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Mathilde Montpetit

Mathilde Montpetit

Mathilde Montpetit is a regular contributor to the Harvard International Review Blog. Her blog focuses on human rights abuses, development issues and political upheaval, especially in the developing world. Her studies included economics, anthropology, and environmental science, especially in relation to sustainable development. In her spare time, she enjoys contemporary British literature, playing violin, and going to places where she doesn’t speak the language. She currently resides in Cambridge, MA.

Blog posts by Mathilde Montpetit

The Opaque Atmosphere: Robert Kirshner and the Future of Astronomy

NASA’s glory days are over. Since the end of the space shuttle, the world’s fascination with space and its exploration has begun to wane. In tough economic times, it has become increasingly difficult to justify NASA’s extravagant budget, while other more socially relevant programs have gotten the axe. What, then, is the future of space exploration? Is it to discover how to make space tourism a viable option? Exploit space’s natural resources for consumption? No one is quite sure how to profit from space yet, but there are certainly many ambitious (and incredibly wealthy) entrepreneurs out there who see space as what it is: the largest unexploited resource in, well, the universe.

By Mathilde Montpetit  |  April 2, 2012  |  37
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Zambia: A Lesson in Abortion

“Abortion is murder!”--a common enough slogan among pro-life advocates in the United States—arouses a powerful emotional response on both sides of the issue. For some, it reflects a sincerely held belief; for others, it offends a woman’s right to choose; but for doctors in Zambia, it reflects a harsh legal reality. In this country of thirteen million in southern Africa, doctors who perform abortions can be – and often are – charged with murder.

By Mathilde Montpetit  |  February 14, 2012  |  19
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Money Talks: The World Economic Forum's Response to the Occupy Movement

Occupy Wall Street has become a punch line. Jokes referencing the 1% or the 99% seem practically ubiquitous, and yet those few protestors who continue their demonstrations despite the encroaching winter have lost practically all media attention. In the U.S., attention has shifted entirely to the upcoming presidential elections, and the Eurozone crisis has eclipsed the few protests in Europe.

Will the entire movement, and its demands for a more equitable income distribution, fade out of consciousness? If last week’s World Economic Forum is to be an indicator, maybe not.

By Mathilde Montpetit  |  February 1, 2012  |  19
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