Blog Archives

Teen Sexual Violence on the Rise: What's Happening?

Teen Sexual Violence on the Rise: What’s Happening?

The massive consumption of pornography – full of violent sexual practices against women – by millions of children, adolescents and adults is not innocuous in the construction of their sexual desire, and, consequently, in the sexual relations they have with other people. . According to data published annually by one of the most visited pornography […] … learn more→

‘There’s a lot of places where you can’t be seen’: how bullying can be invisible to adults

‘There’s a lot of places where you can’t be seen’: how bullying can be invisible to adults

School bullying is a huge and distressing problem. In 2015, 43% of Australian year 8 students experienced bullying each month. A 2022 Mission Australia survey of Australians between 15 and 19 found 47% were “extremely” or “somewhat” concerned about bullying. The picture is similar overseas. In 2020, the World Health Organization reported one in three students around the world aged 11-15 […] … learn more→

Are conspiracy theorists true believers, or are they just acting out fantasies?

Are conspiracy theorists true believers, or are they just acting out fantasies?

Democrats are killing and eating children. Vaccines contain Satan’s DNA. Canada has a new queen who is really an extraterrestrial with special powers. It’s difficult for many people to understand how anyone could believe such wild conspiracy theories. But in my view as a philosopher who studies the imagination, the key to understanding online conspiracy theorists is to understand how the line […] … learn more→

Citizen assemblies and the challenges of democratic equality

Citizen assemblies and the challenges of democratic equality

There are a wide range of ways to create decision-making bodies in democratic societies. Elections are one of the most common, with individuals stepping forward and seeking public support. If elected by their fellow citizens, they then take action on their behalf. This is known as representative democracy. An alternative form is direct democracy, which involves all […] … learn more→

Increase in attacks on secularism: figures that question

Increase in attacks on secularism: figures that question

Since the last school year, the wearing by pupils of signs intended for or with a religious connotation has experienced a significant increase, hence the importance taken on by the theme of “attacks on secularism” . We have thus gone from 313 reports of this order in September 2022 to 720 in October, more than double. A survey […] … learn more→

Rethinking citizenship to better hear young people?

Rethinking citizenship to better hear young people?

The Declaration of the Rights of the Child will celebrate its centenary in 2024. Faced with the complexity of the crises that face us, the legacy of Eglantyne Jebb, author of the Declaration, and her insistence on the need to place the rights of the he child as a priority on the agenda of the world community […] … learn more→

Why the ideology of the ‘New Right’ is so dangerous

Why the ideology of the ‘New Right’ is so dangerous

The populist radical right has been on the rise for some time, with candidates and parties on the far-right fringe of the political spectrum reaching new heights across the world. The electoral successes of Donald Trump in the United States, Marine Le Pen in France, the Alternative for Germany and, most recently, Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy has put the spotlight on an […] … learn more→

How to make young people aware of the dangers of alcohol on social networks?

How to make young people aware of the dangers of alcohol on social networks?

Alcohol is highly represented on social networks, associated with entertainment scenes, which young people in turn observe and share. This presence contributes to trivializing alcohol in the lives of young people and to hiding the pernicious effects of its abuse. Anti -alcohol campaigns aimed at young people, whether they use traditional means of communication or rely on social […] … learn more→

How Hitler conspiracies and other Holocaust disinformation undermine democratic institutions

How Hitler conspiracies and other Holocaust disinformation undermine democratic institutions

Godwin’s Law posits that any online argument, if it continues long enough, will inevitably invoke a comparison to Hitler. Perhaps there should be an updated version: If you examine any given conspiracy theory, even seemingly innocuous ones, it won’t be long until you find coded and explicit antisemitism. Some cases are obvious. Remember how far-right U.S. […] … learn more→

Citizens’ social media can provide an antidote to propaganda and disinformation

Citizens’ social media can provide an antidote to propaganda and disinformation

In early October, the Pew Research Center released a report called “The Role of Alternative Social Media in the News and Information Environment.” While the report is well-researched and reveals a great deal about the current state of digital media, news and right-wing propaganda, it is wrong about alternative social media. The report focuses on […] … learn more→