@A.survivor.at.leiden 1 in 10 women and 1 in 100 of men studying at Dutch universities have been raped, according to a recent study by Amnesty International. Whilst the sheer numbers are horrifying to us, the dark truth is that these people are not just statistics: we have deeply painful, lived experiences. I was first raped at... Continue Reading →
In this series, the senior members of BAISmag reflect on their experiences in studying IS so far and provide advice for the incoming first-year students. This week, Editor-in-Chief Rosalie de Beus shares her experiences and revelations regarding the “expectations vs reality” of her first year at Leiden University Campus The Hague. I’ve been looking forward... Continue Reading →
The arrival of the month of June is not only marked by longer lasting days and shorter nights, but also by the appearance of rainbow flags everywhere. We can see them waving from flagpoles and hanging on the side of buildings. There’s no doubt about it: Pride Month is here. The rainbow flag is used... Continue Reading →
With summer break on the horizon, you may find yourself with more time on your hands. So why not - in the spirit of pride month - watch a movie or series with LGBTQ+ main characters? Here are some popular movies, to get you started: “Love, Simon”, “Call Me By Your Name”, or “Alex Strangelove”. ... Continue Reading →
To no one's surprise, gaming has seen a sharp increase during the pandemic. However, the explosive popularity of Animal Crossing and similar games (such as Stardew Valley and Harvest Moon) has been especially notable, as I, and many of my friends, have explicitly bought a Nintendo Switch to play the game for goodness sake. It's... Continue Reading →
Author: Kelly Musyoka Women’s bodies are not inherently sexual, but from a young age they are sexualised. In primary school, we are told to cover up because bare skin is distracting to boys. We are told to carry pepper spray. We are told to stay friendly when being assaulted because raising your voice might provoke... Continue Reading →
Author: Kelly Musyoka Hair plays a significant role in society because it is an identity marker. Unfortunately, in Western society non-Western ethnic groups are disproportionately marginalised for their appearance. There has been a globalisation of beauty standards with a European hegemony over them. Especially in terms of hair texture and skin complexion, people of African... Continue Reading →
Throughout studying politics and watching political tensions increase and shift over the past few years, I continue to be reminded of this one quote in Episode 3 of the Star Wars saga. “So this is how liberty dies…with thunderous applause.” I find that the sentiments expressed in a galaxy far far away scarily resemble very... Continue Reading →
Last semester I followed a minor in law, and since then I’ve started to appreciate the concept of democracy a bit more. I learned about the Dutch law system and the Japanese system—among other things. What I came to realize, is that a lot of countries have very different interpretations of democracy because of their... Continue Reading →
Hong Kong’s autonomy has been the subject of heated debate for years and has inspired multiple protest movements, the most recent flaring up in late 2019. Last July, BAISmag interviewed Gina van Ling in order to gain a better understanding of the ongoing situation in Hong Kong (read the full 2020 interview here). Half a... Continue Reading →
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