Global Affairs Today

News headlines recently have been filled with reports of hate crimes—people targeted because they belong to certain social or racial groups. We take a closer look at what these crimes are, why they’re on the rise, and how we can help prevent them.

In many countries around the world, it seems like the public discourse is getting louder, angrier and more polarized. We’re asking: Is there a way to cut through all the noise and restore calmer, more respectful ways of disagreeing?

Racism is as old as history itself and its influence around the globe is pervasive. We ask some hard questions about what racism looks like within different societies and how it continues to shape our world in countless ways.

In many countries, criticizing religion or even expressing religious doubt can land you with a fine, a jail sentence, or—in some cases—the death penalty. We’re exploring the tragedy of blasphemy and apostasy laws and asking what these can teach us about learning to accept others whose beliefs are different to our own.

It seems like conspiracy theories are on the rise everywhere—they’re in our social media feeds and even repeated within our circles of friends and family. We’re asking: How do these theories gain power, and how can we sort fact from fiction?

As governments around the world closed houses of worship in response to Covid-19, many people began to ask: How far can governments legitimately restrict my religious practice? We dig deep into questions about how robust our religious freedoms really are.

We don’t leave our faith behind us when we go to work each day. But sometimes accommodating religious practice and belief on the job can be challenging. We explore our rights and responsibilities when it comes to faith in the workplace.

The act of political protest has toppled authoritarian regimes and launched important social movements. But sometimes, protests turn violent. We dig deeper into these issues and explore how we can decide if and when to engage in protest.