Bluestocking Institute

Discussion Group: Occupy Oakland

2012-03-05T17:20:00.005-08:00

5:30pm - 7pm Sunday 11th March 2012, Moon Cafe (Northbridge).

Welcome to Bluestocking’s Discussion Group series for 2012!

The first Discussion Group of the year will look into the ‘Occupy’ movement which is sweeping the globe. Our very own Sky Croeser has recently returned from Occupy Oakland in the US, and will share with us some of her experiences and insights.

Come along for a fun, informal discussion! At the Moon Cafe (323 William Street, Northbridge), 5:30pm this Sunday. All welcome. RSVP here.

For more information on Occupy Oakland:-

Over the last few months Sky has been populating her website (and the media) with her accounts of Occupy Oakland, and the broader Occupy movement, including activities here in Perth. This experience has been part research (via Curtin University) and part personal interest for Sky. And, as you can read in the articles below, she has certainly been keeping in the thick of it.

Below is a few links to Sky's blogs, and a copy of her article in Global Comment concerning her experiences at Occupy Oakland:

http://globalcomment.com/2012/whose-streets-claiming-public-space-and-occupying-oakland/

From skycroeser.net:

“Occupy Wall Street: movements and manifestos”

http://skycroeser.net/2011/10/05/occupy-wall-street-movements-and-manifestos/

“The violence we don’t see” http://skycroeser.net/2011/11/15/the-violence-we-dont-see/

“Why I’ll be at Occupy Perth (and the protests against CHOGM)” http://skycroeser.net/2011/10/26/why-ill-be-at-occupy-perth-and-the-protests-against-chogm/

Whose Streets? Claiming Public Space and Occupying Oakland

February 8, 2012 - Global Comment
Sky Croeser

As we marched down the road a man with his face covered in a black bandanna ran up to me and tapped me on the shoulder, pointing to the intersection ahead of us. “The police are up there,” he said, knowing from an earlier conversation that I had to be careful not to get arrested, “you might want to get onto the sidewalk.” I ran up towards the front of the march: police were blocking roads in at least three directions, and I couldn’t see the fourth. A group of people who’d been arrested at Saturday’s Move In Day started walking off down a side street and I joined them, worried that the police would start moving in at any moment.

Occupy Oakland has been criticised for taking a more militant tone than other Occupies. The Mayor of Oakland, Jean Quan, has attempted to widen divisions within Occupy by calling on ‘leaders’ of the Occupy movement to oppose Occupy Oakland for its failure to commit to nonviolence.

On January 28th, Move In Day, which was meant to lead to a building takeover to set up a social centre, people brought down home-made riot shields, barricades, and gas masks. For the last six weeks, sections of Occupy Oakland have also been having a ‘Fuck the Police’ (FTP) march every Saturday night, which the Tactical Action Committee describe as “a militant action” and “not a march intended for people who are not fully comfortable with diversity of tactics” (a phrase which refers to tactics that might include resisting the police and property damage).

However, what critics often miss is that the same people who carried barricades at Move In Day go to Occupy events in San Francisco empty-handed. When I went to Occupy Wall Street West in San Francisco on 20th January, I didn’t see any barricades or riot shields, and very few gas masks. The reason for this is clear: activists don’t expect to be teargassed, shot with rubber bullets and beanbag guns, maced, and beaten in San Francisco.

The FTP march may make some activists uncomfortable. Honestly, if I wasn’t trying to get a better understanding of Occupy Oakland for my research, I may not have attended: it’s not the kind of event I would usually be comfortable with as an activist. But then, I was never teargassed, shot at, or kettled until Move In Day, and my interactions with the police have been shaped by the fact that I’m a middle-class white woman living in Australia. I am now more anxious around police than I have ever been before.

What the FTP march, barricades and gas masks assert is the right of protesters to be in public space, and the willingness to resist being pushed out of that space. This is a vital right for activists to assert. It is possible for activism to take place in private, or in public only with permission: in rented offices, through letters to politicians or news sources, through decisions to boycott products or buy fair trade, in marches that have been granted permits or ad campaigns paid for by donation. But to believe that activism should be bounded by what is polite, unthreatening, and legal is to accept a system that configures as primarily as consumers, and channels our politics through the funnel of consumption. It means accepting that only those who can afford to speak loudly should be heard.

Being present in public space is an important part of activism. It makes it easier for people to stop by and get involved, to watch from the fringes and try to work out what is going on with the movement. It is a small step towards reclaiming the commons, asserting that healthy communities need shared spaces in which people can spend time without participating in acts of consumption. It also forces activists to work out ways to deal with the contradictions we face: to organise across lines of race and class, to build safe spaces for women, for people who are queer, trans or genderqueer, for children, but also to include those who have been pushed onto the street by a lack of mental health and welfare services.

Saturday’s FTP march demonstrated that people are willing to stand up to police intimidation in order to reclaim their streets. Many of those there were nervous: some had been arrested on Saturday and held in terrible conditions, others knew that being arrested might get them fired. They marched anyway. There were young people there with their faces masked, but also older people in suits, couples holding hands, people carrying pets, people who had never been to a FTP march before but came because of what happened on Move In Day. As they walked through Oakland I saw people watching from balconies and windows and cars, often waving and smiling. I didn’t see any hostile reactions from those who were watching.

I don’t know where Occupy Oakland is headed. In a week, I’ll get on a plane and head back to Australia, where I doubt I’ll be teargassed in the near future. In the meantime, the debates will continue, and activists will keep trying to build a public space for themselves in the face of police confiscations of their property and bad weather.

And, as I have heard so many activists say: Spring is coming. Who knows what the sunshine will bring?

2012-01-09T03:09:00.000-08:00

What does it take to make a difference?
How do we translate passion into a useful campaign?
How can we make a big splash on a tiny budget?

Activist Campaign Tools (ACT) is a series of three day courses for community organisers in Perth, WA. Priced for an activist budget, they are designed to provide practical skills and campaign secrets for people trying to improve the world. The courses are designed to provide practical skills and professional training for non-profit organisations, advocates, and anyone working for change!

Three ACT courses are coming up soon:

CAMPAIGN SKILLS: Freo Sunday 29 Jan, 5 & 12 Feb
Translate passion into action! Campaign Planning, marketing and media, politics and lobbying, events, activism tactics and people skills.
COMMUNITY SKILLS: Perth Sunday 11, 25 Mar & 15 Apr NEW
Build your organisation! Volunteer recruitment and management, fundraising secrets, increase membership, Web 2.0 and Cyber-activism, networking and partnerships.
SPEAKING SKILLS: Perth Sundays 6, 20 May, 10 June
Compelling Communications: Speaking with Confidence, Speech Structure and Content, Vocal Skills, Body Language, Persuasive Psychology, Dynamic Debating, Impromptu Speaking.

For more details and bookings, visit ACT or call Katrina Bercov at ACT on 9443 7454.

Sustainable Food Fundraiser

2011-11-11T20:59:00.000-08:00

Strictly Hypothetical: City Farm Sustainable Food Fundraiser

In the spirit of Geoffrey Robertson, Strictly Hypothetical is a truly different night out!

Help raise funds for City Farm's inaugural Food Film Festival in 2012, as we sink our teeth into some of today’s juiciest food issues!

Follow the adventures of an average Aussie family as they meet our live food panel. Help them decide what to do in the face of delicious dilemmas and percolated problems!

Eating for a Small Planet
Cows, Carbon, Culture and Climate Change

25 November

Darling, What’s for Dinner?
Sustainable, Seasonal, Secure and Shared

9 December

The panel will include:

• WA Young Chef of the Year, Matt Stone (Greenhouse Restaurant)

• Wholefoods trailblazer and author Jude Blereau

• Senator Rachel Siewert and Hon. Lynn MacLaren, MLC for South Metro

• Dr Felicity Newman: food culture lecturer and unashamed Jewish mother!

• Sustainability pioneers, horticulturalists and radio gardening experts Chris Ferreira and Steve Wood

• Vince Gareffa: celebrity butcher and organic meat specialist

Bookings Essential: www.strictlyhypothetical.com

Advocacy Across Borders is Now Available

2011-10-11T23:27:00.000-07:00

Advocacy Across Borders: NGOs, anti-sweatshop activism and the global garment industry by Shae Garwood is available from Kumarian Press.

The clothing and textile industry employs nearly 30 million people worldwide, mostly in Asia and Central America. Workers frequently face long hours, inadequate wages, harassment and abuse. While some resist such conditions by joining labor unions, many are prevented from doing so or find it difficult to adjust to transitory manufacturers. Because of these challenges, garment workers have reached out to allies across political borders in order to apply more pressure on garment manufacturers.

The transnational anti-sweatshop network is at a critical stage in its development and is due for serious analysis. Advocacy Across Borders reveals the relationships that Northern-based NGOs forge in order to exert influence on powerful actors in the industry. An exhaustive dissection of the strategies of many organizations involved in this extensive network, Garwood’s study points the way forward for civil society actors reaching across borders to advocate for a better world.

Bluestocking annual general meeting and discussion on the future of NGOs

2011-09-05T04:13:00.000-07:00

Bluestocking Institute members and anyone interested in joining are invited to attend our annual general meeting on 9 October from 5-7 pm at The Moon Café at 323 William St, Northbridge, WA. We’ll provide an overview of our activities over the last year, vote on new Management Committee members, and discuss future plans. If you would like to nominate for a position on the Management Committee, please send an email to shae@blustockinginstitute.org indicating your interest. Following the official business, we’ll have a brief discussion on the political, economic and social role of nonprofit organisations in Australian society, how those roles are changing, and comparisons with other countries.

RSVP to the annual general meeting via email shae@bluestockinginstitute.org or via our Facebook page.

For everyone outside of Perth, you’re always welcome to participate in our ongoing discussions via the Bluestocking blog or our Facebook page. We’ll post new information in both places about upcoming topics for discussion, events, and new publications.

Here are a few links for our discussion on the future of NGOs:

Click here for an article in The Economist that highlights the changing relationships between NGOs and businesses, and the problems arising from those changing relationships: Reaching for a longer spoon: The disaster in the Gulf of Mexico is straining ties between companies and activists.

Johns Hopkins Comparative Nonprofit Sector Project analyses the scope, structure and financing of the nonprofit sector around the world.

The Australia Institute’s report Silencing dissent, which highlights the ways NGOs in Australia are constrained through their relationships with the state.

Numerous articles can be found on the website of The Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Harvard University.

Photo by David Neubert http://www.flickr.com/photos/neubie/2273635564/

Discussion Group Summary: Carbon Tax

2011-08-19T18:27:00.000-07:00

Our recent discussion on the carbon tax began with an overview of the tax's development, how it's structured, and some of the responses to it.

Political context

The price on carbon is, in large part, an outcome of the current Australian minority government. Before Julia Gillard was elected she promised that she wouldn't implement a carbon tax, and would instead engage in a long period of community consultation before deciding on a course of action. The necessity of negotiating with the Greens and independents, however, shifted that plan. This is not to say that it's the Greens' plan - it's a step in the direction they want, but is far from what they would ideally like. Rural independents Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor have also played a role in shaping the tax, particularly by pushing for petrol to be exempted. The package is also the result of a months-long consultation process with affected industries and other groups.

Australian emissions

Another important aspect of the tax's background is Australia's carbon emissions: Australia produces more pollution per person than any other country. This is partly because Australia tends to have significantly lower levels of energy efficiency than other developed nation (in 2004, “the overall carbon efficiency of the economy, per unit of fossil fuel used, [was] about half that for Europe and Japan.” This is related, but not entirely due, to Australia's heavy dependence on coal for energy.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user yewenyi.

The structure of the plan

The details of the plan are outlined at the Clean Energy Future site. The carbon tax is currently aimed at a five percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, and should cover about 60% of Australia's emissions. It focuses on the 500 largest polluters (excluding the agricultural sector), with assistance packages for some industries (such as steel manufacturing). There's also significant funding included for the development of 'clean' and renewable energy, energy efficiency, and biodiversity conservation. After three years, there will be a shift to an emissions trading scheme, with a cap on carbon and a minimum price of $15 a tonne.

A significant component of the package is assistance to Australian households. Treasury modelling indicates that living costs are expected to rise by expected to rise by 0.7% in 2012-2013 (compared to the 2.5% increase associated with the GST, and the 2.9% associated with inflation). Nine in ten households will receive some money to cover this cost, with approximately two thirds of Australian households receiving enough money to cover it completely. Much of this will be provided by raising the minimum income threshold for taxation and giving tax cuts to those earning under $80,000 a year (following the recommendations of the Henry Tax Review). There will also be increases to allowances, pensions, and family payments.

Responses

Despite the limited reach of the carbon tax, opposition to it has been fierce. Much of the opposition has been lead by the Liberal party, industry groups which have launched a $10 million campaign against the tax, talkback radio, and reporting in newspapers such as the Daily Telegraph. This has been instrumental in the drop in support for the government: in July, Labor party's primary vote dropped to 26 percent, the lowest for a major party in the poll's 39-year history. There are a number of groups, including SayYes and GetUp, trying to build support for the tax, and more generally for effective climate action, but they have an uphill battle ahead.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user Alex Schlotzer

This is a very brief overview of a complex issue. If you want to read more, one way to start is the sites I've bookmarked here - the information for this post comes from these sites.

You're also very welcome to ask questions or add comments on this post. During the discussion, we were mostly trying to understand how the tax will create change, who will be effected, and the reasons for the opposition to the tax (including opposition from those who will benefit most from the associated changes to tax and allowances). What do you think?

2011-08-18T23:25:00.001-07:00

"Globalisation: Another World Is Possible?"
UWA Extension Course open for enrolment now!

The Bluestocking Institute is offering the course "Globalisation: Another World Is Possible?" via UWA Extensions, on Wed nights for 4 wks starting October 5^th. Enrolments are now open at http://www.extension.uwa.edu.au/course/cc113. All welcome!

Globalisation : Another World Is Possible?

The course, “Globalisation: Another world is possible”, seeks to give participants a deeper understanding of globalisation. From the anti-globalisation protests in Seattle to the role of Wiki leaks in the recent Egyptian uprising, we ask: How is globalisation changing the world, and how does this affect our everyday lives?

The course is composed of four weekly, two-hour sessions that will investigate globalisation’s various faces; from the rise of terrorism and the role of the internet, to the infiltration of Coke and McDonalds to the four corners of the globe. The course will include an overview of the major issues and debates, with some real life accounts and examples of globalisation in action. Each session will end with a casual group discussion around some tea and snacks, where participants are encouraged to explore and share their ideas.

Week 1: The Global Economy

Week 2: The Environment

Week 3: New Media

Week 4: The Future of a Globalised World

Presented by: Sky Croeser, Kelly Gerard and Michelle Hackett

Location: UWA Extensions, Claremont, WA

Call for Submissions from the International Museum of Women

2011-08-04T05:33:00.000-07:00

Your Voices: On Motherhood

Submit Your Work Now for the Next Online Exhibition of the International Museum of Women (IMOW)!

Published Submissions Eligible for a US$1,000 Community Choice Award

Artists, filmmakers, photographers, musicians, writers—IMOW is now accepting submissions of any media type for our new online exhibition, Your Voices: On Motherhood. Contributions can come in any medium that is currently supported on IMOW.org and work must address a topic related to motherhood. Published submissions will be eligible for a US$1,000 Community Choice Award, with $500 going to the individual contributor and $500 going to a women’s nonprofit of the winner’s choice!

IMOW wants to showcase the experiences, ideas, joys and challenges of a new global generation on motherhood. What are your fears and hopes as you think about whether to become a mother? How is being a ‘good’ mother defined in your country or culture? How is mothering now different to your mother or grandmother’s generation? Tell us your story and submit your work today!

For more information and submissions guidelines click here

Discussion Group: Carbon Tax

2011-07-23T03:14:00.000-07:00

In February this year the Australian government announced a tax on carbon pollution, to come into effect in July 2011. The tax will be levied on a limited number of companies, and will be replaced by a cap and trade system in around three to five years. The tax has proved to be controversial, with demonstrations both in favour and against it.

We'll talk through some of the issues surrounding the carbon tax, including how it will work, it's potential effect on households and the economy, and how the tax has been covered in the media.

If you'd like to do some reading before you come along, here are some resources:
* The ABC has a number of infographics that show key figures, effects on food prices, how carbon pricing works, which areas emissions will be cut from, effects on income and the economy, Australia's current emission levels, and a short overview of different approaches to cutting emissions.
* The Australian government has released a site that will allow you to estimate the effects on your household. Why not try it out?
* The Drum's Ben Eltham takes a closer look at the main alternative being proposed: the Coalition's Direct Action Plan.
* In the wake of the government's announcement, different groups are trying to shape how Australians react: a new industry lobby group has been formed to oppose the tax, Crikey's Andrew Crook claims that the Daily Telegraph's coverage is biased, and GetUp! is trying to crowd source funding for their own ads.

Of course, you're also very welcome to show up without reading these resources, or to do reading of your own.

Meet us at the Moon Cafe at 5pm, Sunday 14th August. You can RSVP through the Facebook event page or just come along.

My Freegan Results

2011-07-21T03:13:00.001-07:00

Alright, so I don't have fancy pictures like Claire below me, but I also wanted to report on the success of Freegan Run #1. First, we had been warned that it would be a nasty, unpleasant job. Sorry to say, but it was SO FUN. We giggled, joked, laughed, and skulked around in complete jest. It wasn't gross, well it wasn't too gross, and it was a good time with my fellow hippies.

I live on my own and I've been struggling to get through all the food we harvested. I had breakfast off of bakery goods for the first half of my week (so unhealthy, so yum), and fruit and toast for the remainder, all dredged up from the depths of Thrown Out By Other People. Tomorrow I'll have two of the eggs we salvaged on toast, and I'm looking forward to it!

For lunch this week I made vegan peanut satay soup:

Pumpkin (freegan)
Carrot (freegan)
Potato (freegan)
Red chili (freegan)
Garlic and onion
Lemon (backyard; does that count as freegan?)
Coconut milk
Cumin and fresh tumeric
Peanut butter
Vegetable stock
Rolls for dipping (freegan)

I have to pat myself on the back. It's pretty stellar soup.

Tonight I'm making:

Capsicum (freegan) stuffed with kangaroo (NOT freegan, or vegan, or anything but yummy and already in my freezer), bread crumbs (freegan), tomato (freegan), garlic, and mushrooms
Steamed beans (freegan), snow peas (freegan), and leeks doused in dill-lemon butter
And just to make it especially un-hippy, I'll even add the dairy product of grilled Haloumi.

I've also been working my way through pineapple, pears, and apples. All in all, I am a total freegan convert. We are planning run #2 sometime next week. If you are curious, get in touch with me!

Freegan run number one

2011-07-18T04:16:00.001-07:00

The Bluestocking-affiliated Practical Ethics group took its first official Freegan run this weekend, with five participants, one who claimed to be "just an observer", although we quickly press-ganged him into use as a bag-passer, vegetable-holder, and dumpster-lid-returner. As lovely little Freegans, we returned everything to a tidy state, lowering dumpster lids, redistributing the cardboard boxes on top, and snacking on scones straight out of the bag. Well, ok, straight out of the bin liner.

Our haul amounted to mostly fresh produce from a Sunday market, pretty much all bruised, starting to go off, or otherwise "damaged goods". We liked them perfectly fine, however, and anything that was too far gone even to be reclaimed by hungry hungry hippies went to a separate box for the chooks.

Although we weren't as green as we would have liked (in that we had a car and drove from site to site), it turned out to be essential for the sheer amount of stuff we had, most of which we sorted into cardboard flats also taken from the dumpster. We had all thoughtfully brought lots of those little fruit and veg bags for putting loose rolls and things in, which turned out nicely when we hit the jackpot of scones, chocolate croissants, and walnut scrolls. Also as individual bread bags for the wholemeal loves we found, baked fresh that day.

So after sorting out the bounty, I took my share home and washed it thoroughly in cold water and soap (I actually used dish detergent, with a thorough rinsing to ensure it was all off every veggie), then patted it dry and put it in the fridge for later use -- it was about 11:15 when I got home, and about ten to midnight when I finished washing vegetables.

Today, this is what I made from it (and ingredients I had around the house):

Vegetarian baked risotto, based on this recipe -- I already had the garlic, onions, oil, rice, broccoli and the extra sprinkling of parmesan I added -- the zucchini and tomatos came from freeganism.

Just a light salad: cherry tomatoes and cucumber from the dumpsters, lemon juice from our backyard tree, a splash of balsamic vinegar and salt to taste.

And a lot of other stuff -- a yellow capsicum, a carrot, and a lot of other odds and ends, including the rest of the stewed tomatoes from the risotto -- went into a pot with some water to simmer away into vegetable stock.

I have also been cultivating my own sourdough starter from wholegrain flour and water, and set that out to rise while I cooked all of this -- it's slowly poufing itself into a little round ball right now.

Discussion Group Event: The Ban on Live Animal Export

2011-07-16T08:43:00.000-07:00

At the last Bluestocking Discussion Group we explored the recent events surrounding live cow export to Indonesia. Video footage by Animals Australia depicting cruelty against cows in Indonesian abattoirs has raised concerns about Australia’s live animal export practices, and led to a temporary ban on the trade. As we discussed last Sunday, this raises interesting and tricky questions about the ethics of live animal export, about the responsibility we should or shouldn’t have over the end use of “goods” we sell (eg uranium, animals), and about the future sustainability of the way we live and eat.

The Australian cattle industry and farmers, the Indonesian meat industry and consumers, the Australian government, and Australian public, all appear to have a stake in the future of live cow export. The media reports in Australia over the last month seem to have been dominated by the concerns of the Australian farmers; primarily, the frustration of farmers with the uncertainty surrounding their industry. Whilst the ban on live exports has since been lifted, there are now strict conditions over the exportation of cows to Indonesia. It is the Australian exporter who is now required to account for each cow that is transported to Indonesia- from the moment they buy the cow in Australia, to the moment it is killed in the abattoir in Indonesia. This can be a process which takes several months, as the Indonesian government is trying to enhance its own livestock-feed industry by “fattening-up” the cows in their own fields, before slaughter.

We discussed the question of whether it is simply easiest, and more humane, to stop live export of the cows altogether. There are a few reasons why this would be tricky: one reason is the livestock-feed industry that Indonesia wants to continue to build; another reason is the halal standards that Indonesia wants to ensure are met; another reason is the lack of refrigeration in much of Indonesia, making fresh meat the safest choice. In terms of the Islamic halal standards, we do have halal butchers in Australia, but there is some difference of opinions over whether stunning is acceptable under halal guidelines. In order for meat to be halal the cow must be killed in a specific way. In Australia, nonlethal stunning before proper slaughter is accepted as halal. This practice is not universally accepted, however, and hence international standards do not include stunning. The Australian government requires exporters to ensure that Indonesian abattoirs are up to international standards for cow slaughter. Unsurprising, this has not been deemed sufficient by animal welfare groups.

Finally, our discussion led us to question the animal welfare standards in domestic industries here in Australia. While the plight of cows and sheep abroad is most certainly an area of concern, it can be seen as hypocritical to chastise Indonesia for its bad animal welfare record when caged chicken (among other issues) are still a legal industry in Australia. Hopefully the live cow export media blitz will help to raise community awareness of the animal welfare problems we have here at home.

For further information on any of the above, post up a blog with your questions and I’ll do my best to research an answer. Some interesting sources are pasted below.

The Photo above is courtesy of tha abc news.

City Farm Visit

2011-07-10T23:47:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

This past Saturday, a few of us from Practical Ethics met up at City Farm to check out the local food market and talk sustainable eating habits.

We started in the organic farmers’ market and wandered around checking out vendors selling things from organic produce to organic, natural beauty products. Everyone was happy to talk with us as we passed their booth and seemed very friendly and knowledgeable.

The five of us (Sky, Claire, Jacquelyn, Michelle, and me) then went over to the City Farm Café for breakfast. The food was all gorgeous, with vegetarian items galore and most of the food local and organic including the meat options. The owner stopped by a couple of time to check on the food, talk vegan chefs, and discuss the origin of everything we had in front of us. Sidenote: the lovely owner also leaned a bit too close to the heater and almost set her coat on fire.

While we ate, we talked about sustainable food choices. I myself have been both vegetation and vegan, and reverted straight back to Mostly Carnivore as soon as my hippy community was gone as a results of my move from Austin to Houston (Texas). Sky was happy to represent the vegan perspective, and it turns out four of the five of us are strict vegetarians. We discussed the etiquette of refusing or accepting food (“Thank you but no Greek grandmother, I don’t want vegetables cooked in meat drippings…”), how to manage slip-ups (we abandoned that whole idea of slipping up. Each new meal is a new decision), and our own reasons behind making our food choices (ecological impacts? animal rights? cultural surroundings? ). Eating is a complicated decision-making process, taking into consideration everything from production costs through additives and their health implications. It was nice to chat with a positive group of people all thinking about the topic but still living practical, food-rich lives.

Our next meet-up will be next weekend, when we give Freeganism a try. We’ve all heard about it, read about it, thought about it, but most of us haven’t made the quite gutsy move to a Freegun collection run and subsequent cookup. Well we’re going to give it a try this Sunday, 17 July! If you have questions or want to join us, feel free to contact myself, Sky, or Claire for more details. We also have a Practical Ethics facebook group if you want to check us out there!

Cheers! and happy pictures of chickens!

Nancy

Practical Ethics

2011-07-03T19:01:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

I'm new to your group, and I'm excited to get involved! Sky, Claire, and I are organizing monthly get togethers for ethical living. As someone who tries to live ethically, it sometimes gets very depressing to learn more about an issue (green travel? buying fairtrade food?) and discover that I've been Doing It All Wrong.

In order to focus on the positive things we can (and do!) do and the practical side of living ethically, we've created the group Practical Ethics to take field trips around the Perth region and encourage a more sustainable lifestyle for everyone who wants to feel nice about the things they're trying to change.

As the first in our Practical Ethics field trips, we're visiting the urban farm City Farm Saturday, 9 July at 9 am, located right behind the Claisebrook train station. We'll visit their mostly organic farmer's market and have a look at their organic growing practices and free range animals, then enjoy some snacks and discussion after. Please join us! If you are interested in coming, we've got a facebook group or you can get in touch with me, Sky, or Claire for more details!

Thanks!

Nancy

China's 'Jasmine Revolution'

2011-06-16T22:13:00.000-07:00

China's 'Jasmine Revolution' was discussed at the last Bluestocking discussion group. In February Chinese activists followed the lead of Egypt and Tunisia by calling for democracy protests in major Chinese cities. These online calls appeared to originate from websites run by exiled Chinese activists. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) responded to such campaigns in a zealous manner by blocking results to online searches of 'Jasmine Revolution', limiting coverage of the protests in the Middle East, beating up foreign journalists attempting to cover the protests, and detaining iconic activists without charge. The most high-profile of these detainees is Ai Weiwei, artist and artistic consultant for the 'Bird's Nest' stadium for the Beijing Olympics, who was detained at Beijing International Airport on April 3rd on allegations of 'economic crimes' however it remains unclear whether he has been formally charged. All of these are trademark methods of the CCP to clampdown on potential challengers however its use of these tactics all at once highlights its paranoia in this instance.

Given the extreme response of the Chinese government to the calls for protests, it is unsurprising that it appears as though protests did not take place at all. Some protestors adapted their calls by asking people to simply "stroll" past a designated building at a particular time but without drawing attention to the fact that they were protesting, however a strong policy presence (both uniformed and plain-clothed) on designated streets kept people moving and prevented any such protest from being identifiable from regular crowds in busy city areas. Following the first week of attempted protests, a construction site appeared on the most high-profile of the designated streets, Beijing's Wangfujiang, and blocked off much of it, apparently to correct the pavement sinking.

The CCP's harsh crackdown on activists does not sit well with the growing responsibilities that have accompanied its economic rise. For China to become a leader on the international stage, it cannot respond to civil unrest with the same methods that were prevalent in its darker days. Meanwhile, the substantial differences between China and Middle Eastern countries undergoing political upheavals are apparent, and hence it is unlikely that China will undergo the same experience. Furthermore, the CCP's brutal history of clamping down on civil unrest has discouraged the population from openly challenging its leadership.

So how do we account for the CCP's paranoia? Was it perhaps just the unfortunate timing of the protests around the National People's Congress which made the CCP more sensitive? Was it a result of divisions within the Party, where conservative cliques have clashed with more liberal actors, and the crackdown was a backlash against the views of the latter gaining ground within and outside of the Party? Or was it simply a miscalculation on behalf of the CCP, fuelled by the growing number of protests across the country against a myriad of issues, including endemic corruption amongst lower-level officials, environmental degradation, growing inequality, and rising living costs? Whatever the trigger, it is clear that China will not undergo a political upheaval similar to that seem in the Middle East. The CCP has spoken of political reform for many decades now and it is likely that it will continue to do so, moving at its own pace rather than one dictated by China's citizens.

Nuclear energy today- Safe or susceptible?

2011-04-17T22:46:00.000-07:00

In the wake of the recent natural (and man-made?) disasters in Japan, it is interesting to compare nuclear emergencies now and 25 years ago, with Japan and Chernobyl. During the recent Bluestocking discussion group meeting, our discussions on this topic appeared to focus-in on three main points: the roles of communication, contractors and Climate Change.

During the Cold War, when the Chernobyl nuclear melt down occurred, communication between the government and its people, between countries, and in particular, across the iron curtain, was extremely poor. One of the consequences of this was the initial secrecy surrounding the meltdown which resulted in delayed emergency responses and ultimately, greater loss of life and environmental damage. In comparison, information concerning the Japanese nuclear crises appeared to be plentiful and timely. National and international pressure, and condemnation of initial slow communication, saw the Japanese government step-up their press releases and public announcements. With globalisation and international media, details of the emergency were broadcast not only to Japan’s residents, but also to news channels around the world.

Interestingly, some of the initial communication confusion in Japan appeared to come from the private contractors who built and ran the systems. This raises potentially serious questions about privatisation of nuclear reactors. Does a company have the same incentives or perceived responsibility to report problems as a government? Is the private industry under more pressure to turn-a-profit and under less scrutiny concerning safety measures? Such questions and concerns further increase the need for greater transparency in business operations, especially in such a sensitive environment as ‘nuclear’. As we saw in the Chernobyl case, though, this need for transparency is just as true for governments. Transparency and communication appear to be key concerns during national emergencies.

Since Chernobyl, international pro-nuclear actors have argued that nuclear power plants have radically transformed and improved, so that such a meltdown could not occur again. However, whilst the technology has progressed, a new threat to the safety of nuclear reactors and nuclear waste storage is rising; that is, Climate Change. In layman’s terms: As the glaciers and icesheets melt (eg in Greenland), this causes an extraordinary amount of weight to lift off the landmass beneath it, causing structural change in the alignment of the continental plates. This can lead to changing patterns of earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic activity. Whilst this is not necessarily the case for the Japanese crises, it does raise concerning questions about the future. Where is it “safe” to build a nuclear reactor, and can we continue to safely contain the hazardous material?

Whilst some have criticised the overwhelming press coverage on the nuclear crises (in comparison to the death toll caused by the tsunami), this does give us occasion to reflect on the pros and cons of nuclear. Communication, contractors and Climate Change are just a snap shot of some of the issues that need continual scrutiny in this arena. For more information on this topic, have a look at the links in the blog below. Feel free to post up your comments concerning nuclear and Japan. What is your view: Is nuclear safe or susceptible?

Discussion Group: Crises in Japan

2011-03-27T18:17:00.000-07:00

The next Bluestocking Institute for Global Peace and Justice discussion group will continue the theme of current global events, with a focus on the recent tragedies in Japan.

From earthquakes and tsunamis to the threat of nuclear meltdown, can anything more assault our Asian neighbour? How have the Japanese people coped with these crises, how has the media portrayed the issues, and what role does Climate Change play in it all?

Date: 5pm, Sunday 10 April 2011

Place: Moon Café, 323 William St, Northbridge, WA

RSVP: Bluestocking facebook event page

Here are some websites to get the discussion rolling:

New stories about the Japanese earthquake and tsunami

A map of the affected nuclear sites in Japan

A debate over the lessons for US nuclear

A positive spin story on Japan's nuclear problems

The rise of corporate lobbying

2011-03-15T18:25:00.000-07:00

We covered a range of topics at the discussion group on Sunday, including the possibility of a no-fly zone in Libya and its implications, and the likelihood of genuine political reform in the Middle East. This conversation led us to examining democracy as we know it, and reflecting on the rise of corporate lobbying. Vanessa Baird at the New Internationalist highlights the implications of the ever-cosier relationship between big business and politicians, such as McDonalds and PepsiCo now contributing to writing the UK National Health Policy, and the Americans for Prosperity Foundation, founded by David Koch of Koch Energy Industries, training Tea Party activists.

The influence that corporate lobbyists wield in politics, largely as a result of the ‘revolving door’ which enables people to move quickly from roles in government to lobbying positions in corporations, creates compelling reasons for the formal participation of social movements in the political process. It also highlights the need for transparency, such as a mandatory register of all lobbyists that detail who they are lobbying, how much they spend on it, and details of which politicians they meet with and how often. ‘Democracy 4 Sale,’ which was founded by the Greens NSW, provides some details of the Australian situation.

You can't make this stuff up: Republicans' recent asssaults on women's rights

2011-02-20T21:52:00.000-08:00

While we're on the topic of threats to women's human rights - and in light of International Women's Day coming up - I've posted the list below, courtesy of MoveOn. It lists the top 10 Republican assaults on women's rights in the US. If you're interested in the list of sources for these claims, let me know in the comments section, and I'll post those links.

1) Republicans not only want to reduce women's access to abortion care, they're actually trying to redefine rape. After a major backlash, they promised to stop. But they haven't.

2) A state legislator in Georgia wants to change the legal term for victims of rape, stalking, and domestic violence to "accuser." But victims of other less gendered crimes, like burglary, would remain "victims."

3) In South Dakota, Republicans proposed a bill that could make it legal to murder a doctor who provides abortion care. (Yep, for real.)

4) Republicans want to cut nearly a billion dollars of food and other aid to low-income pregnant women, mothers, babies, and kids.

5) In Congress, Republicans have proposed a bill that would let hospitals allow a woman to die rather than perform an abortion necessary to save her life.

6) Maryland Republicans ended all county money for a low-income kids' preschool program. Why? No need, they said. Women should really be home with the kids, not out working.

7) And at the federal level, Republicans want to cut that same program, Head Start, by $1 billion. That means over 200,000 kids could lose their spots in preschool.

8) Two-thirds of the elderly poor are women, and Republicans are taking aim at them too. A spending bill would cut funding for employment services, meals, and housing for senior citizens.

9) Congress voted yesterday on a Republican amendment to cut all federal funding from Planned Parenthood health centers, one of the most trusted providers of basic health care and family planning in our country.

10) And if that wasn't enough, Republicans are pushing to eliminate all funds for the only federal family planning program. (For humans. But Republican Dan Burton has a bill to provide contraception for wild horses. You can't make this stuff up).

What will the Egyptian uprising mean for women's rights?

2011-02-13T17:18:00.000-08:00

As Michelle wrote in the comments on the previous post, our discussion last night turned up some surprising facts: Liza pointed out that over 90% of Egyptian women are "circumcised" (or rather, have experienced female genital mutilation)*. This seemed very strange to me, because I had the impression that there had been strong women's movements in Egypt, and I assumed that FGM would be the kind of thing that women's movements would oppose.

Having looked around a little, it turns out that Egypt does have a history of important activism by women, including opposition to FGM. Nadje S. Al-Ali's The Women's Movement in Egypt, with Selected References to Turkey and Nadia Wassef and Nemat Guenena's Unfulfilled Promises: Women's Rights in Egypt both give good overviews of women's activism and key issues.

It's also important to note that this history of women's activism has had some significant results. For example, women's representation in parliament is guaranteed throughthe provision of a minimum number of seats, and women have a significant presence in Egyptian higher education.

At first media coverage of the recent Egyptian protests included very few images of women (Opinioness of the World gives a good overview of this, with plenty of useful links, and a number of news sources have noted that women have been present in significant numbers at the protests (see, for example, Lindsey's article on PRI and Topol's article on Slate).

I'm curious to see what happens over the next few months in Egypt. After last night's discussion, I'll be paying special attention to whether women's concerns are addressed (or even raised) at any stage during the elections and negotiations.

------
* Nadia Wassef, an activist against FGM, discusses why she uses the term "female circumcision" rather than FGM in this article. It's worth a read.

Launch: Bluestocking Institute Discussion Group

2011-02-03T00:49:00.000-08:00

The Bluestocking Institute is launching its discussion group and all are invited! Gatherings will be held on the second Sunday of each month. Participants are invited to discuss events, publications, movies and anything else linked to the pursuit of social justice.

The first session will be held on Sunday the 13th February at 5pm at the Moon Cafe (323 William St Northbridge). The central topic is ‘The role of the media in the Egyptian uprising’. The following articles and commentaries provide a starting point for discussion:

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/an-arab-revolution-fueled-by-methods-of-the-west-1.340079
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-01-29/egypt-why-washington-cant-stop-the-revolution/?cid=topic:featured4

Please RSVP on our Bluestocking Facebook page or email Sky if you have any questions bluestocking@bluestockinginstitute.org.

Activist Campaign Tools (ACT) Course

2011-02-02T18:49:00.000-08:00

Katrina writes:
"Did you ever feel concerned about an issue but feel like you didn't have the skills or connections to do much about it?

If so ... the Activist Campaign Tools (ACT) Course may be for you!

Designed for all activists, campaigners or anyone inspired about an issue, ACT is an 8 week, low cost, skills training course.

Learn practical skills to transform your next campaign or increase career prospects in the environment and social justice sectors.

The course is run by a series of specialist facilitators and includes topics such as - Campaign Planning, Marketing and Media, Communication and Meeting Skills, Event Management and Fundraising, Law for Activists, Lobbying and Sustainable Activism.

All ages, experience levels and pet issues welcome and you don't need to be currently involved in a campaign to come along.

6.30-9pm, Tuesdays 8 Feb-29 March 2011
Earthwise Subiaco

$100 waged - $60 unwaged - Bookings essential - numbers limited!

For bookings and more information, e-mail katrina73 at iinet dot net dot au with any questions or to request a free brochure or see http://acttraining.webs.com."

Videos for Lifecycle: Electronics

2010-11-13T04:38:00.000-08:00

For those who missed the workshop, we've put a few short videos up on our YouTube channel .

The Story of Electronics is a good place to start:

Lifecycles: Electronics - Links and Resources

2010-11-09T22:19:00.000-08:00

For those who didn't make it to the workshop, or who came and want to know more, here are a few places to start looking.

Karen Allen, 2009, The Human Cost of Mining in DR Congo

A short video and article about some of the consequences of militarised mining for people living in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

David Sullivan & Sarah K. Dreier, 2009, Electronics and Atrocities

This article discusses a new US government plan to map the areas of militarised mining in the DRC.

Basel Action Network

BAN works on the environmental and social impacts of toxic trade. While some sections of this website haven't been updated in a while, it has some good information on the Basel Convention and related issues. It's also worth having a look at the Basel Convention website.

Tanya Ha, E-Waste

A brief overview of some of the issues with electronics disposal, and potential solutions, from an Australian perspective.

Electronics Takeback Coalition

This coalition promotes green design and responsible recycling in the electronics industry. The website has some excellent resources, including an annual electronics recycling report card.

Greening Electronics

Information on how to reduce electronics waste at home, work, and school, and how to put pressure on electronics companies and governments to support greener electronics. This site has a US focus, but many of the ideas are relevant for Australians.

The Story of Electronics

Download 'The Story of Electronics' movie, read FAQ sheets, find out what you can do. Again, this has a US focus, but is still useful.

The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance

This project is "a voluntary system to independently verify compliance with environmental, human rights and social standards for mining operations." As well as providing an overview of the project and its members, it links to some useful information, including on Australia's Mining Certification Evaluation Project.

Aida Akl, 2010, Tracing DRC's Conflict Minerals a Daunting Task

More information on the difficulties involved in tracing conflict minerals.

Resolve Wiki

RESOLVE was commissioned by the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC) and Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) Extractives Workgroup to map the supply chain for key electronics components. This wiki provides example supply chains.

Lifecycles Workshop #3: Electronics

2010-10-15T22:13:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, 10 November 6:30pm-8:30pm

The Edmund Rice Institute for Social Justice
24 High St, Fremantle

Entry by donation.

The Bluestocking Institute's Lifecycles workshops focus on helping participants to develop action plans around the issues that they care about.

Speakers at Lifecycles: Electronics will discuss the environmental and social costs of producing electronic goods, ways to prolong their usefulness, and how to recycle them ethically. There will also be time for you to ask questions and share your own experiences and knowledge.

You are invited to bring old mobile phones that you wish to recycle.

For more information or to RSVP:
• visit the Facebook event page at http://is.gd/g2BSZ or
• email us at bluestocking@bluestockinginstitute.org or
• call Sky on 0411 595 834.

Sponsored by The Bluestocking Institute for Global Peace and Justice

2010-10-10T23:44:00.000-07:00

Cruelty Free Festival 2010 - Poster

View more documents from animalrightsadvocates.

10/10/10: An Invitation to a Global Work Party on Climate Change

2010-10-07T17:12:00.000-07:00

350.org is an international campaign dedicated to building solutions to climate change. As they point out:
"It’s been a tough year: in North America, oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico; in Asia some of the highest temperatures ever recorded; in the Arctic, the fastest melting of sea ice ever seen; in Latin America, record rainfalls washing away whole mountainsides."

So they’re having a party:

"Circle 10/10/10 on your calendar. That’s the date. The place is wherever you live. And the point is to do something that will help deal with global warming in your city or community."

To find out more about 10/10/10, read the invitation.

There are events happening all around the world, including several in Perth. To find an event near you, go to this handy map!

Book Launch for Unspeakable: A Feminist Ethic of Speech

2010-09-21T01:00:00.000-07:00

UNSPEAKABLE: A FEMINIST ETHIC OF SPEECH

By Betty McLellan

This is a book about speech and the silencing of speech; about who gets to speak and who does not; about who is listened to and who is ignored. Otherwise Publications

Do all citizens have equal access to speech and equal opportunity to be heard - men and women, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, rich and poor, governments and citizens, multinational companies and struggling workers?

In her new book Unspeakable: a feminist ethic of speech Betty McLellan draws on the accumulated knowledge of feminist historians and researchers, and concludes that women continue to be silenced in every nation on earth through:

Violence: domestic violence, rape, militarism, terrorism, war.

Subordination: through fundamentalism, pornography, prostitution, trafficking, poverty.

Exclusion: the silencing of women’s analysis and opinions, and the silencing of all but a few token women from national and international decision-making.

BOOK LAUNCH

6.30-8.30pm Thursday 28th October 2010

Edmund Rice Institute
24 High St, Fremantle (roundhouse end)

Entry free

Refreshments provided RSVP by 15th October georgistone@ozemail.com.au or tel: 9337 6413

Also showing “The Face, Heart & Feet of Feminism” slideshow presentation.

Dr Betty McLellan is Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work and Community Welfare at James Cook University in Townsville. She is a feminist ethicist, author, psychotherapist and committed activist of long standing. Her previous books have been well received around the world, the most recent of which has been published in thirteen languages.

“Reports of the death of feminism by those who would benefit from its demise are grossly exaggerated… Feminism is not dead but, as with other important social movements agitating for justice around the world, there have been serious attempts to silence the voice of feminism”. Betty McLellan

Fundraising Iftar Dinner for Pakistani Flood Victims

2010-08-16T18:26:00.000-07:00

This dinner has been organised by the Centre for Muslim States and Societies.

"As I am sure many of you are aware, recent floods in Pakistan have
caused a huge amount of damage in large areas of the country. It is
Pakistan's biggest-ever natural disaster and has left millions of
people homeless, with up to 6 million people requiring urgent food
aid. In order to raise money for the victims of the disaster, the
Centre for Muslim States and Societies, in collaboration with Tandoor
on Oxford, is organising a fund raising Iftar dinner.

Where: Tandoor on Oxford - 209 Oxford St Leederville
When: 5.30pm - 9.00pm, Sunday 22 August 2010
Cost: $13 - This includes a delicious subcontintenal dinner and soft
drinks

Additional donations will be collected, and raffles drawn, with the
proceeds going to the victims of the flood.

For further information, or to make reservations, please contact Ben
Clark email: bclarke@nd.edu.au or phone: 043 2755 010 or Natalia Saeed
CMSS email: cmss@uwa.edu.au or 6488 4554.

RSVP by Thursday 19 August 2010."

Food sovereignty: what's on your plate?

2010-07-28T19:44:00.000-07:00

Slow Food Perth will join with Christ Church Grammar School’s ethics centre to present a forum entitled ‘Food sovereignty: what’s on your plate?’ at the school in Claremont on 24 August 2010.

The panel will include:

* priest Frank Sheehan, Christ Church Grammar School chaplain and senior canon of Perth’s St George’s Anglican Cathedral
* journalist Anthony Georgeff, editor of Spice magazine
* academic Felicity Newman, an author and lecturer in food and culture at Murdoch University’s Centre for Everyday Life
* farmer Annie Kavanagh, who raises berkshire pigs on organic principles at her Spencers Brook farm in the Avon Valley
* a Christ Church Grammar School senior student
* parliamentarian Max Trenorden, The Nationals’ leading Member for the Agricultural Region, and
* Kim Chance, former Labor minister for agriculture and food [2001-2008], now chairman of the Australian Landcare Council

The forum will discuss the ethics of farming and eating. Do we know what’s on our plate, who produced it, how it was produced, and whether it is local or imported, fresh and seasonal or from last year’s crop? Do we care, or do we just eat?

For more information, visit the Slow Food website.

Live Below the Line

2010-07-23T23:06:00.000-07:00

What is it? Participants restrict their eating and drinking to $2 a day for 5 days. You will get a personal experience of what living in poverty is like, as well as raising much-needed funds through personal sponsorship for international education projects.

Why $2? The international Extreme Poverty Line is marked at US$1.25 a day; people living on, or less, than this amount are living in extreme poverty. When this US dollar amount is adjusted for the Australian dollar, it equals roughly $2 a day.

When does the campaign start? Now! Everyone will complete the challenge at the same time, from the 2nd - 6th of August, but the sooner you sign up, the sooner you can start raising money! It is easier to sign up and begin now, so you won't be rushed to find sponsorship. It also means you can start blogging about your experience, sharing your stories and reading others, as well as recipes, tips and videos :)

Extra details: You can make your own teams - get some friends and create a makeshift 'village'! Then you can bulk buy, get sponsorship together, have poverty lunches and go fishing! It's a really good way to raise more awareness, as well as having extra support and fun.
There will also be small events running during the challenge week in August. So far, a movie night, soup kitchen, camping night and marketplace have been planned. If you don't like any of the events we've planned, then create your own!

Where does the money go? All funds raised go directly to life-changing education programs; when you sign up, you are able to choose between two.

1. Oaktree's newest project in Cambodia. Due to a war and genocide that happened just over 30 years ago, one in three Cambodians live in extreme poverty. Despite education being essential to an improved life, 85% of young Cambodians don't make it to secondary school, and even if they do, the quality of school education is extremely poor! This is why we are re-hauling three schools in the poorest provinces of Cambodia; retraining teachers, creating scholarships and outreach programs and creating better facilities (including toilets!) are some of the great benefits provided by this project.
2. A Poverty Education Program in Australian schools. The Global Poverty Project works to increase the number of people around the world taking action to end extreme poverty with their ground-breaking presentation 1.4 Billion Reasons. They provide Australian youths with the knowledge and resources they need to become leaders in their community, and contribute to the end of extreme poverty. Funds raised will be used to reach additional schools, and inspire grassroots initiatives.

How do I sign up? Go to www.livebelowtheline.com and click the sign up button. The website is pretty interesting as well, have a look around while you're there.

Lifecycles Workshop: Clothing

2010-07-21T04:07:00.000-07:00

Lifecycles: Clothing
workshop and clothing swap

18 August 2010, 6:30pm – 8:30pm

Edmund Rice Institute for Social Justice, 24 High Street, Fremantle, WA

Who makes the clothes you wear? What can you do to improve working conditions in the garment industry in Australia and overseas?

Many of the clothes sold in Australia are made in sweatshops in the developing world where workers are underpaid, ill treated and sometimes forced to work against their will. But what about clothing made in Australia? Even workers in Australia earn as little as $2-$3 per hour producing clothing sold here.

If you’re interested in learning more about sweatshops and promoting more ethical practices in the industry, come to the next Lifecycles workshop. The Bluestocking Institute's Lifecycles workshops help participants develop action plans around the issues that they care about.

At the Lifecycles: Clothing workshop we’ll discuss working conditions in the garment industry and the role of consumers, governments and corporations in addressing widespread abuse in the industry. We’ll also discuss the many active campaigns locally and internationally aimed at improving working conditions in the industry.

The workshop will also include a clothing swap, so if you have any clothes that you no longer need, bring them along to share with others and walk away with some new (to you) items.

Suggested donation $5

RSVP to bluestocking@bluestockinginstitute.org or visit the Lifecycle Clothing event page on Facebook.

Sponsored by the Bluestocking Institute for Global Peace and Justice

Lifecycles: Food Roundup and Links

2010-06-28T19:27:00.000-07:00

Our first Lifecycles workshop, focusing on food, went well. A big thank you to all the excellent participants who came down and were willing to share their knowledge and enthusiasm with each other and with us! The workshop opened with a brief introductory talk, including an outline of ideas for developing action plans. You can read more about developing action plans at the Living Smart website, which also provides a Home and Work Action Guide.

At Bluestocking, we think it's important to link actions at different levels, including individual lifestyle changes,community-level change, and advocacy for broader structural change. It's important to consider action in each of these areas because they're mutually supportive. Broad structural change helps people to make better choices in their own lives: for example, it's easier to shift from driving to cycling and walking if the government has been encouraged to build more cycle lanes and develop a healthy public transport system. Similarly, taking action at a community level helps to support individual lifestyle change, and helps to provide models of alternative models for food production, consumption, and distribution. Developing an action plan is a good way to start shifting towards the world as you'd like to see it. Some tips for creating an action plan include:

Think about what's realistic for you.

Frame your goals positively, rather than negatively. Remember, anything that you're committing to doing you're doing because you care, and because it will make your life and your community better. When you're working out your goals, keep your motivations in mind. Will the action help you to feel happier? Healthier? Will it save you money? Will it help you to feel more connected to the people around you?

Be specific: if you've chosen to do something like read an article or write a letter to an MP, give yourself a due date. If you're going with something like, “eat more vegetarian meals”, give yourself a specific number or rule, for example: 'I will make a vegetarian dinner five nights a week', or, 'I'm going to stick to vegetarian food on Mondays'.

Think about how the people around you can help you to achieve your goals. This could mean sharing your action plan with your partner, housemates, or friend.

During the workshop, participants shared useful tools and information. There were some great ideas for campaigns and organisations to get involved in, including:

Live Below the Line: Live Below the Line is an education and fundraising campaign that will be happening around Australia from the 2nd – 6th of August 2010. During this time, participants will feed themselves for just $2 a day to increase understanding of the obstacles faced by those currently living in extreme poverty, and to raise money for life-changing education programs.

The Animal Advocates Australia website has some excellent resources for finding out more about animal rights and suggestions for how to take action. There's also a campaign running at the moment against caged eggs being sold at supermarkets: as well as emailing the relevant ministers, you can take part by asking your local supermarket to stop stocking caged eggs.

There are also plenty of organisations and resources to help you get started on food gardens at home or in your local community: the permaculture WA website or City Farm are good places to start looking.

The Good Grocery Guide website provides ideas on how to shop more ethically, including an online guide to different products.

Have I missed something? Feel free to share ideas and resources in the comments!

Social Justice Workshop

2010-06-20T22:25:00.000-07:00

Our friends at the Edmund Rice Institute for Social Justice are hosting an exciting new social justice workshop.

Be More - “Integrating Head, Heart, Hand for Social Justice”
ERISJ One-Day Intensive

Saturday, 26 June 2010: 10.00 am - 5:00 pm at ERISJ in Fremantle, Western Australia

This Intensive assists participants to find higher purpose in life
through solidarity with, and practical action for, those who suffer
most.

Be More challenges people to consider ‘being more’ rather than
‘having more’. Participants will conclude this interactive Intensive with an inspired, clear sense of how practically to:

• connect with the worldwide experience of humanity beyond family and friends;
• become part of the solution to global poverty and suffering;
• live a life that does justice;
• turn compassion into doing more than just donating money;
• tackle the structural nature of global poverty;
• identify and organise their own Be More activities; and
• connect with thousands of other Australians as they take up the Be More Challenge.

Presenter: Janeen Murphy is Global Education Advisor for Caritas Australia. She has worked in this position for 9 years, and worked with Caritas partners ‘on the ground’ in Uganda, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Cambodia and India. Janeen runs education programs in schools and higher education institutions, providing pathways to engage with justice issues.

Registration & Payment:

http://erisj.org.au/registration or call 9432 2400

Fair Trade Fortnight Prize Draw

2010-06-14T22:11:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Varnya, who won our Fair Trade Fortnight prize pack!

Reminder: Food workshop on 16th June

2010-06-06T18:39:00.000-07:00

Lifecycles: Food
16th June, 6:30pm to 8:30pm
The Edmund Rice Centre for Social Justice
24 High St, Fremantle

Are you an urban gardener? Do you care about animal rights? Do you want clearer labelling on food in the supermarket? Or perhaps you want to buy more ethical food, but don't know where to start? If you're already passionate about changing how we eat or just want to know more, Lifecycles: Food will give you a chance to learn, share, and develop some ideas for change that suit your interests and level of commitment.

The Bluestocking Institute's Lifecycles: Food workshop will build on The Politics of Food workshop by helping participants to share their knowledge and develop action plans around ethical and sustainable food production and consumption. The workshop will begin with a brief introduction outlining key issues and discussing methods for taking action on an individual and community level. We will then break into smaller groups in which participants can share ideas, either about issues that they already care about or about areas where they want to learn more. We'll finish with a short discussion period.

For more information or to RSVP:

visit the Facebook event page at http://bit.ly/LifecyclesFood or
email us at bluestocking@bluestockinginstitute.org.

Suggested donation $5

Reading Food at the Downunder Feminists Carnival

2010-06-06T04:40:00.000-07:00

The latest edition of the Downunder Feminists Carnival features some great blog posts that touch on how we produce food, who produces it, and what we eat, including:

Helen Razer criticises PETA for their use of sexism and racism in advertising campaigns, and argues that real argument is needed to change people's minds about meat.
Tammi Jonas talks about some of the debates surrounding the relationship between feminism and the local food movement.
Steph writes about the 'Hear Me Roar' forum, which considered 'the parallels and intersections between equal rights and animal rights in society and law'.

Food labelling

2010-05-30T18:21:00.000-07:00

Food labelling matters, because it allows consumers to make informed choices. It also enables campaigns that put pressure on manufacturers: Fair Trade certification allows us to give support to those who pay workers better, while campaigns against palm oil face problems due to the difficulty in working out which products contain palm oil.

The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) and the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council (Ministerial Council) are currently reviewing food labelling laws. The final report is expected to be out early next year.

Currently, there are many problems with Australia's food labelling system. "Made in Australia" labels can be misleading, food standards are often set at the lowest common international level, and the body responsible for food health and safety standards (including labelling) is torn between a public health focus and a focus on promoting commerce and international trade. If you'd like to learn more, there's a great Background Briefing program about the problems with our existing food labelling system and what's happening with the review here.

If you care about food labelling and want to know where your food comes from and what's in it, you can also make a submission to the food labelling review at the website.

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Photo courtesy of The Labour Party.

Upcoming Event: EcoFair

2010-05-26T07:13:00.001-07:00

Changing the food system

2010-05-24T20:22:00.000-07:00

There's an interesting article over on Good magazine about why salads in the US cost more than Big Macs, and what can be done to change. It's a useful reminder of the political processes that shape the way we eat, and the links between individual food choices and the broader structures of food production. There are also quite a few other articles by the author, Peter Smith, that are worth checking out.

Lifecycles Workshop: Food

2010-05-20T04:34:00.000-07:00

Sign up now for the first Lifecycles workshop. Details below.

16 June 6:30pm-8:30pm

The Edmund Rice Institute for Social Justice
24 High St, Fremantle

The Bluestocking Institute's Lifecycles workshops help participants develop action plans around the issues that they care about. The emphasis for Lifecycles: Food will be on building a fairer, healthier, and more sustainable food system through actions that we can take in our own lives and communities.

Speakers at Lifecycles: Food will discuss different aspects of food production and consumption, including how and where food is grown, fair trade, and animal rights. There will also be time for participants to share their own experiences and knowledge.

For more information or to RSVP:
• visit the Facebook event page or
• email us at bluestocking@bluestockinginstitute.org or
• call Sky on 0411 595 834.

Suggested donation $5

New Fair Trade Resources

2010-05-20T04:21:00.000-07:00

As part of Fair Trade Fortnight (1-16 May) we added fair trade books to the Bluestocking Library, created a Fair Trade channel on YouTube, and added blog posts on fair trade events and videos (see below). Last but not least, one lucky Bluestocking member received a bag of fair trade treats. Throughout the year, we'll keep adding to our growing list of fair trade resources. Feel free to add more books, videos or events by posting a comment.

Fair trade maybe, but what about the use of palm oil

2010-05-13T05:32:00.000-07:00

Bluestocking member, Liza Beinart, originally wrote this letter to Tim Costello, Director of World Vision. I'm posting it here (with her permission) to highlight some of the challenges with fair trade labelling and certification.

Dear Mr Costello,

I read with interest the story in The Age about your meeting with Arnott’s about the use of child labour to produce cocoa in west Africa. Congratulations for advocating for such an important issue.

I wonder if you are aware that Arnott’s products contain palm oil. As I’m sure you know, palm oil is sourced from South-East Asia and palm oil crops have contributed not only to massive deforestation, but also to the loss of natural habitat for orang-utans, one of the world’s most endangered species. Palm oil is used in products such as tim tams and mint slice biscuits.

I raise this because I do not think that the removal of child labour from the production of cocoa for these biscuits necessarily means the products – or Arnotts for that matter – will have earned an ethical certification label that “ensure[s] products met agreed environmental, labour and developmental standards”. Ensuring that “the chocolate in these biscuits has been produced ethically” is not enough to make this an ethical product – Arnott’s would have to address their use of palm oil, the trade of which is causing devastating environmental and ecological damage, and basically wiping out the orang-utan population.

I understand that World Vision’s focus is not ecology but children (I work for a children’s rights organisation myself) – but I think it’s important to avoid stamping “ethically produced” labels on products simply because one aspect of the production is ethical. Ethical production is a multi-layered issue and we run the risk of letting companies off the hook lightly if we applaud them for only addressing one small part of the problem. Likewise, it runs the risk of misleading consumers to believe that they are buying “ethical” products, when in fact they are only buying a product that has responded to one ethical issue. Yes, they should get part credit, but not resounding approval with a label saying “ethically produced”. It’s like calling washing powder “environmentally friendly” because the box it comes in is made from recycled cardboard – even though it might be full of noxious chemicals that pollute our waterways.

I would be interested in your perspective on this.

Kind regards

Liza Beinart
Perth, WA

Fremantle: WA's first Fair Trade city

2010-05-10T22:45:00.000-07:00

This Saturday Fremantle became WA's first Fair Trade city. This means that it has "passed resolutions in support of fair trade; implemented procurement of Fairtrade Certified products including coffee and tea; and would work with members of the local community to form a steering group to promote fair trade in their local area through businesses, schools, faith groups and other organisations".

For more on the story, read this article on FreoFocus or this discussion on Fair Trade Australia/NZ.

It's important to note that this didn't just happen: it was the outcome of lobbying from both within and outside the council. If you want a Fair Trade council, or a Fair Trade city, you can make a start by writing to your council members...Fair Trade Fortnight is a great time to encourage local government to make The Big Swap.

Days of Change, Western Australia

2010-05-06T18:27:00.000-07:00

Western Australia's Days of Change program was launched this month. The program works by "providing a forum in which people can make public commitments to reduce their footprint, and then supporting them in making the changes to fulfil their commitments."

This is a great way to make a first step in shifting towards a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle. However, I'd encourage you to also think beyond individual actions. As well as pledging to catch public transport or cycle more often, for example, you could also pledge to write a letter to your government representative asking for better cycle paths in your area. Individual action helps, but we also need to work to build better communities and put pressure on government.

Bluestocking's Fair Trade YouTube Channel

2010-05-03T18:09:00.001-07:00

Bluestocking now has a Fair Trade YouTube Channel, which you can find here. Some of the videos give overviews of Fair Trade, others are documentaries about producers who have benefitted from Fair Trade, others look at why consumers are making the switch. There are also a few campaign videos - I rather like this one:

It was also great to see that there are quite a few videos about Fair Trade that are made for school and university projects - I've included a few in the playlist.

If you have any recommendations for videos to add to our playlist, or comments to make on the videos we've included, please let us know!

Fair Trade Fortnight

2010-05-02T19:26:00.000-07:00

Oxfam's Fair Trade Fortnight 2010 runs from the 1st to the 16th of May. This year, Oxfam is asking you to take part in 'The Big Swap' by swapping as many of the products that you usually buy for Fair Trade products.

This might involve buying products such as tea or coffee from Oxfam or other Fair Trade suppliers (many grocery stores now carry Fair Trade products, too). It also might mean checking whether the clothes you buy are certified under a scheme like Australia's FairWear project.

Even if you're just swapping one of the things you buy for a Fair Trade product, you're helping to support the people who sustain you.

Success for advocates of Fair Trade

2010-04-30T04:50:00.000-07:00

In recognition of Fair Trade Fortnight, I’ve added the announcement below from the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand.

Cadbury® Dairy Milk™ milk chocolate is now Fairtrade Certified™ and starting to hit shelves across both Australia and New Zealand.

Cadbury Dairy Milk milk chocolate products becoming Fairtrade Certified™ will increase Fairtrade chocolate sales 20 fold, and double last year’s total sales of Fairtrade Certified™ products in New Zealand and Australia. In Ghana, more than 45,000 Ghanaian farmers will immediately benefit from Cadbury’s global move to Fairtrade Certification for Cadbury Dairy Milk milk chocolate products.

Fairtrade provides farmers with the security of fair and stable prices for their produce and social premiums for investment in economic and local community development. Fairtrade helps these communities through trade not aid.

Fairtrade Australia and New Zealand Executive Director Steve Knapp said from today, lovers of Cadbury Dairy Milk milk chocolate will be able to make their purchase in the knowledge that they are supporting a brighter future for very small scale cocoa farmers, their families and their villages.

“This is a real milestone for Fairtrade and for cocoa growers in Ghana. Cadbury Dairy Milk milk chocolate will create a step-change in awareness of Fairtrade here in New Zealand, while in Ghana it could potentially transform the lives and opportunities for thousands of people in cocoa-growing communities.”

“Cadbury is leading the way, listening to consumers and demonstrating that major chocolate manufacturers can make a real difference by helping to tackle poverty and empowering poor and disadvantaged cocoa farmers. We actively encourage other manufacturers in Australia and New Zealand to follow Cadbury's lead"

Earth Day

2010-04-21T21:35:00.000-07:00

Do you think of Earth Day as a time to reflect on personal choices, engage in community action and pressure world leaders to address climate change and environmental degradation? Or has Earth Day been co-opted by corporations wanting to attach their names to feel-good events without changing the status quo? Everywhere you look products are labeled as green and environmentally-friendly. Does this signify any real change or is it just a case of greenwashing, where companies use false claims about a product’s environmental impact in order to sell more stuff?

Greenpeace runs a website devoted to exposing greenwashing with the slogan ‘Clean up your act, not your image’. I share their skepticism of corporate slogans and their new-found interest in jumping on the green bandwagon. However, I also believe that consumers and activists can use corporate commitments and codes to draw attention to how products are made and the impact they have on the environment and the people who make, sell and consume them. So keep an eye out for greenwashers and in the meantime use Earth Day as a time to reflect on your personal choices, engage in community action and pressure world leaders to address climate change and environmental degradation. For more on the history of Earth Day and events, go to the Earth Day 2010 Action Center.

Image courtesy of epSos.de

Ethical Grocery Shopping

2010-04-21T21:14:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it can be mystifying trying to make the right choices when grocery shopping. I find myself staring at a wall of biscuits, or oil, or toothpaste, try to weigh up the issues. Buy local? How much packaging does each product have? Has the company that produces it done anything particularly odious? Is the company owned by another umbrella company (probably)? How far can I stretch my budget to make a more ethical choice?

Ethical shopping guides can be a useful shorthand to help you with these choices. The Ethical Consumer Guide, for example, offers not only a printed guide but also an iPhone app, supermarket tours (in Melbourne), and some principles to guide your choices.

The Good Grocery Guide is also useful, and is Perth-based. As well as providing an ethical product list, it also offers more general ethical shopping tips.

Shopping guides have their limits. As the Ethical Consumer Guide points out, in many cases it's best to think carefully about whether you really need to buy the product at all: "About 80% of all saleable products end up as waste, on average, within just 6 months."

Lifecycles Workshop #1: Food

2010-04-21T21:00:00.000-07:00

This year, the Bluestocking Institute's work will focus on the lifecycles of three different products: food, clothing, and electronics. In each workshop, speakers will give brief ideas on how to translate concerns into action. Participants will also be invited to take part in informal discussion.

The 'Food' workshop will include speakers (TBA) on a range of topics, including ethical grocery shopping, key food policy issues, and fair trade. Snacks will be provided.

Please RSVP on the event's Facebook page.

Cost: $5 waged/ gold coin donation unwaged.

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Image courtesy of Flickr user Darwin Bell.

Fair Trade Fortnight

2010-03-31T06:19:00.000-07:00

We’ll be adding new content to the Bluestocking Institute website throughout Fair Trade Fortnight from 1-16 May 2010. Fair trade ensures that farmers and workers in the developing world are paid fair prices for their goods and labour. We’ll be profiling fair trade NGOs and producers, promoting World Fair Trade Day events, and discussing the challenges of certifying and labeling fair trade products. New and existing members will also be eligible to win fair trade products.

You can support fair trade producers this weekend by choosing fair trade chocolates for Easter. For a list of fair trade chocolatiers click here, Fair Trade Easter or Global Exchange.

Sourcemap: open supply chains

2010-03-30T19:00:00.000-07:00

A friend recently linked to Sourcemap, an open-source tool for mapping ecological footprints, travel, and the supply chains of different products. The site's creators write: "We built Sourcemap so that everyone can access the information needed to make sustainable choices and share them with the world."

I haven't had a chance to play around with the site yet: I'm sure it's worth spending a few hours there browsing through the maps that other people have uploaded and creating your own. If you use the site, why not leave a comment telling us about it?

What did we do in 2009?

2010-03-30T02:00:00.000-07:00

The Bluestocking Institute's Annual Report for 2009 is now available for download here

2009 was a big year for the Bluestocking Institute. During the previous year, a group of us came up with the idea for the Bluestocking Institute. We had been meeting informally for several years to discuss international politics, human rights and global poverty. Our discussions drew upon academic literature, media reports and work being done by nongovernmental organisations and activists to address global problems on a local level. Realising that these types of discussions could motivate more people to get involved and take action towards issues they care about, we decided to open our discussions to the wider community.

In order to begin this process, the founders decided to set up a Management Committee to oversee the Institute’s activities and become an incorporated association. We did so on 31 March 2009. In the year that followed, the Bluestocking Institute hosted several public events and launched its website. The website acted as an informational tool to raise awareness about the Institute and publicise its events. The website continues to grow and has been supplemented by a blog, and together these provide the public with reading recommendations, links to articles, and notifications of upcoming events. In 2009, blog posts also contained commentary on food and poverty, fair trade, ethical consumerism and nonprofit careers.

In 2009, we also began to develop relationships with several community groups in WA, including the Edmund Rice Institute for Social Justice. In 2010 we hope to continue to build relationships with local community groups by hosting collaborative events and sharing resources and expertise. This year the Bluestocking Institute will expand its work and launch the Lifecycles project. This project will educate the public about ethical consumerism, challenging people to think about where things come from and how they are made. The Lifecycles project will also give consumers practical tools to make informed choices in their daily lives. We look forward to an exciting year ahead.

Upcoming Events: RawFest, Youth Week RRFM, Fossil Fools Day

2010-03-25T16:27:00.000-07:00

There are a few events coming up that are relevant to Bluestocking's Lifecycles theme, exploring different approaches to what we consume and how we consume it.

RawFest 2010
The first of these is RawFest, which runs from 6pm to late this Saturday at City Farm.

Many Raw Food proponents focus on the health benefits of eating unprocessed and uncooked foods, and incorporating more Raw Food into your diet can also help to decrease the burden our food choices place on the planet and on your wallet. Raw foods often travel less before they get to our plates, take less energy to produce, and cost less.

RawFest will be a great chance to learn more about the Raw Food movement, and there'll also be drumming and dance performances by Akwaaba.

Fossil Fools Day
This Fossil Fools Day, the Safe Climate Coalition is focusing on Barnett's plan to build new coal-fired power stations:

National Youth Week Really Really Free Market
The next Really Really Free Market will be held from 10am to 5pm on Saturday 17th April at Hyde Park.

If you're interested in helping out or want to chat about running a workshop, you can phone Emma on 0403 952 365, or email perth.rrfm@gmail.com

Sign up!

2010-03-17T21:12:00.000-07:00

Become a member of the Bluestocking Institute for Global Peace and Justice today.

Membership is free and open to anyone who shares the Institute's values of informing and inspiring people to become active and engaged citizens in their communities and the wider world. As a member you will receive periodic emails about upcoming events and new resources.

All you have to do is click on Membership. Join now!

The Really Really Free Market

2010-03-16T01:40:00.000-07:00

Last year's Really Really Free Market was great: it was a mix of workshops, kids running around, music, free food, stuff (musical instruments, old puzzles, clothes, furniture, even a car was being given away), and a lovely sense of community.

This year, there are four Really Really Free Markets planned, and the first is coming up soon:

REALLY REALLY FREE MARKET
3-6pm, Sunday 21 March
Stage Area, North Side of Hyde Park, North Perth.

Bring useful items that you no longer need or want to share freely with other members of your community.

Browse through the things others have brought and leave with what your family needs, regardless of whether you brought something or not.

Bring your talent and give something of yourself: music, poetry, storytelling, lessons.

Or bring your unique service or expertise to share with others: haircuts, painting, knitting, bicycle repairs etc.

Bring a gift of food and share in a picnic lunch with other friends and families from your community or share surplus produce from your garden.

www.rrfmperth.blogspot.com

Lifecycles

2010-03-14T06:15:00.000-07:00

This year, the Bluestocking Institute's theme will be Lifecycles, specifically focusing on the production, consumption, and disposal of food, clothing, and electronics. We are often separated from the people and processes involved in what we consume. We don't know where our food is grown, who makes our clothes, where electronics go when we throw them out. This makes it difficult to see the effects of our choices on the environment and on people in other parts of the world. It also separates us from the pleasures and lessons that we learn from growing food, sewing, fixing, and engaging in other activities that sustain us.

These issues are complicated by class, race, global inequalities, gender, and the paradoxes involved in consumer activism. Over the next few months, we will begin to explore different perspectives on the lifecycles of key products and provide resources to help people make informed and active choices in their daily lives.

We're currently putting together a plan for our activities and publications for the year, so visit the blog again or subscribe to our RSS feed to find out more.

Ethical gifts at the last minute

2009-12-18T15:49:00.000-08:00

by Shae

I love the idea of making beautiful, handcrafted items for friends and family for Christmas and birthdays, I just don’t seem to get around to it. A few days before the event, I start hatching a plan that requires time and skills that are in short supply. Instead I look for things that other people have made that I can quickly send to friends and family in the US and Australia. Here are a couple of my favorite gift ideas that also support worthwhile projects.

Donation gifts

Many non-profit organisations these days have an option for you to buy donations. Oxfam Unwrapped lets you ‘purchase’ a gift, such as a cow, for your grandmother, who then receives a card (not the cow) indicating the donation made in her honour. The purchase helps support Oxfam’s advocacy and international development work.

Fair trade

Numerous websites and shops carry fair trade goods that are designed to provide income directly to the producers, bypassing middlemen. For example, check out U-Chus and Global Exchange. A few fair trade companies aim to provide fashionable, designer products that are also environmentally-friendly and made under ethical conditions. See People Tree and Indigenous Designs. If there's a particular product you want to get someone, like a pair of shoes or some clothing or a bag, you could also try searching online for that product and 'fair trade' - there are lots of great online stores out there.

Union-made

The International Labor Rights Forum compiled a list of clothing and footwear manufacturers that are unionized or worker cooperatives in its Shop with a Conscience Guide. For a list of companies that have signed the Homeworkers Code of Practice in Australia, see this site. By signing the code, the company indicates its commitment to meeting standards for homeworkers that produce their goods in Australia.

Other ideas

There are also plenty of other gifts you can give that won't put a burden on the planet and will help support the workers who make them. You can give tickets to community events or concerts, handmade and hand-crafted gifts from Etsy, and locally-made gifts from markets like Unwrapped (on Dec 19th) Made on the Left and Perth Upmarket. There's also a Christmas Organic Growers Market on Wednesday 23rd at City Farm, which will have plenty of great last-minute gifts.

Whenever possible donate, recycle, upcycle, and support workers’ initiatives locally and globally. That way as well as giving gifts to your friends and family, you're also helping to make a better world.

Do you have other advice for last-minute ethical gifts? We'd love to hear your ideas and comments!

Celebrating Christmas Ethically: Do It Yourself

2009-12-16T04:02:00.000-08:00

Christmas is a special challenge for those who are trying to live ethically. It's one thing to cut down on consumption in your own life, but quite another to skimp on others. I'm usually a fairly frugal and environmentally-conscious person (although of course there are glaring holes in my lifestyle, as with anyone). I mend my clothes, darn my socks, try to get my electronics second-hand, and generally try to think hard about any purchases that I make.

So when it comes to Christmas I always start with good intentions. But then, somehow, things get out of hand. It's hard to be frugal when it comes to the people that I love, and all my stern lectures to myself about the problems with showing love through Stuff tend to fade away as I find myself stepping out to brave the Christmas crowds.

I've been getting better: these days most of my presents come from Oxfam or other Fair Trade stores. There are some great options for buying presents ethically, which Shae's going to blog about soon.

I'm trying to be adventurous this year, though, and make as many presents as I can using recycled materials from around the house. I've been trawling the Internet for ideas that aren't too difficult and don't require that you go out and buy a heap of supplies. Here are a few:

CraftZine has some good ideas, including this run-down of a few of their easy projects. I especially liked the kids' crayon and sketchbook kit, because I think melted crayons are beautiful (image by wonderfully complex).

I also spent quite a while looking around Craft Bits: I rather like the mix-of-something-in-a-jar recipes and a few of the recycled craft ideas. If you've got a stack of old records sitting around the recycled vinyl rings and bangles might solve two problems at once.

One DIY project that I've tried out on previous Christmases is making origami boxes. There are plenty of instructions online, including on eHow and WonderHowTo. Last year I got a heap of old picture books from an op-shop and used the pages to make the boxes. You can fill the boxes with biscuits (I recommend spice cookies), handmade notebooks, re-melted crayons, or other treats (image from oschene).

If, like me, you enjoying fixing things, you might want to consider giving a coupon book. You can make coupons for servicing bicycles, darning socks, sewing on buttons, and the other little tasks that keep your things going for longer. Or for meals cooked, back massages, house-tidying, computer servicing, or whatever you can do and are happy to share. There are templates for coupon-books online, including on eHow. If you just happen to have a whole cupboard of paper scraps (luckily, I do!), you could use them to make a coupon book.

There are also some great recipes online for pickles and preserves. I'm rather partial to kimchi, and also quite like the look of Greek spoon sweets, although I'm not sure that my skills in the kitchen are up to producing edible versions of either!

Not everyone has time to make presents, but the DIY option is great if you do have the time and want to avoid the Christmas rush. It can also help make Christmas less of a burden on the environment, especially if you try to reuse and recycle rather than buying supplies new.

World Vegan Day Picnic

2009-10-28T18:10:00.000-07:00

Those of you who came to (or wanted to come to) the Politics of Food discussion group may want to attend World Vegan Day Picnic:

Tuesday, 13 October 2009 09:58

Join Animal Rights Advocates Inc. for a celebration of vegan food and culture on Sunday 1 November - World Vegan Day!

12-4pm, Sunday 1 November

Sir James Mitchell Park, South Perth

For more information, go to the Animal Rights Advocates website.

Resources on the Politics of Food

2009-10-18T05:20:00.000-07:00

Many of the participants in the Politics of Food dinner and discussion shared ideas about food production, consumption and the ways in which we can become more responsible consumers and active citizens. Thank you to everyone who participated in the event.

I have begun to compile a list of resources based on the Politics of Food discussion. If you have resources to add to this list, please do so by posting a comment. Also, be sure and check out the recommended reading list, which appears in a previous blog post.

Fresh Food Markets in Western Australia Women’s Health Services compiled this list earlier this year. New this week is the Subiaco Farmers Market at Subiaco Primary School.

Fremantle Environmental Resource Network (FERN) is a non-profit community organisation dedicated to knowledge-sharing about living sustainably. FERN is based at the community garden space on the corner of High street and Montreal Street in Fremantle, Western Australia.

Living Smart is a community environmental education program that empowers participants with the knowledge and skills to take action to improve the sustainability of their homes and their community.

The Meeting Place provides adult community education, community support and is home to the Fremantle Volunteer Service.

Animal Rights Advocates is a volunteer-run not for profit animal rights organisation based in Perth, Western Australia that campaigns for the abolition of animal exploitation.

Australian City Farms and Community Gardens

The Institute for Food and Development Policy/Food First seeks to shape how people think by analyzing the root causes of global hunger, poverty, and ecological degradation and developing solutions in partnership with movements working for social change.

Slow Food International

Guest Speakers, The Politics of Food

2009-10-05T19:40:00.001-07:00

We currently have three speakers lined up for The Politics of Food. Each speaker will give a brief introduction to the issues they're concerned with, and participate in the discussion that follows. Our speakers are:

Lynn MacLaren, MLC, The Greens (WA)
Lynn's work spans a wide range of portfolios, including food and GMOs. She has recently been active in campaigning against changes to WA's agricultural policy which allow the introduction of GM crop trials.

Louise Edmonds, Coconvenor, Fremantle Environmental Resource Network
Louise will be speaking about her personal education surrounding the politics of food, including her experiences visiting farms in India and working with Dr Vandana Shiva. She will also give a brief introduction to FERN's work.

Sky Croeser, UWA, Bluestocking Institute
I will be giving a short guide to the complex relationship between our choices as consumers and the global structures of food production.

While each speaker will introduce some fascinating points for discussion, ultimately the evening depends on your participation. We hope that everyone who comes down will feel comfortable talking about their own experiences and areas of expertise, and asking questions of others. Hope to see you there!

Good, clean and fair: small, slow food in a big food nation

2009-10-05T19:20:00.000-07:00

Those of you coming to our 'Politics of Food' event may also be interested in a talk the evening before by Carlo Petrini, organised by Slow Food Perth.

CARLO Petrini, Slow Food’s founder and international president, will deliver a free public lecture at the University of Western Australia during a one-day visit to Perth. Hear the man described by The Guardian as ‘one of the 50 people who could save the planet’ – and a Time European hero – talk about ‘good, clean and fair’ food and the challenges that face the world of food.

Date: 14th October, 2009
Time: 5:00pm for 5:15pm
Venue: MCS Lecture Theatre, University of Western Australia Crawley campus [nearest carpark No. 14, off Fairway, or along Myers Street]

Food for Thought

2009-09-23T01:45:00.000-07:00

We've put together a list of articles and papers that might be interesting of those of coming along to 'The Politics of Food' discussion group. Of course, there's no requirement that you read any of these. We don't necessarily agree with everything written in these articles, but hope they will give you some new ideas, and starting-points for discussion. Feel free to leave any comments here or on the event's facebook group.

Amartya Sen, 'The Rich Get Hungrier'

Elaine Lipson, 'Food, farming...feminism?'
This article discusses some reasons for women to consider supporting organic food and organic farming.

Penny Van Esterik, 'Gender and sustainable food systems: a feminist critique'
Esterik looks at how a feminist analysis can help us to understand the food system.

Mark Bittman, 'What's wrong with what we eat'
"In this fiery and funny talk, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman weighs in on what's wrong with the way we eat now (too much meat, too few plants; too much fast food, too little home cooking), and why it's putting the entire planet at risk."

Asha Bee Abraham and Sophie Gaballa, 'Food Miles: a preliminary study of Melbourne, Victoria'
This study estimates the distances travelled for food items found in a typical Melburnian's shopping basket and the resulting greenhouse emissions from this transportation. (There's also a critique of the study here.)

'Food waste in Australia'
"Australians are throwing out three million tonnes of food every year – the equivalent of 145 kilograms for each and every one of us. That’s why Notebook: magazine has embarked on a Stop Food Waste! campaign that aims not only to raise awareness of the issue but offers practical solutions on how to plan, shop and cook to eliminate unnecessary food waste."

Anna Kellogg, 'The Hunger Challenge: how to eat on $3 a day'
Bloggers, activists, and US members of Congress have been taking up 'The Hunger Challenge' every year since 2007 - trying to live on the same amount that Americans on food stamps are given each week.

Margarita Windisch, 'The Politics of Food'
This article looks at rising food costs in Australia.

Raj Patel, 'Apartheid in America'
This post looks at the conditions for tomato-pickers in Florida, many of whom are immigrants. Patel says that the conditions they are living in are worse than those in South African townships during apartheid. As well as terrible conditions and low wages, over 1000 people have been freed from slavery in the area since 1997.

Wayne Roberts, 'Bittersweet Valentines'
An introduction to what fair trade chocolate means for those who produce it.

Julian Cribb, Yvonne Latham and Maarten Ryder, 'Desert delicious: Indigenous Australian foods for the global palate'
A brief overview of the emerging Australian indigenous foods industry.

Food Culture and Religion
Food is an important part of religious observance and spiritual ritual for many faiths including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. This is a sample of some ways in which various religious groups include food as a vital part of their faith.

Real Food Forum

2009-09-21T00:03:00.000-07:00

Those of you who are interested in our 'Politics of Food' event may also want to attend the Real Food Forum, which has been organised by the Greens:

The Politics of Food: dinner and discussion

2009-09-06T22:00:00.000-07:00

The next discussion in our Community Scholars programme will look at 'the Politics of Food'. It will be held on October 15th, from 6:30 until 8pm at the Edmund Rice Centre in Fremantle.

The Bluestocking Institute's Community Scholars Discussion Group brings together experts from inside and outside academia, encouraging cross-fertilisation across disciplines and between local, national, and global perspectives. Discussion Groups aim to develop dialogue in a relaxed atmosphere, and address issues of peace and justice.

'The Politics of Food' will be explore some of the ethical and political questions surrounding what we eat, how we eat, and how we produce food. These include:

* What is the role of food in bringing together communities, or holding them apart?
* How can we produce food ethically and sustainably?
* Can movements promoting 'slow food' and organic farming meet the needs of those on a low income?
* Can urban food production and community gardens help to feed the world?

We encourage people from all walks of life to join us for dinner and discussion. Whether you're involved in academia, activism, or just have a personal interest in the politics of food, you're welcome to join us. We encourage you to bring a plate to share, and to begin the discussion: are you vegetarian? Vegan? Do you try to 'eat local'? Do you have food that is important to your community? Are you too busy too cook?

Eating together has always been an important part of building communities: please help us to build a vibrant dialogue around the politics of what we eat.

You can join the discussion on the Facebook group, or stay tuned to this blog for readings and ideas for further discussion.

Ethical school uniforms

2009-08-15T20:56:00.000-07:00

Ever wondered who makes school uniforms or the conditions under which those uniforms are made?

FairWear reports that school uniforms are made by some companies in Australia who are accredited to the Homeworkers Code of Practice and have had their supply chain checked for compliance to wage and occupational health and safety requirements, others are made in factories who are not accredited and have not been monitored, while others are made in sweatshops or by homeworkers for very low rates of pay, and without the legal entitlements such as superannuation and holiday pay.

FairWear is gathering information about the working conditions under which school uniforms are produced. If you are a student, parent or teacher, send the following details to fairwear@awatw.org.au : school name, number of students, item of clothing, brand, where it was made, where it was bought and price (optional).

This information will help FairWear get more Australian manufacturers accredited to the Homeworkers Code of Practice, and get more schools choosing to source their uniforms from accredited companies wherever possible.

Global Studies seminar

2009-08-11T05:45:00.000-07:00

Announcing a new seminar organised by the Australian Global Studies Research Centre

Debating the free market in an age of insecurity

Featured speakers include Professor Webster and Dr. Bezuidenhout, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Professor Lambert, UWA Business School, and Professorial Fellow Carmen Lawrence, UWA’s Institute of Advanced Studies.

When: Tuesday, 18 August 2009, 5:30-7:00pm
Where: Ernst & Young Lecture Theatre, UWA Business School, Crawley WA

Who Shapes Our Fears? David Marr Lecture

2009-08-09T23:02:00.000-07:00

CASE for Refugees and CARAD Coalition for Asylum Seekers, Refugees and Detainees will be holding their annual community forum, with David Marr as their 2009 inaugural speaker.

Who Shapes our Fears?
The role governments, oppositions and the press play in alarming Australians about refugee boats.

DAVID MARR writes about politics, law and the arts for the Sydney Morning Herald. He has also
presented ABC TV’s Media Watch and written a number of books including a biography of Patrick White and (with his Herald colleague Marian Wilkinson) Dark Victory, an account of Australia’s blockade of refugee boats during the 2001 election campaign. Refugee issues have been a focus of his work for a number of years.

Monday 31 August 2009 6.30pm
Christ Church Grammar School
Centre for Ethics
Senior Common Room
Queenslea Drive, Claremont
Cost: Entry is by Donation

Meaningful work

2009-07-27T05:55:00.000-07:00

I’ve started compiling a list of resources for people interested in working in the non-profit/non-governmental sector – this includes volunteer positions, paid employment or maybe you just want to learn more about organisations aimed at creating social change. This is a preliminary list, so feel free to add more by posting a comment.

Idealist.org - Includes jobs, volunteer opportunities, internships and events
Global charity jobs – Based in the UK, includes listings for jobs worldwide
Devzone – Based in New Zealand, includes listings for jobs worldwide esp. in Pacific region.
Foundation Center – Mostly management positions with US-based non-profit organisations.
Ethical Jobs - Job listings for Australian NGOs. Not many resources yet, but more to come.

Bluestockings @ Barcamp

2009-07-16T07:51:00.000-07:00

This Saturday Perth's 3rd BarCamp will be held at Central Tafe. BarCamps are "user generated conferences — open, participatory workshop-events, whose content is provided by participants", which have a history of focusing on technology but can also be adapted to other issues.

The only other BarCamp I've attended was Bangalore BarCamp 5, and it was great. I went to sessions on social technology, community mesh networks, blogging, and low-budget films, and met a heap of fascinating people.

I haven't been to a BarCamp in Perth yet, so I've no idea what to expect, or what to contribute. Hopefully some of you will come down and bring some ideas.

UPDATE: my post about BarCamp is up over at witty title pending.

What does feminism mean to you?

2009-07-15T00:58:00.001-07:00

My 15 year old cousin asked me on the weekend 'How come you knit and sew and cook and stuff even though you're a feminist?'

I would love to live in a world where that was a surprising and naive question. Instead, I've come across the same assumption over and over again: being a feminist means eschewing anything to do with traditional femininity. Someone told me recently: "I'm not a feminist because I enjoy being able to stay at home with my children". I wish I'd been shocked.

I came across a similar assumption today in a new and unexpected place: in Wired.com's critique of Ridiculous Life Lessons From New Girl Games. While I entirely agree with the author's complaints that most of these games teach girls to focus on fashion and adventures, it seems that games can only win approval for teaching girls to engage in "non-stereotypically female activities" or to have "masculine qualities".

For me, feminism is about valuing qualities and activities that have traditionally been associated with both masculinity and femininity. I love having a place in academia, being able to teach and present my research. A hundred years ago, that would have been hard for a woman. I also love being able to make and fix things with my hands, whether it's crocheting a scarf or adjusting my bicycle gears. I want a world in which men and women (and those who don't fit our gender binaries) can choose to engage in 'caring work', where people have the same opportunities in the workplace and in the rest of their lives, no matter what gender they are.

Women in the West have it relatively easy, compared to women (and men) in the rest of the world, but we're not there yet. Women get paid less than men, mothers are less likely to be hired and are paid less, and a myriad of subtle gender structures shape and limit the possibilities that both men and women have available. For me, feminism is about changing this while connecting with and supporting other struggles throughout the world, including those in the Global South.

What does feminism mean for you?

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Picture from Cross-stitch ninja.

Connecting to #iranelections

2009-06-16T19:28:00.000-07:00

There's a lot of debate about the effects of new technologies. Some argue that 'the kids today' only have three second attention spans because of video games and facebook, others think that science will save us from climate change and help us enter a new utopia. Personally, I see new technologies as contested spaces: they open up new possibilities, and different groups struggle to find ways to use them and control them.

I wasn't going to get drawn in to following the aftermath of the Iran elections. My PhD is coming to an end, I have chapter edits to do, bibliographies to tidy, a paper to write for a conference, a million tiny tasks that need to be completed all at once. Then I started following Change_for_Iran on Twitter.

It's hard not to get involved when you watch things unfold step by step. Change for Iran is a student, I think another postgraduate, and has been blogging about being under seige:
"I'm praying to GOD they leave us be! we should get Reza to a hospital Asap, he has some bad wounds. "
"Reza is looking very bad & they will shoot at us again if we try to leave here."

And, interspersed with all of that, the kind of things any student frets about:
"my head is spinning and Masood is killing me with the importance of his thesis files"
"our final exams date & time hasn't changed! according to university's head, everything is just fine!"
"shayan is studying for tomorrow's exam! I'm speechless!"

And then:
"Kasra is dead & I don't know where is masood, lost him in the crowd yesterday"
"there is no need to hide their names anymore Mobina Ehtrami, Fateme Borati, Kasra Sharafi, Kambiz Shoaee & Mohsen Imani; all killed by ansar"

Throughout all of this the connection to the outside world is so important.
"typing as fastest as I can in both English & Farsi, Still we need outside help, I really don't want to be captured by Ansar"
"They are filtering everything! Gmail is blocked now!"
The student takes the time to reply to people's questions, even to reassure others that they're ok, even though they're exhausted and haven't slept in days.

I could have watched this on the news, but even the shocking pictures coming out of Iran wouldn't have connected with me as much as another student worrying about their thesis files.

As well as letting people on the ground get their stories out despite closed borders and state censorship, the Internet opens up new possibilities for people around the world to offer support. This can range from messages of support send to people's twitter accounts to attempts to provide technical support. There's a facebook page set up to help supporters overseas attack Ahmadinejad's websites, and quite a few people out there have also been setting up proxy servers that let Iranians evade state censorship and get their message out.

Of course, the Iranian government isn't taking it lying down. As well as blocking gmail, facebook, twitter, and other sites at various times, intelligence agencies are now watching twitter for new proxy sites and to try to work out the identities of those posting information.

The Internet opens up new possibilities, but not just for those groups we like. It allows those who are silenced to speak up and be heard, and it also lets oppressive regimes censor and watch their citizens. This is why it matters that we struggle to keep the Internet open and democratic, in Australia as well as overseas.

The politics of Swine Flu

2009-06-03T19:44:00.000-07:00

I've been on a bit of a blogging hiatus lately, as my inbox was starting to tower over me in an increasingly threatening manner. Hopefully there'll be more coming soon, but for now I've posted something over on ActNow about the politics of Swine Flu(H1N1) that might be interesting for readers of this blog.

What we carry

2009-04-29T13:56:00.006-07:00

---------Please note that this blog discusses graphic violence, and may be disturbing----------

I met a man last week who lost his mother, his two young brothers, his two-year old sister, his aunts, his grandmother, and the rest of his family in the 1974 war in Cyprus. To say 'lost', actually, is a polite euphemism. More than thirty members of his family were murdered by extremists. Some were shot – executed. His two brothers were decapitated. They were just young boys, still children.

During the July1974 Greek military coup in Cyprus, this man's village was rounded up by Greek Cypriot soldiers and herded into makeshift prisons. The men of the village asked that the women, children, and elderly be released and allowed to return to their villages. The people holding them consented, and the groups were separated. He and his father, along with other men from his village in Cyprus, were moved to a prisoner camp in Lemesos, in Cyprus' south, where they were held for a little over two months. In the prison camp, he began hearing stories that something terrible had taken place in one of the Turkish Cypriot villages near his home, where an entire village of women, children, and elderly were murdered and buried in pits. When he asked for details, his fellow-prisoners would fall silent.

Not having heard anything from his family for the entire period of his detention, this man – then a boy of sixteen – returned home to find his village empty. 'Only the dogs were left in the village', he said. The village the men in the prison camp had spoken of was his. The entire village was rounded up and murdered. Many women and young girls were first raped. He does not know if his brothers had their heads cut off before or after they were killed. 'To know this is important', he says. I understand why. I have two brothers, and I cannot banish my horror.

Thirty five years later, the man is sitting next to a much younger Greek Cypriot man whose father was abducted by Turkish Cypriots, and along with six other men, brutally murdered and their bodies thrown into a well. On the other side of them sits an even younger Greek Cypriot woman whose uncle, an eighteen year old conscript due to finish his military service the day the war began in 1974, was also killed and his body 'disappeared'. Next to her is a Turkish Cypriot man whose father, a bank manager, was taken from his workplace, killed, and his body hurriedly buried. Beside them is a Greece Cypriot man who lost eighteen members of his family, killed by Turkish Cypriot paramilitaries. Between them, these five people carry more pain than is conceivable.

They have formed an organisation called the 'Bicommunal Initiative of Relatives of Missing and Tortured People and Victims of Massacres'. In very stark contrast to a great deal of Cypriot society on both sides of the political divide, they are asking to uncover the details of atrocities committed in Cyprus between the decade of 1963-1974. Thanks to the resumption of work of a long-stalemated UN-led committee mandated to find the remains of the some 2, 000 people killed during that period, some of the relatives of these victims have recently had the remains of their loved ones returned to them. The UN committee's mandate, however, is very narrow: find the bodies, establish their identity, return the remains. There is no answer for what happened to these people, or why.

Many people in Cyprus know that in the war both side committed atrocities both against the other community but also within their own community. A prominent Greek Cypriot politician, for example, was publicly accused recently of being a torturer for an extreme right-wing organisation called EOKA-B by one of his (Greek Cypriot) victims. The claim was documented and published by a Greek Cypriot journalist. The politician took the journalist to court for libel. The politician lost the case; the court found that the journalist had sufficient evidence for his claim – in other words, the court found sufficient evidence to support the claim that the politician had been engaged in torturing people in the early 1970s. Despite the first public finding (albeit accidentally) of a criminal case from 1974, no criminal prosecution was forthcoming, despite the fact that it is required by Republic of Cyprus law. The man remains in politics.

Very few people in this country are willing to talk openly about the past. No one, except for this victims' group and a small collection of other people, is interested in a systematic public examination and accounting of what has happened to us in the past. At the same time, Cyprus remains an unresolved conflict. Forty years of negotiations have failed to find a resolution to the political dispute between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, and the continued Turkish military presence (numbering some thirty-odd thousand soldiers) on the island. In 2004, a complete reunification package, negotiated behind closed doors, was rejected by the Greek Cypriot community, which felt that the proposed solution was not an adequate remedy to the consequences of the 1974 war. In honesty, I think neither community feels safe with the other.

The primary reason the families of these murdered people are asking a public examining of the past is not only because they seek to uncover the stories that have remained hidden in society for so long, and for the exposure of those people who murdered their mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, daughters, sons, parents, and friends, but so that, in publicly uncovering those stories and those people, society can never say 'we didn't know' or 'it didn't happen'. Their hope is that in entering these terrible experiences into the public truth, society can guard against it ever happening again.

Today I am in Beirut, and again I am listening to people talk about the forced disappearance of people they love. Before me sits a Lebanese man who in 1987 was given over to the Syrian army and taken across the Lebanese border into Syria, where he simply 'disappeared' for thirteen years. The man next to him was disappeared in a similar way for twelve years. For the first six years, his family had no idea of his whereabouts. In his seventh and eighth years, his family found him. They were allowed to visit him once a year, for those two years. They were not sure, when they went to see him, whether they would be turned away at the gate, whether he had been moved, or whether he was still alive. The situation improved over the next four years to the point where in the last year of his captivity they could visit him four times. The Lebanese government, in so far as one existed, insisted for many years that there were no Lebanese prisoners in Syrian jails in either Syria or Lebanon. The Syrian government simply refused to reply when confronted with the question. So it was quite a mysterious thing when he, and the other men who shared his prison, were released unexpectedly one day some six years ago and simply re-appeared at the Lebanese border. Those men left behind compatriots who, if they have not since been killed, will have remained in Syrian prisons for more than twenty years. A president closed his eyes and pointed to a number from a list of prisons laid before him, and so these men were freed.

There are between 2000 and 17000 people in Lebanon who are the immediate victims of enforced disappearance. I mean to say that this number of people were actually disappeared. The number is so broad because no-one has conducted a proper, thorough and comprehensive study into the numbers of people missing; it does not seem to be in many people's interest here in Beirut, because, like in Cyprus and in many other places, yesterday's perpetrators are today's politicians and power-elite. Unlike in Cyprus, in this country no-one has even bothered to systematically excavate or protect suspected mass burial sites. Those sites which are dug up are bulldozed, and the bones which are by some miracle removed, have not yet made it back to a single family. In Beirut, you can walk over mass graves and you wouldn't even know.

Some years ago a law was passed in Lebanon which would allow the families of disappeared people to declare their loved ones dead so that they could clear up issues of inheritance and etcetera. The families to whom this law would apply reacted with outrage and deep hurt. 'In other countries, people are presumed alive until proven dead', said a man whose son and brother were both taken, on separate occasions. 'In this country, we declare them dead without even knowing where they went'. Another woman, whose teenage son was taken when he went out to buy bread, repeats over and over again how her son, missing now for fifteen years, will come home alive. 'He is handsome', she says, 'my boy is so handsome, you will see how he has grown into a beautiful man'. Another woman lost her three teenage children – sixteen, seventeen, and eighteen, all at once. They too, were taken randomly during the Lebanese civil war. In this country you trip over stories that are individually unbearable. A woman talks of her father, a professor, who was disappeared when she was eleven years old. 'I did not even get to share my adolescence with him'. She learned him, she said, through the eyes of his friends and his students, people who loved him. She has heard stories, rumours about the terrible things that might have befallen him, but she does not know for sure.

I watched a video at an NGO here in Beirut tonight alongside some of the families of disappeared people, and next to one of the men who were detained in Syria. As a point of fact, we are sitting in Hezbollah territory and the buildings around me are bullet-riddled and scarred by Israeli fire from 2006. The film was a documentary which followed the story of a man in Morocco, whose father was also disappeared. When his father was disappeared, the man in the documentary was eleven days old. Eventually the mass grave where his father was buried was uncovered, and the Moroccan authorities re-buried his father's bones, near the prison where he died. They tell this to the man, who quietly, with deep deep pain replies 'it's just that I would have liked to have been there for his burial. I have never seen my father, you see. It was important to me.' Two government men, presumably, look at him blankly from across the table.

At this point I can't bear to hear any more because I am thinking of my own father. I am almost thirty, and I have been blessed to have been brought up by two loving parents who are still young and vibrant people. I have so many memories with my family; trivial, important, sad, ridiculous, every-day beautiful moments that have stretched over twenty nine years that, for me, have been short. I couldn't collect them all together if I tried to. Just the thought of my father being tortured and killed, and thrown into a pit with thirty other men to rot under the sun because of his political affiliation, his ideological belief, his religion, or simply because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, is overwhelming and I cannot endure the imagining with any kind of calm. I cannot begin to imagine how this man feels who lost his father before he even knew him, who wanted only to be present at his father's burial.

I say all of this because Kate’s blog, below, prompted me to think about how peace is built. In societies with vastly different experiences and traumas, is there a single principle that can be drawn out?

In Australia, we live in an established and stable democracy at the national level. And yet, young people are asking how to build peace in their communities. And not long ago our then-prime minister John Howard ordered the Australian military into aboriginal communities because he, and his policy makers, believed that this was the best way to combat communal violence. Stability, peace, democracy, and safety is not something which all Australians enjoy. And before we distance ourselves too far from countries like Lebanon and Cyprus, whose stories are bloodied and violent, please remember that Australian Aboriginals in remote communities have life expectancies which are on par with the developed world.

And we have our own stories which are not told, our own truths which are silenced.

When my family first emigrated to Australia, it was to the Northern Territory that they went. My great-uncles moved to Darwin in the late 1940s. One of these uncles told a story to my father once that I now tell you. In those days, in the late forties and early fifties, my uncles were butchers. One day, I think it was a Sunday, they were working in the shop when someone they knew pulled up to the back door and invited my uncles to go hunting with them. My uncle asked what they were hunting. 'Boongs' was the answer. My uncle thought the man was joking. If this story is true, there were people who went hunting with the intention of shooting other people – Aboriginal people – as late as the 1950s. I have no way of verifying this story, it was a story told to my father many years ago, and if I asked my elderly uncle now, I don't know what he would say. I would be interested to know if anyone else has heard anything similar. If other people have heard similar stories, then why are we not talking about them? If I am alone, then I hope I will be forgiven. The obligation to tell this story was greater to me than the obligation not to.

I am thinking about the question Kate has tried to answer. I will add only two simple remarks. I think that empathy and a culture of debate and openness are key to building and sustaining peace in any society. Empathy because without being able to feel another person's pain, you can do terrible things, or accept the doing of terrible things to people. I live in a society where people do not relate to other people's suffering because their own traumas have not been addressed. You find in many post-war societies that have not confronted their past that people tend to be quite numb. When you are focused on your own victimhood, and your own wounds are festering, there is no space inside you to acknowledge another person, or community’s, pain. Abuse is easier to justify when you are angry, vengeful, or emotionally removed from another person's suffering. And a culture of debate and openness because without it, misunderstandings grow into prejudices, which have the potential to grow into racism, sexism, and bigotry, and to be manipulated by demagogues for their own gain. We need strong people in society who can think and question assumed truths and feel and grow. As for how to build this kind of culture in societies or communities which are deeply wounded, I have no answer.