In The News

Visa Curbs Will Cut Overseas Students by 80,000, Says Theresa May

Alan Travis March 29, 2011
Great Britain’s dynamic campuses draw ambitious students from around the globe, the likes of India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former US President Bill Clinton and Charles Kao, the so-called Father of Fiber Optics. But campuses may be less inviting as the government aims to reduce total net immigrants to 100,000 per year. Students account for the bulk of visas issued to non-EU immigrants,...

Now Feeling Free, But Still Without Work, Tunisians Look Toward Europe

Scott Sayare March 28, 2011
Zarzis and other cities of Tunisia celebrate new openness and freedoms since the 14 January departure of longtime dictator Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali. But jobs and economic promise have been slow to materialize. The revolution and fears of violence even exacerbated economic challenges, including a slowdown in tourism and investment, reports Scott Sayare for the New York Times. Sayare adds that youth...

Europe Confronts Mediterranean Mayhem – Part II

Shada Islam March 2, 2011
In October, Angela Merkel pronounced that Germany’s multiculturalism has failed. Months later – amid massive protests against autocratic North African leaders whose policies long provided a bulwark for Europe – UK’s David Cameron and France’s Nicolas Sarkozy echoed her assessment. This YaleGlobal series suggests that Europe cannot bury its head in the sand, and instead must work with Muslim...

New Migrants Flock to Italy, Intensifying Immigration Debate

Elisa Cozzarini March 1, 2011
European nations like Italy entered security agreements with dictators in North Africa, including arms transfers, which slowed the waves of immigration over the past decade. As these dictators lose control and thousands of citizens flee north for Europe for a better life, managing immigration once again emerges as a priority for Italy. Some analysts argue that right-wing politicians raise fears...

Europe Confronts Mediterranean Mayhem – Part I

Jean-Pierre Lehmann February 28, 2011
European leaders were cozy with dictators throughout the Middle East and North Africa for decades. Beginning in Tunisia, citizens have swiftly challenged authoritarian regimes in the region, threatening decades-old enforced stability with non-violent protests. This YaleGlobal series gauges European reactions to a crisis that threatens the continent’s borders, economy and stability. Europe...

When Millennia-Old Mummies Threaten National Identity

James Cuno February 23, 2011
Centuries ago, traders and travelers bearing commodities and ideas forged a series of routes crossing Central Asia, connecting China with Rome. What became known as the Silk Road is the epitome of early and unprecedented globalization. Archaeological excavations in the oasis areas of the Tarim Basin, the far western reaches of modern China, uncovered mummified human remains from 3,500 years ago...

Bahrain Security Forces Accused of Deliberately Recruiting Foreign Nationals

Ian Black February 17, 2011
Military, police and security forces are all that stand between citizens who yearn for greater rights and regimes who impose autocratic control. Egyptians managed to convince their president to walk away from power after the military refused to fire on non-violent protesters. Protesters demand similar reforms in Bahrain. But the Al Khalifa regime has recruited security details – specifically...