Author Archives: andrew

News Flash: Research Finds Clean Energy

By Andrew L. Urban Sydney, July 26, 2045: After $60 billion and thirty years of dedicated research, the Australia-led International New Energy Research Agency has announced a breakthrough, with a new, clean and eternally renewable source of energy – dubbed … Continue reading

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Further reading

This page offers a constantly growing list of links to online resources that are relevant to the areas of interest and discussion that are within the broadly defined editorial embrace of pursuedemocracy.com  –  suggestions for additional links are welcome. Please … Continue reading

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The lessons of Salem

By Andrew L. Urban By a fateful coincidence Thomas Vinterberg’s latest film, The Hunt, opened in Australia (May 2, 2013) just two weeks before Vinterberg walked the red carpet at Cannes as the head of the jury for Un Certain … Continue reading

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Citizens Jury Process for the South Australian Premier

By newDemocracy, May 11, 2013 On Wednesday (May 8), SA Premier Jay Weatherill announced that newDemocracy will be conducting a Citizens Jury process on the topic of how to create a safe and vibrant Adelaide nightlife. This explores the policy … Continue reading

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How Islam went rogue

By Andrew L. Urban In the age of postcolonialism, Muslims have become largely preoccupied with the attempt to remedy a collective feeling of powerlessness and a frustrating sense of political defeat, often by engaging in highly sensationalistic acts of power … Continue reading

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Images, democracy and human rights

By Andrew L. Urban “China leads the world in internet users. Yet due to strict censorship policies, it is also the world’s biggest prison for bloggers and cyber-dissidents.” I came across this sentence as a caption for a video trailer … Continue reading

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Australia ranks low on press freedom register

By Andrew L. Urban  Even without the controversial (ill thought out, badly prepared, muddle-headed) press regulation legislation threatened by Comms Minister Senator Stephen Conroy just a few weeks ago in early 2013 (now dead – the legislation not Conroy), Australia’s press … Continue reading

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Kicking against the Cornerstone of Democracy – MEAA Report 2012

The Media Alliance’s annual press freedom report is claimed to be the most comprehensive survey of media law and regulation in Australia. The report covers all aspects from the recent debate over press regulation to shield laws for journalists and … Continue reading

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Provocation as terrorist strategy

By Andrew L. Urban Let’s hope Daniel Pipes is right (Boston attacks alert the West, The Australian, April 29, 2013) in being cautiously optimistic about the West “repulsing the Islamist threat” – by sheer weight of public opinion. The problem … Continue reading

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Australian democracy and the lesson of the frog

By Andrew L. Urban You know the story: if you put a frog in water and slowly bring it to the boil the frog won’t notice it is being boiled alive. In the first half of 2013, Australian democracy is … Continue reading

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