Perspective

All year long, cartoonists around the world have been putting their pens to paper, interpreting and documenting the events in Ukraine. To mark the one-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion, international network Cartooning for Peace has released a special edition book featuring 120 drawings from cartoonists around the world. Among them are six illustrations from award-winning Ukrainian cartoonist Vladimir Kazanevsky. He joined us for Perspective to talk about how Russia's invasion has drastically changed his work, and what it means to him to see cartoonists from around the world expressing their support for Ukraine.

To some, they're creepy and crawly; to others, they're buzzy and beautiful. But whatever your feelings about insects, they are the humming undercurrent to life on Earth and without them, our world would grind to a halt. That's the view of biologist Dave Goulson, author of "Silent Earth: Averting the Insect Apocalypse". His book is both a love letter to insects and a wake-up call about their devastating decline. He joined us for Perspective to discuss his early passion for insects, their key roles in our ecosystems and how we can all do our part to protect them.

In a world driven by economic markets, and increasingly by digital and technological innovation, are we losing a sense of ourselves and a sense of solidarity with other living things? Renowned philosopher Achille Mbembe reflects on these issues in his new book "The Earthly Community". He joined us for Perspective to tell us more.

A new book critiques the juxtaposition of rich and powerful people preaching to the rest of us on climate change. Author and political scientist Édouard Morena looks at how the ultra wealthy have re-shaped the global discussion on climate change, often to suit their own needs, whilst ignoring more obvious ways to save the planet. Issues such as billionaires defending their use of private jets, or one of the world's largest oil producers hosting the next round of UN climate talks are among those under the microscope. Morena spoke to us on Perspective about his book "Fin du monde et Petits Fours", or "The end of the world and appetisers", which has just been published in French.

Many parts of our lives are defined by turning points: fleeting or extended moments where life as we know it is changed forever. These can be a person we meet, a travel experience or a bereavement. For Robert Douglas Fairhurst, it was being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, an unpredictable and still misunderstood illness. As a literature professor, stories played a key role in helping him make sense of the diagnosis. He recounts the journey in his book "Metamorphosis: A Life in Pieces". The author joined us for Perspective.

How can the United States end its epidemic of racist police violence? The question is raised with new urgency in the wake of each new death - from George Floyd to Breonna Taylor, to the recent killing of Tyre Nichols. While that case was complicated by the fact that the officers who beat Nichols were also Black, Social Psychologist Jack Glaser explains that scientific evidence shows Black police officers hold "the same kinds of negative stereotypes of Black civilians that White officers do."

A French journalist who spent five years in the US as the correspondent for the Libération newspaper, has turned her attention to fiction and written a book about the dark debate over US abortion rights. While in Washington, Isabelle Hanne spoke to Americans involved in the issue; from those seeking abortions, to those working in the industry, to those deeply opposed to it. Instead of just writing factual articles for her paper, she also wrote her book, creating characters to tell the story.

Our lives, whether we like it or not, are being molded by the algorithms governing every facet of technology we have today. This is the theory behind a new book that looks at how the digital revolution is not only affecting our personal relationships, but also our most intimate choices and even who we fall in love with. For Perspective, we spoke with University of South Wales Professor Anthony Elliott, about his book "Algorithmic Intimacy: the digital revolution in personal relationships".

"When is our suffering going to end?" is a common sentiment among Syrians after years of war, hunger, and now a devastating earthquake which hit the region a week ago. Deputy head of Oxfam’s mission in Syria spoke to FRANCE24, agreeing with the UN’s aid chief on the feelings of abandonment plaguing Syrians. Latest figures from the UN showed that more than 4300 have already died, with the death toll set to increase. Matilde Gomis Perez joined us for Perspective from Barcelona, after her Damascus trip ended Saturday.

Award-winning French journalist Samuel Forey joins us for Perspective to discuss his newly-released book, which retraces six years of reporting from the Middle East. He tells us more about why he decided to become a war reporter and also reacts to the devastating twin earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.