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Human rights and austerity: Lacuna on foodbanks, evictions, and domestic violence
Lacuna this week takes another look at some of the human rights impacts of austerity measures and welfare reform in the United Kingdom.
In Foodbank Fallacies, James Harrison reflects on how the Foodbank phenomenon was (mis-)used as a key symbolic election issue. He argues that it is absolutely vital we take the role of emergency food aid more seriously in post-election Britain.
Losing your Home is the first in a three part series by Rebecca Omonira-Oyekanmi. She examines how welfare reform, personal debt, poorly paid work and unaffordable housing are leading to evictions for many people across Britain.
In Sisters Uncut May Day Protest, Khadra Aden vividly portrays the Sisters Uncut campaign which argues that austerity is highly gendered in impacting on the most vulnerable women, particularly those who have suffered from domestic violence. The article includes a number of images from the protest which capture the campaigning spirit of the women involved in the protests.
Food charity: Undermining Human Rights? A Discussion on Thursday 14 May
On Thursday 14th May at the University of Warwick (12.00pm - 1.30pm in R1.13, Ramphal Building) Professor Elizabeth Dowler and Centre Co-Director Dr James Harrison will lead a session entitled "Food charity: Undermining Human Rights?".
The session will explore the dangers that food charity poses for the long term protection of human rights in the United Kingdom. It will also consider ideas for how to transform public policy and civil society action on food poverty and related policy issues so that human rights are better promoted in the future.
James's thoughts will be based on his piece "The Foodbank Dilemma" which has been viewed more than 7,500 times in Lacuna Magazine and re-published in the New Statesman and Open Democracy.
'Why Europe must do more for refugees' - Lacuna refects upon the migration crisis in the Mediterranean
This week Lacuna showcases two articles which explore different aspects of the migration crisis and tragic deaths at sea in the Mediterranean.
Dallal Stevens is an academic in the Law School at Warwick University who has been researching and writing about immigration and asylum issues for more than 20 years. In 'Why Europe must do more for refugees' she explains why the European Union’s response to the refugee crisis in Southern Europe is inadequate. Instead of focusing solely on border control and deterrence, leaders must develop a longer term and more humane response.
Rebecca Omonira-Oyekanmi was recently shortlisted for the Orwell Prize for Journalism for her work reporting on Britain’s most vulnerable communities, including asylum seekers and refugees. In 'What it means when we call people illegal' she argues that we can learn from US asylum and immigration debates where there is a serious challenge to the idea that people can be illegal. That same challenge is urgently needed now in the UK.