English Posts — 국제전략센터/The International Strategy Center

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Vijay Prashad Interview

Vijay Prashad Interview

Vijay Prashad is an Indian historian, journalist, and editor. He has written over 20 books including ‘The Darker Nations: A People's History of the Third World’, ‘Red Star Over the Third World’, and ‘Washington Bullets’, which was translated by the ISC. He is director of the Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research that recently published another work that was translated by the ISC, ‘Washington’s New Cold War: A Socialist Perspective’.

Vijay came to Korea for three days in early December to give a series of talks about the new cold war and other issues affecting the world. We met Vijay on his third afternoon in Seoul for a conversation about organizing and the importance of growing the left domestically and internationally.

ISC ArticlesInternational Strategy CenterDecember 28, 2022vijay_prashad, New Cold WarComment

Facing up to the 10.29 Itaewon Disaster…

Facing up to the 10.29 Itaewon Disaster…

Accidents can occur in any form in our shared spaces of life and work. However, in cases where the accident could have been prevented in advance, yet people are killed from the neglect of corporations or the state, those cases are not accidents but murder. And if there are a large number of victims of the disaster, how is it any different than a massacre?

ISC ArticlesInternational Strategy CenterNovember 30, 202210.29 Itaewon Disaster, Itaewon, Haloween, Disaster, Crowd Crush

After Rejection of Constitutional Proposal, What’s Next for Chile’s Left?

After Rejection of Constitutional Proposal, What’s Next for Chile’s Left?

On Sept. 4th, 62% of voters rejected a new Constitutional proposal that would have replaced the existing Pinochet era one. To examine why the constitutional proposal was rejected and the tasks ahead for Chile’s left, on Oct. 27th, Dae-Han Song interviewed activist, politician, and journalist Taroa Zúñiga Silva for the ISC Progressive Forum.

Taroa Zúñiga Silva is a journalist for Globetrotter. She is also the co-editor of "Venezuela, Vortex of the War of the 21st Century" and a coordinating committee member of Argos, Observatory for Migration & Human Rights, and the co-founder of the Venezuelan Faldas-r collective for women's sexual and reproductive rights. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

ISC ArticlesInternational Strategy CenterNovember 28, 2022ChileComment

Why We Must Fight US Empire and Defend Latin America

Why We Must Fight US Empire and Defend Latin America

Ever since World War II, the US has waged war on countries and the world’s people to build its global capitalist empire. The US spends more on its military than the next 7 countries combined.

ISC ArticlesInternational Strategy CenterNovember 21, 2019Latin America, Venezuela, US military, imperialism, Peace

South Korea - Japan Relations: A Japanese Social Movement Perspective

South Korea - Japan Relations: A Japanese Social Movement Perspective

On June, Seoul’s High Court ordered Japanese companies to pay reparations to forced laborers under Japanese colonization. In response, in July, Japan imposed restrictions on export of three chemicals crucial to the manufacture of Korean semiconductors.

ISC ArticlesInternational Strategy CenterOctober 16, 2019japan, forced labor

The Right Ideas Aren’t Enough

The Right Ideas Aren’t Enough

On Aug. 20, as part of the International Progressive Politics Forum at the Seoul Justice Party, we had a video conversation with Vijay Prashad, author of several books and articles, notably “Darker Nations: A People’s History of the Third World” and “The Poorer Nations: A Possible History of the Global South.”

ISC ArticlesInternational Strategy CenterSeptember 8, 2019vijay_prashad, tricontinental

On the Other Side of Another Wall

On the Other Side of Another Wall

It was eerily beautiful as we walked along the fortress wall of the Democracy and Human Rights Memorial building. It was peaceful standing beneath trees that hung over the security gate as we were introduced to the place where we stood.

ISC ArticlesInternational Strategy CenterAugust 8, 2019democracy, Korea

Learning Our Still Present Past

Learning Our Still Present Past

I had the opportunity to attend two back to back events by the ISC about democracy and human rights in downtown Seoul, South Korea. Sounds boring right? However, these events were engaging and new for two reasons.

ISC ArticlesInternational Strategy CenterAugust 8, 2019democracy, Korea

Cuba: Where Si Se Puede

Cuba: Where Si Se Puede

My first visit to Cuba was in July 2017. Like the millions inspired by its revolutionary spirit and history, I fell in love with this powerful place and its people. Since then, I’ve organized several delegations and educational exchanges to Cuba with Black and Brown organizers, farmers, artists, educators, and healers from the United States.

ISC ArticlesInternational Strategy CenterAugust 1, 2019cuba, Latin America

“Men and Citizens:” What it Means to be a Conscientious Objector in South Korea

“Men and Citizens:” What it Means to be a Conscientious Objector in South Korea

Previously, in Nov. of 2018, the South Korean constitutional course ruled that a conscientious objector must be provided with an alternative form for fulfilling their military service.

ISC ArticlesInternational Strategy CenterAugust 1, 2019conscientious objector, South Korea, Military Service

New Power Party: Fighting for the Next Generation

New Power Party: Fighting for the Next Generation

Ya-ting Yang joined the New Power Party in December 2015, ahead of the 2016 elections. Unlike previous third parties in Taiwan, the New Power Party wasn’t born out of a split with another party..

ISC ArticlesInternational Strategy CenterJuly 2, 2019justice party, Progressive party, Asia

Driven to Resistance: Taxi Driver Suicides in Korea and the US

Driven to Resistance: Taxi Driver Suicides in Korea and the US

What does it mean to stand in solidarity with workers? For the taxi drivers calling out for recognition of their struggles, this is a key question and an opportunity to question how our current economic system is changing.

ISC ArticlesInternational Strategy CenterMay 7, 2019labor rights, labor

Challenging the Media Distortion and Blackout on Venezuela: Interview with Venezuela’s Charge D’Affaires

Challenging the Media Distortion and Blackout on Venezuela: Interview with Venezuela’s Charge D’Affaires

The purpose of our event was to provide a space to expose and correct the distortions and media blackout of the reality in Venezuela. We explored how to understand Venezuela amidst the media attacks, threat of military intervention, and economic sanctions.

ISC ArticlesInternational Strategy CenterMarch 12, 2019Venezuela, Bolivarian Revolution, Latin America, Nicolas Maduro, solidarity

Interview with Die Linke Executive Board Member Claudia Haydt: Understanding Die Linke (Part 1)

Interview with Die Linke Executive Board Member Claudia Haydt: Understanding Die Linke (Part 1)

Die Linke which translates as “The Left” is Germany’s left/progressive party. It was founded in 2007 incorporating political strands from West Germany (those dissatisfied with the Social Democrats) and East Germany (former members of the then ruling Socialist Unity Party of Germany).

ISC ArticlesInternational Strategy CenterJanuary 14, 2019Die Linke, Germany, Progressive party

Interview with Die Linke Executive Board Member Claudia Haydt: Lessons for Korea (Part 2)

Interview with Die Linke Executive Board Member Claudia Haydt: Lessons for Korea (Part 2)

Electoral systems have their pros and cons. If you have a proportional system, the parties have a strong role because the parties decide who will be the leading candidates and the order of the lists.

ISC ArticlesInternational Strategy CenterJanuary 14, 2019Die Linke, Germany, Progressive party

Interview With Five Star Movement Deputy Pino Cabras (Part 2): Participatory Democracy

Interview With Five Star Movement Deputy Pino Cabras (Part 2): Participatory Democracy

The participation of citizens in public management and political dynamics is one of the fundamental pillars of the 5-Stars Movement. Since the beginning, our goal has been to bring citizens into institutions as well as to bring institutions closer to citizens.

ISC ArticlesInternational Strategy CenterJanuary 14, 2019Five Star Movement, Italy, Progressive party

Interview With Five Star Movement Deputy Pino Cabras (Part 1): Progressives Take Power

Interview With Five Star Movement Deputy Pino Cabras (Part 1): Progressives Take Power

On the March 2018 Parliamentary elections, the Five Star Movement won the most votes in Italy’s Parliament (32.5% in the Senate, 32 in the Chamber of Deputies). On June, it entered government by forming a coalition government with the right-wing populist party, the League.

ISC ArticlesInternational Strategy CenterJanuary 14, 2019Five Star Movement, Italy, Progressive party

Is the Moon Administration Still a Part of the Candlelight Revolution?

Is the Moon Administration Still a Part of the Candlelight Revolution?

In a press conference on July 18, 2018, the Intellectuals Declaration Network, comprised of 323 professors and intellectuals, announced the “Intellectuals Declaration Demanding Bold Socio-Economic Reforms from the Moon Jae-in Administration.”

ISC ArticlesInternational Strategy CenterDecember 28, 2018Moon Jae-in, Samsung, Candlelight Revolution, Economy

Going to Meet History

Going to Meet History

Recently, I joined the ISC’s Labor History Tour, and felt lucky that I could learn and connect to this city and country through living history. Having taught English in Jeollabuk-do before moving to Seoul, it can feel daunting to foster a sense of connectivity to a massive hive of grey high rises compared to a more countryside experience.

ISC ArticlesInternational Strategy CenterDecember 28, 2018labor rights, Labor, Jeon Tae-il, teacher's union'

Occupy the Blue House

Occupy the Blue House

I had already seen the line of tents on the sidewalk before while driving past the Blue House and didn’t think they were different from the ones I saw circling the U.S. embassy.

ISC ArticlesInternational Strategy CenterDecember 28, 2018labor rights, Labor, teacher's union', Jeon Tae-il