#HumanitiesMatter

Featuring Today’s Global Questions and How to Solve Them

No Poverty; Zero Hunger; Good Health and Well-Being; Quality Education; Equality; Climate Action; Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals define the most important challenges of our time. Research in the Humanities plays a central role in achieving these goals. Taking a step in this direction, we are launching a new series as part of our #HumanitiesMatter blog and podcast. Each series is based on a single theme featuring thought-provoking conversations around today’s global questions. This new series also takes Brill’s commitment to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals one step further.

Human rights
16 PEACE, JUSTICE AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS

War and Peace

On the 24th of February 2022, Russian soldiers invaded Ukraine. This did not stay limited to two countries embroiled in a war for resources and shifting alliances but inadvertently drew on the rest of the world, affecting the global security order as well as the economic growth of nations. If we go back in time, the world has witnessed several such wars affecting countries and their people throughout history. But this is the 21st century where we have strong institutions and framework conventions. We should be able to solve disputes through negotiations and dialogue. Then why do we fall back on this primitive method of conflict redressal?

Today, the discussion on war and peace focuses on the causes of such wars since time immemorial, their global impact, and ways to eliminate similar conflicts in the future. The ultimate goal is to create a peaceful and secure world for everyone to live in, as envisioned in the United Nations SDG #16. Some of this discussion has been enriched by insights from experts in the field of international security in this themed series—War and Peace.

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Migration
10 REDUCED INEQUALITIES

Migration

In a world that is diverse in its cultures, practices, and societies, a feeling of oneness can be engendered through borders that are non-restrictive. Human rights violations and refugee crises are growing concerns in this globalized world. Border laws and regulations also constitute an important factor in determining the foreign policies of nations. Although sometimes border restrictions are needed to protect nations against various threats, creating a “borderless world” promotes a sense of tolerance and instils hope in societies.

Today, the discussion on a borderless world is based on the importance of free movement and lack of internal borders, creating a world that is equal and inclusive, where human rights are respected and communities are protected.

Some of this discussion is undertaken by experts in the field of migration policies in this themed series—Migration.

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Quality Education
4 QUALITY EDUCATION

QUALITY EDUCATION

Quality education contributes to a healthier, more stable and prosperous society. How exactly? Listen to our new podcast series Quality Education, featuring various experts in learning and education who have published with Brill.

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Human rights
16 PEACE, JUSTICE AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS

In Chains

Slavery is a violation of a core human right—freedom. Although most countries in the world are thought to have abolished slavery more than 100 years ago, the world has more enslaved people today than it ever did before. UN’s International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that one in 200 people is in some form of slavery, and women and children make up the majority of it. There’s more to slavery than a boxed view of chains and transatlantic ships—it’s real; it’s happening right now, in the form of human trafficking.

We have now launched a themed series—In Chains. Featuring soul-stirring conversations with authors of some prominent works in this field over the last few years, this series aims to discuss and tackle issues related to slavery and human trafficking—right from ancient to medieval to modern times.

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Gender equality
5 GENDER EQUALITY

Across the Rainbow

Gender is complex, nuanced, a cultural identity, a meeting point of personality and society, and a way for people to reconcile their bodies and experiences with those of others.

Today, we live in a world where Facebook offers over 70 gender options and where major media never fails to discuss the ever-widening gender spectrum. But from binary girl/boy school uniforms to, to wage gaps, to a non-binary child not knowing which bathroom to use at school, we have a long way to go before we’ve understood and accepted all genders, i.e., before we’ve completed taking the first step to achieving gender equality.

In this themed series—Across the Rainbow, scholars from the field explore gender equality: its past, present, and future.

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climate change
13CLIMATE ACTION

SURVIVAL BY DEGREES

As one of the most serious threats to life on our planet, the climate crisis is no longer something we can address in the future. We must act on it now.

Join us in our series Survival by Degrees, where our authors reflect on climate change and global warming from several different angles.

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