In The News

Frustrations in Beijing

October 20, 2004
Because of geopolitical imperatives, Russia and China need each other's economic and political cooperation – all the more so, now that Putin is seeking to boost Russia's global influence in the US-dominated world order. According to this Japan Times editorial, however, recent speculation about a new Beijing-Moscow axis is exaggerated. The two governments sealed their relationship in...

Akayev: We Do Democracy the Kyrgyz Way

Erdin Beshimov October 18, 2004
The path of many Central Asian states from crumbling Soviet control to democracy has been littered with problems. Though nominally democratic, governments have maintained tight control over their states, leading to a growing number of human rights violations against political dissidents throughout the region. Nevertheless, Central Asian officials like Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev, respond to...

Globalization: Custom-Made in China

Fan Gang October 15, 2004
The rapid pace of China’s economic growth has been remarkable, but the country’s success did not magically result from opening to the world, writes economist Fan Gang. China’s experience shows that countries must plot their own individualized paths towards market liberalization. Early in its development, China protected its infant industries from the rigors of global competition – thus allowing...

"Copywood" No Longer

Christina Klein October 11, 2004
Shaking Hollywood's previous stranglehold, the South Korean film industry has evolved to become one of the world's most successful examples of domestic cinema. Media scholar Christina Klein charts the rise of Korean film as a unique response to specific political, economic, and social circumstances. Boasting qualities that are at once evocative of Western styles and yet unique to...

The New Yellow Peril

Oliver Cattaneo October 6, 2004
Responding to public fears about job loss, the French government recently announced new measures to prevent the outsourcing of domestic production. Opponents of offshoring, however, overstate its harmful effects, argues French trade specialist Olivier Cattaneo. For instance, in the United States – where outsourcing has become a potent political issue – the trade surplus in information services...

Lack of Arabic Speakers is a Crack in US Security

Daniel Sneider October 5, 2004
The growing realities of world geopolitics have given non-traditional languages an elevated profile in the US-waged war on terrorism. The recent revelation that over 123,000 hours of FBI-collected audiotapes of terrorist "chatter" had been left untranslated has further sparked a movement toward developing competent translation and cultural agents. The US Army's Defense Language...

Fifty Dollar Oil

September 29, 2004
Forecast violence in the Niger Delta recently startled an already jumpy oil market. The double-punch of this insurgency and other negative news has brought the cost of oil in the United States close to US$50 per barrel, the highest price recorded to date. Why the extraordinary spike? Oil traders may be partially to blame. Opec nations, who import in foreign currency, may have difficulty...