In The News

“Silent Night” in China

Peter Kwong December 20, 2007
During the 1980s, Christmas in China was a quiet affair, celebrated only by foreigners, as the atheist Communist Party did not endorse such celebrations. But much has changed for the factory to the world: China not only manufactures about 80 percent of all Christmas paraphernalia, but also purchases the items as well. Authors Peter Kwong and Dušanka Miščević point out that if orders on Christmas...

The UN's Death Blow

Louise Arbour December 19, 2007
Global citizens expect the United Nations to be relevant in a modern world by taking stands on difficult issues. A call from the UN General Assembly for a worldwide moratorium on the application of the death penalty is a step in protecting human rights, according to Louise Arbour, UN high commissioner for human rights. More than 130 nations have abolished the death penalty with six – Iran, Iraq,...

Restored

December 13, 2007
After World War II, Korea was divided into two nations, north and south. The Korean War began after forces from the north invaded the south in 1950, after rival factions could not agree on a system of governance. Train service crossing the border ended in 1951 and did not resume after the 1953 ceasefire. Since then, South Korea has flourished, now the 11th largest economy in the world, while...

In France, Discrimination on Upswing as Violence Smolders

Katrin Bennhold December 10, 2007
About 10 percent of France’s population is Muslim. Yet Arabs, even those armed with education degrees and solid experience, struggle to find work in the country. Researchers have documented the discrimination by sending out resumes with identical experiences, from applicants with French and Arab names. The French names attract more job offers than Arab names by a ratio of 20 to one. The research...

Sudanese Teddy Saga Lays Bare Islamic Inferiority Complex

Waleed Aly December 6, 2007
People of one culture can never perfectly understand the fine points of another culture, and extreme reactions to any mistakes or misunderstandings only widen the divide. A British teacher in Sudan devised a class project that required her students to name a toy bear, take turns bringing it home, caring for it and writing about the experience. After the children named the bear Muhammad, police...

MTV Arabia Beams “Bling” to Gulf

Simeon Kerr November 30, 2007
“Respect and reflect, that has been our mantra from day one,” repeats Bill Roedy, vice-chairman of MTV Networks, as he prepares for the launch of the network’s 60th channel. In partnership with the Dubai-based Arab Media Group, the programming will serve the Gulf region and reach an estimated 190 million young Arabs. Youth in the Middle East are caught between the extreme opulence of cities like...

The Gentle Dragon

Jocelyn Chey November 29, 2007
China is promoting soft power as it seeks to establish itself as a major player in world affairs. China’s economic prowess and ancient civilization entice students worldwide for training in Chinese language and culture, but especially in countries like Australia. China replaced Japan as Australia’s top trading partner this summer – and newly-elected Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd speaks...