You chose: refugees

  • For the past 25 years, on my first day of an introductory history course, I ask students why they hate history. At first, they are surprised and even astonished by my question. But they soon lose their reticence and offer all the usual answers: “history keeps repeating itself;” “we never learn from history;” “history has no importance in our contemporary world or my life.” As professional historians, we have perhaps failed in our duty to fully engage the public with the past. I can’t help thinking of this failure as we witness hour-by-hour the fate of 630 human beings literally adrift at sea in the Mediterranean. Their lives hang in the balance because of the political choices and poisoned culture of contemporary Italy.
  • "An epic, yet intimate portrait of lives in transit and the human consequences of the refugee crisis spanning the Mediterranean. It Will Be Chaos unfolds between Italy and the Balkan corridor, focusing on two unforgettable refugee stories of human strength and resilience in search of a better and safer future." In conjunction with World Refugee Day on June 20, the documentary film directed by Lorena Luciano and Filippo Piscopo is going to debut Monday, JUNE 18 (8:00–9:35 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO
  • Anti-immigration cartoon from 1891. Caption reads: “If Immigration was properly Restricted you would no longer be troubled with Anarchy, Socialism, the Mafia and such kindred evils!” © Grant E. Hamilton/Library of Congress.
    The First Amendment of the United States Constitution (1979) simply states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
  • In a side event of the United Nations General Assembly, world leaders share their opinions and approaches to migratory and refuges flows from Africa and the Middle East into Europe.
  • Italy is currently facing a huge wave of refugees. On the island of Lampedusa, in Sicily, they now outnumber the local population and the government effort is to block further departures and force repatriations