In The News

Turkey’s Economic Miracle Under Fire

Dilip Hiro June 13, 2013
Stability, democracy and integration with the global economy have transformed Turkey into a major regional power with a strong economy. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attracted admiration throughout the Arab world for his diplomatic stances – supporting Arab Spring protesters in Egypt and Libya in 2011 as well as the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in 2010 and, more recently, the Syrian rebels. Yet...

University Logos Become Weapons in Debate Over Textile Factory Working Conditions

Howard Schneider May 29, 2013
School pride is no longer limited to donning clothes with university names, colors and mascots – and students increasingly check labels to ensure that their clothing is not made in a land where worker abuse is rampant. Yet global supply chains can quickly regroup, relocate and rename. “A single garment might combine parts, labor, fabric and other elements from several countries, complicating...

Can Global Supply Chains Be Accountable?

Jerry Davis May 16, 2013
A factory collapse in Bangladesh that killed more than 1,100 workers may be a wakeup call for apparel manufacturers, retailers and consumers. More than 90 percent of US apparel is made outside the country, and the unending quest for low prices and profits encourages crowded factories with brutal work conditions. Corporate leaders orchestrating long supply chains can shrug and claim ignorance...

America's First Climate Refugees

Suzanne Goldenberg May 14, 2013
Americans, particularly those in oil-rich and Republican-dominated states like Alaska, are very sensitive about any foreign threat to their way of life. Yet outrage wanes about the pressing need to address climate change even as Americans already lose homes to extreme weather. A series in the Guardian newspaper based in London focuses on climate change, including a warning from economist...

Pope Condemns Bangladesh “Slave Labor”

May 9, 2013
Pope Frances, an advocate for the poor, has stepped up on May Day to denounce workers conditions in Bangladesh and compare their condition to “slave labor.” He linked work with dignity and argued that providing extra work for others is a higher purpose than making profits, reported BBC news and Vatican Radio. More than 700 people died in a building collapse near Dhaka, the country’s worst...

Myanmar Morphs to US-China Battlefield

Bertil Lintner May 3, 2013
The international community is encouraged about fledgling democracy in Burma, or Myanmar as renamed by its leaders. Once isolated, denounced for human rights violations, the Myanmar government depended heavily on China. Hoping to reduce dependence on China, the Myanmar government eased repression, and the US responded swiftly. But this development adds to new US-Chinese tensions. “Rather than...

Can Western Companies Put an End to Bangladesh Factory Disasters?

Pramila Jayapal May 1, 2013
Responsible corporations prioritize workplace safety. Building-structure codes, fire and smoke alarms, multiple exits, limited work hours and other standard safety regulations are documented to prevent accidents. Consumers may appreciate low prices, but will avoid brands that become associated with brutal workplace conditions. A factory fire in November and a building collapse in April have put...