In The News

Via Ireland, a Chapter in the Story of Black America

S. Lee Jamison March 17, 2003
Recent studies of African American names reveal interesting interactions between African Americans and Irish immigrants in the 1800s in America. According to the author of "Black Genealogy", hair and skin color of both Blacks and Irish made them subject to discrimination from mainstream Protestant society in the North before the Civil War. Although such shared discrimination created...

Controversial Findings Rekindle Education Debate

Carola Schlaghec March 7, 2003
Debates over immigration policy have been tense in Germany in recent years. This week, however, findings that schools with more immigrant students do worse than schools without immigrants are fueling the discussion even further. Immigrant children, particularly those from poorer backgrounds who do not speak German, have a disadvantage entering the school system. The results of this latest study...

Fawlty Globalisation

M.J. Akbar March 6, 2003
Providing space for economic refugees is the key to maintaining a balanced globalization. The countries that have best accommodated economic refugees, like the US and India, are the ones that also tend to benefit the most from the skills these individuals bring. But the worry is that countries want cheap labor while constraining the diversity that migration entails. Multi-ethnic India serves as a...

Border Inspectors to Look for Radioactive Materials

Philip Shenon March 1, 2003
The new U.S. Department of Homeland Security will have what many see as an overwhelming task: to “prevent terrorist attacks in the United States,” according to the department’s mission. As one of its first major projects, the department will try to ensure that every traveler entering the U.S. will be screened for radioactive materials. Border inspectors with the Immigration and Naturalization...

No More E-6 Visas for Foreign Dancers

Kim Kyung-ho February 27, 2003
Each year, hundreds of foreign women arrive in South Korea seeking employment as dancers or performers. Now, reports have surfaced of women promised decent jobs and then forced to become bar hostesses or perform sexual acts. As a result, the South Korean government has decided to cancel visas for women who plan to dance at nightspots, but not in stage arts performances. Still, the government may...

Foreign Talent Policy Here to Stay: Lee Kuan Yew

Vince Chong February 19, 2003
Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore says that the current immigration policy, which is meant to attract foreign talent, will not change. In order to stay competitive not only in Asia, but also the world, Singapore must continue to attract talent, especially when it suffers a falling birth rate. Mr. Lee also commented that Singapore should pursue more value-added services to counteract the...

Lessons from History: Globalization Then and Now

Harold James February 5, 2003
The debate about globalization has changed since September 11th. Princeton University history professor Harold James points out that the terrorist attacks have led to calls for more controls on the free flow of capital, goods, and people, while the Enron scandal has sparked debates about regulation of business practices. Citing numerous historical parallels, James shows how such responses to the...