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The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Saturday, September 7, 2024

Opinion | Column



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Column

Managing Multipolarity: Ascension of the elephant

To many within the Washington foreign policy establishment and even the public at large, the idea of India as a future great power has been accepted as a foregone conclusion since the days of BRICS. However, much of the thinking behind why this is the case has been obscured, as have the substantial challenges that India will face in the process of rising to regional hegemony.



The Setonian
Column

Ethics of the Environment: The nuances of vegan morality

As the climate crisis worsens and veganism gains momentum, our dietary habits, especially regarding meat and other animal products, have come under scrutiny for their role in aggravating global warming and leading to the inhumane mistreatment of livestock. However, the issue is not as clear-cut as many activists would have you believe.


The Setonian
Column

The Journey: Founding principles

The idea of journalism is one founded upon much more than just publication. It encapsulates the core of human interconnectedness and fairness. This semester, I have had the privilege of learning from Dr. Ravi Shankar in the course Creative Writing: Journalism. When registering for this course, I was in search of an arts credit to satisfy a distribution requirement; in the end, I found much more. Just a few weeks into the class, I have developed as a journalist through writing pieces in a variety of styles and perspectives I had not previously explored. This evening, I found myself realizing the power of journalism in dismantling unjust systems through listening to Dr. Shankar’s reflections on some of the impetus behind his newly released novel "Correctional" which cites the racist practices that are inseparable from the punitively based American incarceration system. His work not only highlights the reality of being a person of color in America but also the importance of writing and journalism in pursuing justice for all.



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Column

K-Weekly: How do K-pop groups work?

If you’re new to the world of K-pop, chances are you've given one look at a performance or group photo and been left confused. A typical comment Western listeners have to the world of K-pop is: Why are there so many members? 


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Column

The Final Whistle: Luis Díaz, welcome to Anfield

South America’s latest export to the Premier League is Liverpool’s Luis Díaz. The Colombian joins the Reds on a 5 ½ year deal for upwards of 37 million euros from F.C Porto. In his year and a half in Portugal, Díaz won the Primeira Liga and Taça de Portugal, two of the nation's biggest club honors. His 14 goals in the first half of the 2021–22 season still have him ranked second in the Portuguese league, in spite of being gone for weeks. In addition to impactful performances against Manchester City and A.C Milan in the Champions League, Díaz’s strongest display came during the 2021 Copa America. Colombia finished third behind heavyweights Argentina and Brazil as Díaz ended the tournament as joint-top-scorer alongside none other than Lionel Messi.


The Setonian
Column

Blue, Brown & Green: The spirit of sustainability

Tufts is widely known for its student engagement. We all know this. It’s also well known that we have a bit of a green streak here, proudly supporting our Office of Sustainability and the Eco Reps. As we dive headfirst into another semester on the hill, it’s a good time to step back and appreciate the community we are a part of, the community that has been built on decades of Jumbos’ voices and their dedication to shaping both Tufts and the world into a better place, one person at a time.  



The Setonian
Column

Managing Multipolarity: The Dragonbear

It has recently become increasingly obvious that China and Russia together seek to challenge the current international ‘rules based system.’ The U.S.- enforced liberal internationalism of the last three decades may soon give way, at least partially by force, to a more traditional, realist world order dominated by a series of regional great powers. For various reasons, Russia and China are among those prospective powers, especially for fear of strategic vulnerability, a desire to control resources necessary to their economies and normative claims to regional dominance.


The Setonian
Column

Ethics of the Environment: Zoos and aquariums — A necessary evil

A childhood trip to the zoo feels as quintessential as chocolate chip pancakes or bouncy castles, but the ethics of dolphins in tanks has always been questionable, and the debate has resurfaced in the aftermath of the pandemic television sensation “Tiger King” (2020–). Every zoo or aquarium fights back with token conservation programs, raising the question: "Does the conservation work done by zoos and aquariums justify the fate of their inhabitants?" In today’s world, the answer is an unfortunate “yes.”


The Setonian
Column

The Journey: Behind closet doors

Each time I take to The Tufts Daily with my words, I strive to be as vulnerable and honest as possible. I have come back to this platform for another semester seeking to continue expanding upon the message that I have previously shared in The Journey. I plan to foster the same sentiments giving you a window into my real, genuine, beautiful yet messy world.


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Column

Public Cinemy No. 1: Introduction

I have always loved that moment when the lights go down in a movie theater. Whether you’re watching a summer blockbuster with friends, laughing and sharing popcorn or absorbing the newest avant-garde French feature straight from Cannes, moviegoing transports you into another place, another life, another mind. I’ve spent my life captivated by the art, from begging my grandma to let me watch Tim Burton’s vampire flick at nine years old to memorizing the "Teen Beach Movie" (2013) soundtrack as a tween to watching "Parasite" (2019) every day for a week straight during quarantine. I am a political science major because of Armando Iannucci, and I don’t know how much of my personality developed naturally and how much I stole from "Megamind" (2010). The art of film and television is beautiful, fascinating and complex, and every time I watch a new favorite movie, it feels like the director is peeling back the layers of my heart.


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Column

K-Weekly: Fall in love with IVE and 'Eleven'

Last semester I made it a habit to write about K-Music which was at least a year old. I originally set out to cover larger K-hits to add to your playlist, but as the semester went on I realized that first, I should start introducing older music that still feels new. Today, however, I will be opening your eyes to a girl group just over two months old. 


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Column

The Art of Good Soup: Tsurumen, Davis Square

This is a column about soup: what it tastes like, what it does to you. What it makes you dream and think about. The kind of soup you’ll tell your children about at the dinner table. For our sake and yours, we hope it's also a column about good soup. Unfortunately, not all soups are good, just like life or our Tinder dates. Well, usually most Tinder dates are bad. Whatever.


The Setonian
Column

The Final Whistle: Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard's first steps into management

To many fans, overturning a 3–0 deficit at halftime is considered impossible, but in the 2005 Champions League final, Liverpool's own Steven Gerrard led a historic comeback against a formidable A.C. Milan side. The Reds conceded within 50 seconds of kickoff and went toe-to-toe with Italy's finest club, which featured two of the greatest midfielders of all time: Andrea Pirlo and Ricardo Kaká. On either side of them, you’d find Gennaro Gattuso, who would go on to win the World Cup with Italy the following year, and Dutch legend Clarence Seedorf. Add to that a defense anchored by Paolo Maldini, Nesta, Cafu and Jaap Stam, all flag bearers of the greatest defensive era in modern football. The script seemed set, as A.C. Milan fans roared on. But to Gerrard, a quiet 25-year-old from Whiston, Merseyside, the game was far from over.


The Setonian
Column

Countering China: Chinese doomographics

To the rest of the world, China may seem like a strong nation, but in reality, domestic insecurity drives a large portion of its posturing abroad. Specifically, and as outlined by Tufts’ own Professor Michael Beckley, Chinese demographics and resource scarcity make it so that if China does not capitalize on potential gains from aggression overseas now, its economy would suffer greatly, and it would no longer have the capacity to realize some long-term strategic goals.


The Setonian
Column

Countering China: Collision Course for the 21st Century (Chinese Revanchism and Revisionism)

China, under the rule of Xi Jinping, is the nation that represents the greatest threat to the international status quo that has existed since the end of the Cold War. Although there are areas where cooperation between China and the United States may be both desirable and highly necessary, like dealing with climate change, such instances are far and few between. Instead, the seemingly inevitable collision of the two powers is sure to determine the fate of the 21st century.