PushBlack’s Post

We are thrilled to share that Keseb will be hosting and moderating an exciting and timely series of conversations throughout the course of the 2024 mega election year, where more than 4 billion global citizens will head to the polls to exercise their democratic right to vote. The series will create a virtual space for an exchange of ideas across borders, building a transnational platform to discuss the aspects of democracy at stake in the elections taking place this year. Our inaugural discussion on January 30th will delve into the intersection of race, civic identity, and self-expression. The dialogue will explore the term “Coloured,” an identity deeply embedded in South African culture, yet one that carries a negative connotation in the United States as it calls back to the oppressive Jim Crow era. Joining this conversation are two Keseb Fellows: PushBlack CEO Julian Walker will interview Tessa Dooms, the Director of Programmes at Rivonia Circle and co-author of the recent book, “Coloured: How Classification Became Culture.” Don't miss the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the cultural nuances and historical contexts surrounding the term “Coloured” and how identities inform and shape people’s political engagement. Register today: https://lnkd.in/dNf3BcQG #democracy #democracychampions #democracyentrepreneurs #democracyfellows #transnationallearning #2024megaelectionyear

Democracy is under threat in the 21st century. Since 2005, the number of full democracies has declined. Trust in institutions and representatives is undermined by authoritarian populists who profit from different crises and the new media which they use to spread fake news, hatred and conspiracy theories. What can be done to turn the table and to fight anti-democratic tendencies? There is no panacea, but one thing is clear: We need to foster democratic innovations and make our societies more inclusive and participatory. There are many good ideas, many new measures and examples. We need to deepen, test, evaluate different things and try to influence the agenda setting within our democracies in order to maintain their benefits. #democracy #future #21stcentury #politics #participation ##inclusion #innovation

Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future ==> this is happening in Australia and it has been for decades. It is happening with the involvement of Australia's security services, elitists in our military leadership (who are politically aligned), the Murdoch family/News Corp and senior Australian politicians. It isn't a haphazard process. It is a planned, systematic attack on Australians, our democracy and our constitutional rights to freedom. It affects Aboriginal tribes but not only. This is a development that is harming the national security interests of all everyday Australians. ==> here is a link to a post about Michael Pezzullo's engagement with organised crime and cover ups that are harming young Australians' constitutional rights to freedom - https://lnkd.in/gKS23tuX . ==> Paper describing "from America's Revolutionary War to Australians' constitutional rights to freedom - https://lnkd.in/g6UgeB9r . ==> Here's a related paper, which I submitted to the Yoorrook Truth Telling Commission in Victoria, with an analysis of some of the events that have been studiously "forgotten" dating back to the Frontier Wars - https://lnkd.in/e3uDFDiS. Whilst the paper is focused on Aboriginal issues because it's a submission to Yoorrook, it's implications are much wider and relevant for all everyday Australians. I am now refocusing my attention towards the impacts of our security services on systematic, state-sponsored "forgetting" that is harming the interests of all everyday Australians. ==> Here's an analysis of the comments of the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor, Jake Blight, at a recent transparency summit. ... https://lnkd.in/gdYh6han. Australia's democracy is already under attack by fascists and elitists in our military leadership, security services, politics, police and media engaged in corruption, including re-writing the past for political gain (power) and commercial profit (money) ... Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and senior police officers such as former AFP Commissioner Mick Keelty are part of the problem. They've been engaged in an asset stripping and real estate money laundering operation involving human trafficking and exploitation for the purpose of erasing dairy farming families and other farming families in favour of corporatism ... a classic fascist Nazi tactic. The apparent inability of the National Anti Corruption Commission to bring an end to Peter Dutton's career suggests NACC Commissioner Major General (ret) Paul Brereton may be complicit. Which means elitists in our military leadership and security services are complicit. ==> Here's a book from 1915 "Australia, Dairy Country" - https://lnkd.in/gsaB8Nxj. My ancestors' role has been completely written out of history. It contrasts with this breathless article about Robert Crowe in 1931, at the end of the visit by President Lin Sen of China - https://lnkd.in/gmFNT_EQ. And even this too massively understates his contribution.

The United States, once seen as the epitome of democratic ideals, is now seen to be grappling with an identity crisis fuelled by political polarisation and institutional dysfunction. Why has it happened, what effect does it have on the wider world, and will the US manage to return to its status as role model? Emily Rowe, Winner of the 2024 The CoBS (Council on Business & Society) Student CSR Article Competition at Monash Business School, explores. Read Emily's winning article here: https://lnkd.in/erN3_cdp #society #polarization #democracy #diversity #politics Dr Darren Thomas Baker, Ralph Kober, Helen Westerman, Adrian Zicari, Carla Wilkin, Michaela Rankin, Edward Tello, CPA

Pluralism (noun): (1) the principle that engagement with different and opposing beliefs, values, and ideas is critical to a healthy democracy; (2) an ideal that has never felt so important and so distant. A new series of talks at Oregon State University called "Democracy in Action" puts pluralism into practice, and I'm excited to co-moderate with my friend and colleague David Rothwell the first conversation with Nick Jacobs and Dan Shea, authors of the new book, "The Rural Voter: The Politics of Place and the Disuniting of America," who challenge with data very popular (and very wrong) assumptions about rural communities and voters. Free and open to the public, live-streamed, details below.

“The principle of the common good is the glue that bonds a pluralistic people—a diverse people marked by socioeconomic, religious, racial, ethnic, and other differences—into a political community,” writes Robert Ivie in Common Dreams. Click below to read more 👇 #commongood #democracy #pluralism

Why I Believe Young People Should Care About Politics? You don’t have to want to be a politician to care about politics. For me, it’s about understanding how our country works, how decisions are made, and how those decisions affect us all-every day, in ways big and small. When young people take the time to learn about our political history and how democracy functions, they’re not just learning facts-they’re learning how to make their voices heard, how to stand up for what’s right, and how to take responsibility for themselves and those around them. Politics isn’t just something that happens in Parliament or during elections; it’s about how we live together in our communities, how we solve problems, and how we build a future that works for everyone. That’s why I believe it’s so important for young people to get involved, to ask questions, and to challenge the status quo. In the end, it’s not about becoming a politician-it’s about becoming someone who cares deeply about their community and is willing to take action to make it better. That’s the kind of leadership we need, and it’s something we can all strive for, no matter where life takes us. For me, politics became more meaningful when I started to see the importance of inclusion. My journey with the Centre for Peace Building and Reconciliation (CPBR) opened my eyes to how crucial it is that everyone, no matter who they are, has a voice and a place in our society. I’ve come to realize that politics isn’t just about laws and policies-it’s about people. It’s about making sure everyone feels heard, valued, and included. That’s why I’m so passionate about it. It’s not just about influencing decisions; it’s about building a community where everyone feels they belong. #inclusionmatters #youthengagement #civicresponsibility #Leadership #DemocracyInAction #communitybuilding

Check out the new CIVICUS State of Civil Society Report! It looks back at 2023 to identify trends in #civilsociety action, at every level and in every arena, from responses to #conflicts and struggles for #democracy, #inclusion and #climatejustice to demands for #globalgovernance reform. https://lnkd.in/gEHPWemM

As we approach #IndependenceDay and are immersed in election discussions, I found Kermit Roosevelt’s “The Nation that Never Was” particularly thought-provoking. Roosevelt challenges traditional narratives of American #identity and argues that the values we associate with America today — #democracy, #equality, and #justice — are not derived from the Founding Fathers but were instead realized during and after the Civil War, primarily through the efforts to end slavery and the subsequent #Reconstruction amendments.  More to debate :)

📢 Calling all young storytellers - let’s reimagine democracy! This year over 2 billion people will go to the polls across the globe. It’s the ultimate test to see if democracy can survive in a world of disinformation, polarisation and low trust in politics and politicians. Yet the people most affected by these decisions are some of the most underrepresented: young people. We want young people to feel like their voices matter and feel empowered to enter political conversations. That’s why we’re running a special, one-day TEDxLondon Democracy Bootcamp to upskill the next generation of storytellers and explore how politics can work better for young people. Join us: ⭐ Applications are open 9 July - 16 August ⭐ Open to all UK based, young people (16-24) ⭐ More details & applications: https://buff.ly/3zxAgFD #democracy #youth #youngpeople #politics #publicspeaking #confidence #storytelling #storytellers #TEDx #tedx #TED #TEDxtalks