The Global Sociology Blog

Via the BBC, “Hundreds of landless farmers in Brazil blockaded a railway operated by mining giant Vale for several hours. The demonstrators occupied the line in the state of Minas Gerais to protest against the construction of a dam by Vale and a partner company. They left after Vale obtained a court order to have [...]

There have been many articles already concerning the food shortage that affect the poorest countries in particular. Early this week, the BBC reports that the World Bank would double its aid package to Africa. “It will contribute $700m (£348.6m) in the 12 months from June 2008, up from $400m in the the previous year period, [...]

Via Le Monde, Les minorités sont les premières victimes du réchauffement climatique LEMONDE.FR | 11.03.08 © The Minority Rights organization just published a report stating that certain ethnic minorities and indigenous populations are already dramatically negatively affected by global climate change and the related environmental disasters. And when such disasters occur, they are the last [...]

Such is the objective of Brazilian President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, as reported in Le Monde. Amazonie brésilienne : la déforestation s’aggrave LE MONDE | 29.02.08 © This is a difficult challenge as deforestation has accelerated in the Amazon region since Summer 2007. During that period, 7,000 km2 were deforested to make room for [...]

What more can one want? According to the Guardian, “French vineyard owners are returning to a slower pace of life by starting to export their wine by sailing boat – a method last used in the 1800s – to reduce their carbon footprint. Later this month 60,000 bottles from Languedoc will be shipped to Ireland [...]

Or so says this article from the British Telegraph: “Drinking bottled water should be made as unfashionable as smoking, according to a government adviser.”We have to make people think that it’s unfashionable just as we have with smoking. We need a similar campaign to convince people that this is wrong,” said Tim Lang, the Government’s [...]

A couple of Christmas ago, I went back to France for the holidays. My mother and I went shopping to a supermarket and finding a parking spot was a pain until we spotted a couple putting stuff away in the trunk of their car. It was taking too long, from my perspective until I realized [...]

I didn’t know that was possible but apparently, this is happening thanks to global warming, according to Le Monde. Le réchauffement de la planète entraîne une “désertification” croissante des océans LE MONDE | 04.02.08 © Oceanic deserts are now a reality but one that is difficult to perceive, unlike land desertification which is visible to [...]