In The News

Japan Minister Follows Abe to War Shrine, Pouring Salt on Wound for China

January 3, 2014
Nations don’t like to be told what to do. But by now, Japanese politicians should understand that visits to the Yasukuni shrine aggravate China and other neighbors that were occupied during World War II. Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the internal affairs minister each made separate visits to the shrine in recent days. The last visit by a Japanese prime minister was in 2006. “Beijing and...

Why Do We Value Gold?

Justin Rowlatt December 23, 2013
Historically, governments and investors have revered gold. Justin Rowlatt of the BBC News questions the reasons behind this value while also reporting on the British Museum’s exhibition on pre-Columbian gold artifacts. A chemistry professor quoted in the story points out that gold is distinctive. Gases, alkaline metals and other elements are simply too unstable or difficult to smelt. Gold is...

Why We Can’t Let American Tech Take Over the World

Sean Madden December 17, 2013
Apps, designs, websites and other technology exports wield great cultural influence, argues Sean Madden in Wired, adding “Our iPads, Fuelbands and Xboxes may be made in China, but they’re the products of an emphatically American cultural mindset…. Even the major electronics innovators of Asia have centered their user experience design efforts in the U.S.” Marketing for products tout individuality...

There’s No Such Thing as a Global Citizen

Jakub Grygiel December 17, 2013
Global problems like climate change require leaders with vision who move beyond narrow, short-term interests. YaleGlobal is among the many urging global solutions for such global problems. Jakub Grygiel, international relations professor, describes that goal as a “figment of the imagination of the few” to be avoided in practice. He expresses concern about schools of public policy “giving up on...

Energy Subsidies Don’t Work, But Don’t Try Telling the Poor

Tion Kwa December 4, 2013
Every facet of modern life requires energy. Tion Kwa, assistant editor of The National in UAE, analyzes the energy costs for struggling nations. “The dilemma for Nepal and other poor countries, including Egypt and Jordan, is that while the state can’t afford to keep underwriting the cost of fuel, citizens already can’t even afford the subsidised rates.” Economists discourage subsidies for...

Chinese Territorial Strife Hits Archaeology

Jeremy Page December 4, 2013
Shoals and reefs dotting the South China Sea, now subject to competing claims from several nations, once presented treacherous traps for passing ships over the centuries. International law on deep-sea shipwrecks is murky, and recovery rights clash with preservation and research efforts. Owners, funders, cargo and crews often hailed from multiple countries, reports Jeremy Page for the Wall Street...

Globalization Helps Preserve Endangered Languages

Mark Turin December 3, 2013
Tools of globalization like the internet, so often blamed for homogenizing the world, are also encouraging diverse lingual communities to connect and even revitalize their endangered languages. “Linguists estimate that of the world’s remaining 6,500 languages, up to half will no longer be in regular use by the end of this century,” notes Mark Turin, linguist and anthropologist who directs the...