Tagged: United Nations

Political & Economic Sociology / Social Movements / Social Change

Protesters Challenge Skeptics: The Earth is Round and Climate Change is Real

The United Nations Climate Change Conference is taking place in Copenhagen from December 7th to 18th. Prior to the start of the conference, members of an action group, Stop Climate Chaos, organized demonstrations encouraging world leaders to advance a world climate change agreement. Around the world, people participated in these demonstrations including 40,000 people in London, 7,000 people in Glasgow, and many more in Belfast. Members of another action group, Camp for Climate Change, organized a 48-hour-long protest in Trafalgar...

Peace, War & Social Conflict / Political & Economic Sociology / Race & Ethnicity Studies

Raising Awareness About the Plight of Refugees

by smteixeirapoit Today, communities celebrate World Refugee Day. Worldwide, communities hope to raise awareness about the plight of refugees. In “Refugees”, Steve Loyal explains that refugees are people who escape their country of origin because of persecution or fear of persecution. After refugees flee to neighboring countries, the United Nations High Commission on Refugees interviews them and determines whether they meet the criteria for refugees. If the High Commissioner classifies them as refugees, then they are allowed to remain in...

Gender & Sexuality / Political & Economic Sociology / Sociology of Culture

Asian Values and Women's Rights

by christinablunt Last week, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, in a move to bolster support in the upcoming presidential elections, signed a law which stipulated that, “Unless the wife is ill, the wife is bound to give a positive response to the sexual desires of her husband.” Human rights groups are calling foul play. To say nothing of the fact that a woman’s rights are being used as a tool of negotiation, the UN is arguing the new law essentially legalizes...