In The News

July 25, 2005
Most Latino singers who succeed in the lucrative English-language pop market abandon their origins and cease to cater to the Latin marketplace. Shakira, however, recently broke the industry’s conventional wisdom by returning to the Spanish-language market after selling 13 million copies of her first English album – “Laundry Service” – in 2001. Exercising an unusual level of control over her own...
Victor Mallet July 19, 2005
Mounting tensions between China, Japan, and South Korea have brought a wave of nationalism to East Asia over the past year. Taking an increasingly assertive stance on controversial disputes over territory, history, and nuclear weapons, politicians in these three nations have worked excessively hard to promote chauvinistic sentiments in public. Although passionate nationalism is not new in East...
Sushma Ramchandran July 19, 2005
Facing increased pressure from analysts to rethink its economic policies, France is grappling with threats to its traditional way of life as a result of globalization. Although the French are accustomed to a relatively high standard of living, the government is being urged to reduce its huge subsidies, which support education and provide safety nets for the unemployed. In a country with an...
Immanuel Wallerstein July 15, 2005
When NAFTA came into effect in January of 1994, the Zapatistas – a group representing the indigenous Mayans in Mexico – revolted in Chiapas, one of the poorest regions in the country, and drew attention to their right to autonomy. For the last 11 years, the Zapatista rebellion has reinvigorated anti-systemic movements around the world. The protests at the 1999 WTO meetings in Seattle, as well...
July 15, 2005
As last week's terror attacks rekindled fears about Islamic extremism in Europe and the US, many journalists and politicians urged Muslims to take action against the extremists hiding in their midst. But it isn't only the residents of non-Muslim countries who worry about extremism. The latest survey conducted by the Pew Research Center indicates that citizens of Muslim countries share...
Steve Raymer July 12, 2005
In recent years, Dubai has reinvented itself as a bustling multicultural capital for education and business. A driving force behind this extreme makeover is the hundreds of thousands of unskilled South Asian workers – predominantly from India – who flock to the city every year. These blue-collar workers – whom Steve Raymer calls the "invisible foot soldiers of globalization" – are an...
Emily Wax July 9, 2005
The small community of Umoja, Kenya, is a unique experiment in social progress and gender equality. The town serves as a refuge for women and does not admit men, much to the chagrin of the latter. Umoja represents a new awareness among African women about AIDS, rape, spousal abuse, and the gaps in legal codes that allow such violations to go unpunished. Women are increasingly banding together and...