Cigarettes are part of the social and economic fabric of prisons.
Members of the Black Bloc light flares as riot police arrive during a street protest against the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, in July.
(AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Black Blocs sprung from an anarchist movement in western Germany. Anti-capitalism and anti-government, the original Black Blocs marched against nuclear energy and neo-Nazis.
The protest by Zimbabweans against police road blocks and banned imports highlights a new political economy that is rising on the back of informalisation of the economy.
The cultural context in which class, ethnic and racial tensions explode into open violence must be analysed honestly.
AAP Image/Paul Miller
Australia’s key foundation stories have a narrative arc based on the slow simmering of social tension and anxiety culminating in an explosive release of group hostility. Was Cronulla any different?
A bit of crowd control – nothing heavy-handed.
EPA/Michael Reynolds
The announcement Monday evening in the US that there would be no charges against a policeman over the shooting of a teenager is puzzling and already the target of critique. It’s not just the decision itself…
The recent mass demonstrations in Hong Kong that have been calling for greater democracy saw the police initially responding with riot squads, tear gas and pepper spray against peaceful protesters. However…
The G20 summit in Toronto in 2010 was marred by violent clashes between protestors and police. Will there be a repeat in Queensland later this year?
EPA/Warren Toda
Queensland will be on the world stage when it hosts some of the most powerful world leaders during the G20 summit this November. But how prepared is Queensland for the expected protests at the event, and…
It has recently been announced that the Mayor of London’s Office on Policing and Crime (MOPAC) has authorised the Metropolitan Police to purchase three water cannon. This decision was made in advance of…
Thailand’s political crisis is spiralling into an intractable conflict.
Wally Santana/AP
After street clashes between groups of armed protesters on Saturday, many feared that Sunday’s election in Thailand would see an upsurge in violence. Anti-government protesters who opposed the vote had…
Singapore, an affluent city-state, is known for being orderly and conformist. So the riots that took place on the night of the 8 December in the Little India district came as a shock to authorities and…
Smash the system, not traffic lights.
flikr/bobaliciouslondon
A fifth of Britain’s young people are out of work; how long before they snap? The International Labour Organisation has recently issued warnings about possible youth unrest in the future, as young people…
Young people who feel excluded from mainstream politics often join extreme groups to ‘belong’.
AFP/Wojtek Radwanski
Many young people in Europe think violent protest can be a legitimate response to the political system they feel no connection to. They believe government pays very little attention to them and have very…
As the streets of England have calmed, the political debate over what to do with the rioters has been brought to a boil. A steady stream of individuals continues to flow into the court system, some being…
London’s burning: but the rioters had a point.
EPA/Kerim Okten
The powers that be describe the street violence and social upheaval which took place in England’s major cities last week as “mindless”. Yet it was anything but. Prime Minister David Cameron, among others…
English police have defended their tactics in the riots.
AFP/Leon Neal
English police officers have defended their handling of the riots which erupted in several cities across the country last week. After the worst urban disorder in living memory, leading politicians are…
Social media is helping, not hindering, police efforts in the UK.
AAP
There’s a colourful and evocative term among regular users of social media: “headdesking”. It’s what you do when somebody says or does something so stupid that your instant reaction is to smack your head…