In The News

A Book Review: Bound Together

Paul Freedman May 17, 2007
Globalization, the process of growing interconnectedness, is not a new phenomenon. All that’s new is the ease and speed of the connections. In his book, Nayan Chanda, editor of YaleGlobal Online, follows the exploits of historical traders, preachers, adventurers and warriors in shaping our world, and identifies their modern counterparts at work today. The categories provide insights into...

Middle East Nuclear-Weapon Free Zone: A Serious Start?

René Wadlow May 16, 2007
The Middle East could achieve greater security if none of its nations possessed nuclear weapons. A military strike against Iran by the US or Israel would only spur quests by small nations to secure their own nuclear bombs, suggests René Wadlow for “Newropeans Magazine.” Security analysts who argue that nuclear weapons deter bad behavior overlook the consequences should dangerous weapons fall into...

End of the Melting Pot?

Ashley Pettus May 14, 2007
Seeking jobs and opportunity in a new country, immigrants often head for communities where family members, friends or acquaintances have already settled. The practice creates pockets of ethnic groups, changing demographics and culture in many US towns, often raising questions about the ability for immigrants to assimilate. This article in “Harvard Magazine” compares immigration throughout the...

How Biofuels Could Starve the Poor

C. Ford Runge April 24, 2007
With rising oil prices and growing demand for ethanol as an alternative fuel, US corn producers anticipate a huge boost in profitability. Any spike in corn prices caused by increasing ethanol consumption, however, could devastate the developing world. Billions of impoverished people depend on corn and other staples for their caloric intake, but higher corn prices would decrease affordability of...

Is France Cooling Toward Its Arab Friends?

Pascal Boniface April 18, 2007
During the Cold War, France emerged as a Western advocate for the interests of the Arab world. Although conventional wisdom ascribes this special relationship to economic and political calculations, foreign affairs specialist Pascal Boniface argues that France’s motivations are more complex. A number of strategic concerns have been at the root of the French-Arab alliance since 1967. Good...

Saudi Balancing Act

Karen Elliot House April 11, 2007
Saudi Arabia, which holds the world’s largest reserves of oil, must confront some complicated challenges: civil war in neighboring Iraq; resentment for a leading ally, the US; discontent among Saudi youth who cannot find jobs; widespread corruption; and rising religious extremism. King Abdullah, in his post for 18 months, is undertaking what are new steps for the kingdom, with “active and open...

The Rise in Extremism – Part II

Baladas Ghoshal April 3, 2007
For centuries, Islam in Southeast Asia was renowned for its adaptability to local practices and tolerance of other religions. Over the past three decades, however, fundamentalists have tried to homogenize Islam, introducing new tensions. The second article of this two-part series explores Arab influence on Islam throughout Malaysia and Indonesia, as fundamentalists reject tolerant and eclectic...