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Looking back: 12 of Transformation's greatest articles

I'm leaving after three years at openDemocracy. Here are some of my favourite, must-read articles from writers to watch out for.

How I became a refugee within a day

As a refugee, there is no place I can call home. I've had to accept a life in exile.

Transforming the poverty industry

When governments place maximizing revenue over serving those in need, the vulnerable are harmed. And when the vulnerable are harmed, so are we all. 

What's happening to the millions of people displaced by climate change?

Weather-related hazards are displacing millions of people globally. The World Humanitarian Summit was a start, but countries need to start dealing with climate refugees.

Husbandry: a feminist reclamation of men’s responsibility to care

To stop the economy’s advance towards greed and destruction, we need new metaphors and images that inspire a radically different alternative.

Will the Universal Basic Income make us lonely?

A policy that parcels out money to people may maintain, or even exacerbate, levels of loneliness and individualism.

Court victory gives momentum to long struggle against London arms fair

Eight people have been found not guilty of using direct action to shut down one of the largest arms fairs in the world.

Ending the silence around German colonialism

At least 300,000 people died at the hands of German colonizers during its empire. These art projects are uncovering colonial histories to understand racism in Germany today.

Does a fear of death lie at the heart of capitalism?

True wealth and power are found in collectives of people working together to radiate out justice and equality.

Why I am an anti-Zionist Jew

The Israeli government deliberately invokes terrorist attacks, rockets, and scary brown men in headscarfs to stoke the population's fear, but I am scared of the racism Zionists use to justify the occupation. Originally published August 2014.

Transforming finance can help to tackle the biggest problems of society

The current financial system is part of the problem, not part of the solution. So what’s to be done?

Who gets to be an artist? An interview with cultural theorist Hans Abbing

Just why are artists so poor? Hans Abbing explains. 

The erotic economy: it’s not what you think

If we stopped imprisoning our emotions in industrially manufactured profit centers, desire could become an engine of social transformation.

Why does happiness inequality matter?

According to a new report, income inequality isn't the only thing we should be concerned about.

Banning boycotts: is history repeating itself?

The UK government's recent attempts to legislate against Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions are reminiscent of Thatcher during South African Apartheid.

Three myths about sex work that harm everyone

It's not just young girls and big bad wolves. Lies and misconceptions about sex work can hurt women and keep negative stereotypes alive.

100% renewable energy: what we can do in 10 years

It will take at least three decades to completely leave behind fossil fuels. But we can do it. The first step is to start with the easy stuff.

Can ‘effective altruism’ change the world? It already has.

How to achieve the most good in the world is a question that should occupy all our imaginations: a response to Lisa Herzog.

The puzzle of low oil prices—has the race to beat the carbon bubble already started?

The post-carbon world is fast emerging from the shell of the old. Even Saudi Arabia is planning for it. 

Can ‘effective altruism’ really change the world?

We must transform the world, not simply make choices that appear to be rational within the current global order.

I stopped eating animals because of human rights

What does the meat industry do to people’s mental health?

The Pipeline Strikes Back: the audacity of TransCanada's $15b suit against the U.S.

The political saga of the Keystone XL pipeline is like a real-life version of The Force Awakens. So why are we giving the Dark Side even more power?

What happens when soldiers stop believing in war?

Nan Levinson's new book dispels the myth that those who fight in wars also support them.

Could giving circles rebuild philanthropy from the bottom up?

Grassroots giving could provide a healthier way of funding social change, but it also has its limitations.

From the shelf to the bin: food waste and the culture of rush

A third of all food that’s produced in the world is thrown away as ‘waste.’ What’s going on? Español

Is Ireland about to become the pinkwashing capital of the world?

Ireland's political parties are projecting themselves as proud and tireless equality advocates. It's up to voters to reject this.

Six hopeful breakthroughs from 2015

Despite conflicts and crises at home and abroad, 2015 offered glimpses of the road to a more just, compassionate, and sustainable world. 

Work less, play more

The 40-hour work week is an ingrained part of our culture, but it does very little to enrich our lives. Here's how to do away with the nine-to-five.

Welcome to another year of transformation

Can the world be reconstructed through the fusion of personal and social change? We say yes, and here's what we're learning.

Five ways to make your Christmas truly meaningful

If you don’t spend loads of money on presents and parties, what’s left? Here are tips for alternative gifts and traditions to close 2015.

Why slower money is the key to a real economic recovery

An exciting crop of organizations are financing businesses in ways that create real and lasting wealth. 

They cut, we bleed: activists are fighting cuts to domestic violence services

Intimate partner violence kills two women a week, while around the UK refuges are forced to close. Sisters Uncut have had enough.

Why it’s time to say goodbye to ‘doing good and doing well’

Being simultaneously rich and radical is certainly seductive, but the conflicts that have animated history can’t be wished away.

More than equality: reasons to be a feminist socialist

Equality? Feminist socialism has something better in mind: using power to transform hierarchies.

Trans ™: how the trans movement got sold out

From Zoolander 2 to Brewdog, now being transgender is cool, corporations are co-opting the sexy bits to turn a profit. 

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