Media Diversified
Foregrounding voices of colour
Maya Goodfellow is a journalist and political commentator. She primarily writes about British politics and has worked as a researcher for a think tank. She also writes about international affairs, with a particular focus on conflict studies. Find her on Twitter: @Mayagoodfellow.
This weekend we lost journalist, activist and thinker Darcus Howe. In Darcus’ long career, he meant many different things to many different people. To pay homage to an undeniable trailblazer in the fight against racism and colonialism, here are seven different views on the man. Kiri Kankhwende It’s hard to sum up Howe’s immense contribution… Read More
by Maya Goodfellow When narratives form around politicians, they tend to be difficult to unpick. Over the weekend the carefully constructed image of Theresa May as a sensibly “cautious” prime minister was deployed by Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi and right-wing paper The Sun to explain her calculated silence over – and then limp criticism of –… Read More
by Maya Goodfellow The forces of right-wing xenophobic populism are stronger in America and Europe than they have been in decades. Donald Trump is president-elect in the United States; after a virulently anti-migrant referendum campaign, the UK voted to leave the EU and far-right parties are gaining ground across much of Europe. The left – in… Read More
Xenophobic racism, legitimised by the political classes, obscures points of solidarity between working class Britons and migrants by Maya Goodfellow “A person like me, I am never scared of anybody”, Jayaben Desai told her manager before leading a mass walk-out of the Grunwick film processing plant in north-west London in the summer of 1976. Through sheer… Read More
by Maya Goodfellow “We have to acknowledge voters’ legitimate concerns on immigration”. During the general election this was a fashionable phrase used by Labour politicians who were about to embark on a path littered with myths about migration. It’s one that betrays all manner of sins. And this week, in some Labour circles, it’s in vogue… Read More
by Maya Goodfellow Tomorrow will mark a year since three-year old Alan Kurdi’s body was washed up on a beach in Turkey. He drowned in the Mediterranean sea during his family’s attempt to seek safety after fleeing their home in Syria. A picture of his lifeless body face down in the sand was on the front… Read More
by Maya Goodfellow “I’ve never felt less welcome in this country” – these are the terrifying words I’ve heard far too many times from migrants and UK-born people of colour in the run up to the EU referendum. Open anti-migrant hostility has been embraced; let loose by a referendum designed to placate a fractured Tory party.… Read More
by Maya Goodfellow On Wednesday, political journalist for Channel 4 News Michael Crick decided to share on Twitter an excerpt from a conversation he supposedly had with a London cabbie: “You couldn’t vote for that Corbyn, could you? Not for anyone that’s messed around with that Diane Abbott.” Crick’s choice to cherry-pick this specific quote and… Read More
by Maya Goodfellow If there’s one thing David Cameron is more reluctant to do than let refugees into the UK, it’s risk losing votes. This week, he abandoned plans to slam Britain’s door in the face of refugee children — not because he’d realised how callous this would be but most likely “to avoid defeat in… Read More
Content warning: Rape, Sexual violence and abuse by Maya Goodfellow A Blue Helmet’s job is, quite literally, to keep the peace. The UN peacekeepers whose nickname comes from their characteristic headwear, are supposed to protect people in countries torn apart by war. However a steady drip of accusations coming out of the Central African Republic (CAR) suggests… Read More
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