Devon Whittle » Political

Ignorance of international law and protests

devonwhittle — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 10:22:12 +0000

It seems all posts on Israel/Hamas are bringing out the worst on both sides. Charles Lechner examines the folly of labelling Israel’s acts as genocide without a proper legal basis, but some people commenting refuse to accept that the legal definition matters or can see the real danger in the ‘exploitative’ use of the terms holocaust or genocide.

Ignorance of international law and protests is a post from: Devon Whittle. You can contact the author at devonwhittle@gmail.com.

I can't wait for A-Span

devonwhittle — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 02:49:54 +0000

I can’t wait for A-Span. Please stream it live to the internet. I can't wait for A-Span is a post from: Devon Whittle. You can contact the author at devonwhittle@gmail.com. Related posts:Wait, so the taxi driver paid you? Somethings are just unexplainable Now tweeting live from Arusha, Tanzania

I can't wait for A-Span is a post from: Devon Whittle. You can contact the author at devonwhittle@gmail.com.

The ICC succeeding in Sudan

devonwhittle — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 01:56:00 +0000

This post on Opinio Juris demonstrates the multi-faceted effect of international criminal law and institutions like the ICC in particular. While Bashir hasn’t been brought to justice yet, the potential for ICC arrest has restricted his ability to travel and to be the head of a nation. There’s been, quite rightly, a bit of a focus on the judicial use of the ICC to ‘end impunity’ for war crimes, but these more ‘political’ effects are arguably just as important when it comes to the ICC bringing justice and peace to conflicts.

The ICC succeeding in Sudan is a post from: Devon Whittle. You can contact the author at devonwhittle@gmail.com.

"Politics isn't about Policy"

devonwhittle — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 01:35:47 +0000

Here’s a great set of contradictions, see it after the jump.

Food isn’t about Nutrition
Clothes aren’t about Comfort
Bedrooms aren’t about Sleep
Marriage isn’t about Romance
Talk isn’t about Info
Laughter isn’t about Jokes
Charity isn’t about Helping
Church isn’t about God
Art isn’t about Insight
Medicine isn’t about Health
Consulting isn’t about Advice
School isn’t about Learning
Research isn’t about Progress
Politics isn’t about Policy

"Politics isn't about Policy" is a post from: Devon Whittle. You can contact the author at devonwhittle@gmail.com.

Recommended BBC World Service Podcasts

devonwhittle — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 05:21:27 +0000

I’ve recently rediscovered the world of podcasts, and now wonder why I need a television or radio. The BBC has a a great one called BBC World Service Documentaries. It is a collection of fascinating reports from around the world. Two highly recommended ones: How Crime Took on the World Part Three – a look at the private security industry in South Africa and Policing the Union – an investigation into corruption among UN peacekeepers in the Congo.

Recommended BBC World Service Podcasts is a post from: Devon Whittle. You can contact the author at devonwhittle@gmail.com.

Hinging the destiny of a country to an individual

devonwhittle — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 23:38:14 +0000

“Hinging the destiny of a country to an individual is absolutely not correct” quote from Eriya Kategaya, a former Ugandan cabinet minister, in this article on the “Danger in Embracing Africa’s Visionary Leaders”. The article is a good take on the return to the “One Big Man” approach to development – that the African way is to have one chief, a benevolent dictator, and that’s how things will get fixed. History, though, says otherwise.

Hinging the destiny of a country to an individual is a post from: Devon Whittle. You can contact the author at devonwhittle@gmail.com.

Kosovo independence and more self-determination

devonwhittle — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 23:04:30 +0000

Bancroft has an interesting article on the use of the right to self-determination under international law in relation to Georgia and South-Ossetia. The support giving to Kosovo’s independence, despite international law to the contrary may have set a dangerous precedent for other conflicted states. I think ’self-determination’, in the sense of forming new states, should always be the last option. Especially if the states get divide on purely ethnic or linguistic lines. Surely, European history combined with the lessons from Rwanda, Ethiopia and elsewhere is that division of the world into ethnic enclaves is not a solution to conflict.

Kosovo independence and more self-determination is a post from: Devon Whittle. You can contact the author at devonwhittle@gmail.com.

Gans on FuelWatch

devonwhittle — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 11:10:52 +0000

Joshua Gans has his take on the doomed FuelWatch scheme. He seems to be saying that it will reduce prices by increasing competition, and that’s why the independents are against it. Gans on FuelWatch is a post from: Devon Whittle. You can contact the author at devonwhittle@gmail.com. Related posts:Gans on the Charter Moot Gans on admissible evidence in [...]

Gans on FuelWatch is a post from: Devon Whittle. You can contact the author at devonwhittle@gmail.com.

Doha was no development round

devonwhittle — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 09:06:28 +0000

Rodrik’s article in the Guardian makes some good points about the recent failure over Doha. Let’s hope that when things get back on track we can get a real development agenda going and the WTO can start living up to its preamble more.

Doha was no development round is a post from: Devon Whittle. You can contact the author at devonwhittle@gmail.com.

Free time for political advertisements during elections

devonwhittle — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 01:56:42 +0000

Remember Sally Young’s book The Persauders? She also recently testified at an inquiry into political advertising at the last Federal Election, saying that TV stations should be required to give free time to political parties during election campaigns to address the tremendous costs incurred during political campaigns. Of course this has some issues in regards to who decides who gets aired and in what proportions – if not designed right it could just contribute to the stranglehold the two parties have on Australian politics. Also let’s not forget Australian Capital Television Pty Ltd v Commonwealth and the implied right to political communication – the last time this was tried it was struck down by the High Court.

Free time for political advertisements during elections is a post from: Devon Whittle. You can contact the author at devonwhittle@gmail.com.