In The News

New York Times: Pope Francis’ Gulf Tour

Jason Horowitz February 6, 2019
Seeking warmer relations with the Muslim world, Pope Francis established interfaith dialogue during his historic trip to the United Arab Emirates, the sole oasis in the Middle East that provides a somewhat permissive environment for Christianity, allowing worship in private. The UAE has a million Catholics, about 10 percent of the population, many migrants. Jason Horowitz, writing for the New...

The Nation: Saudi Teen’s Fate Hangs in Balance

January 7, 2019
Saudi women resist the religious restrictions imposed in their homeland. In addition to clothing requirements and arranged marriages, women cannot study, travel or work without permission from male relatives. Women also lack full voting, property or inheritance rights. Globalization of travel and communications ensures that Saudi women assess freedoms for women around the globe, with some fleeing...

BBC: US Steps Up War in Somalia

Tomi Oladipo January 7, 2019
The terrorist group al Shabab controls large areas of Somalia. Since March 2017, the US military received broad approval to intervene and prevent coordination with other extremists throughout Africa including al Qaeda. The US attacks, targeting militant groups and leaders, have killed more than 500, and a report from BBC News does not anticipate that an announcement on US troop reduction in...

Eurasianet: Uzbekistan and Sufi Revival

December 13, 2018
Religious monuments and celebrations attract visitors from afar. Governments of Uzbekistan once limited religious practices, but have since lightened restrictions. The history and culture of the Ferghana Valley are now a draw for tourists intrigued by the famed Silk Road of centuries ago. “Bukhara is a place of particular significance because it was there that the founder of a major Sufi order,...

The Economist: El Salvador’s Óscar Romero Canonized

October 31, 2018
After 40 years, the Vatican canonized El Salvador’s Archbishop Óscar Arnulfo Romero as a saint, and the Economist describes this as a “controversial” choice: “Often seen as ideologically left wing, he was above all a martyr for his faith and his church.” In the 1970s, El Salvador’s long-ruling coffee oligarchy and army were confronted by left-wing trade unions and peasant groups, with aid from...

National Review: Robot Overlords

Kevin D. Williamson October 7, 2018
People, nervous about robots taking away jobs for humans, also expect immediate and affordable information, service and comforts. Kevin Williamson, writing for National Review, describes how regulation can quickly devolve into protectionism, designed to contain rapid change and preserve traditions. He notes that an individual’s views can swing wildly between Libertarianism or fascism depending on...

The Conversation: How Globalization Transformed Mecca Pilgrimage Market

Seán McLoughlin August 22, 2018
Islam requires adherents to travel at last once for the annual Hajj to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Modern transportation made the journey more feasible, and the number of pilgrims increased from 100,000 in the 1950s to more than 3 million in recent years. Saudi Arabia has imposed restrictions in recent years: Muslim-majority nations are subjected to a Hajj quota of 1,000 pilgrims per million of...