In The News

The Burden of Thirst

Tina Rosenberg August 25, 2010
Information flows to every corner of the world much like movements of the water cycle, connecting people more than ever before. But nothing separates us more than the inequality that exists in access to water. Nearly 900 million people lack access to clean water, and more than 3.3 million – most children under age five – die each year as a result. In many developing countries, the brunt of the...

India Tries Using Cash Bonuses to Slow Birthrates

Jim Yardley August 23, 2010
India is the second most populous nation in the world, expected to overtake China in the next decade. Analysts study the two neighbor nations for how political systems and population policies contribute to growth or economic wealth: Nations with low fertility rates are generally wealthier, while younger populations are described as more productive. Fertility rates, varying throughout India, are...

The Erosion of America's Middle Class

Thomas Schulz August 20, 2010
An increasing divide between rich and poor limits US consumer spending, contributing to an economic slowdown around the globe. The world’s richest nation continues a downward spiral with foreclosures, joblessness and hunger. The current tax system, along with ongoing pleas to reduce taxes further, directly benefits the wealthiest while dismantling public services that secure the middle class –...

Speak Softly and Carry a Blank Cheque

July 22, 2010
Thanks to strong global demand for its agribusiness and industrial commodities, Brazil is one of the world's largest emerging markets and one of the rising BRIC four – along with Russia, India and China. Goldman Sachs predicts the combined economies of the four will exceed the G-7 total by 2032. With such economic power, Brazil extends several billion in development aid to other countries,...

Attention Whole Foods Shoppers

Robert Paarlberg June 21, 2010
According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, more than a billion people, most living in developing countries were undernourished last year. In turn, the UN World Food Program identifies poor agricultural infrastructure as a root cause of hunger. Because of “buy local” campaigns in the West, interest has fallen among international donors to fund modern agriculture in developing nations...

Greek Crisis and the Future of the European Union – Part II

Jean-Pierre Lehmann May 7, 2010
Internal divisions can endanger any union more than external threats. Mistrust – a lack of shared basic values or vision – can decimate cooperation, explains Jean-Pierre Lehmann, professor of political economy, in the second article of a two-part series analyzing the Greek debt crisis. Lehmann describes Greece’s immense debt load, the history of corruption, and their effect on the European Union...

Do the Awakening Giants Have Feet of Clay? – Part I

Pranab Bardhan April 19, 2010
China and India have made impressive strides in recent decades, expanding their economies and middle classes. This two-part series examines and tests the claims made by economist Pranab Bardhan in his book “Awakening Giants, Feet of Clay: Assessing the Economic Rise of China and India.” In the book, Bardhan points out that while the two nations have lifted millions out of poverty, both continue...