Category Archives: Global Voices

An open thank you letter to Global Voices, on International Volunteer Day

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Ethan

Today is International Volunteer Day, a celebration of the millions of people around the world who give their time, energy and wisdom to projects and causes they care about. Volunteers feed the hungry, care for the sick, comfort the grieving. … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Voices, Human Rights | 2 Comments

Understanding #amina

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Ethan

On Monday, June 6th, a post appeared on the blog “A Gay Girl in Damascus” announcing that Amina Abdallah Araf al Omari, the “girl” in question, had been kidnapped, possibly by Syrian authorities. Bloggers, including my friend and colleague Jillian … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogs and bloggers, Global Voices, Human Rights, Media | 45 Comments

Who freed Eynulla Fatullayev? And what does his release mean for Twitter activism?

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Ethan

Azerbaijan is far from an easy place to be an independent journalist – the nation ranks 152nd in Reporters Without Borders 2010 survey on press freedom. Even given a hostile press environment, Eynulla Fatullayev has had a particularly rough experience … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogs and bloggers, Developing world, Global Voices, Human Rights, Media | 8 Comments

Civic Disobedience and the Arab Spring

Posted on May 6, 2011 by Ethan

I spent the past two days in Cambridge, primarily around MIT, and almost exclusively talking about the “Arab Spring” and what we’ve learned about social media and protest in authoritarian states. Early Wednesday morning, the MIT Museum hosted a “soapbox” … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogs and bloggers, Developing world, Global Voices, Human Rights, Media | 6 Comments

US National Science Foundation blocks Global Voices Advocacy website

Posted on April 20, 2011 by Ethan

A few days ago, the folks at Global Voices got email from a friend of ours who was working at the National Science Foundation. He was trying to read an article that Jacob Applebaum had posted to Global Voices Advocacy, … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Voices, Human Rights | 21 Comments

Angry birds, dictatorial pigs, satirical Russians

Posted on March 29, 2011 by Ethan

There’s a new, must-watch online video, “The Three Big Pigs”, that uses the wonderfully addictive mobile game Angry Birds to comment on political change in the Middle East… and American involvement in that change. It was featured today on online … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Voices, Just for fun | 13 Comments

Watching Bahrain through a friend’s eyes, heartbroken

Posted on February 18, 2011 by Ethan

Like anyone else trying to keep track of the revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia, the protests in Libya, Bahrain, Iran, Yemen and elsewhere, a pivotal election in Uganda, the ongoing collapse of the Ivory Coast, I’m feeling a little behind, … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogs and bloggers, Global Voices, Human Rights | 7 Comments

Goodbye, Mubarak: Hope, Fear and Mahir Çağrı

Posted on February 11, 2011 by Ethan

First, Mabrook to all my Egyptian friends on their success in ousting Mubarak and to my Tunisian friends for proving that peaceful protest can lead to real change. Three brief reflections on what comes next: – While there’s been extensive … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Voices, Human Rights, Media | 11 Comments

Tunisia, Egypt, Gabon? Our responsibility to witness

Posted on February 9, 2011 by Ethan

2011 has been a remarkable year for rapid political change. Spurred on by Mohamed Bouazizi’s desperate self-immolation, protests in the central Tunisian town of Sidi Bouzid spread throughout the nation and ultimately accomplished the unthinkable: they forced the end of … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, Global Voices, Human Rights, Media | 36 Comments

A reflection on Tunisia

Posted on January 14, 2011 by Ethan

This week started for me with a huge event in my family’s life – after six years of study, my wife was ordained with a rabbi, and our family celebrated with her in Colorado. It ended joyfully as well, as … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, Global Voices, Human Rights | 4 Comments