In The News

Ending Isolation – Part I

Philip Bowring April 23, 2012
The West uses sanctions to encourage authoritarian governments to meet global norms. In this two-part YaleGlobal series on the efficacy of sanctions, authors examine the experiences of two countries. In the first of the series, Hong Kong-based journalist Philip Bowring argues that sanctions can have diminishing impacts, if not lifted once reform has begun. Since a 1988 coup by army generals in...

US Battle to Revive Manufacturing – Part II

Clyde Prestowitz April 13, 2012
Jobs remain a central concern for the US voters and the 2012 presidential campaign. Candidates of opposing parties, and even insiders of the Obama administration, debate whether government intervention, including subsidies for particular industries, helps or hurts companies. This YaleGlobal series analyzes the US effort to jumpstart manufacturing, and in the second article, Clyde Prestowitz,...

US Battle to Revive Manufacturing – Part I

Bruce Stokes April 11, 2012
As the US confronts stubborn unemployment and a shrinking industrial base, a battle is shaping up about reviving manufacturing. Running for reelection, President Obama has embraced manufacturing and export renaissance, even as free-market supporters find fault in what they call his “industrial policy.” In this two-part series, YaleGlobal examines the political and ideological implications of...

Global Warming Is Real and Has Consequences – Part II

Pavin Chachavalpongpun April 6, 2012
Climate-change naysayers claim that shifting from fossil fuels to alternative energies is unnecessary or too costly for economies. Yet, the cost of climate change is clearly evident. Manufacturers are considering moving from Thailand and other countries threatened by flooding and other forces related to climate change, according to Pavin Chachavalpongpun, associate professor at the Centre for...

Global Warming Is Real and Has Consequences – Part I

William D. Nordhaus April 4, 2012
Although the consequences of global warming are painfully vivid, some scholars still question whether it requires urgent action. In January, a group of scientists, including those from the United States, Australia, France and the Netherlands, summarized reasons for their skepticism and opposition to findings of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. They insist that evidence is...

BRICS Alliance Looking for Cement

Ashok Malik April 2, 2012
Investment bank Goldman Sachs introduced the term BRIC in a 2003 report, suggesting that by mid-century the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China would outpace most of the major economic powers. S, for South Africa, was added in 2011. The loose grouping was based not on trade, security or political needs, but on speculation about investment opportunities they might offer....

Can Afghanistan and Pakistan Prop Each Other Up?

Paula Newberg March 30, 2012
NATO is winding down its military operations in Afghanistan, leaving the nation only slightly more stable than when troops arrived in 2001. Security priorities drove aid, and Afghanistan and its neighbor Pakistan are now left in desperate need of good governance and nation-building. “Billions have been spent, but only a trickle was invested in Afghanistan's economic future,” explains Paula...