In The News

Cutting Climate Change's Gordian Knot

John C. Topping Jr. April 2, 2010
Black carbon, commonly known as soot, a byproduct of incomplete combustion, is a major contributor to global warming. It also can have significant, deleterious effects on one’s health. Now, several environmental groups are asking the US Environmental Protection Agency to regulate black carbon under the Clean Water Act on the grounds that it affects sea ice and glaciers. While this proposal may...

Xinjiang – Where China’s Worry Intersects the World

Christopher M. Clarke March 19, 2010
The recent killing of a Uighur terrorist in Afghanistan has brought new focus on the ethnic group in China’s western border region.of Xinjiang. The situation of the Uighurs – an ethnic Turkic, Muslim minority – reveals much about China’s internal conduct and external worries, according to China expert Christopher M. Clarke. Hailing from Xinjiang province, Uighurs have seen their majority in that...

Will Japan Emerge from its Shell? – Part I

Edward J. Lincoln February 3, 2010
For the world’s second largest economy, Japan takes a decidedly backseat approach to involvement in global affairs. While there are no rules to force global intercourse, Japan-specialist Edward J. Lincoln believes that as a key beneficiary and user of global public goods, Japan should become more involved. But the hurdles preventing greater interchange between the world and the Japanese are many...

Public and Government Views on Migration Diverge

Joseph Chamie October 16, 2009
There is a surprising gap between government and public views on migration. Most governments tend to be favorably disposed to immigration, while the public remains fearful of admitting foreigners. Such a divergence in opinion is likely to cause significant turmoil in the future, according to Joseph Chamie, research director at the Center for Migration Studies. Less than 20 percent of governments...

The Demise of the Dollar

Robert Fisk October 6, 2009
Veteran Middle East correspondent Robert Fisk reports that “secret meetings” between Russia, China, Japan, Brazil and some Arab States have occurred to discuss the possibility of pricing a barrel of oil in a basket of currencies rather than US dollars. Some believe such a development, if true, might ignite a new economic war between the US and China, which consumes more oil than the US on the...

The H1N1 Virus: Varied Local Responses to a Global Spread

Yanzhong Huang September 1, 2009
This past spring, some of the responses to the H1N1 virus, known as the Swine Flu, were surprisingly reminiscent of the SARS epidemic from 2003. That is, some authorities imposed travel restrictions and quarantines to halt the advance of the virus. But as Director of the Center for Global Health Studies at Seton Hall University Yanzhong Huang argues, such methods are a direct contradiction of a...

Japan’s Coming Election Could Mean Its Withdrawal from the World

Ko Mishima August 25, 2009
The result of Japan’s upcoming election could be more than a test of confidence for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). It might determine the nature of the country’s engagement with the world. According to Professor Ko Mishima, the Japanese doubt the LDP has a handle on the nation’s economy, and thus a win by the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) looks close to certain. Though...