In The News

Romania, a Poor Land, Imports Poorer Workers

Matthew Brunwasser April 16, 2007
Foreign investors appreciate Romania for its low labor costs. But once Romania joined the European Union as of January 1, 2007, many of its young, skilled workers moved away to Europe’s wealthiest cities. As a result, some employers – especially those in small dreary factory towns – confront ongoing labor shortages. One factory manager in Bacau solved the problem by contacting an employment...

Turning Globalization on Its Head

April 4, 2007
People who want to join the global economy must do more than learn about it from home. Germany has a shortage of qualified information-technology personnel – and must outsource such jobs to India. As a result, more Germans travel to India for internships and jobs. Likewise, Indian firms are starting businesses in Europe. Germany faces some big hurdles in any attempts to welcome firms and workers...

Chinese-Language Classes Full, But Teachers Scarce in US

Ben Arnoldy April 2, 2007
Growing numbers of US students want to learn Mandarin, but a dearth in resources makes this a trying feat. While federal funds pour into guest visa programs for foreign teachers, critics say this is not enough to strengthen disorganized language-education programs throughout the US. Other school districts look to immigrant populations as potential wellsprings of language educators. However, many...

Confident Turkey Looks East, Not West

Simon Tisdall March 29, 2007
Tossing insults back and forth is not the typical protocol for future working partners. Officially, Turkey remains a candidate for EU membership. Yet analysts ponder the likelihood for accession, after the EU did not invite the potential partner to the 50th anniversary celebration of the signing of the Treaty of Rome and after a columnist summed up Turkish sentiment by writing that the EU has “...

Can Europe Age Gracefully? – Part I

Shada Islam March 21, 2007
Europeans celebrate the anniversary of the Treaty of Rome – along with 50 years of peace and prosperity on March 25. Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany formed what began as an economic alliance to promote trade with one another. That community has since expanded both in terms of membership and responsibilities, and this two-part YaleGlobal series explores Europe...

Silicon Valley's Immigration Problem

Elizabeth Corcoran March 12, 2007
Only a decade ago, the graduates of India’s finest universities looked to the US for jobs and other opportunities. “The US took “for granted that these talented immigrants want to come here and that they will help the next generation of American start-ups achieve greatness,” writes journalist Elizabeth Corcoran for “Forbes.” But recent graduates of universities like the Indian Institute of...

More Children Seeking Asylum in Finland

Katja Martelius March 2, 2007
Every year, hundreds of children illegally enter Finland seeking asylum – most from conflict zones likes Afghanistan, Iran or Somalia. They leave their families behind, paying as much as US$20,000 to a smuggler and traveling for months to reach their new European home. The government rejects about half of the applications for asylum, but allows a few to stay – at least for a while. The government...