WHY THE NAME BLAQPEARL? Back in the day I was part of a hip hop group called Insidious Inc. The three males in the group, including my late brother, Mr Devious, all had stage names – of course I also wanted one! So being rarely aware of myself from a very young age...
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Rana Plaza Amandla
On the 24th of April, one day after inspectors ordered the owners to evacuate the building, the Rana Plaza textile factory in Savar Bangladesh, employing over 3,000 workers, collapsed. Over a third of those inside were killed and many others sustained major injuries....
The Antinomies of Democracy in Durban | by Richard Pithouse
Originally published at The South African Civil Society Information Service (SACSIS) In the last days of June, Nkululeko Gwala was assassinated in Cato Crest - a shack settlement in Durban that is in the process of being upgraded with formal housing. Just over three...
Every Cook can govern
The Greek form of government was the city-state. Every Greek city was an independent state. At its best, in the city state of Athens, the public assembly of all the citizens made all important decisions on such...
Thatcher: an Obituary from Below | by Richard Seymour
Thatcher's great achievements were also what made her so vile. Her many talents were harnessed to bigoted, class-supremacist ends. Obituaries are typically concerned with the accomplishments and worthwhile qualities of the deceased. Thatcher's achievements are...
Europe’s crisis and the rise of the far right| by John Palmer
The general election of February in Italy produced a political deadlock over the formation of a new government and reawakened fears that the crisis of the European Union currency – the Euro – could take a new turn for the worse. A low turnout of voters (by Italian...
BLACK NOISE
Black Noise is a new column that features young black writers dedicated to critiquing and undermining racism, sexism and economic exploitation in South Africa and beyond. I can't even imagine the terror Anene must have felt on that construction site. The details of...
Understanding the Venezuelan Presidential Election Outcome| By Tamara Pearson
Things are chaotic here, as we recover from the surprise, disappointment, and a bit of hurt from the election results, but also go out in the street to express our support for those results, and to defend the national electoral system, one of the best and most secure...






