This week I spoke to Richard Wilson, director of the Stop Funding Hate campaign. I expected him to be passionately angry, but instead he spoke with perfect diplomacy. [Read more…]
Video: The pros & cons of refugee resettlement.
When Ringwood council discussed the Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme, Cllr Jeremy Heron decided that resettling displaced refugees from Syria would be “a gesture of the worst kind”. Christchurch MP Christopher Chope argues that there is a stark contrast between “genuine refugees” and illegal immigrants who should be imprisoned. [Read more…]
Online news & Twitter news.
Thanks to the internet, News is more accessible and immediate. The way journalists report about refugees in media can shape the thoughts of the readership and influence their political identities. Social media also plays a huge role in our political stance, with Twitter being particularly useful at bridging the geographical and socio-economic gaps, enabling fluid communication. [Read more…]
Online communities & Extremism.
The rapid development of the internet has led to an inexorable slide towards near-constant consumption. Incredibly, there are over 3.5 billion internet users as of 2016. How does this affect our attitudes? [Read more…]
Divisive language.
When journalists report on the refugee crisis, many chose to write about the refugees as a problem and use divisive language. Rather than discussing the crisis maturely, they provoke the readership with inflammatory language and opinions. This type of bias in the news divides the working class. It enables the white working class to feel righteous and superior to non-whites. The ‘weaker’ the target, the better, and who could be an easier target than the Syrian refugees? [Read more…]