In The News

The Global Abortion Bind

Joseph Chamie May 29, 2008
Induced abortion has been practiced throughout recorded history in all societies. While legal restrictions do not affect incidence, governments continue to debate appropriate reasons, technology, limits and ethics. The result is dilemmas. Even the strongest supporters of a woman’s right to choose may find themselves opposed to procedures conducted for trivial reasons, including sex selection,...

Crisis and Response – Part III

Wenran Jiang May 23, 2008
An earthquake, 7.9 in magnitude, struck China on May 12, in the midst of global protests about the country’s crackdown on Tibet, complaints about press censorship and grumbling about trade imbalances. This YaleGlobal series compares the domestic and international responses to the earthquake disaster in Sichuan Province and the May 2 cyclone that devastated Burma’s Irrawaddy Delta. The Burmese...

The World Can't Wait for “Indy”? It Won't Have To

William Booth May 19, 2008
When it comes to the release of mega-hit films, the world is impatient. Films, like “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” are “released on the same day in cities around the world, in a mass moment of pop culture consumption,” writes William Booth for the Washington Post. Much has changed since 1981, when the first Indiana Jones film, “Raiders of the Lost Ark, was released to less...

In Departure, China Invites Outside Help

Howard W. French May 16, 2008
An earthquake, 7.9 in magnitude, struck the heart of China, and the government has responded quickly by seeking disaster relief experts and rescue equipment, reports a team of New York Times reporters. China invited and received assistance from Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea and Singapore. China has also mobilized thousands of soldiers and emergency workers. The official death toll exceeds 21...

China Ascendant – Part III

Wenran Jiang April 30, 2008
China is a world power on the rise, with a growing economy, a proud citizen base that cherishes education, and leadership that promises peaceful transitions to democracy. All will be on display with the Beijing Olympics in August. But national aspirations can collide with the expectations generated abroad, explains analyst Wenran Jiang in the final article of a three-part series. Tibet has been...

China Ascendant – Part I

Bertil Lintner April 25, 2008
Athletes and Chinese guards bearing the Olympic torch cut a swath through those supporting and protesting a rising China. In this series, YaleGlobal examines the impact of China’s ascendancy. China’s economic growth has given it new resources which, when doled out internationally, have the power to shift diplomatic allegiances. In Southeast Asia, China relies on a strategy of giving below-market...

Talking to Ourselves

Susan Jacoby April 23, 2008
The best ideas emerge when people hear out all opposing points of view. Unfortunately, Americans are less willing to attend lectures, read books or listen to radio that might offer new points of view. Instead, many increasingly read or listen to commentary that reinforces their beliefs. “Indeed, virtually everywhere I speak, 95% of the audience shares my political and cultural views – and...