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The Despatch Box is a political journal published by the Royal Holloway Politics and International Relations Society, edited by Editors-In-Chief Adila Hilmi and PIRSOC President Ben Askew.
Established in 2016, the journal aims to provide students with a forum to broadcast their opinions and develop their political writing skills.
We’re always looking for new writers. Click here to submit your work!
Is this the beginning of the end for Boris Johnson?
By Thomas McLinden | 2nd February 2022 It can be quite safely assumed that Boris Johnson’s tenure has been nothing short of dull. The electrifying, unavoidable presence of Johnson in Number 10 is the final piece to the melodrama entitled Boris Johnson’s political career. Having swooped to the rapturous applause of Brexiteers by bearing theContinue reading “Is this the beginning of the end for Boris Johnson?”
London vs Beijing: How a pathway to British Citizenship has ignited a diplomatic dispute over Hong Kong
Hong Kong has long been a valued bridge between China and the West. Over the past 18 months, however, the former British colony has increasingly become a stage for China to showcase a more aggressive foreign policy, argues Ben Askew.
Vested interests and a celebrity echo chamber stand in the way of revolutionising Indian farming
The message of how vital the need for reform is to the future of Indian farming finds itself lost in an echo chamber that prioritises the convenience of virtue signalling over a self-evident good, writes Pranoy Roy Choudhury.
Princess Latifa’s Plight: How Gender Inequality Prevails in the 21st Century
The women who came before us endured a long struggle for the rights that we enjoy today; that won’t be over until every woman in every corner of the world enjoys the same rights, writes Eden Singh.
Western Vaccine Nationalism Risks Prolonging the COVID-19 Pandemic
Unless wealthy nations take continued steps to address the far-reaching inequalities in vaccine supply, the world will continue to live with this disease and its consequences well into the future, writes Ben Askew.
Foreign Policy Under President Biden: A Return to the Status Quo?
Approaches towards China, Britain, and the Middle East indicate a change in substance from the Obama years, but the appointment of Avril Haines as the Director of National Intelligence also indicates a worrying shift in style, writes Pranoy Roy Choudhury.
UK Terrorism Threat Level Raised to “Severe”
Urging the public to be “alert but not alarmed”, Home Secretary Priti Patel has downplayed the threat to the country’s national security, but Grace Rollison argues that the move should not be seen as merely a precautionary measure.
The UK is lucky that the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine works
The UK is lucky that it didn’t lose out by not participating in the EU’s vaccine procurement scheme, writes Alexander Hoffman.
Israel – Emirates Peace Deal: To Me, To You, To UAE, to You
The Israel-UAE Peace Agreement is not only the result of a sudden recognition of the similarities between the two nations but also a realisation of the mutual threat of Iran, writes George Wright.
The Murder of George Floyd
Sarah Tennent writes from the position of a white person about the murder of George Floyd and systemic racism. This article contains petitions, places to donate and book recommendations for white people to educate themselves.
TfL’s Bailout and London’s regional powers conflict
Jake Short writes on Transport for London’s billion pound bailout and the conflict between London’s regional powers, Labour and Conservatives going head to head, potentially repeating history.
Golden Apple Award Winners
Following from two weeks of nominations and voting, students have come together to recognise the lecturer and student who has gone above and beyond for PIR at Royal Holloway! Politics and International Relations Society are pleased to announce the lecturer PIR students recognised who had gone above and beyond their role, enriched student learning andContinue reading “Golden Apple Award Winners”
A new kind of Journalism
Courtney Bridges writes on the ‘new kind of journalism’ emerging throughout the COVID-19 pandemic
COVID-19, Politics and the English Language
Joshua Castle writes on the relevance of George Orwell and the importance of language during the current COVID-19 crisis
No other way. Biden needs the Left to stop Trump.
Zafir Zafirov discusses the importance of Biden securing the vote of the Left in the upcoming election
A New Leader, A New Time for the Labour Party, but Big Challenges Remain
Lewis Virgo writes on Keir Starmer’s victory and what the Labour party must learn from the 2019 General Election to improve in 2024.
How the ‘Washington Consensus’ allowed the global core to exploit the global periphery though unfair exchange from a World Systems Theory lens.
Josh Trood writes on the pitfalls of the Washington Consensus and the systematic explotation of countries in the global periphery
Why Trump isn’t talking Turkey: His Largest Foreign Policy Blunder
Ilija Dokmanovic highlights Trump’s recent foreign policy blunder, and US relations within the Middle East
The Politics Behind the Coronavirus
Josh Trood writes on the potential political implications of the spread of the Coronavirus on elections and the economy
UCU Strikes, we have been here before- but what next?
Sarah Tennent writes on the recent round of UCU strikes, Paul Layzell’s complacency, and what the future holds
Non-EU states held to double standards, despite internal deficiencies
Milo Dack writes regarding the double tax standards to which the EU holds Non-EU states, despite Ireland being a tax haven for Google, Facebook and many more international firms
The decision on HS2, and the future implications for British infrastructure projects
Andrew Harris writes on the HS2 and its development under Boris Johnson
You can’t consent to being killed: A call for the end of the consensual violence defence
Georgie Day writes an important piece about the call for the end of the ‘consensual violence’ defence as another woman, Grace Millane, looses her life, and her murderer has a ‘valid’ defence
Pete Buttigieg: A radical Democratic candidate?
Josh Trood explores Pete Buttigieg as a possible radical candidate for the Democrats
POSTHUMOUS PARDONS: AN ENIGMA
Rhys Jones writes on the third anniversary of The Alan Turing Law, and how justice is still waiting for many gay men wrongfully convicted.
Israeli Ambassador visits Royal Holloway
Sarah Tennent writes on the recent visit of Israeli Ambassador, Mark Regev, to Royal Holloway, hosted by Politics and International Relations Society.
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