In The News

The Islamic World and the West: Recovering Common History

Nayef Al-Rodhan July 15, 2014
One out of five people in the world are Muslim, and many Europeans express fear about growing numbers of Muslim migrants. “Islam in Europe tends to be viewed as not only a recent, but also a foreign and threatening presence,” explains Nayef Al-Rodhan, University of Oxford philosopher, neuroscientist and geostrategist. “Europe and the Arab-Islamic world have brushed shoulders for centuries, and...

As Latin American Economic Growth Slows, Regional Economies Are at a Crossroads

Mimi Whitefield June 20, 2014
Latin America had a long spell of economic growth, 5.9 percent, and a so-called “golden decade” due to bubbles, loose credit and a commodity boom that peaked in 2010. Latin American growth was analyzed at the University of Miami Latin America Symposium, covered by Mimi Whitefield for the Miami Herald. Since 2010, the region’s growth has tapered. Governments now face challenges to maintain...

US Alarm at the Growing Number of Illegal Child Migrants

June 10, 2014
US President Barack Obama described the increasing number of unaccompanied children migrating to the United States as an “urgent humanitarian situation.” Most come from Central America and Mexico, and many are escaping domestic abuse, poverty or violent gangs who prey on them. However, children are unaware of the dangers of traveling alone, including sexual assault, forced labor and hunger. Since...

Re-Imagining Kinship

Amrita Nandy May 13, 2014
Valuing biological parenthood over other forms and the shame over childlessness is worldwide and can be pernicious. “Defining human relatedness through genes and blood has been a predominant and often unquestioned notion across most cultures,” explains Amrita Nandy, a Fox International Fellow at Yale University and a doctoral candidate at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, India. As a...

Saudi Arabia: Atheists Are Terrorists

Adam Withnall April 4, 2014
A series of royal decrees and laws in Saudi Arabia are defining terrorists – and atheists, peaceful protesters, members of the Muslim Brotherhood as well as those who leave to fight wars in other country, particularly Syria, all qualify, suggests a Human Rights Watch report. The crimes can be published with prison sentences up to 20 years. “Article one of the new provisions defines terrorism as ‘...

Are Big, Rich Cities Greener Than Poor Ones?

March 17, 2014
More than half the world’s population lives in cities: “Consequently, a new science of cities is being fueled by the sudden availability of fascinating datasets collected from urban areas all over the world,” notes MIT Technology Review. As cities grow wages rise, drawing more residents; reliance on vehicles tends to decline. Overall, wealthier nations produce more emissions per capita than...

China Moves to End Its Codependency with US

Stephen S. Roach February 18, 2014
Global analysts fret about the resilience of emerging markets, including China’s. Yet economic managers in China know what needs to be done, already taking steps to rebalance, shifting from dependence on manufacturing and exports towards more services and consumer spending. The world is not prepared for the necessary slowdown in growth from China as its leaders focus on domestic spending,...