Monthly Archives: July 2013

McDonald’s Workers Are Worth More

For Al Jazeera English, I have a new article on low-wage workers and the end of upward mobility in America: This lapse in priorities – in which things we buy are thought to be morally superior to people who sell … Continue reading

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The murder of Trayvon Martin

I have a new article about the murder of Trayvon Martin: Trayvon Martin is dead and the man who killed him walks free. Americans are afraid there will be riots, like there were after the King verdict in 1992. But … Continue reading

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What Celebrities and Dictators Have in Common

Last week Jennifer Lopez performed at a birthday party for Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the dictator of Turkmenistan. For Foreign Policy, I analyze the anxiety behind the outrage that ensued: Celebrities and dictators have a lot in common. They lead lavish lifestyles … Continue reading

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The myth of the “skills gap”

Inspired by this Guardian article on joblessness in Europe, today I tweeted about the myth of the “skills gap” – a catchphrase frequently trotted out to explain away mass unemployment among the young. I will write about this more in … Continue reading

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How the Uzbek Government Targets Exiles Abroad

I have a new article for Al Jazeera English about how the government of Uzbekistan punishes exiles abroad by persecuting their relatives at home. Two weeks ago, Hasan Choriyev, the father of Uzbek activist Bahodir Choriyev, was unlawfully detained: It … Continue reading

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