In The News

Exploiting Thailand’s Burmese Refugees

Jürgen Kremb November 12, 2007
The recent pro-democracy protests in Myanmar’s major cities overshadow the ongoing civil war raging near the border. Forcible conscription and the devastation of war have prompted an influx of refugees into neighboring Thailand. These illegal immigrants face formidable challenges, including corrupt police, unemployment and organized crime. Because of their illegal status, they cannot secure work...

Plain English Gets Harder in Global Era

Phred Dvorak November 12, 2007
The globalizing economy – particularly the rise of outsourcing and offshoring, along with the growing acceptance of English as the universal language within multinational corporations – raises the demand for sophisticated language training. English speakers confront a broader range of accents and cultures than ever before, and education programs step up their offerings. Some concepts – sarcasm,...

A Villain to Our Rescue

Robert J. Samuelson November 9, 2007
Politicians, activists and even some business executives in the West blame globalization for a lot of problems. But the US has benefited from foreign trade. “Contrary to popular opinion, the trade balance (deficit or surplus) barely affects total U.S. employment over long periods,” writes Robert Samuelson for the Washington Post. Some types of foreign competition do hurt some individual workers...

Sarkozy, The Ambivalent Globalizer

Jonathan Fenby November 9, 2007
When Nicolas Sarkozy was elected president of France, there was talk of a big rupture with the past and France’s full embrace of globalization and American-style capitalism. That stance is about to be tested. He has taken on the powerful public-service unions, cut taxes for the rich and tackled France’s convention of a 35-hour workweek. Yet this Gaullist politician is none too fond of...

Globalization a Mixed Bag: Patten

Amit Baruah November 5, 2007
Globalization does not help every individual or country, but it is by no means a conspiracy by the rich against the poor, said Chris Patten, chancellor of Oxford University and former British governor of Hong Kong, during a lecture in India. Evidence suggests that trade and economic growth have ended poverty for millions of people. World labor markets, especially for skilled workers, are highly...

Falling Dollar, Inflation Feed Dubai Strife

Chip Cummins November 5, 2007
The countries of the Persian Gulf have long been destinations for migrants looking to take advantage of relatively high-paying construction jobs in these economically booming states. Of late, however, foreign workers find it less cost-effective to continue working in places like Dubai, where the local currency is linked to the falling dollar. This, in conjunction with inflation in the housing...

Dare to Compare?

Kathy Tzilivakis November 2, 2007
The nations of Europe offer a mixed bag when it comes to welcoming immigrants, according to a study from the British Council and the Migration Policy Group, a Brussels-based think tank, partially funded by the European Commission. The Migrant Integration Policy Index assesses countries based on labor-market access, family reunification, long-term residence, political participation, access to...