#International Dialogue on Migration

[migrantsday]

(3rd meeting) International Dialogue on Migration 2024.

International Dialogue on Migration (IDM) 2024 on the theme "Facilitating Regular Pathways to a Better Future: Harnessing the Power of Migration" (organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Watch the (3rd meeting) International Dialogue on Migration 2024!

[mariacallous]

Last weekend, former President Donald Trump posted another anti-immigrant screed to Truth Social. It would have been unremarkable ― at least, graded on the Trumpian curve of extreme xenophobia ― except for one word.

“[We will] return Kamala’s illegal migrants to their home countries (also known as remigration),” he wrote. “I will save our cities and towns in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and all across America.”

Many people might have glossed over his use of “remigration.” White nationalists did not.

“#Remigration has had a massive conceptual career,” Martin Sellner — leader of the Austrian chapter of Generation Identity, a pan-European white supremacist network — tweeted in his native German. “Born in France, popularized in German-speaking countries and now the term of the hour from Sweden to the USA!”

It was a succinct and accurate history from Sellner, a 35-year-old who typically trafficks in vicious lies and conspiracy theories, particularly about Black and brown people. He has been at the vanguard of pushing “remigration” — a euphemism for ethnically cleansing non-white people from Western countries — into the popular political lexicon in Europe.

Now Sellner was seeing his favorite little word all grown up, moving overseas in service of the 45th president of the United States, who has promised to implement the largest mass deportation of immigrants in U.S. history if elected back to the White House in six weeks’ time.

Trump’s use of “remigration” is the latest instance of the GOP’s intensifying anti-immigrant rhetoric in the run-up to November’s election, underscoring the degree to which one of America’s two major political parties is sourcing many of its talking points and policy ideas directly from neo-fascists.

“Trump’s rhetoric about ‘remigration’ has its origins in the international far-right,” Jakob Guhl, a senior manager of policy and research at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, explained to HuffPost in an email. “The term remigration was popularized by groups adhering to Identitarianism, a pan-European ethno-nationalist movement, as their policy to reverse the so-called ‘great replacement.’”

“The great replacement theory is a conspiracy theory which claims that ‘native’ Europeans are being deliberately replaced through non-European migration while suppressing European birth-rates,” he continued. “This theory has inspired numerous terrorist attacks, including the Christchurch massacre, where 51 people were killed, as well as attacks in Poway, El Paso, Halle, Buffalo, and Bratislava.”

Pat Buchanan, the onetime presidential hopeful and former aide to President Richard Nixon, used the term “remigration” to whitewash his own call for ethnic cleansing as early as 2006, in his racist tract “State of Emergency: The Third World Invasion and Conquest of America.” But the term’s journey into the Trump campaign’s vernacular more likely got its start in November 2014, when 500 far-right activists gathered in Paris.

The inaugural Assises de la Remigration, or Annual Meeting on Remigration, was organized by Generation Identity. Its featured speaker was Renaud Camus, the travel writer-turned-philosopher who coined the term “great replacement” in his 2012 book by the same name. Camus’ book built off the work of another French author, Jean Raspail, who wrote “The Camp of the Saints,” an extraordinarily racist French novel that depicts a flotilla of feces-eating brown people invading Europe.

“The Great Replacement is the most serious crisis that France has witnessed in 15 centuries,” Camus told the crowd, eliding many bloody episodes in the country’s history, including a pair of world wars that killed nearly 2 million French people. For Camus, “remigration” was the best solution to the imagined crisis of the “great replacement,” the two terms essentially joined at the hip.

Camus and his fellow subscribers to identitarianism “have always been quite clear that the objective of ‘remigration’ is to create greater ‘ethnocultural’ homogeneity,” Ruhl told HuffPost. “For them, culture and ethnicity are inseparable, and they view (white) European identity as being fundamentally threatened by the presence of migrants ― necessitating drastic, far-reaching responses.”

According to a study by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, the term “remigration” was “used over 540,000 times between April 2012 and April 2019” on Twitter, particularly from accounts in France and Germany. Usage of the term skyrocketed after the Annual Meeting on Remigration in Paris. Camus himself was one of the main promoters of the word online.

As “remigration” became an increasingly discussed term, militant far-right groups adapted it as their own. In 2017, police in France arrested 10 far-right activists over a suspected plot to kill politicians and migrants and to attack mosques. Officers found a shotgun and two revolvers in the home of the group’s ringleader, who’d sought to create a militia, according to a post on Facebook, to kill “arabs, blacks dealers, migrants, [and] jihadist scum.” Per French investigators, the group, known as OAS, was formed to “spark remigration.”

The term made an appearance in Canada, too, where a far-right fight club called Falange — named for the fascist group that served under the Spanish general Francisco Franco during the Spanish Civil War — put signs with the word “Remigration” across Quebec City.

And that same year in the U.S., the group Identity Evropa — modeled after Generation Identity in Europe — burst into the public consciousness for its participation in the deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Identity Evropa’s proposed policies included “remigration,” and when its members marched in Charlottesville, they invoked the “great replacement” concept, chanting “You will not replace us.”

Back in Europe, in March 2019, Sellner started a channel on the chat app Telegram called the “European Compact for Remigration,” the beginning of a campaign, he announced, to influence far-right parties across Europe to support “de-Islamisation” and “remigration.”

That same month, a white supremacist in Christchurch, New Zealand, livestreamed himself walking into two mosques and opening fire, killing 51 Muslim worshipers. He’d posted a genocidal screed online before the shooting. Its title was “The Great Replacement.” Nevertheless, one week after the shooting, Sellner’s Generation Identity group in Austria staged a protest against the “great replacement,” again calling for “de-Islamisation” and “remigration.”

A couple of months later, it emerged that the shooter in New Zealand had communicated with Sellner only a year prior, donating over $2,300 to Sellner’s white supremacist group. “Thank you that really gives me energy and motivation,” Sellner wrote to the shooter in an email.

“If you ever come to Vienna,” Sellner added, “we need to go for a café or a beer.”

Despite these revelations, Sellner’s efforts to get far-right political parties to support remigration started to see results in the following years. In 2019, Alternative for Deutschland — which recently became the first far-right party since the Nazis to win a state election in Germany — inserted “remigration” into its list of official policy proposals.

Four years later, an investigation from Correctiv found that AfD members held a secret meeting with neo-Nazis and wealthy businesspeople to discuss the “remigration” of asylum seekers, immigrants with legal status, and “unassimilated citizens” to a “model state” in North Africa. The plan — which bore an unnerving resemblance to the Nazis’ initial idea to mass-deport Jews to Madagascar, before they settled on a wholesale extermination campaign — was Sellner’s brainchild.

That same year, as noted recently by Mother Jones, a jury of linguists in Germany selected “remigration” as the “non-word” of the year. “The seemingly harmless term remigration is used by the ethnic nationalists of the AfD and the Identitarian Movement to conceal their true intentions: the deportation of all people with supposedly the wrong skin color or origin, even if they are German citizens,” one guest juror wrote.

Mother Jones also noted that earlier this year, “an AfD candidate in Stuttgart campaigned with the slogan ‘Rapid remigration creates living space,’ a nod to the concept of Lebensraum used by the Nazis to justify the genocidal expansion into Eastern Europe.”

And finally, this year in Austria, the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe), founded after World War II by former Nazis, and which recently enjoyed success in national elections, called for the creation of a “remigration commissioner” in the country.

Still, very few, if any, U.S. politicians have uttered the word “remigration” in recent years. Trump’s use of the term stateside has coincided with his renewed embrace of dehumanizing language when talking about immigrants.

The former president’s promotion of a false story about Haitian immigrants eating pets in Ohio was classic fascist fare, depicting an entire category of people as savages. And earlier this year, the GOP nominee said immigrants were “poisoning the blood” of the nation. Historians quickly noted that Trump’s language echoed the words of Adolf Hitler. “All great cultures of the past perished only because the originally creative race died out from blood poisoning,” Hitler wrote in “Mein Kampf.”

But who in Trump’s orbit might have introduced him to the term “remigration”? The Trump campaign didn’t immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment. One possible culprit, though, might be Stephen Miller, who served in the Trump White House as an adviser and speechwriter. Miller’s ties to white supremacists are legion, and while working as an editor at Breitbart in 2015, according to leaked emails obtained by the Southern Poverty Law Center, he suggested the website publish articles about “The Camp of the Saints,”the racist French novel that inspired Renaud Camus.

Miller, like Sellner, was thrilled with Trump’s use of “remigration” last weekend.

“THE TRUMP PLAN TO END THE INVASION OF SMALL TOWN AMERICA: REMIGRATION!” he tweeted.

[zepskies]

Hey, Zep! Any advice on writing a good kiss scene? (Totally not for upcoming chapters or fanfics or whatever and I’m procrastinating and possibly hyperventilating-)

But yeah. Any tips and/or tricks?

Hey there!

Oooh, what a great question. 😉 (Aww, don't worry, this is the fun part! lol ❤️)

So when it comes to any kind of romance scene, it has to do with the buildup. Where is the couple at this point? Is it desperation, longing and yearning, hurt/comfort, pure fluff and sweetness, raw, dirty, gritty desire, or a combination of these things?

And when they come together for that moment, is there a bit of hesitation, or even fear -- the idea that once they do this, there's no going back to the way it was before? Is the kiss tentative and sweet, chaste at first, or hungry and devouring from the onset?

Anticipation is also a big part of the first kiss especially. It's the culmination of a "will they, won't they," and it's a cathartic moment for a romance.

A kiss can start out small, just a meeting of lips. It can lead to more, as passion builds. You want to think of what emotions are driving each of them -- what defines their connection and chemistry, and this need to be together physically.

Word choice here can also be very important in how to convey passion, because again, "passion" can be expressed in different ways. To help figure this out, I try to visualize a scene in my head like a movie, down to the:

Setting: Are they out in the open? Is there the threat of getting caught? Are they in the privacy of a bedroom, in the kitchen, couch, potentially knocking things about? lol

Character "Blocking": The characters' physical movements in the scene, like the placement of hands, head tilting, movements of lips, teeth, tongue, bodies pressing, hand brushing the cheek, holding the hips or waist, hands cradling/caressing their partner’s face, hands slipping under layers of clothing, fingers tangling in the hair, gripping, pulling, or soothing, etc.). And of course, where on the body their partner is kissing, if they migrate from the lips after a while. 😏

Internal Thoughts: "God, should we really be doing this?" vs. "Freakin' finally," etc. 😂

Dialogue: Potentially breaks up the "action." Quipping remarks, teasing, heartfelt romantic words, sexy/dirty talk, etc. But sometimes there's no time for words, if you catch my drift. 😉

The Emotions: The key to what's driving each of them throughout the scene.

Taking these into account (in my experience) can help you create a unique romantic scene. ❤️❤️

Thanks for the question, lovely. Let me know if this helps! 🫡

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Christopher Mathias at HuffPost:

Last weekend, former President Donald Trump posted another anti-immigrant screed to Truth Social. It would have been unremarkable ― at least, graded on the Trumpian curve of extreme xenophobia ― except for one word. “[We will] return Kamala’s illegal migrants to their home countries (also known as remigration),” he wrote. “I will save our cities and towns in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and all across America.” Many people might have glossed over his use of “remigration.” White nationalists did not. “#Remigration has had a massive conceptual career,” Martin Sellner — leader of the Austrian chapter of Generation Identity, a pan-European white supremacist network — tweeted in his native German. “Born in France, popularized in German-speaking countries and now the term of the hour from Sweden to the USA!”

It was a succinct and accurate history from Sellner, a 35-year-old who typically trafficks in vicious lies and conspiracy theories, particularly about Black and brown people. He has been at the vanguard of pushing “remigration” — a euphemism for ethnically cleansing non-white people from Western countries — into the popular political lexicon in Europe. Now Sellner was seeing his favorite little word all grown up, moving overseas in service of the 45th president of the United States, who has promised to implement the largest mass deportation of immigrants in U.S. history if elected back to the White House in six weeks’ time. Trump’s use of “remigration” is the latest instance of the GOP’s intensifying anti-immigrant rhetoric in the run-up to November’s election, underscoring the degree to which one of America’s two major political parties is sourcing many of its talking points and policy ideas directly from neo-fascists.

“Trump’s rhetoric about ‘remigration’ has its origins in the international far-right,” Jakob Guhl, a senior manager of policy and research at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, explained to HuffPost in an email. “The term remigration was popularized by groups adhering to Identitarianism, a pan-European ethno-nationalist movement, as their policy to reverse the so-called ‘great replacement.’” “The great replacement theory is a conspiracy theory which claims that ‘native’ Europeans are being deliberately replaced through non-European migration while suppressing European birth-rates,” he continued. “This theory has inspired numerous terrorist attacks, including the Christchurch massacre, where 51 people were killed, as well as attacks in Poway, El Paso, Halle, Buffalo, and Bratislava.”

Donald Trump takes inspiration from far-right European anti-immigrant extremists by using the term “remigration” to call for the deportation of undocumented immigrants.

[goawaypopup]

Roddacember Day 5: Magic

Something I like about the magic of Deltora's universe, something that not every fantasy media tries or manages to pull off, is how it's less a scientifically defined thing and more, almost, cultural.

Something like Dungeons and Dragons has spells that aren't just strictly defined, but universal. I can turn bat guano into a fireball by exploiting the laws of fictional physics, and someone across the continent can do the same thing if they learn how.

Other works will have something a little closer, where you have to be one of the people born with special blood. Magic is just something that happens sometimes, and if you're not either a random monster that innately uses it or one of the setting's wizards, you're out of luck.

What Rodda does, though, hits on an aspect of magic that I think is a better use for it than as setting dressing or a plot lubricant: the wonder.

Magic, as a piece of human imagining, is the natural consequence of a world where we have to work very hard to do things. "What if," says the archetypal everyman, "these dishes leapt into the sink and washed themselves, and I could stop using my precious god-formed fingers for things other than reaching for bonbons?"

The natural progression from there is... what if I could do things that I can't do now with any amount of effort? What if I could wipe away sickness with the touch of my hand? What if I could call upon the untameable forces of the natural world?

We all know, in the modern day, that the world is cold and made of smaller building blocks than we can comprehend. Disease is not made of elemental evil, but a multitude of complex problems of human homeostasis that our words and understanding can only capture the very surface of.

Of course, we still tell stories of magic potions that can cure any ailment. This is what magic has always been all about. It bridges the gap between the things that humans find meaning in, and the things that matter to the mechanical universe. A world with magic can have these categories be one and the same.

The way that magic works in Deltora reflects this principle. Magic comes from the land itself, and seems to be invested in rare lineages that have strong ties to it - the dragons and the royal Del line, the Torans, the Maris, the Fellans, the sorceress Tamm and the mud of Tier, all (that we know much about) carry magic because their ancestors found meaning and power in the land. And all of their powers are different, and - for the most powerful, still-united groups - used to maintain the connection with the land, and meet the needs of the people.

There is a spring in the Emerald Territory woods that checks whether it likes your inner motivations, and if it doesn't, kills you dead (via dendrification). There is another spring on another continent, this one definitely untouched by human hands until its discovery, that instantly heals wounds both internal and external, and apparently can restore blood to your body, specifically to allow the local yakbeasts to complete their migration and maintain a healthy ecosystem. We have 8 separate known instances of tribes finding - being gifted - extremely powerful magic stones that allow them to unify and defend their people. These are completely nonliving places - that clearly have motivations like people.

In Deltora's universe, in the eternal dialogue between people and the world, the world is actually talking back.

[thozhar]

Gulf migration is not just a major phenomenon in Kerala; north Indian states also see massive migration to the Gulf. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar accounted for the biggest share (30% and 15%) of all Indian workers migrating to GCC1 countries in 2016-17 (Khan 2023)—a trend which continues today. Remittances from the Gulf have brought about significant growth in Bihar’s economy (Khan 2023)—as part of a migrant’s family, I have observed a tangible shift in the quality of life, education, houses, and so on, in Siwan. In Bihar, three districts—Siwan, Gopalganj, and Chapra—send the majority of Gulf migrants from the state, mostly for manual labor (Khan 2023). Bihar also sees internal migration of daily wagers to Delhi, Bombay, and other parts of India. Gulf migration from India’s northern regions, like elsewhere in India, began after the oil boom in the 1970s. Before this time, migration was limited to a few places such as Assam, Calcutta, Bokaro, and Barauni—my own grandfather worked in the Bokaro steel factory.

Despite the role of Gulf migration and internal migration in north Indian regions, we see a representational void in popular culture. Bollywood films on migration largely use rural settings, focussing on people who work in the USA, Europe, or Canada. The narratives centre these migrants’ love for the land and use dialogue such as ‘mitti ki khusbu‘ (fragrance of homeland). Few Bollywood films, like Dor and Silvat, portray internal migration and Gulf migration. While Bollywood films frequently centre diasporic experiences such as Gujaratis in the USA and Punjabis in Canada, they fail in portraying Bihari migrants, be they indentured labourers in the diaspora, daily wagers in Bengal, or Gulf migrants. The regional Bhojpuri film industry fares no better in this regard. ‘A good chunk of the budget is spent on songs since Bhojpuri songs have an even larger viewership that goes beyond the Bhojpuri-speaking public’, notes Ahmed (2022), marking a context where there is little purchase for Gulf migration to be used as a reference to narrate human stories of longing, sacrifice, and family.

One reason for this biased representation of migration is that we see ‘migration’ as a monolith. In academic discourse, too, migration is often depicted as a commonplace phenomenon, but I believe it is crucial to make nuanced distinctions in the usage of the terms ‘migration’ and ‘migrant’. The term ‘migration’ is a broad umbrella term that may oversimplify the diverse experiences within this category. My specific concern is about Gulf migrants, as their migration often occurs under challenging circumstances. For individuals from my region, heading to the Gulf is typically a last resort. This kind of migration leads to many difficulties, especially when it distances migrants from their family for much of their lifetime. The term ‘migration’, therefore, inadequately captures the profound differences between, for instance, migrating to the USA for educational purposes and migrating to the Gulf for labour jobs. Bihar has a rich history of migration, dating back to the era of indentured labor known as girmitiya. Following the abolition of slavery in 1883, colonial powers engaged in the recruitment of laborers for their other colonies through agreements (Jha 2019). Girmitiya distinguishes itself from the migration. People who are going to the Arabian Gulf as blue-collar labourers are also called ‘Gulf migrants’—a term that erases how their conditions are very close to slavery. This is why, as a son who rarely saw his father, I prefer to call myself a ‘victim of migration’ rather than just a ‘part of migration’. It is this sense of victimhood and lack of control over one’s life that I saw missing in Bollywood and Bhojpuri cinema.

— Watching 'Malabari Films' in Bihar: Gulf Migration and Transregional Connections

[thoughtfullyrainynightmare]

Can I request 1, 7, 8, 15 and 20 for Charlotte Roselei for your ask game?

CHARRRRRR

1. Why do you like or dislike this character?

Okay, so, I like her... concept? As in, she's supposed to be The Strong Independent Woman who's making it in a man's world. And she is! But.. I think that her character is watered down by the excessive emphasis on her crush on Yami. As in, I wouldn't mind it being in her internal dialogue! I wouldn't mind her having those moments of "iiiiikkkkkk *doki doki*" I really wouldn't, but the amount of screentime those moments get in comparison make it seem like it's most of her personality.

I think that... when we first saw her in canon, during the battle against Licht where she was teleported to, to kinda save Yami's ass, she was very dignified. She was calm and collected, but had that little voice in the back of her head saying "calm down Charlotte, can't let your emotions for him to get the better of you" and I think that was the closest canon has come to portraying the Canon Intended Charlotte. And from there on, it kinda went down hill?

And while I think that there is an important character development point in her confessing to her girls that she does actually fancy Yami, and it's okay to have these feelings for another person, because they're perfectly human, again, these seem to portray majority of her personality.

Charlotte is the rose that was intended to be red, but was cursed to be something else, a rare beauty that was more fragile (as canonically her blue roses are less powerful than her *real* red roses) than she was created to be, but who chose to take the thorns of the blue rose and create herself anew.

With her, too, I think that the fandom does a more... accurate (sorry Tabs) portrayal of her than canon. Or of the intended her anyways.

7. What’s something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you like?

Make her into more of the Independently Owned And Governed type of a strong woman that she is. I honestly like the fandom versions of her more than the canon portrayal of her. I'm circling back to the answer above (in #1 of course).

8. What’s something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you despise?

Hmm... Hmm... Hmm...

I don't think I'm well versed enough in Charlotte to say if there's something... I'd downright despise the fandom doing? I don't think I have seen the fans make her into something that I would really hate. Maybe the emphasis on hating men? If it's taken to the extreme? I get that there are people out there who feel that way (about men), but I think that Charlotte's "...men" is an over-emphasis of how she's so fed up with being downplayed simply because she is a woman. It's frustration. And I get that too, at times, and perhaps it's worse in where she has lived, which is why she feels the need to quite visibly roll her eyes and utter: "men..."

But I don't think I have seen the fans doing something with her that I'd despise.

15. What’s your favorite ship for this character? (Doesn’t matter if it’s canon or not.)

I'm boring, and a YamiChar shipper myself. As in, I know I don't make a lot of content for them, but this is one of the ships that I'm behind of. I think that there is great potential for mutual character growth in there, despite the before mentioned problems with placing emphasis on Char's crush-panicking. The fandom has done them justice with fanfic.

20. Which other character is the ideal best friend for this character, the amount of screentime they share doesn’t matter?

Okay, y'know what, I sat on this for a while, while sipping wine and staring at the ceiling, but Imma throw a bit of a curve ball:

Sister Lily

Sister Lily became a nun, because she witnessed to injustice and imbalance that exists in the society, and chose to become a nun in an effort to fight the oppression of the weak by doing good. And as she found the system to still be in place within the convent, she migrated even further out into the boonies.

Sister Lily is battling the hierarchy and the system by trying to step away from it and instead doing something concrete good.

Charlotte is battling the hierarchy and the system from within, by trying to claw her way to the top.

Their approaches are very different, but I think that they'd get well along (actually, I think that Charlotte might get well along with Sister Theresa too; may the BC gods bless Sister Theresa, the "hag that will outlive you all" XD ). Sister Lily might be... softer than Charlotte, but I think they both have one thing to unite them: the wish for a change.

And they're both doing something about it. It's one thing to wish for a change, but they're both *doing* something about it. So, I think that they have that balance of being similar, while having something different, that could make them the bestest of friends

[cheerfullycatholic]

Entire article;

For the first time in almost a year, Pope Francis held a press conference aboard the papal airplane this past Friday. During the conference, he was asked to offer guidance to United States voters in the upcoming presidential election as they are “faced with a candidate who supports ending a pregnancy and another who wants to deport 11 million migrants.” Pope Francis responded that both candidates “are against life: the one that throws out migrants and the one that kills children.” He added, “ I can’t decide; I’m not American and won’t go to vote there.”  went on to say, “One must vote. And one must choose the lesser evil. Which is the lesser evil? That lady or that gentleman? I don’t know; each person must think and decide according to their own conscience.” Here he reiterated Church teaching that, in a situation where both candidates hold views that are opposed to Catholic beliefs, each person must vote in accordance with his faithfully formed conscience. He also emphasized the importance of voting and said, “In political morality, it is generally said that not voting is ugly, it’s not good.” (Courtney Mares’s article “Pope Francis: U.S. presidential election a choice between 'the lesser evil'" offers a more detailed summary of the conference and highlights the other topics that Pope Francis addressed.) While the Pope’s words are likely disappointing to supporters of both candidates who would have preferred a more direct endorsement, they follow the Church’s precedent of leaving the act of voting in the hands of the faithful. His words also align with the document of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) on voting, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, which highlights multiple issues that voters should consider when determining how to vote.  These include abortion, migration, the right to fair living wages, the right to join unions, euthanasia, racism, international relations, gun violence, climate change, protection of and support for the family, and limits of governmental power. Each of these issues falls under one of the interrelated categories of Human Dignity of the Person, The Common Good, Solidarity and Subsidiarity. The document, which last underwent a major revision in 2015, also recognizes that voters ��must consider not only candidates’ positions on these issues, but their character and integrity, as well.” This, too, is a very serious and often underappreciated consideration, which must be submitted to the prudence of an informed conscience. In its new November 2023 introduction to the document, the USCCB suggests that the faithful should approach this election with the spirit of the Good Samaritan, who bound the wounds of his enemy thus forming social bonds and connections. The bishops admonish American Catholics to forego fear and hostility and to instead show mercy to one another while engaging in open and honest dialogue. They suggest that voters take time away from social media and news channels that tend to fuel anger and division. Instead, they ask voters to spend their time in prayer, service for others, adoration, reflection on the Bible and the study of Church teachings – all of which will help to strengthen and form conscience. Fittingly, they close their introduction to the document with the following prayer: “May God bless you as you consider and pray over these challenging decisions. May God bless our nation with true wisdom, peace, and mutual forgiveness, that we may decide together, through our democratic processes, to uphold the dignity of life and the common good.”

[practically-an-x-man]

For Talk Shop Tuesday: Have you ever had any fandom OC concepts that transformed into original OCs? What about recycling scrapped OC and OC concepts into other OCs?

Thank you so much!!

Talk Shop Tuesday

So for fandom OCs that became original OCs... not exactly? Sometimes I get the first nudges of a new OC or concept and I have to decide whether I want to place them into canon or come up with something new, but that usually happens very early on in the process. Here's some examples:

"What if there was a character who could see the threads of the future and was paralyzed by indecision because of it?" - still not sure what I'm doing with this one

"What if there was a character who's on a sort of individual looping timeline, where the world keeps moving forward but they can never die because their internal clock will just reset - but when it does, nobody else will remember that they've died?" - I'm thinking maybe an X-Men fic?

"What if a siren had their throat damaged in a fishing accident and couldn't sing, and therefore couldn't hunt to survive?" - original fiction

"What if werewolves were originally destined to be not monsters but protectors of their hometowns - designed to be strong and agile when non-wolf and able to defend the town from threats, and then the townspeople would return the favor by caring for them through their transformation periods?" - premise for a future fandom OC, though... I might just make this one an original idea since the fanfic would be obscure as all hell lmao

It doesn't always happen this way, I've definitely got some ideas that are purely original and some characters that I create with the intent of fanfiction, but sometimes I'll get a spontaneous idea and have to decide which world it belongs to. I've never had a finished character transfer from fandom to original fiction, just those first concepts.

As for recycling OCs into other ideas or fandoms? Oh yeah. Usually it happens either when my writing skills have outgrown the original concept for the character, and the revamp leads to some ideas being scrapped or recycled; or when I have an idea but the fandom turns out to be toxic, so I migrate the OC elsewhere.

I've talked about how Rae and Mira both stemmed from the same scrapped X-Men OC, back when I first started writing. That's the first example. I created the original OC and had her floating around in my brain for a while, but by the time I actually got comfortable enough to start writing, I revisited the idea and it ended up splitting into two different characters and plots, just for clarity and sophistication.

And for the second example: back when the Wednesday show first came out, I watched it and wanted to write for it, I had an OC built up and two chapters written... and then all kinds of things popped up about some of the actors, offensive dialogue choices, whatever else. I decided it was safest just to abandon that fic and leave it unposted, but I still love the OC idea (a very unique and dynamic person magically cursed to fade into the background no matter what they try) and I intend to recycle them into a future AHS fic I plan to write at some point.

That's a really interesting question, thank you for the ask!! <3 <3 <3

[arecomicsevengood]

WWREC

I really enjoy these WWREC comics, drawn and written collaboratively by Max Burlingame and Angela Fanche. Fanche is maybe most known as an autobiographical cartoonist, due to her diary comics. She also does work which seems autobiographical because of how attuned it is to the voice of its character. In “Performance Of The Love Note,” published by Entropy Editions, there is a monologue, or love note, and visual metaphors spin out from it, to make something that is maybe closer to an avant-garde theater piece than a diary strip. Her work feels very internal, about the whirrings of consciousness, moreso than the back and forth of dialogue. With WWREC, this internal state exists if not in dialogue, then in parallel, to these science-fiction scenarios, chronicled by Max Burlingame. Burlingame’s under-published, I think, I haven’t seen too much in the realm of solo comics by him. He had a short story in issue 2 of Jaywalk, which seemed to begin a story, and had a story that ran in the anthology Cowlick. In that Jaywalk story, you can see that classic sci-fi impulse towards world-building, people in conflict, schemes afoot.

In the two issues of WWREC, these pieces come together. Both cartoonists are drawing on the page, coming up with compositional elements, and seemingly writing as they go. The world of WWREC is constructed according to the internal state of consumerist desire, issue 1 is set in a mall. Issue 2 has characters migrating under the sea, where they hope their lives will be better. Throughout both issues, the drawings are really beautiful to look at, with both artists clearly finding great joy in the act of drawing, making these active tableaus that push and pull between each artist, blurring the line between the decorative impulse and the compositional underpinning, spinning a spiderweb of drawing for its own sake that is also telling a story that develops organically. Really great comics, of the sort I only wish were more widely available. If I were in charge of a black and white anthology, with the responsibility of putting together something that could compete commercially with the rest of the comic book marketplace, like my mental model of 1990s Dark Horse Presents, this is the sort of thing I would put into it, something that could win over the eighties Heavy Metal crowd and Dirty Plotte readers both.

[migrantsday]

(2nd meeting) International Dialogue on Migration 2024 - "Facilitating Regular Pathways to a Better Future: Harnessing the Power of Migration".

International Dialogue on Migration (IDM) 2024 on the theme "Facilitating Regular Pathways to a Better Future: Harnessing the Power of Migration" (organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

This session will contribute to:

An evidence-based understanding of the challenges and opportunities for migration today andtomorrow, including geopolitical crises and scaling-up of solutions, as well as ways to address gaps in current knowledge.

Identifying innovative and cutting-edge solutions that governments at local, national, and regional levels have already put in place or could develop in the future, to harness the potential of regular pathways for migration as part of a 360-degree approach to human mobility.

Unpacking how multilateral action and broad-based partnerships including private sector, diasporas and local communities, at the national, regional and global levels to facilitate regular and safe pathways for migration contribute to the response to some of the most distressing crises in the world, supporting integration and the transition to peace and prosperity.

Understanding how to achieve more accessible, people-centered, rights-based, accessible, sustainable and safe regular pathways, including key policy, operational and technical solutions that should be in place throughout the migration cycle.

Related Documents

Concept note

Watch the (2nd meeting) International Dialogue on Migration 2024!

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 5.21

Holidays

Afro-Colombian Day (Colombia)

Agricultural Fair Day

Anti-Terrorism Day (India)

Battle of Iquique Anniversary Day (Chile)

Capitol Build Day (New York)

Circassian Day of Mourning

Daylilly Day (French Republic)

Day of Patriots and Military (Hungary)

Emergency Medical Services Day

EMS Health, Wellness & Resilience Day

End of the World Day

Feast of the Triple Scoop

521 Day

Global Accessibility Awareness Day

Hug Your Interior Designer Day

Hummel Day (a.k.a. Sister Maria Hummel Day)

"I Need A Patch For That" Day

International Day of Statistical Literacy

Journée Nationale des Patriotes (National Patriots' Day; Quebec)

Keanu Reeves Day

Lilies and Roses Day (UK)

National American Red Cross Founder’s Day

National Mamey Day

National Memo Day

National Talk Like Yoda Day

Natura 2000 Day (EU)

Navy Day (Chile)

Passion Play Day (Germany)

Pogo Stick Day

Polar Explorer’s Day (Russia)

Purple Star of Jerusalem Day (a.k.a. Jack-Go-To-Bed-At-Noon)

Rapture Party Day (2011 prediction by Harold Camping)

Recommerce Day

Red Cross Day

Saint Helena Day (Saint Helena)

Sanja Matsuri begins (Tokyo, Japan)

Send a Letter Day

Slap a Patch On It Day

United States Cyber Command Day

World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (UN)

World Fish Migration Day

World Meditation Day (UK)

World Tree Kangaroo Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

International Tea Day [also 12.15]

International Tennessee Whiskey Day

National Mourvèdre Day

National Waitstaff Day (a.k.a. Waiters and Waitresses Day)

Strawberries and Cream Day

World Chardonnay Day

Independence & Related Days

Malabon (City Founded; Philippines)

Montenegro (from Serbia, 2006)

New Zealand (Proclaimed a British Colony; 1840)

Southwest Vineland (Declared; 2021) [unrecognized]

Valentia Riqueza and Grandeza (a.k.a. ValeVRG; Declared; 2022) [unrecognized]

3rd Tuesday in May

International Dinosaur Day [3rd Tuesday; also 6.1]

National Stop Nausea Day [3rd Tuesday]

Sex Differences in Health Awareness Day [3rd Tuesday]

Taco Tuesday [Every Tuesday]

Festivals Beginning May 21, 2024

The Batch Festival (Bath, UK) [thru 5.26]

Sommeliers Choice Awards (Chicago, Illinois)

Feast Days

Adílio Daronch and Manuel Gómez González (Christian; Saint)

Agonalia (Ancient Rome) [also 1.9 & 12.11]

Albrecht Dürer (Artology)

Alexander Pope (Writerism)

Anastenaria (Fire-Walking Ritual; Ancient Greece)

Andrew Bobola (Christian; Martyr)

Arcangelo Tadini (Christian; Saint)

Chen Dayu (Artology)

Christopher Magallanes, and other Saints of the Cristero War (Christian; Saint)

Day of the Twins: Beginning of Gemini (Astrology/Pagan)

Édouard-Henri Avril (Artology)

Emperor Constantine I (Christian; Saint)

Eugène de Mazenod (Christian; Saint)

Felix of Cantalicio (Christian; Saint)

Festival for Vevodus (God of the Dead, Swamps & Volvanic Movements; Ancient Rome)

Festival of Demeter (Greek Barley Mother Goddess)

Festival of Vejovis (Roman God of Healing)

42 Day (Pastafarian)

Franz Jägerstätter (Christian; Saint)

Free Money Day (Church of the SubGenius)

Godrick of Finkley (Christian; Saint)

Green Four-Net (Muppetism)

Harold Robbins (Writerism)

Helena of Constantinople (a.k.a. "Feast of the Holy Great Sovereigns Constantine and Helen, Equal-to-the-Apostles,” Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion)

Henri Rousseau (Artology)

Hospitius (Christian; Saint)

John Elliot (Episcopal Church)

Nestinarstvo (Fire-Walking Ritual; Ancient Bulgaria)

Nost-na-Lothion (Elven feast for the birth of flowers; Lord of the Rings)

Ponder Pointlessness Day (Pastafarian)

Rudolf Koller (Artology)

Saint Camping’s Day (Discordian)

St. Luke (Positivist; Saint)

Theophilus of Corte (Christian; Saint)

Hebrew Calendar Holidays [Begins at Sundown]

Pesach Sheni (2nd Passover) [13-14 Iyar]

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Taian (大安 Japan) [Lucky all day.]

Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 24 of 60)

Premieres

Agents of Fortune, by Blue Oyster Cult (Album; 1976)

Alison, by Elvis Costello (Song; 1977)

Annie (Film; 1982)

The Conquest of Everest, by John Hurt (Memoir; 1954)

Curtain Razor (WB LT Cartoon; 1949)

Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (Film; 1982)

The Deep Blue Good-By, by John D. MacDonald (Novel; 1964)

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (Silent Film; 1908)

The Egg Hunt (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1940)

The Foxy Pup (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1937)

Gimme All Your Lovin’, by ZZ Top (Music Video; 1983)

Godzilla vs. Kong (Film; 2021)

Gypsy (Broadway Musical; 1959)

Hassle in a Castle (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1966)

Hot Shots! Part Deux (Film; 1993)

Injun Trouble (WB LT Cartoon; 1938)

I Sing the Body Electric! & Other Stories, by Ray Bradbury (Short Stories; 1969)

Lunch Poems, by Frank O'Hara (Poetry; 1963)

Mad Max 2 (Film; 1982)

Mask of Orpheus, by Harrison Birtwistle (Opera; 1986)

Maybellene, recorded by Chuck Berry (Song; 1955)

McCartney II, by Paul McCartney (Album; 1980)

Mouse for Sale (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1955)

Naked Came the Stranger (Adult Film; 1975)

Notting Hill (Film; 1999)

Ohio, by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (Song; 1970)

The Optimist's Daughter, by Eudora Welty (Novella; 1972)

Pagliacci, by Ruggero Leoncavallo (Opera; 1892)

Past Perfumance (WB MM Cartoon; 1955)

Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be, sung by Doris Day (Song; 1956)

The Real World (TV Series; 1992)

The Return of the Pink Panther (Film; 1975)

The Rhinemann Exchange, by Robert Ludlum (Novel; 1974)

Riptide, by Vance Joy (Song; 2013)

The Road Warrior (Film; 1982)

The Secret of the Hittites, by C.W. Ceram (History Book; 1956)

Shrek Forever After (Animated Film; 2010)

Snow Excuse (WB MM Cartoon; 1966)

Sour, by Olivia Rodrigo (Album; 2021)

Star Wars, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (UK Film; 1980)

Terminator Salvation (Film; 2009)

Touch of Evil (Film; 1958)

Twin Peaks: The Return (TV Series; 2017)

The Twisker Pitcher (Fleischer Popeye Cartoon; 1937)

Under the Boardwalk, recorded by The Drifters (Song; 1964)

What’s Going On, by Marvin Gaye (Album; 1971)

Today’s Name Days

Christoph, Constantin, Josef, Julio (Austria)

Elena, Konstantin, Kosta, Kostadin, Kostadinka, Lenko, Stoyan (Bulgaria)

Dubravka, Eugen, Kristofor (Croatia)

Monika (Czech Republic)

Helene (Denmark)

Kindel, Konstantin, Kostel, Tiino (Estonia)

Konsta, Konstantin, Kosti (Finland)

Constantin (France)

Hermann, Konst, Wiltrud (Germany)

Constantine, Constantina, Elena, Elene, Eleni, Helen, Konstantina, Konstantinos, Lena, Nantia (Greece)

Konstantin (Hungary)

Angelo, Giulia, Vittorio (Italy)

Ernestine, Ingmārs, Vinija (Latvia)

Vaidivutis, Valentas, Vydmina (Lithuania)

Eli, Ellen, Helene (Norway)

Donat, Donata, Jan, Kryspin, Przecława, Pudens, Tymoteusz, Walenty, Wiktor, Wiktoriusz (Poland)

Constantin, Elena (România)

Zina (Slovakia)

Cristóbal, Virginia (Spain)

Conny, Konstantin (Sweden)

Constance, Constantine, Helen (Ukraine)

Adelric, Adiel, Audric, Keaton, Kendrick (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 142 of 2024; 224 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 2 of week 21 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Huath (Hawthorn) [Day 10 of 28]

Chinese: Month 4 (Ji-Si), Day 14 (Yi-You)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 13 Iyar 5784

Islamic: 13 Dhu al-Qada 1445

J Cal: 22 Magenta; Oneday [22 of 30]

Julian: 8 May 2024

Moon: 96%: Waxing Gibbous

Positivist: 1 St. Paul (6th Month) [St. Luke]

Runic Half Month: Ing (Expansive Energy) [Day 12 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 64 of 92)

Week: 3rd Full Week of May

Zodiac: Gemini (Day 1 of 31)

Calendar Changes

Gemini (The Twins) begins [Zodiac Sign 3; thru 6.21]

Saint Paul (Catholicism) [Month 6 of 13; Positivist]

[ussjellyfish]

16. What’s your most common “Additional Tags” tag?

17. Your favorite character to write this year?

29. Favorite line/passage you wrote this year?

16. What’s your most common “Additional Tags” tag?

I have tagged pregnancy 75 times. That's only 18% of all my fics! (It's a big chunk of my word count...but...uhhh). I feel bad, and don't, and do...I like it, I'm good at it. Someone has to do it? It's a valuable fandom niche.

17. Your favorite character to write this year?

I have written mostly Michael Burnham and Laira Rillak, mostly together. I wrote a handful of drabbles and other short things (like 3000 words worth) but most of my word count has been these two.

I love Michael's logic, and her kindness, how she thinks and feels deeply about everything. She has this great impulsive side too, that's fun to write. She's very thinky, and gentle. I love her caring and optimism.

I love Laira's patience, and her calm. Her sense of humor and her commitment. I love how she's so classy and important, but a wild space pilot at heart. She's more chaotic in her internal monologue, her heart is more of a mystery, while Michael knows hers.

29. Favorite line/passage you wrote this year?

In migrations and other recurring phenomena (Star Trek: Discovery, Michael Burnham/Laira Rillak, rated E). Laira manages to very carefully avoid saying she is or isn't ill, distracting Michael from climbing out of the turbolift they're trapped in. It's all very careful dialogue (Michael worries, Laira evades, in the end she's totally fine and they have sex). It was really fun to write. The flirting and the not-flirting. I loved it.

I also really love this section that I haven't published yet.

"In this hypothetical scenario, are you still pregnant?"

"Is there a universe where I'm not?"

"Maybe one or two."

ao3 wrapped questions.

[disco-elysium-via-polls]

3. "Hello, sir. Got time for a few questions?"

GORĄCY KUBEK - The man puts his cup down and replies something, his left hand drawing arcs in the air.

"Do you know what's behind that door?" (Point to the blue door.)

"You've got some impressive pots there."

"I don't think I need anything else. Stay masculine!" [Leave.]

GORĄCY KUBEK - He looks up at you, then looks away quickly, shrugging and muttering something to himself.

COMPOSURE [Easy: Success] - Shrugging is an international sign for: 'No, I don't know what's behind that door'.

2. "You've got some impressive pots there."

GORĄCY KUBEK - He smiles and bangs his ladle against each of his pots in turn.

3. "I don't think I need anything else. Stay masculine!" [Leave.]

Both Kim and Authority suggested we don't talk to the Hardie boys right away, so let's step outside.

INLAND EMPIRE - Was that -- could it be -- the Col Do Ma Ma Daqua?! No. It's probably just your *imagination* ringing in your ear...

Is it? Is there a ringing? (Listen more closely.)

Probably not. [Discard thought.]

INLAND EMPIRE - There seems to be. An *extremely* high pitched ring. Ultrasonic. Lena said it was very high-pitched, right? It's like something *tickles* your ear.

INLAND EMPIRE [Trivial: Success] - But you're not a regular animal. You're not even a regular cop. You see -- and hear! -- beyond the veil.

That last line was triggered by us having Remote Viewers Division. As it turns out, I was wrong about Thoughts - just having them in our Thought Cabinet is enough to trigger dialogue, we don't need to have them equipped.

"Wait, Kim, do *you* hear a high pitched noise?"

Listen closely first.

Move your head toward the sound. (Proceed.)

KIM KITSURAGI - "No. I don't hear the Col Do Ma Ma Daqua -- and neither do you."

INLAND EMPIRE - Of course he doesn't. He's DEAF.

2. Listen closely first.

INLAND EMPIRE - There it is again! You are about to re-discover a long-lost species!

Keep listening.

INLAND EMPIRE - It must be very close... maybe, just maybe it will come toward you...

3. Move your head toward the sound. (Proceed.)

INLAND EMPIRE - Oh no! The sound -- it's moving away, somewhere over there -- go after it!

No... Too late. It's gone... There is no ringing anymore. Just the sound of the streets.

No, come back, please! (Listen more.)

Go then, leave! Leave like everything else! (Don't.)

INLAND EMPIRE - Keep your ears peeled, then. If the species really has migrated to Martinaise, you're sure to hear it again.

Thought Gained: Col Do Ma Ma Daqua

[ishanarorablogs]

When Earth Speaks

Climate change has emerged as a pressing and intricate concern in global dialogues, reshaping the dynamics of our planet's ecosystems and posing a significant menace to both the environment and humanity. With temperatures ascending, polar ice diminishing, and the frequency of extreme weather incidents surging, it is paramount not only to acknowledge this complex issue but also to urgently undertake measures to avert its far-reaching and severe ramifications.

The science underpinning climate change is rooted in the accumulation of greenhouse gases, predominantly carbon dioxide, within the atmosphere. These gases trap solar heat, causing a gradual warming of the planet—a phenomenon commonly referred to as the greenhouse effect. Human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation have significantly amplified the concentration of these gases, hastening the pace of global warming.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), human actions have already induced an approximately 1.0°C increase in global temperatures from pre-industrial levels. If left unchecked, the perilous 1.5°C threshold could be breached as early as 2030, leading to dire and potentially irreversible consequences for Earth ("Global Warming of 1.5°C," IPCC, 2018). This statistical revelation underscores the gravity of the situation, implying that a 1.5-degree rise will have profoundly adverse effects on ecosystems and food production.

Evidence of climate change's impact is present worldwide. Coastal regions, exemplified by India, are grappling with rising sea levels and subsequent flooding. Escalating instances of extreme weather events—ranging from hurricanes to droughts and wildfires—have disrupted both natural systems and human lives, disturbing the delicate equilibrium that sustains our planet.

A study in the "Nature Communications" journal highlights that a 2°C temperature increase could lead to around 14% of the global population experiencing recurrent severe heatwaves, adversely affecting both health and productivity (Perkins, S. E. et al., "Increasing Risk of Concurrent Summer Drought and Heatwaves in Western Europe," Nature Communications, 2012). Agriculture, a crucial pillar of human sustenance, bears the brunt of climate change. The mounting temperatures create stress for plants, impeding growth and ultimately reducing crop yields—especially concerning staple foods like rice and wheat, vital for global food security. Created by water scarcity from intensified droughts, crop productivity falters, aggravating the food production crisis and damaging economies and societies.

Predictions by the World Bank paint a grim picture, forecasting that if inaction persists, over 143 million individuals in regions including Africa, Asia, and Latin America could be forced from their homes by 2050 due to climate-induced factors, exacerbating poverty and instability ("Groundswell: Preparing for Internal Climate Migration," World Bank, 2018).

In the past, global leaders convened in vital efforts to combat the climate crisis.

 A notable example is the 1988 gathering in Wisconsin, USA, where experts and leaders, brainstormed for four days to shape the 21st century's agenda. The leaders emphasized the need for an ecologically conscious lifestyle. However, subsequent years have witnessed a escalation of global warming, deforestation and pollution. Cyclones and floods underline the severity of the challenge. Regrettably, world leaders often offer pretty much nothing. What  they do is, they setup these meetings and discuss how they could get money off this cause. First off, by setting up these meetings, we as the general public, often tend to prefer their government, then they make up contracts with their other social elite friends and make money off it, well at least it seems that way. I mean its been close to two decades global warming is still at large. COVID is the only real reason why global warming somewhat even stopped.  

The urgency of the situation demands a collaborative response. Governments, corporations, and individuals must join forces to curb the emissions responsible for the crisis. Transitioning to clean energy sources such as solar and wind, adopting sustainable agricultural practices, and constructing resilient infrastructure to withstand extreme weather events are pivotal steps.

Individual actions are equally influential. Embracing energy efficiency, reducing waste, and advocating for informed environmental policies can catalyze change. Furthermore, fostering awareness and understanding of climate change through education campaigns will empower individuals to contribute substantively.

In my own capacity, I am actively contributing to the urgent matter of addressing the climate crisis. Through diligent research and the creation of this paper, my goal is to create heightened awareness regarding the need for immediate action. Moreover, in the course of my everyday routine, I am making eco-conscious decisions, incorporating reusable products and practicing energy conservation. I firmly believe that these seemingly small changes, when amplified, hold the potential to become an influence in the mission of combatting climate change.

[tinyreviews]

Taiwanese Cinema

Taiwanese cinema has a distinct history and has made significant contributions to world cinema. Here are some key elements of Taiwanese cinema:

New Wave Movement: The Taiwanese New Wave movement in the 1980s is a significant period in the history of Taiwanese cinema. Led by filmmakers such as Hou Hsiao-Hsien, Edward Yang, and Tsai Ming-liang, these directors moved away from the mainstream melodramas and martial arts films, focusing on realistic, personal, and socially conscious storytelling.

Realism and Auteur Cinema: Many internationally renowned Taiwanese films are known for their realism and contemplative style. Directors like Hou Hsiao-Hsien and Tsai Ming-liang are considered auteurs, known for their distinct stylistic and thematic preoccupations, including long takes, minimal dialogue, and recurrent themes of urban alienation and historical memory.

Historical and Social Themes: Taiwanese cinema often explores the complex history and social dynamics of Taiwan, including the period of martial law known as the "White Terror," urbanization, the tension between tradition and modernity, and the experiences of indigenous peoples.

International Recognition: Taiwanese films have received critical acclaim and won prestigious awards at international film festivals. Notably, Ang Lee, a Taiwanese director, has won multiple Academy Awards.

Genre Diversity: While the arthouse films of the New Wave movement have been internationally recognized, Taiwanese cinema also includes a variety of genres including romantic comedies, horror films, and action films.

Influence of Mandarin and Hokkien: The languages used in Taiwanese films often reflect the island's linguistic diversity. While many films are in Mandarin, others are in Taiwanese Hokkien and reflect the different cultural and social groups in Taiwan.

Diaspora Experiences: Given Taiwan's history, some films also explore themes of diaspora, migration, and cultural identity, such as those by Ang Lee.

Contemporary Cinema: Contemporary Taiwanese cinema continues to be diverse, with younger directors making films that deal with LGBTQ+ themes, coming-of-age stories, and innovative genre films.

Remember, Taiwanese cinema is a broad and evolving field, so these are just some of the general characteristics of the industry.