In The News

Immigrants Shouldn't Act like Dracula's 'Undead'

Sunanda K. Datta-Ray February 3, 2004
In a provocative essay, Sunanda K. Datta-Ray, a researcher at the Institute of South-east Asian Studies, argues that the sympathetic worldwide response to the proposed French ban on religious symbols in schools highlights the development of the "globalization of protest" and social movements. Improved communications and the rapid flow of ideas, ideologies and people across national...

Headscarf Ban Misses the Point

Shada Islam January 30, 2004
The debate that has raged in France for 15 years over the right of Muslim girls to wear religious headscarves to school has come to a head with a plan to ban the practice. The French ideal of strict separation of church and state has pushed the government to ban this "conspicuous" display of religious identity in state schools. Moreover, some feminists and government officials consider...

Turkish-German Integration Smooths Cultural Divisions

Peter Badenhop January 30, 2004
In an interview with Germany's F.A.Z. Weekly, the Turkish ambassador to Germany, Mehmet Ali Irtemcelik, discusses the importance of integrating German Muslims of Turkish descent, Germany's largest immigrant group, into mainstream German society. The erroneous perception of all Muslims as religious fundamentalists inhibits integration, he says, and it undermines their contribution to...

WTO Rice Import Talks

January 29, 2004
After much outside pressure and great internal dissent, South Korea has announced its willingness to consider liberalizing rice imports. The country currently allows only a small percentage of its domestic rice demand to be met by imports. Yet to comply with rules set by the World Trade Organization, the government in Seoul must either incrementally increase rice imports or liberalize the...

Foreign Makes Top Brands List

Choosak Jirasakulthai January 27, 2004
Thais prefer foreign brands to domestic ones, a recent survey shows. Japan's manufacturers appear to be the most favored with Toyota, Mitsubishi, and Sanyo all receiving top marks. But Korea's LG, Taiwan's Acer, and Finland's Nokia also performed well. Thais did well in real estate, but that is to be expected, as national law prevents foreign ownership. While Japan still seems...

Year of the Monkey Has Not Yet Brought Tourism Money

AFP January 23, 2004
Hong Kong’s tourist chiefs had hoped the island’s 1997 handover from British to Chinese rule would allow them to tap into the expanding mainland Chinese tourism market. But last year’s SARS outbreak affected both the island and the mainland and shattered Hong Kong’s travel industry. And despite the disease’s decline and China’s recent economic growth, this year’s Chinese New Year celebration has...

An Ancient Model for China's New Power

Eric Teo Chu Cheow January 21, 2004
Asia is changing politically and culturally as a result of China's rise, says this article in the International Herald Tribune. Harkening back to the days of the Ming and Qing dynasties, China's recent approach to its neighbors in the Asia-Pacific region emphasizes securing its immediate borders, placing itself as the 'heart' of the region, and giving more 'favors'...