Political Pandora

Digital technologies have fundamentally changed how we see and use spaces. Today, it’s no longer abstract or just about the physical, but the layers of information that exist on top of our geographies. These digital surfaces actively shape our experiences and influence how we move through spaces, and essentially, how we understand them. An example of this is Google Maps. Today, such applications dictate more than directions to shape how one experiences a space, one that is ra

Palestine has been the political moment for the last two years. As we approach the second anniversary of the most recent iteration of warfare on Palestine (that’s 730 days of ceaseless colonial violence), some reflections seem appropriate. Shourideh C. Molavi’s Environmental Warfare in Gaza provides exactly these reflections although written almost entirely before 7 October 2023.

Discovery, meanwhile, came out in the streaming era, where that kind of evolution just doesn’t happen. If anything, the opposite happened: on a surface-level, you’d be forgiven for thinking the show was in a state of constant evolution given how frequently and dramatically it changed its core concept: going from a prequel to a show set in the far future, for instance. But on a deeper level, the same storytelling and writing pitfalls persisted no matter how many new coats of p

What happens when stories made for everyone fail the people they purport to represent?

What began in the shadows of queer underground culture as a subversive celebration of identity has, over the decades, been transfigured into something far more palatable and considerably less dangerous. The evolution of camp in film tells a tale, not merely of aesthetic evolution, but of cultural assimilation, where the radical edge of theatrical transgression has been dulled by gradual mainstream appropriation.

Art is a way we can realise our imagination, feel its potential and piece it into a form of hope. Upon entering the Edinburgh Palestine Museum, one is not first encountered by images of ruin, but by Anani’s grand canvas of rolling hills, lush green trees, and floral meadows. Where one enters expecting violence, Anani’s painting embraces us in its haven and pokes at our presumptions: Why is it that people expect only darkness when they hear of Palestine? 

Pandora's Vinyl: Rachael and Vilray’s third album, West of Broadway, backed by their band, is a romantic concoction of love, humour, and diatribe that fits perfectly within their brand.

It is a tumultuous time for policy in general but especially so in the climate and energy space in the US. President Donald Trump’s recent orders to halt the concentration of a $6B wind farm that was almost completed is emblematic of the administration’s approach to climate. Executive Orders like EO 14154 “Unleashing American Energy” instead shift direction to exploiting natural resources and ensuring energy security.

Hollywood’s recent run of musician films seems to show more than just an interest in music. But can the modern music biopic still surprise us, or has it simply given in, step by step, to the predictable demands of awards season as the infamous ‘Oscar bait’?

The ambience of Spain’s bustling streets, usually filled with vibrant music, laughter and warmth, now echoes the discordant sounds of protesters and perplexing scenes of water pistols being aimed at tourists as their idyllic vacations to the country turn into waking nightmares for both them and the Spanish locals protesting their influx.

The contemporary Indian political landscape is a battle of ideology and rhetoric. Instead of being built on any grounded sense of reality, it is set up on a hyperreality that is continuously being created and reinforced through media. The last decade has seen a profound shift in how politics is experienced, especially with the rise of digital platforms that do not just reflect public sentiment but actively produce it.

The function of spoken language extends far beyond mere communication—it is an indicator of one’s identity, an instrument of access, and, mostly, a mechanism of establishing authority in a social setting. Our language, accent, dialect, and even grammar influences favourably, and adversely the type of opportunities made available to us, society’s perception of us and our sense of belonging. 

For years, nobody in power paid attention to them. However, that started to change in March 2022, when the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2) formally recognized "the significant contribution made by workers in informal and cooperative settings to the collecting, sorting and recycling of plastics." This was the first time the essential work of waste pickers was acknowledged in any UN environmental resolution.

In keeping with traditional folk music, Majola hands us a series of isiZulu ballads with feathery falsettos and simple arrangements often consisting of a single guitar. 

Often, it is the books chosen on a whim that linger with you the longest. That was my experience with Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors. It was the bittersweet and painful portrayal of modern, aspirational life that refused to let me leave it unfinished. 

A critical examination of the integrity of the colour film production proves necessary to uncover the racism embedded in the process of this technology and the cultural use of cameras to reinforce racial hierarchies.