In The News

Flour That Has the Flavor of Home

Indrani Sen September 16, 2008
Societies emerged around local grain cultivation, and some analysts suggest that the Green Revolution – industrialization of the agriculture industry with fertilizers, pesticides and other chemical interventions – has homogenized agriculture. A global movement encourages consumers and markets to support cultivation of flavorful in-season fruits and vegetables, including grains, which are...

Don't Go There

Elizabeth Becker September 3, 2008
In an increasingly crowded world, travelers find it more difficult to find remote and natural settings. “Thanks to globalization and cheap transportation, there aren't many places where you can travel today to avoid the masses of adventure or relaxation-seekers who seem to alight at every conceivable site,” writes Elizabeth Becker for the Washington Post. The industrial nature of modern...

China’s Olympic Run – Part II

Pallavi Aiyar August 29, 2008
For seven years, the Olympics have guided political, economic and cultural goals in China, and this two-part YaleGlobal series suggests that the country will struggle to manage a huge void left with the Games’ conclusion. Communist Party leaders used the Olympics to rally citizens and portray a confident, new image to the world. In the second article of the series, journalist and author Pallavi...

China’s Olympic Run – Part I

Mary Kay Magistad August 27, 2008
China hosted memorable Olympics Games, ignoring criticism about pollution, relocation of poor Chinese and repression of protesters. For the past seven years, the Olympics became symbol and reason for the Chinese people to endure sacrifice. This two-part series examines the implications of Chinese policy for the country and the world. In the first article of the series, veteran correspondent Mary...

A Book Too Hot Off The Presses

Michelle Boorstein August 25, 2008
After the 9/11 attacks, a newspaper reporter in Montana became intrigued with the history of Islam and set out to write a book about Mohammed and his wives. During the course of her research, she became convinced that the Prophet “supported more rights for women than do many of his modern followers,” writes Michelle Boorstein for the Washington Post. The book, “The Jewel of Medina, is a...

Beijing Olympics' Opening Ceremonies a Big Hit

Peter Fimrite August 11, 2008
Drumming, dancing and technology – breathtaking in their precision – marked the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. “Amid Friday night's spectacle, athletes from 205 nations marched in and celebrated what is being touted as China's emergence as a cultural, political and economic power,” writes Peter Fimrite for the San Francisco Chronicle. “The Olympic slogan, ‘One World, One...

From Cradle to Grave

Galal Nassar August 7, 2008
“Fear is now one of the most pervasive factors in perpetuating political regimes,” writes Galal Nassar in an opinion essay for Al-Ahram Weekly. Leaders who maintain control by increasing apprehension over imminent dangers benefit by ever keeping danger close at hand. Intimidation leads to corruption in communities, education systems and the workplace, which only reinforces fear and insecurity,...