In The News

Taming Globalization? Kebabs, Mini-Skirts and Meth – Part I

Jamsheed K. Choksy and Carol E.B. Choksy May 18, 2010
Politicians try to rile or sooth citizens as needed with a few select details of globalization. Yet with the speed and far-reaching nature of modern trade, travel and communication, these attempts to corral bits and pieces of globalization are futile. A savvy public – young or old – comes to understand other intricate connections and recognize the attempts as distractions from far more serious...

Greek Crisis and the Future of the European Union – Part II

Jean-Pierre Lehmann May 7, 2010
Internal divisions can endanger any union more than external threats. Mistrust – a lack of shared basic values or vision – can decimate cooperation, explains Jean-Pierre Lehmann, professor of political economy, in the second article of a two-part series analyzing the Greek debt crisis. Lehmann describes Greece’s immense debt load, the history of corruption, and their effect on the European Union...

Think Again: The Internet

Evgeny Morozov April 29, 2010
The Internet was once seen as a force for tremendous good around the world, promoting commerce, peace, human rights, and democracy. But none of those promises have come fully true. The transnational networks created by the Internet can be as much a force for ill as for good. Twitter and other social networking media may be useful for activists but they are also useful for repressive governments....

The Hub Nation

April 28, 2010
The US attracts one of the highest rates of immigrants in the world and this trend has important benefits for the country. Immigrants are tied to networks with their own countrymen, which facilitates economic growth. While modern technology allows for instantaneous global communication, it is often only immigrants who know the right people to call. They have pre-established trust relationships,...

Hear Them Roar

Rana Foroohar April 16, 2010
In countries and conflict zones where female voices are traditionally stifled, women have proven to be some of the most active dissidents. This tendency is not limited to the ranks of activists as female participation in politics and business has grown dramatically worldwide. In the developing world, the levels of basic education for women are rising. There are now as many girls as boys in...

Xinjiang – Where China’s Worry Intersects the World

Christopher M. Clarke March 19, 2010
The recent killing of a Uighur terrorist in Afghanistan has brought new focus on the ethnic group in China’s western border region.of Xinjiang. The situation of the Uighurs – an ethnic Turkic, Muslim minority – reveals much about China’s internal conduct and external worries, according to China expert Christopher M. Clarke. Hailing from Xinjiang province, Uighurs have seen their majority in that...

Anti-Immigration Backlash Roils Ties between Australia and India – Part I

Robin Jeffrey March 5, 2010
Despite being a nation built by immigrants, Australia faces fresh challenges in dealing with new arrivals, particularly from India. The recent spate of violent attacks on Indian immigrants has brought a spotlight on the changing nature of migration from Asian neighbors and its impact on Australian society. In part I of this two part series, South Asia scholar Robin Jeffrey explores the reason...