In The News

Why “Fair Trade” Could Backfire for the US

David Dapice March 26, 2007
As manufacturing jobs continue to slip away from the US, Democrats in control of US Congress could be tempted to apply protectionist measures. But any regulations that attempt to restrict trade could backfire and chase more skilled jobs abroad. Economist David Dapice describes US economic problems – unbalanced budgets, a negative savings rate – as “home grown,” and the solutions require sacrifice...

McDonald's Targets the English McLanguage

March 21, 2007
Language shapes our thoughts – and corporations rely on brand names to distinguish themselves in the marketplace. McDonald’s is the world’s largest fast-food corporation, operating in more than 100 companies – and the “Mc” brand name quickly came to represent fast and easy meals. But more than 20 years ago, “The Washington Post” coined the word “Mc Job” to represent the unskilled, unexciting, low...

The Secret World of Modern Slavery

Michael Smith March 14, 2007
Some jobs trap desperate workers into circumstances that are impossible to escape. At that point, the work is no longer a job but slavery. An example are the men who shovel hardwood into kilns to make charcoal for the Brazilian pig-iron industry, used for sinks, cars, refrigerators and other conveniences for wealthier consumers throughout the Americas. The US has laws against importing products...

Child Labor: The Cause Can Also be a Cure

Susan Ariel Aaronson March 13, 2007
Pressure of globalization has led to child trafficking and forced labor. Similar global pressure from public opinion can also put an end to the practice. Five years ago, reports emerged about small groups of children being trafficked and forced to pick cacao beans – the main ingredient for chocolate – in West African plantations. Outraged US officials, industry groups and activists organized the...

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...

Spotlight: Selling Globalization to France

Katrin Bennhold March 9, 2007
The French trade minister has taken on two challenging tasks: convincing firms that France is a great place to do business and convincing citizens that globalization is good for them. Globalization for the French has become synonymous with outsourcing jobs, reports this article in “The International Herald Tribune.” France has a reputation for protectionism, admits trade minister Christine...

South Asians Taking Risky Route to Europe: Via Africa

Caroline Brothers February 26, 2007
The tide of illegal immigrants from West Africa to Spain’s Canary Islands has resumed, yet the ethnicity of recent passengers surprise authorities. South Asians attempting to enter Europe have long taken land passages, but are increasingly becoming customers of the poorly made fishing boats that ferry thousands from Africa to Spain each year. Decreased barriers to travel between South Asia and...