Recent YaleGlobal Articles

Can the US and China Avoid Thucydides’s Trap?

Börje Ljunggren
 July 27, 2017
Thucydides, a general in Ancient Greece, was exiled from Athens after failing to reach the city of Amphipolis to prevent takeover by the Spartans. In exile, he wrote a history of the 27-year Peloponnesian War and determined, “It was the rise of Athens and the fear that this instilled in Sparta that...

Is a China-Centric World Inevitable?

Shyam Saran
 July 25, 2017
In June, Chinese road-building crews accompanied by soldiers started construction in western Bhutan. India’s swift response, confronting the crew with troops, may have caught China off guard, and the two countries have been in a standoff since. “India must carefully select a few key issues where it...

The US and Afghanistan Ponder Next Steps

Marc Grossman and Tom West
 July 20, 2017
US Secretary of Defense James Mattis, charged with the task of deciding whether to send more US troops into Afghanistan, must determine the mission, the level of support from allies and other partners in the region, and the readiness of the Afghan government and its forces to withstand an...

Russia on Europe’s Gas Supply: Tough Talk, No Teeth

Agnia Grigas
 July 17, 2017
Investigations are underway into Russian interference in the US election, and policies regarding Russia attract scrutiny. The US Senate approved a bill to tighten sanctions against select Russian companies including some in the energy sector and block possible removal by the president. The bill is...

As Cities Grow, So Do the Numbers of Homeless

Joseph Chamie
 July 13, 2017
Homelessness is a mark of failure for communities in providing basic security. Based on national reports, about 2 percent of the world’s population may be homeless. Another 20 percent lacks adequate housing, reports demographer Joseph Chamie. Such statistics come with a caveat. Obtaining accurate...

The Impossible Quest for Absolute Security

Richard Weitz
 July 11, 2017
An immediate challenge for the international community, one that dominated discussions at the G20 summit in Hamberg, is North Korea. The dogged pursuit of a nuclear weapons by the rogue nation illustrates the repercussions and security dilemma of any nation’s quest for absolute security, heightens...

Trump Takes Tentative Steps to Engage Southeast Asia

Murray Hiebert
 July 5, 2017
For some parts of the world, the Trump administration's early emphasis on reducing US trade deficits and creating more US jobs might take a back seat to isolating North Korea. This may be especially true for the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations – Brunei, Cambodia...

Migrant Domestic Workers and Work Conditions

Satveer Kaur-Gill and Mohan J Dutta
 July 4, 2017
Middle-class families increasingly depend on domestic help for cooking and cleaning services, eldercare and childcare. Almost 70 million domestic workers, most women, toil around the globe. The global supply of labor for work deemed unskilled is huge. Wages are low, and private homes are the...

Saudi Arabia's Succession Plan Roils Middle East

Dilip Hiro
 June 29, 2017
Saudi Arabia – along with Bahrain, the UAE and Egypt – abruptly broke off diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar, then followed that up with an ultimatum and a 10-day deadline to respond. The first of 13 unreasonable demands targets Iran, Saudi Arabia’s key rival in the region by urging Qatar to...

US Retreats From Its Lead on Epidemic Preparedness

Daniela Braun
 June 27, 2017
Resentment over trade, foreign aid and other global endeavors along with promises to put America first helped Donald Trump win the US presidency. But highly infectious diseases do not stop at national borders, and “global health is a humanitarian duty, one with strategic implications,” explains...

India Challenges China’s Belt-Road Intentions

Harsh V Pant
 June 22, 2017
China insists that its One Belt, One Road initiative stretching along three continents will benefit the entire world with $1 trillion in infrastructure improvements. But some countries harbor doubts. Businesses and governments in the West express concern that the massive trade and infrastructure...

Understanding the Macron Phenomenon

Jolyon Howorth
June 20, 2017
Emmanuel Macron won a solid victory in France’s two rounds of legislative elections, albeit with a low turnout that could signal either trust in the new president’s policies or weariness after multiple rounds of elections. “Macron’s overt objective in running for the presidency was to destroy a two...

Why Do People Oppose Globalization?

Farok J. Contractor
 June 15, 2017
Politicians are reaping gains by wrapping themselves in flags and directing hostility toward globalization. “Humankind is developing an emerging ‘global consciousness’ – a collective sensitivity to noble thoughts as well as to phobias and ignoble protectionism,” explains Farok Contractor, a...

Reconstruction of Chinese History for a Peaceful Rise

Suisheng Zhao
 June 13, 2017
China is rising and its leaders vow this rise will be peaceful. A shared history can be a motivating force, binding citizens together. “Some leaders, though, selectively use historical memories to serve political and strategic objectives,” explains Suisheng Zhao, professor and director of the...

Diplomatic Storm in the Gulf in Wake of Trump's Mideast Visit

Dilip Hiro
 June 8, 2017
Tensions have long simmered between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, though both are monarchies and members of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Saudi Arabia and two allies severed diplomatic ties after Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani was reported to have delivered a speech on 22 May, suggesting support...

Now, Globalization With Chinese Characteristics

Wenshan Jia
 June 6, 2017
Since 2009, when author Wenshan Jia coined the term “Chiglobalization,” China has continued to embrace globalization. China's leaders have forged ahead with new connections in ways that outpace the rhetoric and globalization endeavors of Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States. “China...

South China Sea: US Bargaining Chip or Key Interest?

Donald K. Emmerson
 June 1, 2017
The United States is either indifferent to freedom-of-navigation rights in the South China Sea or cagey about its strategic interests. The USS Dewey, a guided missile destroyer, moved within 12 nautical miles of Mischief Reef, a land feature occupied by China, explains Donald K. Emmerson. The US...

Fixing America: Three Lessons to Avert Global Decline

Louis René Beres
 May 30, 2017
In a tightly interconnected world, the consequences of one nation’s recklessness can spread quickly. Foreign policy shortcomings invite immediate responses from other states, and their institutions evolve accordingly. As individual nations expand military prowess, others follow suit, compounding...

Saudi Arabia Plays Trump on Iran to Tilt Middle East Balance

Dilip Hiro
May 25, 2017
Saudi Arabia’s royalty went all out in greeting US President Donald Trump with pomp and circumstance, exaggerating the visit as “historic” and a “landmark event.” The Trump team more aptly describes relations as going through a reset: Trump has backed away from his campaign criticism of the...

Globalization Without Uncle Sam

Hassan Siddiq
 May 23, 2017
For the developing world, globalization was synonymous with Americanization. Since the end of World War II, the United States led in influencing global trade and security arrangements, shaping the future with investments in research and higher education. US President Donald Trump, expressing...
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