AGORAx (2025)

04/08/2021

https://theagorax.com/bias/

🚨 Continuing with our July Bias 🚨

Psychedelics have a long and varied history. Once the ‘food of the gods,' they are now illegal. But with recent recreational use upsurge by the creative class, psychedelics are back in the spotlight. Shifting attitudes from governments and the public have also allowed for a deeper understanding of psychedelics through scientific research.

02/08/2021

Have you heard about the devastating floods happening in Europe? Check out this infographics summarising some situations happening around us 🚨 Climate change is no joke and we are seeing it’s detriments!

📣Stay updated with us 📣

30/07/2021

https://theagorax.com/bias/

There is a detrimental assumption that the Middle East is homogenous. The dynamics between each country are perceived to be amicable; because some are Muslim countries, some share a common tongue, some share a common ethnicity and are all in close proximity to one another - then surely they are all united behind a common cause to challenge the West. This grand misconception undermines diplomatic endeavours aiming to engage with these countries; continued ignorance of the region’s intricacies and realities has to be addressed.

24/07/2021

https://theagorax.com/status-quo/

As the second summer (or winter for the southern hemisphere) of the pandemic kicks into full gear, the world is seeing a vast difference in the realities of the pandemic we live in. We have countries opening back up, while others are still living lockdown lifestyles. Here’s a quick and digestible look at four very different regions of the world and where they stand in the pandemic.

20/07/2021

https://theagorax.com/bias/

How big of a role do illicit drugs play in today’s world? What is the best way to manage addiction faced by drug users? Why is the war on drugs still ongoing and why will it never go away? Shankar attempts to draw on examples, to answer this question in this article.

18/07/2021

https://theagorax.com/bias/

"What lengths will you go in order to avoid the experience of being human?”

This article presents how the second half of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century has ushered in the ‘brave new world’—our very own neurological archipelago—in which much of the human experience is increasingly regulated, influenced, and controlled by pills.
From feelings, thoughts, and personalities to sleep rhythms, sexual confidence, and hunger, the most elemental parts of being human can be managed by the pharmacy.

Our ‘brave new world’, as Sabrina paints in this article, is not so brave.

17/07/2021

🚨JULY BIAS🚨

We’re halfway through July now and coming up is our July bias topic feature!! This month we’re looking at drugs and the hard debate on it 🎙 It’s gonna be a hot topic and get ready to hear our thoughts on it!!

Check back here tomorrow for our first article 📣

15/07/2021

It’s important to keep educating ourselves on the statuses of vaccines and testing procedures 😷 Check out our post overviewing the highlighted facts

Keep safe and healthy out there everyone! Get your vaccine if you’re able to 💉

11/07/2021

https://theagorax.com/the-box/

Does freedom of expression exist anymore? It is one of our basic rights as human beings after all. In this article, Amani aims to answer that question. As well as taking on a new meaning to laughter is the best remedy.

🚨 Check it out in our link! 🚨

08/07/2021

⚽Euro 2020⚽ has shown us the impact football stars have on large brands. Looking at you Coke 👀 But the reality is far more complicated than that! Take a look about what we think in this post.

07/07/2021

https://theagorax.com/status-quo/radical-raisi/

What does the world think about Iran’s new president? More importantly, what does Iran’s new president have planned for the world? This article breaks down the implications of the election of Ebrahim Raisi, Iran’s new president.

🚨 Check this out in the link 🚨

05/07/2021

💥 Looking for a Summer Project? 💥

Come join us at AGORAxThinks as a Research Analyst this Sumer 2021! We're looking to expand our team and band together people with a passion for global issues, policy, research and so much more 🔥

Apply by sending an email to [email protected] with your CV and written profile. Can't wait to see your application 🎉

03/07/2021

https://theagorax.com/status-quo/misogyny-online/

STATUS QUO: What happened to the V2K Telegram Group? Half a year after the investigation of widespread online p**n groups, this article visits the topic of online misogyny. Are these groups signs of a few bad apples, or do they point to a larger, underlying issue in our society?

26/04/2021

Yes, AGORAx family! We’ve launched our Twitter account! Head over to Twitter and give us a follow 😍 we’ll be resharing some older articles over the next few weeks to refresh your memory, and also eventually will release Twitter-specific content. So be sure to follow us there to be in the loop 🙌🏽

21/04/2021

https://theagorax.com/the-box/how-loud-is-the-tigers-roar/

THE BOX: In times of recent past, Malaysia was named an Asian Tiger in reference to the potential it had of becoming a world power. Yet, one needs only look at several key measures to realise that this title is slipping farther and farther away from the country, if not already out of reach.

In this article, "How Loud Is The Tiger's Roar", Shankar Kurunathan discusses how education, social mobility and healthcare are critical for a nation's growth. Following that, guest writer Balqis Busri contributes a nuanced yet critical discussion on the Malaysian Unity that is preached within government yet not practiced through policy development.

Be sure to check out this fiery pairing in our newest article via the link in our Bio! Big thanks to Yeefei Tan for her apt artwork for this round as well!
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19/04/2021

https://theagorax.com/bias/the-real-story-behind-sustainable-clothing/

BIAS: It's become more and more commonplace to see fashion brands take a stand with sustainability in recent times. We've all seen the possibly well-meaning yet disingenious campaigns that leave a questionable taste behind for reasons we may not fully understand.

Or maybe you've noticed the new "Green Line" (or some permutation of this form of marketing) at your favourite brand, possibly even made the choice to pay more for a supposedly sustainable product, and left the store with a happy green glow.

Unfortunately, oftentimes these sustainable campaigns are just that– campaigns designed by marketers with no meaningful or real action behind them. In the second installation of our BIAS for April, Viktoria Hellebø discusses what Greenwashing is, how prevelant it is and the causes and consequences of it. She also touches on reasons why we shouldn't despair, and how things will get better.

Be sure to read this educational article via the link above!

And don't you also love the artwork that Charlotte Chan created for this? Props to you, Charlotte! ❤️

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16/04/2021

Hey hey guess what? The big announcement is here!

🚀 Online Store = LIVE 🚀

We’ve set up a Zazzle store to showcase all the art by our lovely AGORAx Visual Artists ❤️

All profits from our sales will go straight to our artists to compensate them for their amazing work or be reinvested into AGORAx for future initiatives.

Head to the link in our bio to check out all our products! ⬆️

International shipping available! 🌎

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07/04/2021

https://theagorax.com/the-box/

How do you define friendship? Does it involve sharing interests, providing emotional support, making each other laugh, being there through tough times, and a fair share of inside jokes? Does it fully require making a connection in the physical world?

In this new article about online friendship, and specifically, fandom friendship, Nadia Mikail takes a sensitive and heart warming approach while sharing her own experiences with her fandom friends. She sheds light on the uniqueness of friendship forged through shared experiences of a fandom that not many others care about, and the seadfastness of these friendships through tough days in her physical world.

Dive into this new realm of friendship with Nadia as she generously lets us into the friendships she has spent years creating through the link above! Big thanks to Faye for her fun as always art!
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02/04/2021

https://theagorax.com/status-quo/grammys/

"Ah the Grammys. A night of excitement, where all the world tunes in to watch their favourite artists be honoured for their extraotdinary musical feats and achievements.

But, the glamour isn't all that it seems. Often, there are significant gaps in the types of artists being recognised on the Grammy stage, and these gaps have way too much to do with skin colour.

Amanda tackles these sensitive issues with a critical eye, while still maintaining perspective and recognising the progress that has been made in this award show. Check out her article via the link in our bio to read her thoughts on inclusion, diversity and unfair favourtism at the Grammys.
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21/03/2021

It's World Poetry Day, and to commemorate it, we wanted to bring you this piece of original poetry from Sofiya Shazal, our Editor!

To highlight our BIAS topic this month, Women, Sofiya's poem also explores womanhood in several contexts and through history.

Let us know your favourite poetry about gender and womanhood in the comments! 👇

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21/03/2021

https://theagorax.com/bias/

BIAS: Endometriosis is a medical condition that impacts about 1 in 10 people with uteri and vaginas, but having a uterus is not a prerequisite for participating in this conversation.

Often called "the missed disease", Endometriosis can take anywhere between 3 to 11 years to diagnose, leaving the person experiencing it with unimaginable pain on a monthly basis.

In this powerful article, Cassandra Teh sheds light on endometriosis while discussing her own experience with it. She shares the physical pain she went through during her journey with endometriosis, as well as the emotional pain of coming to terms with being unable to have children as a result of the condition. Even before her pain had a name, Cassandra went through the struggle of her pain being misunderstood, deemed to have a low pain threshold, over-reacting or in the worst scenarios, purely imagining it.

Be sure to read this article by following the link above. Thank you so much Cassandra for sharing this incredibly personal story with us and this audience.

And thank you, Ysabel Loh, for this artwork that captures the issue so well.

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18/03/2021

https://theagorax.com/the-box/

BOX: Australia holds a special place in the world– considered a Western country, yet geographically situated closer to Asia than any other Western nation barring New Zealand, it is in a unique position.

In this vein of thought, Daniel Filippi tackles the question of how Australia is dealing with the meteoric rise of China, and how fear and greed are two sides of the same coin in this polarised relationship. While China is a major trading partner for Australia, there is the question of divergent foreign policies that sour this relationship.

How has this relationship evolved alongside American influence? What is the impact of World War 2 on Australia and its following decisions? And in the choice between America and China, where does Australia fall at this moment in time?

Find out by clicking the link above!

Thank you to Lillie Durant for the artwork!

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12/03/2021

https://gofund.me/41b47321

Over the past 7 months, we have been so proud to bring all of you, our amazing audience, articles and content that has, hopefully, broadened your perspective.

We've come to a very exciting point– We want to keep AGORAx growing, and for that, we need your help! We've set up a GoFundMe, and would be so so thankful for any support you guys can given us! Every amount counts, and is instrumental in us being able to fulfil our vision for where we want to take AGORAx.

Yet, we do understand that this is a hard time for many of us, and if you cannot financially support us at this point in time, no worries!

We would also appreciate if you could share this post on your feed and with individuals who you think would be interested in us and in investing in a young start up with big ambitions that we need help realising!

If you have any questions at all, do send us a private message or email us at [email protected] and we will be happy to provide any additional information.

For now, we hope this infographic helps to tell you a bit more about us!

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12/03/2021

https://theagorax.com/status-quo/

STATUS QUO: Yesterday, 11th of November, marked the 10th anniversary of the Fukushima tsunami that resulted in the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.

The discussion on nuclear weapons seems to be one that we cannot escape although it feels like a conversation leftover from the days of the Cold War.

Join Jason Lee as he reflects on how nuclear weapons have and have not provided security for the countries holding them through history, including the Yom Kippur war of 1973 and the Indian-Pakistani conflict in 1999, and how this continues on today.

Near misses have high potential to eventually lead to fatal encounters, and Jason makes a strong case for why nuclear weapons should not be seen as assurances of peace in the way they are commonly portrayed today.

As always, the link to this article is above, and leave any thoughts as a comments below! 👇

Infographics by Kalina Anastasova 🌟

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06/03/2021

https://theagorax.com/status-quo/

STATUS QUO: On February 1st 2021, the military seized power yet again in Myanmar and majority of its civilian-elected leaders were detained. Troops are patrolling the streets and a night-time curfew is in force, with a one-year state of emergency declared.

With Myanmar in a critical juncture today, actions taken in the coming weeks may change the course of the nation.

This in-depth article by Shankar Kurunathan discusses everything you need to know about the politics and the chaos involved in this civilian uproar, including direct quotes from sources within Myanmar.

Thank you to Nyan Lin Aung and Min Htet Aung for providing these and helping craft this important article.

Link above!!!! ⬆️

Infographics by Shankar Kurunathan.

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28/02/2021

https://theagorax.com/bias/

BIAS: In 2020, love felt different.

With the world battling a pandemic and a whole lotta down-time on our hands, self-love and mental health has never been so important. You may have seen a rise in self-care and positivity posts on social media, which are often a source of comfort and support for many.

But what could be the negative effects of these posts? How do we even define self-love?

Here, Amanda Fung talks to a diverse group of young people on how they care for themselves, to reveal just how unique the journey to self-love really is.

Link above! ❤️

Thank you to Lillie Durant for the bold artwork.

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#2021 #2020

23/02/2021

https://theagorax.com/the-box/uk-vaccine/

BOX: With more than 16 million people in the UK having received their first dose of the vaccine, the roll-out is well under way and the easing of restrictions is finally in sight.

But how effective is this roll-out strategy? And what are the intentions behind it?

In this englightening article, Isobel Fisher examines the potential dangers surrounding the way the U.K is handling vaccine adminstration, backed by scientific research.

Head to the link above for the full low-down!

Thank you Elena May Saini Jeffery for the awesome visuals!

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21/02/2021

Happy Sunday! Here's a quick breakdown of what's been happening across the continents over the past couple weeks! 🌍

Thank you Douglas Adams for putting this great infographic together!

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17/02/2021

https://theagorax.com/status-quo/sugar-spice-and-everything-unethical/

STATUS QUO: You may have recently heard the news that Malaysia ranked ‘3rd in Asia’ for having the most number of sugar babies. Plastered across social media, the humorous headlines have taken the attention of many...

But beneath the sensation lies a darker undertone. Join Nadia Tasneem in this highly important article as she uncovers the realities of the sugar dating industry and how the media has sanitized it for public consumption.

Link above!

Infographics by Nadia Tasneem

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13/02/2021

https://theagorax.com/bias/

BIAS: Whether you've got a Valentine or not, you might still have ❤️ love ❤️ on your mind this weekend. Or not. 😆

Either way, the notion of love is interesting to observe, particularly so in terms of the way its depicted in movies and popular culture. Growing up, it seems that our 'perfect' childhood love stories are, in fact, stained with beauty standards and troubling gender norms.

What is real love anyway? And how do these unrealistic ideals in media play a role in the contemporary mental health pandemic and the increasing divorce rates?

Expand your mind in this revealing article by Viktoria Jorde Hellebo, who eloquently explores these important issues.

You know what to do 💗 Link above 💗

Thank you to Anusha Jean Ramesh for the wonderfully emotive artwork ❤️

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10/02/2021

https://theagorax.com/the-box/

BOX: With Black History month in full swing, let us be reminded that this is a time to celebrate important people and events throughout African history.

One particular element that is often overlooked is how linguistics are celebrated. Why is African American Vernacular English often looked down upon, with policies that elevate Standard American English?

Here, Alysha Ravendran sheds light on the issues surrounding the perception of AAVE, drawing insight from studies into linguistics in children, as well as highlighting the frequent use of this by non AAVE speakers across social media.

This is a really insightful article which provokes thought around a troubling yet deeply important issue.

Link above!! 🗣

Thank you Charlotte Chan for the bold and beautiful artwork!

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07/02/2021

🎉 This February is FILLED with festivities across cultures and continents. 🎉

Check out our special edition of Around the World in 80 Words: Festivities by Joshua Varughese
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07/02/2021

https://theagorax.com/bias/

BIAS: ❤️ If you've ever reflected on the way you express your love to others, you may have come to consider the way your parents showed you love as a child.

It may be an obvious statement that the way you were shown love influences your love language today. But reality is the pyschology of love is quite complex, nuanced, and very unique to the individual.

Join Rhea Goh as she dives deep into the world of love, reflecting on key pyschological theories and groundbreaking scientific experiments that will give you a clearer understanding into the way you show your love.

This is a really beautifully written, eye-opening article - one to definitely read as we approach valentine's day!

💗 LINK ABOVE 💗

Thank you Michelle Leong for the emotive visuals 💕

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03/02/2021

https://theagorax.com/status-quo/

STATUS QUO: In this thought provoking article, Qiao Se examines the outrage sparked by the South China Morning Post Magazine’s article on Lisette Scheer’s crusade to “bring back” high quality traditional wear to Malaysia.

To what extent is it justified? Is Scheer the first of many ambitious designers drawing inspiration from local cultures, or are her heroic aspirations partially rooted in white-saviourism?

⬆️ Link above! ⬆️

Thank you Dewi Normaria for the beautiful artwork 🥰

Infographics by Daniel Filippi

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30/01/2021

https://theagorax.com/bias/

BIAS: Trauma. It’s something we all react uniquely to. But one thing’s for sure that it’s affected us all to some level in the past year, and still holds its grip on many to this day.

In this healing article, Rhea Goh examines all things surrounding trauma, from the science of how it affects us mentally and physically to the more nuanced aspects. She, importantly, explores how we can cope with the trauma we’ve experienced and move into 2021 in the positive key of recovery.

This is the one to read, especially as we kickstart the year.

Link above! ❤️

Thank you to Hotaru Kawaguchi for the stunning artwork. We love it! 💫

________
#2020 #2021

27/01/2021

https://theagorax.com/the-box/

BOX: With Israel calling it a security barrier against terrorism, and Palestinians calling it a racial segregation or apartheid wall, Daniel Filippi explores the deeper layers of meaning behind the contentious separation wall in the West Bank.

He not only discusses the issues surrounding this infamous wall, but takes an important look at how the wall has been used as a medium for artists’ to express and protest, highlighting exactly how this wall has become a window to finding truth.

Learn more about this fascinating topic - Hit the Link above! 🔥

Big shout out to Nata Dzhmukhadze for the emotive visuals. ❤️

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21/01/2021

STATUS QUO: Many sighed great relief when Trump was silenced on at least 18 social media platforms recently. With Trump’s online influence posing a deep threat in the real world, it may have seemed like the right thing to do.

But what are the dangers of allowing tech giants control over cyberspace, and how does this align with our right to free speech?

Join Shankar Kurunathan and Sofiya Shazal as they discuss this important topic.

Read it here: https://theagorax.com/status-quo/

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20/01/2021

https://theagorax.com/the-box/

BOX: With 2020 being a deeply controversial year for China sparked by various issues that have resonated across the globe, it’s only natural to consider what might be next.

In this highly perceptive article, the author (who wishes to remain anonymous) details the future of China, exploring the country’s plans, initiatives and economy, importantly considering the power these effects may have on the rest of the world.

🔥 Link above! 🔥

Shout out to Faye Tan for the evocative visuals that capture the essence of this important topic!

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