WRITINGS
From Hackney With Love: An Intimate History of Gentrification – OUT NOW
My book ‘From Hackney, With Love: An Intimate History of Gentrification’ is out on 29th May 2025 through Biteback Publishing. From Hackney, With Love: An Intimate History of Gentrification, an insider exploration of the dramatic metamorphosis of my area over the last few decades. This book is about my life and the lives of Hackney’s…
How British urbanism shaped Grime
I remember being a skinny eleven year old, strutting around in my local area with my white LA Lakers New Era Cap and my oversized Nike tracksuit. It was the summer of 2004 and Arsenal had just won the Premier League without losing a single game. Everyone idolised Thierry Henry (even I did despite being…
The demise of East London’s estates: how brutalism changed a generation
Introduction In the latter half of the twentieth century, arguably the most defining feature of East London’s physical transformation was the extensive construction of large housing estates, with several iconic tower blocks piercing the East End skyline for several decades. For a generation of men, women, and children and at time of great social and…
Remembering the Ebola Crisis: What did the world learn?
Introduction Do you remember the Ebola Crisis? probably not until you read the title of this essay. Yet, in 2014 the outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa reverberated fear across the globe, sparking worldwide concern over the severity and potential proliferation of the disease beyond the borders of sub-Saharan Africa. Despite its discovery in 1976…
If Haiti and Africa are considered “sh**holes,” then the United States must hold responsibility
Introduction During a heated meeting with lawmakers concerning immigration to the United States, President Donald Trump was reported to have made derogative comments about Haiti and several African countries. Trump has been accused of arguing against people from ‘sh**hole countries’ coming to the United States, preferring to accept immigrants from countries such as Norway. Although…
The World Bank and HIV/AIDS Governance in Sub-Saharan Africa: Perpetrators or Defenders against the Epidemic?
Introduction Since the early 1980s, the HIV/AIDS epidemic has devastated the social, economic, and political landscape of sub-Saharan Africa, and has continued to impose a significant challenge against the region’s development. Indeed, the widespread proliferation of the disease has led to the immense regression of many sub-Saharan African countries. According to UNAIDS in 2013, there were…
The impact of neoliberalism on post-colonial Africa in the 20th century
Introduction The decolonisation of Africa in the 1950s and 1960s was seen as the great opportunity for the continent to finally realise its potential independently. Spurred by the sustained demands for self-determination by leading nationalists such as Jomo Kenyatta and Kwame Nkrumah, many countries throughout Africa would take back their sovereignty from their European possessors.…
Should the United Kingdom leave the European Union?: Challenging Eurosceptics on the British economy
Introduction On 23rd June 2016, the United Kingdom will vote to decide whether the country is to remain or leave the European Union. For the first time in a generation, the general public will have the opportunity to formally declare their position on the U.K.’s membership in the EU, a declaration that could potentially transform…
Reimagining race: Should the colour of your skin still matter?
Since the dawn of mankind, human beings have always used various forms of identification to distinguish themselves from their counterparts. In the contemporary world, social identity has been shaped by notions such as a person’s religious beliefs, cultural attitudes, sexual orientation, or their disposition towards a particular gender group. However, it is the categorisation of ‘race’…
Is Western foreign policy to blame for the ‘European migrant crisis’?
Introduction Over the last few weeks, the British public have been well-informed of the harrowing experiences faced by migrants travelling to Europe in an attempt to escape the harsh realities in their homeland. As a result, the media frenzy over the ‘European migrant crisis’ has not only raised fears across the continent over the safety…
Should we question the integrity of the Conservatives victory in the 2015 General Election?
On Friday 8th May 2015, David Cameron stood victorious in front of the British media after witnessing the Conservative Party defy the polls and sweep to an unexpected triumph in the general election. In what was one of the most anticipated elections in recent history, the Tories would defeat their election opponents across the country…
The Île-de-France attacks and the proliferation of Western ‘Islamophobia’
Introduction Before I begin, I must stress that I in no way, shape or form condone the actions of the gunmen who shot dead twelve people after storming the offices of satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, or the subsequent acts of terror that took place in the Île-de-France region thereafter. Moreover, I do not sympathise with…
The regeneration of Hackney – the saviour of a borough in despair
Introduction Historically, the London Borough of Hackney was renowned as one of the poorest areas in Britain, plagued by widespread poverty, unmanageable social tensions and tormented by an endemic of criminal activity. From the derelict-stricken housing estates to the considerable deficiencies within the borough’s schools and hospitals, throughout all walks of life its residents encountered incredible scenes…
Richard Yeboah 