colonialism news stories on Newser

How Colonialism Helped Start the HIV Epidemic

Kevin Spak — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:21:05 CST

The origins of HIV are something of a historical puzzle, but recent discoveries make that puzzle a lot easier to solve—and it looks a lot like European colonialism is a big piece of it. That's the thesis of a new book by Craig Timberg and Daniel Halperin called Tinderbox...

Time for US to Let the World Grow Up

Mark Russell — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 12:26:32 CST

Sure, the United States has the world's most powerful military. But President Obama's reluctance to use it is hardly a sign of pessimism or weakness, it's "realistic wisdom," writes Ian Buruma at al-Jazeera . "Old-fashioned military dominance is no longer adequate to promote US interests." Propping up dictators around the Middle...

Obama's Dad Was No 'Radical'

Matt Cantor — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 11:04:00 CDT

Those who suggest Barack Obama is a “rabid anti-colonialist” based on impressions of his father are way off the mark about both father and son, writes Bruce L.R. Smith in the Washington Post . Dinesh D’Souza recently argued that “the president inherited political radicalism from his father.” But Obama Sr....

Hugo Chavez: US 'Tectonic Weapon' Caused Haiti Quake

Will McCahill — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 20:00:10 CST

Indulging its neo-colonial ambitions, the US used a “tectonic weapon” to set off the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that rocked Haiti—which American troops have since occupied. That’s the contention of noted fly-in-America’s-ointment Hugo Chavez. After urging the US to “stop playing God,” but not revealing any sources, Venezuela’s president added...

New York, Age 400, Looks Back to Holland

Jason Farago — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:16:58 CDT

Today is an unhappy date in New York, but tomorrow is a much more joyous anniversary—on Sept. 12, 1609, Henry Hudson sailed up the river that now bears his name, leading to the founding of New Amsterdam. The Dutch royal family will visit for the anniversary, and two historical...

Founding Fathers That Time Forgot

Wesley Oliver — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 16:59:58 CDT

Fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence, but we only remember a few of the Founding Fathers. Mental Floss shines a light on a few of the lesser-knowns: George Read : the only statesman to oppose the Declaration of Independence. Admitted to the Philadelphia Bar at age 19, Read thought Americans...

Parthenon Gets the Museum It Deserves

Harry Kimball — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:52:01 CDT

The Parthenon has been called the one “absolutely right” building on the planet, and it now has a fitting memorial, Christopher Hitchens writes in Vanity Fair . Hitchens is among the first to visit the new Acropolis Museum in Athens, and it does not disappoint. Artifacts, expert reproductions, and a stunning...

Sarko Jeered at African Leader's Funeral

Jason Farago — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 05:39:30 CDT

Crowds in the African nation of Gabon booed Nicolas Sarkozy at the funeral of the country's long-serving strongman president, Omar Bongo. Dozens of onlookers shouted "We don't want you, leave!" at the French leader and his predecessor, Jacques Chirac. France ruled Gabon in the colonial era and kept close ties...

Amid Thaw, Gadhafi Visits Italy for 1st Time

Matt Cantor — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 13:15:00 CDT

Today marks the start of Moammar Gadhafi’s first visit to Italy since he took over Libya in 1969—and the trip “promises to be as colorful as it is historic,” notes Richard Owen in the Times of London. That’s thanks in part to his 300-member entourage and his plan to...