In The News

Double Vision in Beirut

Frances Z. Brown May 12, 2005
In the three months since the assassination of Lebanon's former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, the Middle Eastern country has seen a remarkable transformation. Large-scale and tenacious street protests resulted in the resignation of the incumbent pro-Syrian prime minister. As Western powers acclaim the "Cedar Revolution" – named after the emblem adorning the Lebanese flag, and...

Onshore Outsourcing: Made in America

Paul McDougall May 11, 2005
In the United States, mere mention of the term "outsourcing" will likely ruffle protectionist feathers. For companies who prefer to keep their operations within US borders, there are other options – besides relying on overseas labor – for trimming expenses. More businesses have begun to "insource," or outsource IT work to smaller cities within the 50 states. Though hourly...

Public Diplomacy: America Is Job No. 1

Bruce Stokes May 9, 2005
As the Bush administration prepares for another round of international public diplomacy – at least its third campaign since September 11 – it is necessary to first examine the lessons from the past few years. In this National Journal article, Bruce Stokes writes that while the goal for US public diplomacy has been "to convince people overseas of the inherent merit of the US point of view on...

Al-Jazeera Puts Focus on Reform

Robin Wright May 9, 2005
The most-watched news network in the Middle East, Al-Jazeera has the potential to greatly affect the future of regional democratization. Some welcome Al-Jazeera as a foil to state-controlled media in the region, and many see it a new vehicle to give voice to otherwise underrepresented perspectives. As the channel gives more airtime to reformist movements, it finds increasing hostility from less...

Third World Gets Help to Help Itself

Doreen Carvajal May 6, 2005
A late-1980s campaign to help small coffee growers has blossomed into a US$500 million industry. Fairtrade goods, from bananas to cotton, aim to appeal to Western consumers' consciences by supporting above-market compensation for third-world growers. Though the industry has indeed flourished in the past few years, as the International Hereald Tribune writes, "the business of...

Inglish as She's Spoke

Gurcharan Das May 3, 2005
The worldwide spread of English has seen a rise in colloquially "blended languages," from Franglais (French and English) to Spanglish (Spanish and English) to Taglish (Tagalog and English), and so on. This Outlook India piece suggests a new addition: Inglish (Hindi and English). As the author writes, English is the ticket to a good job and middle class status in India. It unites...

Nationalism Pits Shanghai Against its Global Ambition

James Farrer April 29, 2005
As China's center for foreign investment and cosmopolitan culture, Shanghai provides an intriguing case study on the intersection of globalism and nationalism, writes James Farrer. During the recent wave of anti-Japanese protests, demonstrators' voices alternated between an intensely nationalist rhetoric and a more subdued, moderate internationalism. And as for government reaction to...