By Alexander Fischer The Temple University Graduate Student Association (TUGSA 6290), a union that represents more than 750 graduate student workers at Temple struck for over a month from late January to early March 2023. TUGSA, the only graduate student union in Pennsylvania, demanded a living wage, greater parental and bereavement leave, and dependent healthcare. Founded … [Read more...] about Striking Power: How Temple University Graduate Student Workers Won a New Contract
Focus on Pages
The "Focus On" section provides in-depth information and opinion on many facets of sustainability. (Although these topics may appear quite distinct and separate, it’s important to remember that they are interconnected and interdependent in multiple ways — in general, the 4 basic principles of ecology apply to all complex systems.)
When you select a Focus On… topic, the system will select all the articles and posts in that category with the most recent pages at the top, just under a brief introduction to the topic. (Many articles appear in multiple categories.)
Background & detail information is organized into the main categories listed in the left sidebar.
Voices of the Valley
The Voices of the Valley category includes work by members of the Lehigh Valley community.
You can access Voices of the Valley essays that were published in the Alliance’s Sustainable Lehigh Valley booklet (listed by year published) or via the alphabetic list of authors, which also includes items published online and in Left Turn.
You can also search for individual essays (& other content) by category or tag.
China’s BRI: Toward a Hybrid International Order with Socialist Characteristics?
By Gary Olson This year marks the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping’s launch of China’s flagship, One Belt One Road (OBOR), later referred to as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Echoing the historic Silk Road, the ancient trade network of Eurasia that connected the East and West, BRI is the most ambitious and expensive infrastructure plan in world history. Writing … [Read more...] about China’s BRI: Toward a Hybrid International Order with Socialist Characteristics?
This Freedom
By Elaheh Farmand I came to America, 25 years ago with rose-colored glasses, a suitcase of memories, and my mother’s dreams unfolded. I came to America with little English and a lot of bitterness because our struggles as new immigrants embarrassed me. But I came to America with my mother’s hopes and from her, I learned … [Read more...] about This Freedom
Faramarz Farbod Interviews Miko Peled on Palestine & Israel
[Partial transcript of an interview on Berks Community Television, April 11, 2023.] Faramarz Farbod: Can you explain what you mean by Zionism? Miko Peled: To put it as simply and succinctly as possible, Zionism is an ideology that says the Jewish people all over the world have a right to Palestine at the expense of Palestinians. It created a theory that because all Jewish … [Read more...] about Faramarz Farbod Interviews Miko Peled on Palestine & Israel
Notes from the Editor
“All journalists are Julian Assange.” This should be the universal motto of every journalist and publisher. Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, is undoubtedly the most accomplished journalist/publisher of our time and is dangerously close to being extradited to the US for trial and imprisonment for life. It is important to point out that Assange has engaged in journalistic … [Read more...] about Notes from the Editor
US/China War Is No Longer Unthinkable
By Gary Olson China offers a threatening alternative model of development that is non-capitalist, non-Western, and non-colonial. As such, it undermines the West’s neocolonial domination of the Third World and its debt-trap-based forced underdevelopment of subservience and exploitation. — K.T. Noh If the United States were to posit that it could eliminate the economic … [Read more...] about US/China War Is No Longer Unthinkable
Reflections on Being American
By Elaheh Farmand American flags sprout like trees and wildflowers in backyards and gardens, over and around fences and windows. Tall and grand, they surround diners and restaurants in Pennsylvania, impossible to ignore. With strong winds, they dance almost majestically. What is the message of this flag, built on stolen land with the blood and genocide of its indigenous … [Read more...] about Reflections on Being American
Notes from the Editor
The denial of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination is arguably the very heart of the injustice in Palestine. Most north Americans are unaware that Article 55 of the Charter of the UN recognized this right in the aftermath of World War Two. It states in part: “With a view to the creation of conditions of stability and well-being which are necessary for … [Read more...] about Notes from the Editor
Faramarz Farbod interviews Ervand Abrahamianon Protests in Iran
FaramarzFarbod: Ervand, I wanted to get your view on the current social movement in Iran known as “Zan, Zendegi, Azadi” in Farsi, which translates into “Women, Life, Freedom.” We are into 4 months of this protest movement. More than 500 people have been killed, apparently. The state has executed four persons. Another at least 14 or so are apparently on a list … [Read more...] about Faramarz Farbod interviews Ervand Abrahamianon Protests in Iran
Christians as Dangerous Good Samaritans
By Gary Olson Lately, I’ve been musing about religion and politics. And more specifically, the thought that keeps recurring to me is the following: Is the idea of born agains and other Christians becoming political radicals, a far-fetched one? Or, should the question be, how could they not become politically radical Christians? One sees frequent references to the … [Read more...] about Christians as Dangerous Good Samaritans