Features

Small things, as suggested by CN Lester. But if every cis – or ‘not trans’ – person followed them, we’d be living in a kinder world.

It’s in the air – and calling for a mindset reset. Vanessa Baird tracks the course of transgender rights and their liberating potential for us all.

Edouard Tétreau makes the case for a more humane economics.

Action, resources and further reading on Syria.

The Syrian revolution released a flood of artistic and intellectual creativity. Four years later, it has not subsided.

Thousands of unknown activists have risked their lives to defy extremism and violence. Daniel Adamson interviews some of them.

Yara Badr, Darwish’s wife, says she always knew she’d have to share him with the rest of Syria.

We must stand in solidarity with Syria’s human rights defenders, says Salman Rushdie.

The death toll, political prisoners and timeline of the Syrian civil war.

ISIS’ savagery must not blind us to the bravery of civil-society activists, says Hania Mourtada.

Valeska Hovener and Marielle van Uitert hear how two Afghan women who have fled family abuse are learning to move on.

Together, the monarchy and the military hold tightly to the reins of power in Thailand. With little sign of popular resistance, Jo Eckersley wonders if this is likely to change.

Richard Swift considers an alternative to economies based on over-consumption and growth-addiction.

Richard Swift examines the history of Utopian thinking that fundamentally re-imagines democracy and equality.

A cartoon by P J Polyp

The environmental crisis is proving not only a challenge to capitalism but forcing resistance movements to rethink their politics.

The other great historic alternative to capitalism has been anarchism. Often dismissed as a dirty word, its influence ebbs and flows but its libertarian principles remain profoundly influential.

From Karl Marx to Ed Miliband and François Hollande is a very long journey indeed. But all at least pay lip-service to socialism. So how has it worked as an alternative?

Richard Swift begins his journey through political alternatives to capitalism by looking at the nature of the beast they seek to oppose.

Azerbaijan will be showing its friendly face this month as it hosts the European Games. But it’s what is going on behind the scenes that is important, argue Emma Hughes and James Marriott.