In The News

Kyrgyz Ruler Is Toppled, but Can the Center Hold?

Paula R. Newberg March 28, 2005
The flight of the president of Kyrgyzstan, facing angry demonstrators, has suddenly thrust the small Central Asian republic into the international limelight. But as regional expert Paula R. Newberg notes, the overthrow of President Askar Akaev was a long time coming, and may have serious repercussions in the neighborhood. As Newberg warns, Kyrgyzstan's more conservative authoritarian...

Le Maître du Kirghizistan est renversé, mais la politique du juste milieu pourra-t-elle tenir ?

Paula R. Newberg March 28, 2005

Scholars Urge Debate on Women's Role in Prayer

Hera Diani March 24, 2005
When Amina Wadud led mixed-gender prayers last Friday, she struck two birds with one stone: Not only is mixed-gender prayer prohibited in Islam, but women under Islamic law are forbidden from leading services. With the event, Wadud, a professor of Islamic studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, sparked tremendous debate across the breadth of the Islamic world, stirring discussion as far as...

Social Change in Qatar, One Degree at a Time

Otto Pohl March 24, 2005
Qatar is not known for being a liberal democratic country – indeed, there is little room for political dissent. Surprisingly though, this small Middle East country is pushing through one of the world's most revolutionary experiments in higher education. With increasing security restrictions limiting access for foreign students to attend top US universities, Qatar has decided to import...

The Atlantic Divide over Fighting Terrorism

Jonathan Schell March 16, 2005
Spain recently commemorated the first anniversary of the March 11 terrorist train bombings. With an international conference on terrorism and five minutes of nation-wide silence, Spain's conduct one year after the tragedy is markedly different from the US declaration of war in response to 9/11, writes Jonathan Schell. As the world grapples with the terrorist challenge, Spain demonstrates an...

Street Protests by Poor Push Bolivia to the Brink

Jo Tuckman March 15, 2005
Bolivia's already faltering economy stands on the cusp of a potentially crippling nation-wide strike. Organizing against economic exploitation at the hands of a minority elite of European descent, ethnically indigenous organizers have already blocked important highways for weeks, disrupting trade in some regions. Leaders of the movement claim that those in power have indiscriminately signed...

Confucius Says: It's Time to Learn Mandarin

Hamish McDonald March 7, 2005
As China continues its ascent as a global power, the demand for Chinese-language speakers has, indeed, increased. In response to – and perhaps to reinforce –these needs, China has launched an international initiative to boost language proficiency. Dubbed the Confucius Institutes, over 100 Chinese language learning centers are planned to open in cities worldwide. As with many Chinese global...