The Beacon Digest is the online publication of The Beacon, dedicated to bringing alternative journalism and advocacy on human rights issues to light. By featuring interactive, ‘digestible’, multimedia student contributions, we aim to promote dialogue and thought around pertinent problems facing humanity through various means of exposition.
We recognise that some of the best ideas transcend letters, numbers, and prose, oftentimes expressible only through creative facets. This is the exact reason Beacon Digest was created: to publish compositions across various mediums and topics related to human rights, in a digital environment that amplifies passionate voices fighting for justice, equality, and humanity.
We welcome all kinds of submissions, from poetry, films, and paintings, to essays, music, and graphic art. There are no restrictions when it comes to the kind of work we publish on the Beacon Digest as we believe in making use of the versatility of digital publications to allow for multiple narratives and perspectives to shine and reach a wider audience.
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The Futility of Retributive Justice in International Law
Safia Southey Retributive justice has long been championed in the international legal system as the primary way to ensure accountability for crimes that occur during conflict. They have been considered useful in not only punishing perpetrators but in providing justice and acknowledgment for victims. Contemporary literature on post-conflict justice has focused primarily on retribution Read more
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The Jewish National Fund: Greenwashing as a Tool of Ethnic Cleansing
Alma Selvaggia Rinaldi Driving in Palestine 48’, or present-day Israel, one can observe the KKL-JNF blue and green signs along the road. KKL stands for Keren Kayemeth L’Yisrael, the Hebrew name given to the Israeli branch of the Jewish National Fund (JNF). The JNF is a non-profit organisation established in 1901 at the Fifth Read more
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Jus ad bellum – Feminist Justification for Afghan Intervention
Radmila Yarovaya Throughout human history, invading powers have tried to use any excuse necessary in order to justify their aggression and prove that they are fighting a righteous war. The war in Afghanistan is no exception to this. The 20 year campaign had proven to be both costly and devastating. In order to help vindicate Read more
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The Ethical Challenges faced by Palestinian Journalists
Alma Selvaggia Rinaldi Ethical codes for journalists, and the challenges that ensue are not globally agreed upon, as they have different interpretations depending on the cultural, political and social context to which they are applied. They are specific to each community. Take the example of Palestinian journalists: when they apply Western ethical values of Read more
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Adaptability and Resilience: The Iranian Women’s Rights Movement
Emma Thompson It has been nearly six months since 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in police custody in Iran, sparking a wave of anti-government protests that have continued to this day with no imminent signs of stopping. Amini had been arrested for allegedly violating Iran’s mandatory hijab rules. Following her death on September 16, 2022, Read more
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Prostitution, Surrogacy, and the Continued Infantilization of the Female Body
Radmila Yarovaya The male paradigm has served as the standard reference point for human experience throughout much of western history. Due to the narrowness of this perspective and the exclusion of women from the socio-legal sphere, men constructed a world in the image of themselves. This world upheld the power structures that kept men at Read more
LSESU AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL 