Useful Resources
Khan Academy
American based. Founded in 2006 by American graduate of Indian descent. Strong mathematics base. Excellent history teaching. Uses sketch cast videos to explain things. Worldwide. Non-profit. Won Microsoft Education prize in 2009. Heavily funded by big hitters and recent crowd funding. An extremely reliable source. Easy to follow, illustrated explanations. Very useful for schools.
Ted Talks
Founded in 1984. This site is curated by British entrepreneur and former journalist Chris Anderson. They also work on Ted X Youth talks. Their idea is, by getting someone to give a short talk, to make ideas more accessible and spark conversation. Their videos can be watched online. This is a non-profit organisation.
Chris Anderson is married to an American entrepreneur Jacqueline Novogratz who wrote a very good book called ‘The Blue Sweater’ in which she tried to help women have access to their own bank accounts in Africa. She studied International Relations and Economics and went to University of Virginia, like the two Reddit founders below.
www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive
ELI5 (Explain it like I’m Five) – this is a useful section to type a question to and get various people’s attempted explanation, in simple form. It was recommended to me by my cousin’s son; a recent Economics graduate from Edinburgh University who is now based in Washington. Reddit was set up in 2005 by two friends and graduates from the University of Virginia, now in their early 30s.
Test Tube
http://testtube.com/news/
San Francisco based. Covers many issues: i.e. why does China hate Japan; who owns the Antarctic/North Pole; communism etc. Quite useful explainers and free.
Vox News
http://voxnews.com
A useful US based news site owned by Vox Media.
Vice News
https://news.vice.com
US based. Launched 2013. Owned by Vice Media. Another useful news source.
Rock Your World
www.rock-your-world.org/curriculum
Media based worldwide curriculum to inspire young people.
Debate Mate
www.debatemate.com
Debate Mate aims to tackle educational disadvantage in some of Britain’s most deprived communities. It does this by recruiting, training and placing university students to run extra-curricular debate workshops in schools with above average Free School Meals. Our programmes raise speaking and listening attainment, as well as improve a range of high order thinking skills and non-cognitive abilities such as confidence, teamwork and leadership. In doing so it addresses the widening skills gap between education and employment, whilst raising aspirations and helping students to make informed post-18 choices.
Stratfor
https://www.stratfor.com
American publisher and global intelligence company.
Chatham House
https://www.chathamhouse.org
Royal Institute of Chartered Affairs based in St James’ Square in London. Useful online resources with lots of articles that can be accessed free on line and some free video and audio content. To go to the talks you have to join as a member and these are based in London. They are very useful and you can join as a student or a professional but have to submit an application stating why you wish to join, which then has to be approved. It is trustworthy and has many scholarly experts. Very reliable resource. I am a member and use the library, both at St James’ Square and online, for much of my research.
Carnegie Endowment
http://carnegieendowment.org
http://carnegieendowment.org/about/
Various parts that cover global issues. Sada is the one that involves the Middle East and you can sign up for e-mail postings, which are free. The articles are reliable, well informed and trustworthy . American based. It is a global think tank that I refer to often.
Foreign Policy
http://foreignpolicy.com
US news publication, founded 1970. Reliable, scholarly articles. I use this site often and have subscribed to daily e-mail updates. Articles are always worth reading. The web site was established in 2013 and a magazine publication is also available. It is published bi-monthly. Global affairs, current events, domestic and international policy. Daily content on web site. 6 print issues annually. Washington based. Had a useful article by Joshua Keating (4.11.11) on who first used the term ‘Arab Spring’.
Al Monitor
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/home.html
Launched 2012. Based Washington. It is an online newspaper that focuses on the Middle East. Web site only; no hard copy publication.
In January 2013, Ian Burrell of The Independent called Al-Monitor “an ambitious website that pulls together the commentary of distinguished writers from across the region.” In 2014, the International Press Institute awarded Al-Monitor its Free Media Pioneer Award, stating that Al-Monitor’s “unrivalled reporting and analysis exemplify the invaluable role that innovative and vigorously independent media can play in times of change and upheaval”.
Some commentators have alleged Al-Monitor follows the agenda of the Iranian and Syrian governments and Hezbollah. In 2011, Al-Monitor founder Jamal Daniel bought 20% of As-safir, described by the New York Times as a “pro-Assad Lebanese newspaper”. Daniel himself is said to have been a close friend of Syria’s Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem when the latter was Syria’s envoy to the U.S. The Washington Post ’ s Max Fisher has called Al-Monitor “an invaluable Web-only publication following the Middle East.”
The Academic Association for Contemporary European Studies
www.euanalysis.ideasoneurope.eu
Academic blog covering all aspects of EU politics. Non-profit. UK based.
Tunisia Live
Tunisian news site in English. (Khayam Turki tweets)
The Monkey Cage
Named 2010 blog of the year by The Week; 2012 best blog by Time Magazine. Washington based.
The Stream, Al Jazeera
Presented by young, hip, English presenter hosting debates by young people across the world. 3 or 4 differing opinions with a follow up section online to continue the debate. Youth friendly/accessible. Visual media.
The International Monetary Fund
IMF at a glance
Reuters
International news agency. Canary Wharf, London.
Founded 1851 by Paul Reuter.
A useful web site linked with the History Channel.
Useful overview on Khmer Rouge in Cambodia 1975-79
Investopedia
http://www.investopedia.com/dictionary/
Very useful online dictionary that can explain complicated financial issues. It also offers a daily e-mail news bulletining involving recent and interesting news in the financial markets.
Creating social change in communities. Social action starts at primary school age to inspire young people’s confidence and self-belief.
The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) strengthens transatlantic cooperation on regional, national, and global challenges and opportunities in the spirit of the Marshall Plan.
GMF contributes research and analysis and convenes leaders on transatlantic issues relevant to policymakers. GMF offers rising leaders opportunities to develop their skills and networks through transatlantic exchange, and supports civil society in the Balkans and Black Sea regions by fostering democratic initiatives, rule of law, and regional cooperation.
Founded in 1972 as a non-partisan, non-profit organization through a gift from Germany as a permanent memorial to Marshall Plan assistance, GMF maintains a strong presence on both sides of the Atlantic. In addition to its headquarters in Washington, DC, GMF has offices in Berlin, Paris, Brussels, Belgrade, Ankara, Bucharest, and Warsaw. GMF also has smaller representations in Bratislava, Turin, and Stockholm.
Gave some useful information on Turkish elections (23.6.15 Galip Daley)
Useful videos – talk on Ukraine with Tim Judah, correspondent for the Economist covering the Balkans. For New York Review of Books has covered Afghanistan, Serbia, Uganda and Armenia. Has written a book: ‘The Serbs: History, Myth and the Destruction of Yugoslavia”; “Kosovo: War and Revenge” and “Kosovo: What Everyone Needs to Know”. LSE Graduate
The Transatlantic Academy
The Transatlantic Academy is a research institution devoted to creating common approaches to the long-term challenges facing Europe and North America. The Academy does this by each year bringing together scholars, policy experts, and authors from both sides of the Atlantic and from different disciplinary perspectives to research and analyze a distinct policy theme of transatlantic interest. Working together from a collaborative and interdisciplinary perspective, Academy fellows bridge the Atlantic academic and policy communities, and use research, publications, and seminars to develop policy-relevant contributions to critical debates in North America and Europe.
The Transatlantic Academy was created in 2007 as a partnership between the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) and the ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius.
Good article “ Revolutions of Dignity: 1989, the Arab Spring and Ukraine’ (9.6.15, Ted Reinert and Neil Walther).
Good article “Russia and the West: Looking Ahead” (12.1.15, James Goldgeier)
J-Store
Useful articles provided by academics. I used this site when I was at university; it was recommended by my Art History teacher. Need a password – usually has tie ins with academic institutions. Have to know what you’re looking for. It is free to register and some articles can be read online free.
Roger Darlington
Web site gives background to political structures: the link below is for the British system but he gives a good analysis of other ones globally that is brief, easily laid out and easy to understand. There is also a good one on the institutions and background history of the European Union.
http://www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/Britishpoliticalsystem.html
US government structure explainer
http://www.house.gov/content/learn/
American government web site that sets everything out clearly
Education/Maths
Pisa for Development – in FT from 18th June 2015
South East Asia
Good background history on countries in South East Asia
Tom Dispatch
Tom Engelhardt launched Tomdispatch in November 2001 as an e-mail publication offering commentary and collected articles from the world press. In December 2002, it gained its name, became a project of The Nation Institute, and went online as “a regular antidote to the mainstream media.” Tomdispatch is intended to introduce readers to voices and perspectives from elsewhere (even when the elsewhere is here). Its mission is to connect some of the global dots regularly left unconnected by the mainstream media and to offer a clearer sense of how this imperial globe of ours actually works.
The Nation
Founded by abolitionists in 1865, America’s oldest weekly magazine. Considered the ‘flagship’ of the political left. Offices in Washington, London and South Africa. They do not make money in their publications and rely on donations.
Good article on Tunisia – ‘How One Country Emerged from the Arab Spring with a Democratic State’ (12.2.14, Yasmine Ryan).
London School of Economics
Academic institution
‘The Middle East after the Arab Spring’ (Toby Dodge)
Academic Research Papers online
A platform for academics to share research papers.
‘The Success or Failure of the Arab Spring in International Politics’
Middle East Confidential
Online publication giving an insight into the Arab world.
Washington based with offices in Riyadh and Doha
About.com
http://www.about.com
Useful ‘everything you need to know’ web site.
What is the Middle East? 23.7.15
Good overview of South Korea
Blog covering the Middle East
Journalist. Blog covering Middle East, ‘occupation’ of Palestine and Syria. Married to Alex Crawford, journalist who has covered war zones (for Reuters). Has children. Good article in Independent on people who criticize his wife’s career choice when she has children back at home.
Modern Diplomacy
Opinion pieces, new ideas, essays, op-eds, book reviews. Interesting site. Global contributors. Covers a wide range of topics.
Irish Internet News Publication
TheJournal.ie is an internet news publication in Ireland. It is a mixture of original and aggregated content in a manner similar to The Huffington Post.
Had a good article in Feb 2015 on what was happening in Libya.
Other good resources; online and hard copy
The Huffington Post
The Washington Post
The Financial Times
The Big Read, Financial Times
Easy to understand articles published daily in the FT. One entire page but not lengthy. Usually large diagram or photograph at the top. There was a good one on Iran sanctions on 17.7.15 in light of the Iran Vienna accord carried out under the Obama government this June/July 2015.
Open Society Foundations
Eurointelligence.eu (news briefing)
National Geographic: Education
Magazine: ‘Political Insight’. – through the Political Studies association web site. Quarterly. Academics publishing on topics that are quite current.
Left Wing: New Statesman.
Prospect: Centre/Centre right
Economist: Right wing free market
Standpoint: Right wing (occasional left wing contributors)
Red Pepper – monthly. Radical left.
Spectator – Right wing.
Open Democracy.net – founded May 2001. Leftie site. Government one. Non-partisan.
Handala.org:
From 1975-1987. Naji Al_Ali created cartoons that depict complexities of plight of Palestinian refugees. Still relevant today and Handala, refuges child present in every cartoon, potent symbol of the struggle of the Palestinian people for justice and self determination. Naji Salim al-Ali was a cartoonist 1938-1987. Born in Palestine. 1948, one of the villages destroyed in the ‘Nakba’ – this the devastation of Palestine in the creation of the Israeli state. Palestinians lost more than half of their land. Massacres and 750,000 displaced refugees. He was 10 years old when he was expelled from Palestine to a refugee camp in Lebanon and grew up to be the most popular cartoonist in the Arab world. Time magazine said of him: ‘this man draws with human bones’. He was assassinated in London on 22.7.87 on way to offices of Al-Qabas newspaper (he was loved and hated)
Thorough Editorial Intelligence: IF Project. www.ragged-online.com
Barbara Gunnell: former comment editor of Observer and past-president of National Union of Journalists. Writer and editor based in London. Worked in FT, Independent on Sunday, The Observe and Political weekly. Editor of dialogue CHANGE to an Open Democracy.
On education: https://www.opendemocracy.net/5050/barbara-gunnell/lower-aspirations-for-higher-education
If Founder Barbara Gunnell’s recent piece for Open Democracy addresses the inequality in access to higher education in the UK today (Feb 2014)
Read an extract below, or the full piece here.
“The pretence that the university system today is still broadly meritocratic is becoming harder to sustain. It rests on two pillars of faith: firstly, that access to university is via ability rather than class, race or social status; and, secondly, that money worries need not deter any school-leaver with the will and ability to go to university.
But the first pillar is crumbling under the weight of evidence that access to university, particularly higher-status universities, is far from equal. The second is contradicted by watching working-class families simply priced out of higher education. They have been hit first by the scrapping of the Education Maintenance Allowance which had helped families keep 16-19 year olds in school long enough to take A-levels, and then by the daunting debt burden of three years of university fees and living costs.”