Fownhope’s Heart of Oak Society traces its roots to the age of friendly societies, when communities provided their own safety net. Its anniversary celebrations reveal a tradition still very much alive, says MARK SEDDON
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Covid-19, Western hypocrisy and orientalism
The unpalatable truth is that racism has once again reared its ugly head during this time of crisis, says HOLLY BARROW
A woman wears a face mask in Parliament Square, London. Many people of Chinese descent have reported racist abuse since the Covid-19 pandemic began
ANGUS REID explains the significance of Cuba’s egalitarian in letter and spirit Family Code and the pertinent lessons it holds for democracies anywhere in the world
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NICK WRIGHT considers how the isolation of Israel and a new film on the controversial Italian communist leader are creating new reference points for Italy’s left
CARLOS MARTINEZ says Cuba’s achievements in the face of a criminal blockade are startling, but the island’s future if the United States succeeds in crushing it looks bleak
AMNON BROWNFIELD STEIN reports that far-right MPs who mobbed the event organised by Hadash may have helped raise awareness of the brutality of the Israeli right
AS THE coronavirus continues to shake the globe, many have shed light on the acts of solidarity that have sprung from its devastating consequences: community aid in the form of grassroots organising; local businesses distributing essential emergency packages to those most in need; social support networks established for the elderly. Such kindness restores some desperately needed faith in humanity.
And yet, regrettably, there are those who find, within the midst of a pandemic, an opportunity to incite division, to revisit archaic stereotypes and to propagate a culture of blame.
While we are right to focus on the positives at this time, we similarly cannot disregard the less palatable truth that racism has once again reared its ugly head during this time of crisis.
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