Leprosy and leprostigma: A review from the past through COVID-19 [Part I]
Posted inHealth World Issues

Leprosy and leprostigma: A review from the past through COVID-19 [Part I]

Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium leprae (1). Mycobacterium leprae  Leprosy patients can experience deformities that affect sight, touch, and manual dexterity. Macules, papules, and nodules are prevalent among other skin lesions (2). Along with these symptoms, leprosy patients experience immense stigma and discrimination, also called leprostigma. Leprosy can be cured using a combination of three antibiotics - rifampicin, clofazimine, and dapsone - widely known as multidrug…
Posted inHealth, World Issues
A Historical Overview of Human Enhancement and Its Societal Impacts
Posted inHealth Social Justice World Issues

A Historical Overview of Human Enhancement and Its Societal Impacts

The Rise of Genetic Technologies  In the modern era, improvements in genetic knowledge and technology have brought novel methods of human enhancement - prenatal screening, embryo selection, and genetic engineering.  The first prenatal screening was developed in the 1950s with ultrasound, and in the 1970s, implementation of real-time gray-scale imaging allowed earlier detection. Prenatal screening technology allows the identification of birth defects and chromosomal abnormalities before birth that may…
Posted inHealth, Social Justice, World Issues
A Historical Overview of Human Enhancement and Its Societal Impacts [Part II]
Posted inHealth World Issues

A Historical Overview of Human Enhancement and Its Societal Impacts [Part II]

Plato’s Eugenics  The term ‘eugenics’ was first coined in 1883 by a British natural scientist named Francis Galton and was defined as a “science” for the betterment of society through selective breeding of individuals with desirable traits (F. Galton, 1978; Proctor, 1988, p. 29). Despite the term’s origin, the roots of eugenics stretch long before Galton’s time.  The earliest known inception of eugenics comes from Plato, a Greek philosopher,…
Posted inHealth, World Issues
A Historical Overview of Human Enhancement and Its Societal Impacts [Part I]
Posted inHealth World Issues

A Historical Overview of Human Enhancement and Its Societal Impacts [Part I]

Human enhancement methods of prenatal screening, embryo selection, and genetic engineering are currently in the limelight, but there are debates over their ethical and societal implications. This paper aims to explore past human enhancement attempts and their parallels to modern treatments to determine possible societal impacts and applications of latest treatments. To do so, this paper focuses on the earliest known inception of human enhancement advocated for by Plato…
Posted inHealth, World Issues
The Gilded Cage
Posted inPersonal narrative Social Justice World Issues Writing

The Gilded Cage

The wave of reality hit me hard. I had identified as an Asian female since birth but had not truly comprehended the consequences of this classification when living in America. The dreadful feeling of being attacked, whether by words or weapons, is what awaits me outside the bubble called school. This bubble, the same one that put me in an illusory haze, is what I have to break to…
Posted inPersonal narrative, Social Justice, World Issues, Writing
Individual Complaint to the Human Rights Committee Under the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
Posted inOpinion Social Justice World Issues

Individual Complaint to the Human Rights Committee Under the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

INDIVIDUAL COMPLAINT TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE UNDER THE OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS 22 July 2020 I.  Information on the Complaint Author of the Petition:  Sarya DezmirVictim: Isaki DezmirRepresentation: Jungyeon Lee. The representative is acting by virtue of a power of attorney signed by Sarya Dezmir on July 14, 2020. II. State Concerned and Articles Violated State Party: Golenzik Articles Violated Article 19…
Posted inOpinion, Social Justice, World Issues
City of Secrets [part II]
Posted inWorld Issues

City of Secrets [part II]

Spicy. Walking around the ancient city of Kashgar, I constantly bump into the smell of spices every time I turn a corner. Just like the captivating beauty of this ancient city, these smells wafting from a thousand years back to today are still potent enough to pierce through visitors with a single sip or whiff. It is difficult to write and talk about Xinjiang without mentioning the political implications…
Posted inWorld Issues
City of Secrets [part I]
Posted inWorld Issues

City of Secrets [part I]

Spicy. Walking around the ancient city of Kashgar, I constantly bump into the smell of spices every time I turn a corner. Just like the captivating beauty of this ancient city, these smells wafting from a thousand years back to today are still potent enough to pierce through visitors with a single sip or whiff. Kashgar is the largest city in the south of Xinjiang, an autonomous region of…
Posted inWorld Issues
Amnesty International Memorandum [part III]
Posted inPolitics Social Justice World Issues

Amnesty International Memorandum [part III]

III. Conclusion  Conclusions from Findings:  Mooncorps, a gold mining company in Moloqua has clearly violated several human rights through the following: unsuitable working conditions for local workers, racial discrimination towards local workers, and meager wages, especially for local workers. By providing ex-pat workers with spacious working spaces and an adequate supply of food and water but limiting access to supplies for local workers, they have clearly discriminated against locals.…
Posted inPolitics, Social Justice, World Issues
Amnesty International Memorandum [part II]
Posted inPolitics Social Justice World Issues

Amnesty International Memorandum [part II]

Peaceful Protests (Image Credit) II. Findings Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Assembly & Association  On June 30th, CleanLand, a local environmental civil society action group, coordinated with mine workers and the local Sheldouin ethnic group to organize a peaceful protest in response to the environmental impacts of the MoonCorps mine and the working conditions of miners. In describing the protests, a mine worker stated that protesters “got burned,…
Posted inPolitics, Social Justice, World Issues