Education
The Taliban Has Banned Women From University. This Is Not Only a Human-Rights Disaster. It Is a Strategy for Power.
On Tuesday, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Higher Education instructed every public and private university in the country to suspend education for female students until further notice. The order was effective immediately. By Wednesday morning, women arriving…
Iran Looked Stable Until Thousands of People Discovered They Were Not Alone.
For more than three weeks, protests have continued across Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman who had been detained by the country’s morality police for allegedly violating rules requiring…
Chile Got Richer. Its Voters Still Want to Change the System.
Gabriel Boric is 35 years old, a former student protest leader and left-wing congressman who was not even born when Augusto Pinochet seized power in 1973. He defeated José Antonio Kast, a conservative candidate whose…
Local Governance and Civic Engagement: The Human Side of Reopening
This week, I observed how much the success of phased reopenings depends on local governance and community engagement. Policies alone do not determine outcomes: how governments implement rules, communicate expectations, and build public trust plays…
Education and Urban Life: Reopening in Tandem
This week, the reopening of schools and educational institutions brings a new layer of complexity to urban life. Cities are no longer just managing transport, businesses, and public spaces; they are balancing the return of…
Transport and Mobility: Adapting to the New Normal
This week, the focus shifts to transport networks as cities and regions navigate the early stages of reopening. Trains, buses, and subways operate at reduced capacity in major urban centres, while schedules are staggered to…
Regional Economies in Transition
This week, attention turns to regional economies as communities begin to adjust to phased reopenings. In northern Italy, manufacturing plants resume operations with staggered shifts, temperature checks, and social distancing measures on factory floors. Retail…
Reopening Urban Life: Transport, Movement, and Adaptation
This week, cities become the focus of reopening efforts, and the challenge of managing movement and public spaces comes sharply into view. In London and Paris, public transport operates at reduced capacity, with passengers expected…
Gradual Reopenings and the Complexities of Adjustment
This week, countries continue to experiment with phased reopenings, each trying to balance public health, economic activity, and social expectations. In Germany, shops reopen under strict distancing rules, while schools implement hybrid schedules, combining in-person…
The Early Steps of Reopening
This week, the world is cautiously reopening. Countries that imposed strict lockdowns in March and April are beginning phased strategies, but the process is uneven and instructive. The central topic is reopening itself, and multiple…
How Policy Shapes Adaptation
This week, one thing becomes clear: the way governments structure policy determines not just health outcomes, but how societies adapt to prolonged disruption. Across Europe and North America, the pandemic is testing the link between…
Learning in Real Time as Public Health Strategies Diverge
This week, the world has entered a phase where countries are no longer reacting in the same way. The early shock has faded, and what remains is a complex landscape of different public-health strategies shaped…
