In The News

Iran President Facing Revival of Students’ Ire

Nazila Fathi December 25, 2006
Some Iranian students have decided that their president’s bluster doesn’t provide much in the way of jobs or progress. A similar student movement in 1979 overthrew the Iranian government and introduced control by Islamic clerics. More than 20 years later, protesting students are described as wanting more academic and personal freedoms by journalist Nazila Fathi in “The New York Times.” Students...

Yet Another Problem in the Middle East

December 20, 2006
Arab society as a whole suffers because of the marginalized status of its women. A series of Arab Human Development Reports, from the United Nations Development Programme, explore the many challenges facing Arab societies. Half the women in Arab society are illiterate along with one third of the men. Concern emerges in Arab societies that Western values draw women away from family roles, and yet...

The Challenge of Global Health

Laurie Garrett December 20, 2006
Wealthy nations and their citizens donate billions in cash to end AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and some other high-profile problems in the developing world. But with uncoordinated programs, lacking in sustainability and long-term planning, the fast flow of cash could make problems worse, not better, argues health analyst and author Laurie Garrett. Studies have shown that focusing on high-profile...

Theologians Battle Female Circumcision

Amira El Ahl December 19, 2006
The World Health Organization estimates that up to 140 million women worldwide are circumcised, most living in Africa, with some also in Asia and the Middle East. Some cultures – mostly in Africa, but also in Asia – have embraced female circumcision for thousands of years, expecting it to decrease sexual desire in women. The practice is common in Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia, but not in Iraq,...

Revisiting the Debate on America's Pro-Israel Lobby

Rami G. Khouri December 14, 2006
When it comes to issues of conflict and hatred, debate is best managed with a calm, evidence-based approach, according to analyst Rami Khouri. The comment comes amid world condemnation for Iran hosting a conference that questions the Nazi effort during the mid-20th century to kill all Jews. Khouri bemoans the lack of “rational middle ground between those who question or deny the Holocaust...

Capitalism: One Size Does Not Suit All

Pranab Bardhan December 7, 2006
Uncertainty abounds over the Anglo-American economic model that has held sway ever since Adam Smith. Excessive debt, growing inequality, increasing costs for health care and retirement as well as large prison populations in the US and UK have raised doubts about its viability. Many nations have sought to adapt capitalism for their specific cultures and needs. Scandinavian and Japanese models...

Globalization Anxiety

Lawrence H. Summers December 1, 2006
Despite all evidence that points to a robust world economy, many world citizens are anxious and distrustful of global integration and markets, reports economist Lawrence Summers in “The Los Angeles Times.” Conflict throughout the Middle East, combined with the inability of world powers to handle violent conflict or nuclear threats, contributes to the unease. But a major factor is that the middle...