In The News

Eighteen Days That Shook the Middle East – Part II

Rami G. Khouri February 16, 2011
Governments that avoid rigid ideological rules for their citizens and allow new ideas to flourish can wield great influence. This two-part YaleGlobal series suggests that Egypt, the largest of Arab nations, transformed by the uprising, will in turn transform governments and politics throughout the Middle East. By embarking on a wave of democratization, Egypt could reclaim its historic role as the...

Irish Pubs Close in Droves

Conor O’Clery February 4, 2011
Replicas of traditional Irish pubs are thriving around the world, but tourists could soon have trouble finding the real thing in Ireland. The original pubs, some centuries old, are putting out the last call and closing doors, as they confront a declining customer base. The culprits: rising unemployment, tied to the global recession, and declining disposable income for Irish citizens, whose taxes...

Raj to Riches

Henry Foy January 31, 2011
The Jaipur Literature Festival primarily showcases Indian authors. But some Indians have criticized the annual event for perpetuating a British colonial mindset and favoring the English language. Globally renowned Indian authors typically write in English and often no longer live in India. Festival organizers contend that they’re simply trying to help Indian literature, reach a wider audience....

Anger Divides America Blocking New Thinking

Lewis M. Simons January 31, 2011
In a vibrant democracy, citizens press fervently for many causes, and US presidents must frequently remind their nation, as Abraham Lincoln once did before he became president and before the Civil War, that "A house divided against itself cannot stand." As during the Civil War, today’s anger spilling out in the United States focuses inward, seeking to lay blame for the nation’s decline...

The Meaning of Russia 2018

Peter Tasker December 14, 2010
International sporting events can ease or accentuate competition and cultural differences among nations. Major events like the World Cup have great symbolic and financial value, and scheduling is a competition in itself. Russia's selection for World Cup 2018, Qatar for 2022, demonstrates “the new post-credit-crisis geopolitical realities,” explains Peter Tasker for Newsweek, as “cash-rich...

Thank God Columbus Lost His Way

Pranay Sharma November 8, 2010
India once walked a foreign-relations tightrope between the Soviet Union and the United States, yet was still inspired by the younger nation's culture, education and democratic principles. Two decades after the fall of the Soviet Union, India finds itself on a similar tightrope with the US alone. “Our contradictory emotions about America explain why it hasn’t outraged us as much as it should...

Online Technology Challenges Censors – Part II

Bruce Judson October 25, 2010
More goes online in a day than one person could read in a lifetime, and that includes some of the million books released each year by publishers around the globe. This YaleGlobal series explores the challenges for authoritarian regimes in monitoring the internet’s new levels of information overload. In the second article of the series, author Bruce Judson describes how digital technology...