In The News

In Humayun Khan and His Family, A Complex Portrait of Patriotism

AJ Willingham August 1, 2016
US Army Captain Humayun Khan, 27, the son of Pakistani immigrants, died in service of his country in Iraq. Twelve years later, Khizr Khan, spoke at the Democratic National Convention in support of candidate Hillary Clinton. The father’s speech, a powerful testament to American values, criticized Donald Trump and resonated in the convention hall and beyond, demonstrating the ability of US citizens...

Why Economic Sanctions Have Failed Against North Korea

Dursun Peksen July 11, 2016
Sanctions from the international community are failing to destabilize North Korea’s ruling regime and its nuclear program. “Though the most recent UN sanctions and the U.S. Treasury Department financial sanctions designating North Korea as a ‘primary money laundering concern’ are the toughest measures to date, they have not yet broken the cycle of the regime responding to external pressure with...

European Purgatory: Migrant Smugglers Helping Refugees Return to Turkey

Riham Alkousaa and Maximilian Popp July 7, 2016
A sizable number of Europeans have protested immigration in general and specifically the arrival of thousands of refugees from Syria, Iraq and other conflict zones. Concerns run high about security, competition for jobs and a changing culture, and some countries have erected barriers in response. Smugglers that once delivered refugees to Europe are guiding weary and frustrated refugees back to...

Sweating in the Park or in the Factory: Beyoncé’s New Sports Wear Company and Respect for Human Rights

Aleydis Nissen July 6, 2016
Critics are harsh on celebrities that launch clothing lines sourced from factories with sweatshop conditions and underpaid workers. Beyoncé launched a sports clothing brand in a joint venture with Topshop. Media reports soon followed with interviews of workers in Sri Lanka complaining about long hours and low pay. “Whether the accusations are true or untrue, it may be argued that a major...

War of Words: What's in the Name “Rohingya”?

Azeem Ibrahim June 16, 2016
Myanmar's constitution recognizes 135 ethnic groups, but excludes the Rohingya. Some estimates put the minority at 1.4 million, a fraction of the nation’s more than 50 million people. Nationalists have concocted a revisionist history, insisting that Rohingya Muslims are really from Bangladesh, brought in by British colonizers, to deny the group citizenship rights and identification cards...

Coalition of the Unwilling: Merkel's Plan B Could Mean End of Schengen

Peter Müller, Ralf Neukirch and Andreas Ulrich December 11, 2015
European leaders are meeting behind closed doors to tighten the continent’s external borders and stem the flow of refugees from areas of conflict in the Middle East. Spiegel Online reports that German Chancellor Angela Merkel seeks to finalize a deal that includes Turkey: “Essentially, it calls for Europe to provide billions in aid to Turkey in exchange for Ankara doing all it can to prevent...

Denmark: First EU Country Planning to Run Anti-Refugee Adverts in Foreign Papers

Emmanuel Akinwotu August 20, 2015
Europe struggles to manage a refugee crisis. Tens of thousands of people are fleeing conflict in the Middle East and poverty in Africa; 2,000 have died trying to cross the Mediterranean this year to reach Italy or Greece, which have their challenges with tight budgets. The wait for asylum applications is long, and conditions of camps holding asylum seekers are grim. Smugglers pass out brochures...