadiq). This is only one of the thousands of cases in Pakistan where victims of “honor” killings were failed by the justice system and their own government.
Even when most of the analyses I write are surrounding music, I would say that the field in which I have the most knowledge and experience in analyzing are stories. No matter what piece of art I’m analyzing I tend to focus on the narrative side of it and what it’s trying to convey; after all, my first approximation with writing was creating short stories so that I didn’t get bored in school. And when it came to reviewing my first heavily story-based art piece for the newspaper, I couldn’t have chosen a better one than the first season of Bojack Horseman.
I remember that day. A few years ago, in the fall, our local community received the unfortunate news: a teenage girl had taken her life. Almost instantly, a thick dark cloud crept into the city and for a moment, everything seemed to stop. Perhaps, in solidarity for the life we had lost. But, that silence only lasted momentarily.
