In The News

Lessons on Globalization from India

Pratap Bhanu Mehta June 17, 2004
Is there an inherent contradiction between democracy and globalization? Some anti-globalization protesters might say yes. And their pro-free trade opponents might also agree. But upon careful consideration, writes philosopher and political scientist Pratap Bhanu Mehta, it is clear that the debate between democrats and globalizers is often too stylized. "The constraints on democracy, in...

Not a good recipe for happy times

Rami G. Khouri June 16, 2004
Against the backdrop of the ever-worsening drama of bombings, killings and hostage-taking in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, the price of oil has shot up to a record high. Rami Khouri, Executive Editor of the Daily Star and a veteran commentator of the Middle East, says this may be the first peek at a Doomsday scenario for the region. Khouri writes that Saudi Arabia, the world’s leading oil supplier...

The War on Terror Yet to Be Won in Southeast Asia

Zachary Abuza June 15, 2004
Since the much-hyped global ‘war on terror', the human rights situation in Southeast Asia has taken a turn for the worse. In the name of fighting Islamic terrorist groups in the region, says political scientist Zachary Abuza, governments are using state power to repress political opposition by targeting political dissidents and making widespread arrests without trial. Malaysia and Singapore...

'Radical' A-Mei Cancels Show in China

Chiu Yu-tzu June 14, 2004
Do pop artists' politics matter? Some students in China apparently think so. As Taiwanese pop singer A-Mei prepared to take the stage in the Chinese city of Hangzhou last weekend, local university students – her natural fan base – unfurled banners protesting her presumed support of Taiwanese independence. A-Mei is not alone, however. Other Taiwanese pop singers, who generally enjoy...

Immigrants Don't Steal the Jobs of Germans

Patrick Welter June 11, 2004
With 4 million Germans currently unemployed, immigrants have become an easy scapegoat to blame for job losses. And it is the potential immigrant who wants to settle down in Germany that faces the biggest roadblocks to immigration, notes this article in FAZ Weekly. Under a proposed immigration law, bureaucrats will be allowed to screen potential immigrants to see whether they will prove beneficial...

Fresh Water Talks

Gamal Nkrumah June 11, 2004
In parts of North Africa, fresh water is a scarce commodity. Although the region's main pipeline – the mighty Nile River – is perhaps most often associated with Egypt, it actually runs through a host of countries further upstream. In order to map out use rights in an equitable fashion, the ten-country Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) hopes to bring all parties to the negotiation table. But the...

State Dept. Concedes Errors in Terror Data

R. Jeffrey Smith June 10, 2004
In its 2003 report titled “Patterns of Global Terrorism”, the US State Department failed to give a true account of global terrorism, says this Washington Post article. The report stated that 2003 saw a significant decrease in terrorist activities largely due to US involvement in global counter-terrorism efforts. However, academics, a lawmaker, and others argue that the figures presented by the...