Category: Uncategorized
Are electric vehicles the silver bullet?
In an era where there is a looming climate crisis that brings our very existence into question, it is a matter of little surprise that various stakeholders are involved in initiatives to try and reduce carbon emissions.… Read More
After the “Second Goldrush” – Possible Impacts of Groundwater Law in California
Shortage of freshwater and drinking water is rapidly becoming a major concern, as it is in the case of California, where desertification of land is progressing, and groundwater levels have extremely decreased.… Read More
Jewelry Auction Observations from a Millennial’s Perspective
This piece on the Christie’s Jewelry Auction is based off of a text conversation held over Facebook Messenger with two of my classmates, Tsering Lhamo and Ashwini Tallur, who were also in attendance that evening.… Read More
Negotiating Soft Power, Human Rights, and Corporate Social Responsibility: A Case Study of Chinese Investment in the Letpadaung Copper Mine of Myanmar
As one of China’s three largest investment projects in Myanmar, the Letpadaung copper mine is a joint venture between Myanmar’s military-owned conglomerate, the Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (UMEHL), and Wanbao Mining, a subsidiary of China’s state-owned armed manufacturer China Ordnance Industries Group Corporation Limited (NORINCO).… Read More
Reflections and Analysis from Christie’s Auction
Christie’s Auction: Reflections from a Master’s Student 100K in Debt
As a 25 year old graduate student from the United States, I have a little over a $100,000 of debt in my name.… Read More
Gold Extraction in Gyama Valley, Tibetan Plateau – When Narratives Clash
While the predominant view of the natural world and global environmental discourse stems from a western neoliberal legacy, the indigenous views of nature is set in a polemic opposition of this mainstream narrative.… Read More
Guano Extraction and Indigeneity
Bird poop – the original fertilizer
For thousands of years, indigenous populations have used different forms of fertilizer to grow crops. In Latin America and Oceania, the use of excrement, eggshells, and carcasses of seabirds, bats, and seals has helped crops flourish even in poor soil.… Read More
Field Report: A Grad Student’s Perspective on Christie’s Magnificent Jewels Auction
David Richard Wistocki | 15 November 2019
After arriving in Geneva from the US on Tuesday I attended Christie’s Magnificent Jewels auction at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues. Because of my travel schedule, I arrived about an hour after the auction officially started and found the entrance to the hotel surprisingly quiet and non-descript.… Read More
Blockchain and Social Exclusion
Blockchain and social exclusion
Blockchain, especially cryptocurrency, as a technology is relatively novel and has lot be explored. However, the important question that arises for me is whether the technology is for everyone or just a few sections.… Read More