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In Defense of the Anti-Utopian Perspective: The Hopefulness of Tragedy

Utopia is dead. Instead of striving for the unattainable ideal of perfection, we should continually improve our society through democratic conflict and pluralism. Drawing from anti-utopian thinkers like Claude Lefort, Chantal Mouffe, and Ernesto Laclau, this article highlights the importance of perpetuating transgressive, adaptive politics rather than rigid, totalizing idealist visions. Contrary to one’s first instinct, anti-utopian thought offers a more optimistic and practical path forward to change—one that embraces human imperfection and fosters meaningful societal progress.

Posted On : Published By : Anyue Zhang
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Biopolitics and the Grievability of Life: Brian Thompson and UnitedHealthcare

While news anchors and politicians have decisively condemned Thompson’s murder, netizens on the other hand have been so extreme as to mock his demise and raise Luigi Mangione, Thompson’s killer, to the status of a “folk hero”. While there exists a consensus that murder is wrong, Thompson’s role as the CEO of UnitedHealth, one of the United States’ largest health insurance companies, makes him complicit in the deaths of many more people. The words of one New Yorker encapsulate this tension: “It’s hard for me to feel sad that the CEO was killed […] I’m uncomfortable that violence was used. But also, it’s nice to finally have some pushback.”

Posted On : Published By : Anyue Zhang
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Generation Beta and Neoliberalism: Evolution or Regression? 

However macabre, the commencement of Generation Beta provides ample room to discuss the normative underpinnings that have contributed to the practical dysfunction of contemporary society. […] it confronts us with conversations on the ideological transformations required for ushering in a new era of environmental, social, and political governance which are necessary to safeguard the rights of future generations.

Posted On : Published By : Sean Martin
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The Politics of Distrust: Anti-Intellectualism as Laying the Groundwork for Populist Revolution

The ever-expanding tide of populist discourse and behaviour casts a shadow over the political landscape of the 21st century. This unquestionable swell of populist sentiment among national leaders has increasingly converged with another ideological weapon: anti-intellectualism. Defined loosely as an “opposition or hostility to intellectual reasoning,” this ethos has rapidly spread across the west, and has been purposefully cultivated within the American electorate. Specifically, issues such as government response to Covid-19, global climate change, and immigration reform have been brought to the forefront of political debate, only to be engaged with in bad faith for political triumph in the country’s ongoing “culture war.” This article will examine the campaign and general approach of populist leader President Donald J. Trump. This will be done through the lens of this dual-weapon strategy and the use of concepts issued from the works of Hannah Arendt.

Posted On : Published By : John Bollinger
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The Erosion of Lemkin’s Principles : Geopolitics and Genocide in Gaza. 

This article examines the erosion of Raphael Lemkin’s principles of genocide in the context of Gaza, highlighting the disjunction between legal definitions and geopolitical responses. Despite clear international legal assessments characterizing Israel’s actions as genocidal, political alliances and military aid persist. This reveals a troubling shift in how genocide is understood, applied, and contested today.

Posted On : Published By : Nuala O’Connell
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Aristotle, Citizenship, and the Question of Status In Modern “Democracies”

Under the Aristotelian framework, the political participation of individuals within modern representative democracies does not constitute true citizenship. The vast majority of those now considered to be citizens would, under Aristotle’s model, be more aptly described as resident aliens, true citizenry only being enjoyed by the class of elected officials. This article suggests representative democracy to be a system closer to aristocracy or oligarchy. 

Posted On : Published By : John Bollinger