In The News

US Spy Agencies Outsourcing Work

Greg Miller October 3, 2006
Since the 9/11 attacks, the US boosted budgets for intelligence work by $10 billion annually. As a result, government programs like the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Counterterrorism Center increasingly rely on contract workers. For example, two thirds of the contractors at the counterterrorism center manage computer systems. Some analysts express alarm at the trends toward...

Globalization Hits Road Bumps in India

Pranab Bardhan October 3, 2006
The economic integration of a country requires that it open to foreign investment, adhere to flexible labor laws and practice careful fiscal policies. In a country with severe poverty and economic inequality, however, such reforms do not win many votes for politicians. Well aware of this fact, India’s politicians play to what economist Pranab Bardhan calls “anti-reform populism.” Many voters...

Industrialization in Saudi Arabia: A New Paradigm

Jean-Francois Seznec October 2, 2006
In the 20th century, Saudi Arabia embraced crude oil and the Western powers demanding it. For the 21st century, Riyadh is turning away from both, as the government hopes to translate its wealth of raw resources into lasting industrial development. The plan is for the Saudis to use their cheap energy and become the world’s leading producer of petrochemicals. The emphasis on manufacturing over...

An Interview With Claus Frederiksen

September 26, 2006
The following is a transcript of Nayan Chanda's interview with Danish Minister for Employment Claus Frederiksen, conducted on September 13, 2006. The minister explains Denmark’s “flexicurity” policy, which gives employers flexibility in hiring and firing while offering ample job assistance and re-training to the unemployed. – YaleGlobal

Migrants Enrich Ever More Anxious Host

Stefan Wagstyl September 26, 2006
Economists argue that immigration is good for a country’s overall growth – even as some national leaders concede that controlling immigration is near impossible. But other analysts question the social costs of alienation of many Muslims or resentment from working-class Britons about high unemployment rates. Some anxiety also emerges about growth in and of itself, as populations swell and strain...

Across Latin America, Mandarin Is in the Air

Juan Forero September 26, 2006
As a major customer of Latin America’s agricultural, energy and mineral resources, China has become a target of interest throughout South America. As a result, more business people in Argentina, Peru, Colombia and Chile study Chinese language. The US is the leading investor in South America, and English still stands as the second language of choice. Still, China funds all manner of Asian studies...

US-Russia Effort to Contain Nuclear Experts Fades

Fred Weir September 22, 2006
Terrorists in search of weapons of mass destruction could turn to nuclear scientists for advice. The US and Russia established a joint program in 1998 providing opportunities for former Soviet scientists with nuclear secrets, and the program is set to expire. Ten Russian cities – once major Soviet sites for nuclear research and still home for 35,000 underemployed scientists – remain closed and...