In The News

The New York Times: Worst Chemical Attack in Years in Syria; US Blames Assad

Anne Barnard and Michael R. Gordon April 5, 2017
A few days after the United States announced that it would not seek removal of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, a chemical weapon attack was launched against a rebel stronghold in Idlib Province, killing dozens and injuring more than 250. A nerve agent is suspected with images of people shaking or paralyzed, gasping for air, transmitted by global media. “A senior State Department official said the attack...

Spiegel Online: Alexei Navalny Shakes Up a Slumbering Russia

Christian Esch April 5, 2017
Russia’s young are no longer staying quiet about the country’s corruption. “A singular wave of protests hit 82 cities across the land on Sunday, March 26, from Vladivostok to St. Petersburg, as people took to the streets to protest corruption,” reports Christian Esch for Spiegel Online. He goes on to describe angry confrontations between police and crowds. The Russian legal system is harsh on...

Project Syndicate: Illiberal Stagnation

Joseph Stiglitz April 4, 2017
Authoritarian leaders including Russia’s Vladimir Putin argue that their style of governance is pragmatic and sure. But stifling dissent and encouraging nationalism fail to contribute to market certainty, innovation and long-term prosperity, argues economist Joseph Stiglitz. He runs through Russia’s statistics – a GDP that is just 40 percent of Germany’s with life expectancy at birth ranked at...

Financial Times: Brexiters Must Lose if Brexit Is to Succeed

Martin Wolf March 30, 2017
The British government officially notified the EU of its intention to leave – an admission that a prominent and pragmatic member could not influence the larger governing structure or find agreement with other European members. The decision is a tragedy for both sides “Even if the exit negotiations go well,” explains Martin Wolf for the Financial Times. “Economically, [the UK] will lose favourable...

Spiegel Online: Eight Myths of Migration

Hein de Haas March 23, 2017
Migration continues to top political agendas, but a failure to understand the phenomenon will cause new problems. Fear of an “uncontrollable influx…. has fueled the rise of extreme nationalist parties,” explains Hein de Haas for Spiegel Online. The professor of sociology refutes myths of migration. Migration is circulatory; closed borders do not automatically lead to less migration and actually...

Forbes: Oil and Violence in Niger Delta Have Global Impact

Terry Hallmark February 22, 2017
The Niger Delta Avengers have declared “all-out” war against the Nigerian government and oil interests, continuing a two-decades-long conflict in the Niger Delta. Profitable oil drilling has pitted the Nigerian government and multinational corporations including Shell, ExxonMobil and Chevron against a rotating cast of opponents. Organized opposition surfaced in the 1990s, with protests, civil...

Forbes: China Treads Its Way to Global Governance

Shaheli Das February 9, 2017
China is ready to set the terms for global governance as US political leaders show less inclination to support global institutions. “Beijing advocates that the country follows international rules, but these rules were formulated about half a century ago with little participation of China and that global governance norms must be modified with changing times,” explains Shaheli Das for Forbes. “...