Teaching Comparative Government

And what are the political results of cultures perpetuating female subordination? Why are African women more at risk of violence? Nigeria tells a patriarchal tale As the United Nations launched its 16-day worldwide campaign to combat violence against women on Sunday, I was reminded of how, while it is a global problem, it is one that leaves women in developing countries particularly vulnerable. A UN report shows women in Africa are most at risk of violence. In Nigeria where I grew up, 23% of women have been victims of physical or sexual violence committed by a previous husband… While poverty affects both genders in sub-Saharan Africa, it affects women more: 122 women aged 25 to 34 live in extreme poverty for every 100 men of the same age. For such women, the decision on whether to leave a violent partner would involve practical issues of food and shelter for herself and her children. However, the problem is much more than just economic. I also have friends who are middle-class profes

State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) account for the majority of Chinese GDP, so the connection between the Communist Party and economic activity has always been close. But how does it make sense for China's richest person to be a member of the Communist Party? Jack Ma, China’s Richest Man, Belongs to the Communist Party. Of Course. Jack Ma, China’s richest man and the guiding force behind its biggest e-commerce company, belongs to an elite club of power brokers, 89 million strong: the Chinese Communist Party… It may sound contradictory that the wealthy Mr. Ma belongs to an organization that got its start calling for the empowerment of the proletariat. But Mr. Ma’s political affiliation came as no surprise to many Chinese and China watchers. Though it still publicly extols the principles of Karl Marx, the Chinese Communist Party largely abandoned collectivist doctrine in the post-Mao era, freeing private entrepreneurs to help build the world’s second-largest economy after the United Sta

The creative director of the Miss Nigeria pageant is quoted as saying that the contest winner will not be chosen on the basis of "physical attributes alone." She then describes the attributes the winner should possess, but doesn't describe how those things will be assessed. (Sound familiar?) Miss Nigeria - Organisers Say Winner Won't Be Determined By Looks Alone The organisers of 'Miss Nigeria' beauty pageant, Daily Times Nigeria , have said that the 2018 winner will not be chosen based on physical attributes alone. The creative director of Miss Nigeria, Ezinne Akudo- Anyaoha, disclosed this at a media interview held in Lagos on Wednesday. Anyaoha "We are committed to finding a young lady who defies the stereotypical perception of beauty queens as just superficial," Ms Ezinne, who won the Miss Nigeria pageant in 2013 said. "Miss Nigeria 2018 must embody all the attributes of a strong female leader. She must be beautiful, socially conscious and c

During the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution in China, there were study groups in farm fields, factory floors, classrooms, and neighborhoods. The only study materials were Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung , the "little red book." President Xi is updating the ideology study. Courseware on Xi thought launched Courseware on Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has been launched for free download on several websites including people.com.cn and xinhuanet.com. The courseware, developed by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the Ministry of Education (MOE), contains 30 subjects that focus on basic spirit, connotations and requirements of the thought. The courseware is aimed at helping officials and the public, especially college teachers and students, to learn, understand and grasp the thought. The CPC Central Committee Publicity Department, the MOE and the working committee of the centra

President Buhari offers his campaign comment about the military attack. Metele attack: President Buhari speaks of deep shock Nigeria's leader has vowed to close the "loopholes" which allowed militants to reportedly kill dozens of soldiers at a base in north-eastern Borno state. President Muhammadu Buhari addressed last Sunday's attack publicly after the army acknowledged it had taken place. It had been reported that at least 40 soldiers died when an Islamist militant group targeted the base in Metele. But the army refused to confirm the reports until Friday, when they put out a release disputing the death toll… The president - who faces an election in three months time - added no responsible leader "would rest on his oars... to allow terrorists to endanger the lives of its military personnel and other citizens". As a result, he planned to meet with military and intelligence chiefs "in the coming days" to plan their "next steps". Mr Buhar

Armed warfare in Nigeria As the presidential campaign begins in Nigeria, the warfare in the northeast continues and gets more complex. How will politics reflect this continuing warfare? Nigerian Islamists kill scores of soldiers in military base attack Islamic militants in Nigeria may have killed as many as 100 soldiers in an attack on a military base, according to media reports and security officials. The reported death toll is among the highest since President Muhammadu Buhari came to power in 2015 and comes as the country prepares for elections in three months. The worst losses came when militants overran a military base in the village of Metele in the north-eastern state of Borno on Sunday. The area is the centre of an insurgency waged by Boko Haram, which was founded nine years ago to bring strict Islamic law to swaths of Nigeria, and a second newer group linked to Islamic State. Nigeria’s military and government have repeatedly said they are on the point of defeating the milita