In The News

Afghan Archaeology on Road to Recovery

John W. Betlyon October 12, 2004
Continuous domestic and international turbulence has left Afghanistan's cultural sites severely damaged, especially after the mass plundering by the Taliban. As Afghans start to rebuild, the country is attracting archaeological researchers back to restore its cultural heritage; the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), along with many other foreign research...

"Copywood" No Longer

Christina Klein October 11, 2004
Shaking Hollywood's previous stranglehold, the South Korean film industry has evolved to become one of the world's most successful examples of domestic cinema. Media scholar Christina Klein charts the rise of Korean film as a unique response to specific political, economic, and social circumstances. Boasting qualities that are at once evocative of Western styles and yet unique to...

Pity the Giants

Kesa Nimrahong September 30, 2004
Despite strong international sanctions against the illegal trade, ivory products still flourish in Thailand, where ivory carving is a traditional art. Thailand finds itself at the epicenter of an international black market, ushering in large shipments of African ivory each year. Materials are smuggled through a complicated trail that sometimes passes through ports as far flung as Saudi Arabia and...

Back to Bases

Justin McCurry September 28, 2004
More than a simple holdover from World War II, US troops currently stationed in Japan are a security measure against possible regional conflicts in the Taiwan Strait or in Korea. Civilian residents of Okinawa, home of the largest military base, have long protested the intrusion on their daily life. Recent incidents, including the rape of a young girl by US servicemen and an accidental helicopter...

A Graphic Film of Protest, and Cries of Blasphemy

Marlise Simons September 27, 2004
The assimilation of Europe's many millions of Muslim immigrants dominates public discourse in the continent today. Many critics of Islam see Muslims as carrying a set of values at odds with the European identity, calling for internal reform within Muslim communities. Even some Muslims also approach the contentious issue from this angle. Ayaan Hirsa Ali, a Somalian-born refugee, now a member...

Al Azhar to Offer Courses in Thailand

Don Pathan September 23, 2004
In an effort to provide affordable education to Thai Muslims, the renowned Al Azhar Islamic Research Academy will begin to offer classes in Thailand. Instead of traveling overseas for Islamic education, aspiring students will have a viable domestic option and, it is hoped, will be less likely to join militant groups overseas. Though officials claim that the educational endeavor is not a direct...

Looms of Doom

Sutapa Mukerjee September 22, 2004
The collapse of the specialized silk industry in parts of India results from years of mismanaged industry policies and an influx of Chinese silk - a cheaper, more durable alternative. Five years ago, the Indian government allowed the free import of Chinese crepe silks, reversing a protectionist ban that had only served to produce a demand for smuggled Chinese goods. The new policy has seen a...