Fado, Dictatorship, and Nostalgia: The Centenary of the Life of Amália Rodrigues
Fado has become a national symbol for many Portuguese people, and Amália herself has become the face of this iconic genre.
Adriana Gabriela Franco
Adriana Gabriela Franco is a fourth year student at McGill University, pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Arts with a double major in Political Science and World Islamic and Middle East Studies. Adriana has been a staff writer at Catalyst for three years, and her areas of interest include food anthropology, and identity politics.
The Violence of Silence: How the West Ignored the Armenian Diaspora
The right to self determination is a founding principle of international law and the United Nations, but as Mariam Grigoryan points out, the case of Arsakh demonstrates that “in the world where oil money costs more than human lives, there’s not much hope for international law and human rights”.
Reparative Conversations: Transitional Justice in Albania, an Interview with Kristale Ivezaj Rama
Rama believes this project is a “tiny seed” in the greater movement towards transitional justice, something those living in Albania need to be able to move forward. Limitations on free speech and an unstable economy are just some of the lasting effects of this period in Albania, and as Rama so eloquently put, the “people can’t think about the past if they are too preoccupied with the present and worry about their future”.
Dissociation, Dispossession, and Food in the Israel-Palestine conflict
Food is an often overlooked element in conversations of national identity. Food is tangible, it is known by most members of a nation regardless of socio-economic background, and it is “experienced everyday”. Food is incredibly important for both parties in this two-sided conflict, as it plays a strong role in the creation of identity for each group.
The Art of Resilience: One Year post-Thawra in Lebanon
Last year I published my first article about the Lebanese protests in October 2019. It seemed like Lebanon was on the brink of something marvelous, on the road to overthrowing a government system that had caused them more woes than wins. [...] Unfortunately, the situation got bleaker before it got better.
The Unity of Lebanon’s October Revolution: Art, Protest, and Social Media
The artistic element of the protest is particularly fascinating, as photographers, sketch artists, and graphic designers alike have created a massive collection of works related to the protest. Mostly shared via social media, the aesthetics of this art are moving and powerful, and are a reflection of the demands and grievances of protesters, as well as a vision of a new Lebanon that those who take to the street wish to see.
Contesting Food: A Taste of Persia and the issue of Food Ownership
Former lawyer and cookbook author Naomi Duguid writes in the prologue of her book about a map in her office showing the Persian Empire under emperors Cyrus and Darius, which at the time encompassed not only the Iranian plateau but … Continue reading