Labor/Economics

The primary importance of the cooperative sector in Brazil and elsewhere, where cooperatives are established, lies in their effective embedding in communities. This inherent decentralization encourages local participation in resilience and adaptation projects.

A proposed U.S.-funded Ebola quarantine facility in Kenya has sparked protests, legal challenges and a wider debate over transparency, sovereignty and public trust. Busani Ngcaweni argues that the controversy reflects deeper concerns about governance, economic insecurity and the relationship between citizens and the state. Drawing on the idea of narrative economics, the article examines how repeated cycles of protest and official responses shape public perceptions and economic confidence. It also places Kenya’s experience in a broader African context, highlighting how trust, accountability and institutional responsiveness influence both political stability and economic outcomes.

In an historic victory for the working class — one that will have a political impact on the upcoming national election — Brazil’s chamber of deputies voted to end the odious “6×1” work week, writes Israel Dutra.

India’s pastoralist communities sustain livestock economies, conserve indigenous breeds, and steward vast rangeland ecosystems, yet they remain largely invisible in policy. This article examines how historical discrimination, shrinking grazing commons, weak implementation of legal protections, and the absence of a national commons policy continue to undermine pastoral livelihoods. While a few states have taken steps to recognise migration routes and grazing rights, most pastoralists still face barriers to mobility, land access, and official recognition. As the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists unfolds, the article argues that meaningful policy action is urgently needed.

Hugh J Curran examines how colonial rule continues to shape political instability, economic dependency, and environmental crises across African nations. Focusing on the Sahel, Sudan, Congo, and Nigeria, the article traces how European powers extracted resources, deepened ethnic and regional divisions, and left behind fragile states vulnerable to conflict and foreign intervention. It also explores contemporary struggles involving terrorism, climate change, militarization, and global competition for Africa’s minerals. At the same time, the article highlights local resilience, ecological restoration efforts such as the Great Green Wall Initiative, and the aspirations of African societies seeking development beyond the legacy of colonial exploitation.

The administration is targeting travelers who criticize US policy.

Dr Marwan Asmar examines the systematic destruction of Palestinian olive groves and agricultural infrastructure in the occupied territories and Gaza. Drawing on Palestinian and Israeli sources, the article documents the uprooting and burning of thousands of olive trees in 2026 alone, alongside decades of land confiscation linked to settlement expansion. It also details the devastation of Gaza’s agricultural sector during the ongoing war, including the destruction of orchards, olive presses, and cropland. The article argues that these attacks are not only environmental and economic losses, but also a direct assault on the livelihoods and cultural heritage of Palestinian farming communities.

The labour movement is in crisis across much of the world. One exception is Chile. Since the mid-2000s, the South American country has seen a sustained upward trend in strikes and labour mobilisations. But does this represent a genuine revitalisation of trade unionism — and what are its limits?

Varanasi Subrahmanyam’s article examines the April 2026 workers’ uprising in Noida’s industrial belt, where thousands of factory workers walked out demanding higher wages, legal overtime pay, safer conditions, and dignity at work. Through detailed reporting and workers’ testimonies, the article traces how years of stagnant wages, long working hours, contract labour, rising living costs, and the implementation of new Labour Codes created widespread anger across factories. It also documents the state’s response, including arrests and repression, while situating the protests within a broader resurgence of labour struggles across India’s industrialsectors.