In The News

Germany’s Nationalist Movement Rides on a Wave of Islamophobia

Frank Griffel January 29, 2015
Nationalists in Germany are making Islamophobia a scapegoat for troubles, with protests in Dresden and support spreading throughout the country. Political, business and cultural leaders are determined to block parties with xenophobic rhetoric, explains Frank Griffel, professor of religious studies at Yale University. Adolf Hitler published Mein Kampf in 1925, exposing his ideology and anti-...

Encyclopedias: The Truths du Jour

Immanuel Wallerstein January 20, 2015
Encyclopedias are plentiful, designed to assist contemporary scholars with research. Yet they're also historical documents, reflecting choices made for a period of time and a society’s understanding of the globe. In making room for new events, encyclopedia editors tend to shrink the past. “We can learn much about the evolution of the world’s institutions and modes of thinking by using...

China, Russia and the US Juggle Soft and Hard Power

Alistair Burnett January 8, 2015
Reliance on soft power requires measured patience. Nations want their own way, and the world has seen a marked resurgence in use of hard power, suggests Alistair Burnett, editor of BBC's The World Tonight. The United States intervenes in Iraq and Syria; Russia has annexed Crimea and encourages rebels in eastern Ukraine, while China asserts broad territorial claims in the East and South China...

Cellphones Can Spark Change in North Korea

Christopher Mims January 5, 2015
North Korea has about 2 million cell phones, accessed by the wealthiest in the urban centers. “In a 14-month span between 2012 and 2013, the number of mobile-phone subscribers in North Korea doubled to two million from one million, and it now may exceed 2.5 million, according to Orascom Telecom Media & Technology Holding of Egypt, which provides cell service to North Korea in a joint venture...

Christmas Spending Gone Global

Nathan Siegel December 24, 2014
Early reports suggest that Americans are spending less on Christmas. Typically, the United States spends the most on the holiday, $703 per capita in 2013, and it’s rare when other countries spend more, as Luxembourg did that same year. But such spending does not mean other countries are less enthusiastic about Christmas, notes Nathan Siegel for Oxy: “shoppers in a few countries will spend...

The Olympic Games and Asia’s Rise

Susan Brownell November 27, 2014
The Olympics are global mega events. The world briefly pauses to admire athletic skill and dedication. The audience also assesses the host city’s customs and capability. Anthropology professor Susan Brownell points out that the Olympic Games are increasingly being hosted by nontraditional powers like China. “Concern that this is a sign of Asia’s rise and the West’s decline is unfounded,” she...

Bud Crowded Out by Craft Beer Craze

Tripp Mickle November 27, 2014
Big-factory beers have fallen out of favor as customers increasingly demand the flavors offered with small and local craft beverages. Some bars no longer sell major brands like Budweiser. Meanwhile, many of the craft beer makers began as do-it-yourself home brewers, tinkering with recipes and relying on local ingredients. Young beer drinkers have flocked to the diverse flavors, paying more for...