In The News

The Geopolitics of Football

Pascal Boniface June 14, 2006
Can sports – and football in particular – be globalization’s answer to deeply rooted conflict? Do football matches unleash or build tensions between countries who struggle diplomatically? Rituals of the match, such as waving flags or singing anthems, can inject new passion into national rivalries or also diffuse hostility. Games reflect larger issues and allow “for symbolically limited...

It’s Been Too Good for Too Long

Peter Hartcher June 13, 2006
Consumers, businesses and even countries have indulged in debt, funding all sorts of projects, from the luxurious to the ludicrous. But central banks around the world are acting to end the days of cheap liquidity, removing money and pushing up interest rates, warns journalist Peter Hartcher. After years of low interest rates and excessive spending, the US and its big spenders have most reason to...

Move Over, Barbie

Amany Abdel-Moneim June 12, 2006
With Muslim women’s ever-growing adherence to traditional dress code, it is no wonder that a new doll, Fulla, is becoming popular in Egyptian and Middle Eastern markets. The doll’s physique and large assortment of accessories, from lace underwear to prayer mat, place her in the Barbie genre, but many young Egyptian girls feel more connected with Fulla’s dark hair, hazel eyes and ankle-length...

Islam and the West

June 8, 2006
Such a dichotomous opposition of terms as the “West” and “Islam” will inevitably be loaded with misunderstanding and contention. If words alone perpetuate misconceptions, then political, strategic and cultural relations between the two entities can be expected to be more complex. In discussing the current crises of understanding between countries like Iran and Iraq, and the US and Great Britain...

For One Month Every Four Years, A New World Order Leaves America on Touchline

Simon Tisdall June 8, 2006
Football – known as soccer in the US – is not as deeply rooted in US history as it is for other countries around the globe. A US team hoisting the World Cup, therefore, could a most unbearable image for the rest of the football-crazed world. Luckily for US foreign policy, the chances of the nation flexing its hegemonic muscles on the pitch this summer are slim. Other international dramas,...

Panama: A Crossroad With Two-Ocean Views

Nancy Beth Jackson June 8, 2006
Panama has a history of invasions, but the latest comes from international investors, lured by favorable exchange rates, a mixture of European and American influences, along with amenities that include health-service discounts for retirees. Panama building permits have increased by 91 percent, and new projects begin almost every day. Two projects, both Spanish backed, compete to become the...

In Praise of Migration

Kofi A. Annan June 8, 2006
UN secretary general Kofi Annan not only suggests that borders are meant to be crossed, but also that those crossing national borders “have always been the motors of human progress.” Migration offers myriad benefits, including an increased menial and skilled labor force comprised of incoming migrants, as well as the high level of remittances that migrants send home, which totaled around $232...