In The News

Three Myths About the Arab Uprisings

Ellen Lust and Jakob Wichmann July 24, 2012
The series of protests in 2011 that overturned governments in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya have ushered in activism and new debate in the Arab world. Analyzing the reasons behind the surge of discontent requires an understanding of each nation’s history, regional relationships, demographics and governance failures. Achieving representative government and social justice is not a matter of simple...

Internet Stirs Activism in Vietnam

Huong Nguyen May 11, 2012
The quick connections and passion forged over the internet challenge authoritarian governments worldwide. Vietnam is no exception. Social media and blogs connect social activists as well as the diaspora, reports Huong Nguyen, research fellow at the Center for Constitutional Democracy at the Indiana University in Bloomington. Notably, many activists take recourse to igniting nationalistic feelings...

Scandal Erodes China’s Soft Power

Frank Ching May 4, 2012
China invests billions on Confucius Institutes and CCTV broadcasts to spread Chinese language, culture and perspectives on world news. But China’s harsh authoritarian rule, exposed by a few incidents or individuals attracting global attention, can undermine efforts to build soft power through a stream of crafted messages, reports journalist Frank Ching. Recent events highlight internal struggles...

Through the Eyes of Asia’s Tiger Cubs

Mark L. Clifford February 20, 2012
Asia’s post–Cold War generation of young professionals have a decidedly optimistic outlook on the future – as revealed by the Asia’s Challenge 2020 essay competion organized by the Asia Business Council, Time magazine and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore. Mark L. Clifford, executive director of the Hong Kong-based Asia Business Council, co-authored...

China: Hard Power at Home, Soft Power Abroad

Frank Ching February 8, 2012
China’s hard-edged regime, struggling to wield soft power, is concerned by the dominating influence of Western media and culture. China’s government is taking steps to remedy the problem, explains journalist Frank Ching. One success story is the establishment of more than 300 Confucius Institutes, many linked with universities, teaching Chinese language and culture in nearly 100 countries....

Thailand's Lèse-Majesté Witchhunt

Simon Roughneen December 29, 2011
Lèse-majesté charges are on the rise in Thailand, from a single case in 2000 to nearly 500 in 2010. Among the charged is Joe Gordon, an American who translated excerpts of a biography of the Thai King, receiving critical acclaim everywhere but Thailand. Gordon was sentenced to two and a half years in prison, but may receive a royal pardon. Observers can’t help but wonder if such accusations aren’...

Perceptions of Migration Clash With Reality, Report Finds

Caroline Brothers December 27, 2011
A global migration report outlines the distorted perceptions of immigrants and suggests that misinformation contributes to “harmful stereotypes, discrimination and xenophobia.” For example, the Italians in surveys assume that immigrants make up 25 percent of the population, when the true figure is 7 percent. Immigrants are wrongly scapegoated for unemployment, scarcity of public resources, crime...