Independent Media Institute

There are two competing narratives about the origins of the Ukraine War. By Benjamin Abelow According to one narrative, Vladimir Putin is a Hitler-like aggressor. He wants to reestablish the Soviet empire by swallowing Ukraine and threatening the Baltic countries,…

Palm oil is found in 50 percent of all consumer goods. And it’s killing the environment. By Reynard Loki ​​“Oil palm is one of the world’s most prominent and effective vegetable oils globally, and is contributing 40 percent of global…

Recently, in Taiwan, the government unveiled its first home-built submarine. In Japan, the government will upgrade civilian airports and seaports to dual military use in preparation for conflict in Taiwan. The U.S. and allies maneuver to contain China, Russia, and…

Two interesting things happened at the BRICS summit in South Africa in August. Several new members were invited to join BRICS in 2024: Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. And, at Brazil’s urging, a commission was established…

Recent developments in the study of human prehistory hold clues about our times, our world, and ourselves. By Deborah Barsky and Jan Ritch-Frel We can all agree that most people want to know about their origins spanning from their family…

A conversation with Pastor Alape, former guerrilla mayoral candidate for the Comunes Party. By Taroa Zúñiga Silva and Laura Devia López On May 4, 2023, during the International Summit on Nonviolence held in Antioquia, Colombia, a handshake shocked those who…

An international group of researchers and data scientists are creating a comprehensive database of the world’s archaeological knowledge—and changing our understanding of humans’ prehistoric heritage. By Eric Laursen Archaeology isn’t what it was in Indiana Jones’s heyday. The traditional image…

The twentieth century saw the emergence of public funded universities and technical institutions, while technology development was concentrated in the R&D laboratories of large corporations. The age of the lone inventor—Edison, Siemens, Westinghouse, Graham Bell—had ended with the nineteenth century.…

The free and shared goods economy is creating community resilience and alternatives to trash culture for millions of people. By April M. Short Humans have a serious stuff problem. We keep making and buying new things when most of the…

Many people are already investing themselves in the local peace economy as they divest from the economy of war. By April M. Short War is not innate to humanity; it is learned culturally, and intentional systems of peace can prevent…