The “Scramble for Africa” & Sykes-Picot created borders that sparked conflict. This article pivots to the solutions: cross-border economic zones, the AU, and cultural festivals that are making those lines irrelevant.
Is Your English Really English? A Quiz on the Global Gift of Words
Does your vocabulary come from Hindi, Swahili, or Chinese? This fun quiz teaches you the global origins of ‘shampoo,’ ‘safari,’ ‘ketchup,’ and more!
Where Did Your Shirt Come From? A Quiz on the Global Origins of Fashion
This fun fashion quiz helps you trace the global origins of textiles. Match patterns like Paisley, Kente cloth, and Batik to their home countries and celebrate our shared textile heritage.
Why Are Africa’s Borders So Straight? A Quiz on the “Scramble for Africa”
Compare the maps of Africa from 1880 to 1914. This quiz explains the “Scramble for Africa,” the Berlin Conference, and the lasting legacy of the borders that shape the continent today.
Can We Build Bridges with Art? A Quiz on the New Language of Cultural Heritage
Move beyond the old debates. This engaging quiz teaches you the positive, forward-looking vocabulary of cultural heritage, including ‘repatriation,’ ‘provenance,’ and ‘digital preservation.’
The Missing Pieces: How Cultural Repatriation Is Building a New Future
Move beyond the “stolen art” debate. Discover how cultural repatriation is not an end, but a beginning for healing cultural trauma, building mutual respect, and forging new, equitable global partnerships.
Am I a “Westernized” Version of Myself? (Or Just a “Modern” One?)
What shapes your modern identity? Is it “Westernization” or just… evolution? This column explores the feeling of being “in-between,” and asks if loving global art, ideas, and music means losing your roots—or simply building a more complex self.
Land Grabbing vs. Sustainable Investment: Securing Local Rights | Listening Comprehension
Explore the complex issue of foreign land acquisition. This advanced listening practice (IELTS/TOEFL) examines ‘land grabbing’ and contrasts it with solutions like community ownership and legal frameworks.
The 1953 Iranian Coup: Operation Ajax and a Geopolitical Turning Point | Listening Comprehension
An advanced listening practice (IELTS/TOEFL) analyzing the 1953 Iranian coup (Operation Ajax). Understand the “how and why” behind Mossadegh’s overthrow and its long-term impact.
Beyond Brain Drain: The Rise of Global Brain Circulation | Listening Comprehension
An advanced listening practice (IELTS/TOEFL) exploring the “brain drain” phenomenon and the modern solutions, like remote work and “brain circulation,” that are changing global talent flow.
Recent Posts
The Unpaid Shift: Why We Need to Talk About Equity at Home
Why does gender equality stop at the front door? We explore the “Second Shift,” the “Mental Load,” and why domestic equity is the next frontier of feminism.
Shadow Games Ep 5: Solutions to Corruption – Whistleblowers, Transparency, and Reform
In the finale of Shadow Games, we explore concrete solutions to political corruption. From protecting whistleblowers to the “Singapore Model” of governance, learn how societies clean house and restore trust.
The Lexicon of Larceny: A Etymological Deep Dive into the Language of Corruption
Why do we call it a “Ponzi” scheme? Is it “Gerrymandering” with a hard G? Join the Archivist for a hyper-focused history lesson on the specific words we use to describe fraud, from salamanders to international postal coupons.
Master of Disguise: The High-Stakes Art of Natural Deception
Explore the fascinating world of mimicry, where nature’s greatest con artists use deception to survive. From harmless flies posing as deadly wasps to octopuses vanishing in plain sight, discover the science behind these evolutionary illusions.
Techno-Feudalism: Are We Becoming Serfs to Big Tech?
Discover how the digital economy mimics medieval feudalism. From the “rentier capitalism” of software subscriptions to the “precariat” of the gig economy, are we losing our ownership rights?
Shadow Games Ep 4: The Cost of Corruption – Infrastructure, Trust, and Meritocracy
Corruption isn’t just about money; it’s about lives. In Shadow Games Ep 4, we explore the human toll: crumbling infrastructure, the death of meritocracy, and the erosion of public trust. See the real-world impact of the Shadow Game.