In The News

Egypt: 10,000 March in Protest at Woman Dragged Half-Naked Through Street

December 26, 2011
A military loses credibility when it emphasizes power over security, turning on its own citizens – especially after abuses are documented and released over the internet for the world to see. About 10,000 women marched on the streets of Cairo to protest brutal treatment of female protesters. “Even before the protest was over, the military council issued an unusually strong statement of regret for...

Herr and Madame, Señor and Mrs.

November 28, 2011
Trends in international marriages reveal larger trends in globalization, migration as well as public policy. Cross-border marriages are on the rise, yet reliable statistics on cross-border unions are hard to find, since all countries don’t routinely collect data on citizenship of couples. The International Union for the Scientific Study of Population has launched a comprehensive study on cross-...

World Will Miss Economic Benefit of 1.8 Billion Young People

Fiona Harvey October 31, 2011
As the population hits the 7 billion mark, the world contemplates the challenges in providing adequate education, jobs and other opportunities for growing numbers of youth. The largest cohort of youth in the world’s history can represent great potential or missed opportunities. A UN report warns that the potential economic benefits of having such a large global population of young people could go...

Global Population of 10 Billion by 2100? – Not So Fast

Joseph Chamie October 26, 2011
As the world welcomes its 7 billionth person, the global fertility rate is about 2.5 children per woman. If maintained, that rate would lead to a global population of 15 billion by 2100. Pundits even fret about the most widely used scenario for global population – a UN projection based on about 2 children per woman, leading to a population of 10 billion. The UN projection is based on an...

Winds of Change: Cinema from Muslim Societies

Sheyma Buali October 10, 2011
Categorizing Islamic cinema is not easy, and analysis can prompt more questions than answers, as suggested by Sheyma Buali, for Arab News, in reviewing the Islamic film festival hosted by the Institute of Contemporary Art in London. The festival, “Winds of Change: Cinema from Muslim Societies,” explored the rich historical and cultural context of Islamic films. Films from Turkey, Tunisia, Egypt...

Asia’s Lack of Babies

Philip Bowring September 20, 2011
Declining birth rates in East Asia could dent economic growth, notes an Asian Development Bank study. Increasing wealth correlates with low fertility rates. Bearing and raising children entails sacrifices that last at least two decades, and women easily ignore government calls for a hike in reproduction rates. Asia could follow the lead of Scandinavia, France or the US, suggests Philip Bowring...

Saudis Behead an Indonesian Maid

June 26, 2011
Crimes and punishments that cut across borders provoke global judgments on differences in culture and legal systems. Individual players in the sensational dramas represent their nations. Poor nations send millions of workers, 75 percent of them women, overseas as unskilled labor. Given the power imbalance, contracts, if any, are unenforceable. The migrant workers have few protections and are...