In The News

Sarkozy Hits Back at Reding in Roma Row

Peggy Hollinger, Nikki Tait, Stanley Pignal September 22, 2010
France has drawn the ire of other European nations for its aggressive policies on expulsion of illegal immigrants. The EU, of course, has never been in lock-step on member policies. Yet, debate over mistreatment of the Roma minority is distinguished by swift criticism from central EU authorities, including EU Commissioner Viviane Reding of Luxembourg who compared France's handling of the...

Shariah in Aceh: Eroding Indonesia’s Secular Freedoms

Dewi Kurniawati August 26, 2010
Indonesia has a secular constitution, but in 2003 gave a nod to the Aceh province adopting partial sharia law, supposedly an attempt to stem recruiting by a rebel movement. This separate set of laws, often targeting the poor and women, discourages tourism and economic development. Hard-line groups intent on gaining power in other provinces press for similar laws. Though scholars still debate what...

Law and Globalization: Not Entirely Free, Your Honor

August 17, 2010
As barriers to international trade crumble, the legal profession does not hurry to follow the trend. One explanation of the profession’s relative imperviousness to foreign influence is separate legal traditions: Some countries practice English common law while others follow civil law or a mix of systems. Complex regulations on practice vary by nation, sometimes devised “to protect the profession...

Cluster Bomb Ban Takes Effect

August 16, 2010
In an increasingly connected world, improved security and protection of human rights are jointly pursued through international laws. The Convention on Cluster Munitions became a binding international law on August 1, 2010. The convention – signed by 107 countries and ratified by 37 – bans the use, production and trade of cluster munitions. The US, Israel and Russia – which have used the...

Veil Ban: Why Syria Joins Europe in Barring the Niqab

Kristen Chick July 27, 2010
Banning styles or behavior can backfire with teens and young adults, particularly when the young are confident about holding the higher moral ground. In an effort to preserve its secular culture, Syria is banning university students and teachers from wearing the niqab, or full-face veil. Syria is home to many religious sects, and officials view secular policies as the best approach for protecting...

Gap in Rules on Oil Spills From Wells

Kate Galbraith May 21, 2010
Nations may stake territorial claims to waters off their coast, but once an accident occurs, authorities can do little to slow the spread of polluted water to other jurisdictions. Since the April 20 explosion on a drill platform in the Gulf of Mexico, just off the coast of Louisiana, oil has steadily gushed from several pipes and will soon join currents leading to the Atlantic Ocean....

Taming Globalization? Kebabs, Mini-Skirts and Meth – Part II

Ilaria Maria Sala May 20, 2010
Citizens around the globe understandably want to honor and protect their culture, expressed through language, food and art, from “foreign” influence – although such influences were often essential in creating traditions. The second article of this two-part series examines Italy’s battle against globalization, as politicians scramble to outdo one another with populist laws aimed at banning foreign...