In The News

The Myth of the Islamic State: The History of a Political Idea

Mohammed Ayoob May 4, 2016
The goal of a worldwide modern caliphate may be impossible for diverse Muslim nations that lack consensus over universal standards on governance. Phrases like “golden age” are tossed about, yet ignore the challenges, explains Mohammed Ayoob for Foreign Affairs. The Prophet Mohammed died in the year 632, when the world’s population was about 200 million, and Ayoob details the history of the early...

Behind Global Crackdown on NGOs, Recognition of Their Power

Peter Ford May 2, 2016
Lawmakers in China, India, Malaysia, Russia and many other countries are cracking down on non-governmental organizations and activists that press for reforms. CIVICUS, a global alliance of civil society organizations, describes “serious threats to civic freedoms” in 96 countries, as reported by Peter Ford for the Christian Science Monitor. Methods used against NGOs that push for government...

The State of the United States

Richard N. Haass March 28, 2016
The mood of US electorate during the presidential primary season is described as anxious and angry over outsourcing and trade deals, a decline in good jobs, stagnant wages, inequality and polarized politics that prevents good governance. News media tend to focus on negative reports, and the members of public rely on programs and publications that reinforce opinions already held. “An America that...

Washington’s New Friends in Latin America

Patricio Navia March 24, 2016
Barack Obama is taking steps to improve relations with neighbors as the first sitting US president to travel to Cuba since Calvin Coolidge in 1928. “Obama’s visit to Cuba and Argentina this week underlines the United States government’s effort to make new friends and rebuild old relationships in Latin America,” writes Patricio Navia for the Buenos Aires Herald, adding that “as the US did not...

International Students Find Roles in US Presidential Campaign

Paul Elish and Susan Froetschel March 22, 2016
The percentage of international students enrolled at US colleges and universities has climbed over the past five years, due to rising applications from overseas and declining enrollment by US students. College administrators encourage civic engagement for all students, and international students are following the US presidential race. “The election will determine the roles for foreign nationals...

Choices by US Voters Will Influence the World

Bruce Stokes March 17, 2016
The US primary season has slowly winnowed down the field of presidential candidates. “To date, the campaign debate has been dominated by multiple themes that could ultimately impact people outside the United States – trade, immigration and terrorism, to name just a few,” explains Bruce Stokes, director of global economic attitudes at the Pew Research Center. Hillary Clinton, former US secretary...

Whisper It Softly: Muslims Are Part of Europe's Future

Shada Islam March 10, 2016
Violent conflict in the Middle East is driving hundreds of thousands of refugees toward Europe – a crisis that is straining resources, explains Shada Islam, policy director of Friends of Europe based in Brussels. The continent is divided over welcoming the refugees and settling them in different countries, with some politicians stoking fear and warning about a clash of cultures. “Muslims, also,...