In The News

Balancing Reactions

Gihan Shahine March 1, 2004
Across the Mediterranean from France, Muslims and Christians alike are showing their distaste for the new French ban on "conspicuous" religious symbols in the schools. French politicians have decided that Muslim headscarves, Jewish yarmulkes, and "large" Christian crosses have no place within its secular schools. Muslim and other religious activists disagree. To truly live...

Outsourcing Debate - Part II

Nayan Chanda February 27, 2004
The outsourcing of white-collar jobs to India and other low-cost countries has become a sensitive issue for US voters. In the second article of a three-part series on outsourcing, YaleGlobal Editor Nayan Chanda makes the case that America's economic fears about outsourcing are driving politics this election year. Chanda observes that "blue-collar workers, long wary of outsourcing, have...

A Global Generation Gap

February 24, 2004
According to the latest Pew survey on global attitudes, generational differences fuel much of the current social and political tension over globalization, nationalism, and immigration. Though strong majorities worldwide view increased global interconnectedness in a positive light, the concept is far more popular among young people in most regions. This greater reluctance among the world’s older...

Asylum Applications Down 41%

Matthew Tempest February 24, 2004
The number of asylum seekers to the UK has dropped since last year due to governmental reforms, according to David Blunkett, the UK's Home Office Secretary. Asylum seekers, once a contentious issue in British politics, now seem to be overshadowed by the uncertainty of migration from new members of the European Union. Many in Britain worry that citizens from the former Soviet countries will...

A Fair Globalization: Creating Opportunities for All

February 24, 2004
A new report issued by the World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization acknowledges that globalization's "potential for good is immense," but points to record unemployment levels as a sign that globalization has not met the majority of men and women's "simple and legitimate aspirations for decent jobs and a better future for their children." The...

Europe Can No Longer Rely on Immigrant Workers

Jonathan Power February 19, 2004
Europe needs to realize that immigrant workers alone will not solve the problem of an aging population, says the author of this article. One country, Sweden, has already made this realization and has increased the retirement age to 67. But given Sweden's long-term demographic changes, analysts have estimated that the retirement age could go as high as 79. An aging population, however, is...

We Need a Common Strategy

Romano Prodi February 18, 2004
In recent years, the European Union has grappled with waves of violent anti-Semitic attacks. This, combined with the anger some Europeans feel over Israel's policies, has turned relations with Jewish citizens into a tense conflict. In this Financial Times editorial, Romano Prodi – president of the European Commission – calls for concrete action against intolerance. This week leading public...