In The News

3 Quarks Daily: Populism in Less Developed Countries

Pranab Bardhan August 13, 2018
Populism comes in many forms. For economists, populism represents the allure of short-term fixes that cause long-term damage; in political science, the term represents strong leaders wiling to dispense with the rule of law or minority rights. Populism of developing countries has its own traits, attracting educated, middle class and urban citizens as opposed to the uneducated, rural and working-...

The Atlantic: Fears of a Pakistani Strongman

Omar Waraich July 28, 2018
Imran Khan has declared victory as prime minister in an election in Pakistan marred by charges of corruption and military interference. Khan’s supporters hope he can soothe country’s many internal divisions. “Khan views himself as classic populist, a politician who opposes a corrupt, morally inferior class of elites,” writes Omar Waraich for the Atlantic. “But many doubt whether he can unite such...

Council on Foreign Relations: Global Implications of Justice Kennedy’s Retirement

Stewart M. Patrick July 2, 2018
US Supreme Court Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy had a lead role in sculpting a positive relationship between the United States and international law over his tenure. His replacement promises to be more conservative, with Donald Trump aiming to appoint a successor before midterm elections. “Foreign relations law,” regarding the place of international law in US jurisprudence, is a field that...

New York Times: Erdoğan’s Victory in Turkey

Carlotta Gall June 25, 2018
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan won reelection in Turkey, convincing a slim majority that a strong centralized government and increased controls contribute to security. Critics express concern about increasing authoritarianism for Turkey. The president will oversee a polarized country with fewer checks on his power and “a pliant Parliament, with his conservative party and its allies having won about 53...

The Guardian: Immigrant Children in Cages at Texas Warehouse

June 21, 2018
Widespread media coverage of a south Texas warehouse sheds light on the physical manifestations of the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy vis-à-vis illegal immigration. An estimated 2,000 children have been taken from their parents since US Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the initiative, “which directs homeland security officials to refer all cases of illegal entry into the...

Bloomberg: Why East Germans Invest and Vote Differently

Leonid Bershidsky June 12, 2018
Political ideologies wield cultural influence long after communities move on to new systems. Separate research studies suggest that people of East German demonstrate cautious investing patterns, with preference for former state companies, as well as those associated with Russia and China rather than the United States. “The eastern ‘investing identity’ is more pronounced in communities that were...

Wall Street Journal: Global Economic Growth Fades

Michael Wursthorn, Daniel Kruger and Ben Eisen June 4, 2018
Economic growth is slowing around the globe, not meeting analysts’ expectations, as indicated by declines in business activity, manufacturing, shipping costs, commodity prices. Protectionist trade policies, transitions associated with Brexit and climate challenges add to challenges. A strengthening dollar and increased trade deficits hamper growth for emerging economies. Still, few analysts...