Xenu’s Paradox: The Fiction of L. Ron Hubbard and the Making of Scientology
L. Ron Hubbard’s journey from science fiction pulp novelist to Scientology founder is well trodden – but this article finds fresh insight into it nevertheless.
How the Aztecs predicted the apocalypse
A compellingly written look at apocalyptic thinking in the era of “late capitalism’s dimming sun” told through an examination of the Aztec civilisation’s experience of destruction – first prophesied, then actual.
Seven Days of Heroin
A piece with striking video and images, looking at the opioid crisis in America.
What Happens When the Government Uses Facebook as a Weapon?
This piece profiles Maria Ressa, a Filipina journalist taking on President Rodrigo Duterte’s regime by examining its sophisticated use of social media to crack down on dissent. This work has apparently caused the regime’s bots and supporters to turn their attention to her. Her own detailed primer outlining the techniques she asserts are used by the regime is well worth a read too.
The Case of Hong Kong’s Missing Booksellers
This piece sheds light on the dangerous work of Hong Kong’s booksellers. They played a significant role for many decades as an outlet for the politics of mainland China, but they are now facing increasing pressure from its government.
How Pro Gamers Live Now: Curfews, Personal Chefs, And All Of It On Camera
A piece delving into the life of professional video gamers living in luxury houses with their team mates, under a rigorously managed regime delivered by an array of staff.
What Happens When Millions Of People Suddenly Get The Internet
Myanmar has gone from having 0.2% of the population online in 2011 to an estimated 20% today, with most of the growth taking place in the last two years. A story covering what happens when several million people with no prior exposure to the internet all sign up at the same time. Such is its allure that print magazines called ‘Facebook’ and ‘The Internet’ are produced for those that can’t afford to make the switch.
Dacre’s Paper
Look past the provocative headline and you find an indignant, coruscating profile of The Daily Mail and its pugnacious editor Paul Dacre.
Alt-White: How the Breitbart Machine Laundered Racist Hate
The result of a deep investigation and a cache of leaked documents that reveal the internal dialogue between Steve Bannon, Milo Yiannopoulos and the rest of the Breitbart-Alt-Right nexus. The piece sheds clear light on their political and cultural philosophy.
The empire dreamt back
The story of what happened when Britain’s colonial administrators sought to record the dreams of subjects across the empire.