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Category: history

Western Myths of globalisation
01/06/2021
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| history, Policy
[:en]globe[:]

It may be worthwhile to stand back and reflect a little on the term ‘globalisation’. One view would be: ‘Globalisation refers to the integration of markets in the global economy, leading to the increased interconnectedness of national economies. Markets where globalisation is particularly significant include financial markets, such as capital markets, money and credit markets, and insurance markets, commodity markets, including markets for oil, coffee, tin, and gold, and product markets, such as markets for motor vehicles and consumer electronics. ‘ https://www.economicsonline.co.uk/Global_economics/Globalisation_introduction.html A deeper view from the Peterson Institute…

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BLM: POLICING AS RITUAL SACRIFICE
02/05/2021
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| history, Politics, Uncategorized

BLM: POLICING AS RITUAL SACRIFICE On two separate occasions I have explored the connection between US police killing and human sacrifice. I was unaware of the other important scholars who had already explored this idea. Brian Smith, formerly Professor of Religious Studies at UC Riverside writes: ‘’ …modern executions are more or less undeniably ritualised killings of a human being and so, of course, are those traditional religious practices termed ‘human sacrifices’. 1 Police killings in the US seem at…

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Joshua Glasgow: Confusing genocide and racism
01/10/2020
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| General, history, Politics
glasgow philosophy

Racism is assumed in most Western philosophy to be a singular and widespread phenomena. However we should consider whether racism is more like a virus or bacteria. It can evolve and adapt to different environments. In addition some virus and bacteria mutate from virulent to innocuous and back again. Racism could be a family of human behaviours. While we identify the virulent strain as objectionable any suggestion that elements of it are widespread might suggest that the underlying behaviour…

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Julian Baggini: Hume and the genteel racism of British philosophy
20/09/2020
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| General, history, Policy, Politics

Baggini has written a piece in Prospect magazine ‘   Is the University of Edinburgh right to “cancel” David Hume?’ 15 Sep 2020. He is seeking to defend Hume from accusations of racism while accepting his ‘unfortunate’ statements. He writes: ‘Hume was both a product of his time and like people of every time, had his blind spots.’ This statement implies that Hume’s views were uncontroversial during his time. This is completely untrue. His views were seriously challenged and…

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Cornel West – prophet or turncoat?
07/06/2020
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| history, Policy, Politics, Uncategorized
Prof Cornel West

Cornel West was once considered part of a triptych including  Skip Gates, and Anthony Appiah, representing the Black Academy. This triptych can be viewed as  either the leading edge of the Black Academy or a rogue’s gallery. Let us put this in context so as to understand the connection with Trump.  We need to understand the historical dynamics that generated this context.  For several decades ‘the conservative moment’  involved suppressing dissent of both left and right  by denying it…

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Coming collapse of US cultural dominance:
27/05/2020
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| General, history, Policy, Politics

At the present time the world dominance of US culture seems uncontestable. However closer scrutiny would show that the world is a far more complex place and the apparent dominance can be less than it seems. First, we can begin with the humorous. I remember listening to an American in the 1980’s describe the coming world dominance of US culture as  inevitable and universal and as a proof and precursor he pointed to the ubiquity of the  ‘Walkman’. It…

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[:en]Boston Museum of Fine Arts discovers Ancient Egyptians were Europeans- shame on you![:]
14/10/2018
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| history

I visited the Boston Museum on a recent trip to US. It was a very pleasant experience as was the general trip to Boston. Many of my friends were caught up in Red Sox vs Yankee game. Well done Boston! My great disappointment however was listening to an audio track which described the ancient Egyptians as having pale skins. This particular track was so absurd it really brought into question the quality control at BMFA.  This track claimed that …

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[:en]1917 & Africa[:]
13/05/2017
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| history, Politics

  It seems as if  no one in Africa recognises the importance of 1917 for the history of Africa. Without 1917 the fate of Africa in the 20th Century would have been much different. Europe and America had imposed an arms embargo against Africa and the new automated weapons had allowed swift suppression of African liberties. 1917 saw the breakdown of that embargo and the possibility of struggles for independence. Many African historians have been unable to understand the…

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