In The News

Stepping into a Burgeoning Gap

Amira Howeidy January 29, 2003
What effects would a UK- and US-led war on Iraq have on Egypt’s economy, society and political position? What effects are already taking place at the prospect of war? This article in Egypt's Al-Ahram Weekly says Egypt would suffer heavy economic losses, for not only would the war hurt its vital tourism industry, it would also disrupt trade with Iraq and destabilize jobs for Egyptian...

Global Spread of Democracy Poses New Challenge for the US

Donald K. Emmerson January 29, 2003
The globalization of democracy, long a staple of American foreign policy, has created nations who no longer are willing to simply follow the lead of the United States in foreign affairs. In such a global environment, the United States finds itself acting in an increasingly undemocratic manner, pursuing actions that run contrary to the wishes of the international majority. To be fair, it must be...

The Northern Front

William Safire January 16, 2003
A quiet military alliance between Turks, Americans and Israelis has been an important force for regional stability in the Middle East over the last decade. However, in part due to the growth of democracy in Turkey, there is now uncertainty as to the loyalty of the Turks to the alliance, especially when it comes to discussions of a Turkish role in a possible US-led coalition against Iraq....

Power to the Privileged

Amy Chua January 7, 2003
A central theme of global integration in recent years has been the spread of free markets and democracy. Yale professor Amy Chua argues that these features of globalization can create serious problems in countries where economic levers lie in the hands of an ethnic minority. She gives the example of Venezuela, where a president elected by the poorer section of society and the majority ethnic...

China’s Deadly Cover-Up

Nicholas D. Kristof November 29, 2002
Around one million people are infected with HIV in Henan Province in central China. Unlike other parts of China, where AIDS spread through drug use and prostitution ever since China opened its doors to the outside world, Henan's peasants received the virus by selling blood through government-monitored programs that pooled the blood, extracted plasma, and reinjected the blood back into the...

Beyond salvation

Gamal Nkrumah November 28, 2002
Nigeria hosted the Miss World pageant hoping this would help clear its anti-secular image. But the plan backfired when Muslim fundamentalists in the country’s north responded violently to an article in a daily which they thought insulted the Prophet Mohamed. Instead of an international reputation as a democratic and secular country, Nigeria is now beset with more internal strife. –YaleGlobal.

Behold the Leviathan

Kari Huus November 26, 2002
In a time of much political and economic uncertainty at the international level, MSNBC conducted a series of interviews with people around the world, asking them to comment on several aspects of American policy and culture. Democracy, equality, and freedom—fundamental virtues and values—received much admiration from those surveyed abroad. When asked about America’s foreign policy, they changed...