In The News

Listening to (and Saving) the World’s Languages

Sam Roberts May 4, 2010
Immigrants in New York City have made it a place of remarkable linguistic diversity. There are an estimated 800 languages spoken, meaning that globalization has allowed languages born in every corner of the world to gather in New York City. As globalization places a priority on a handful of major languages in the world for business purposes, other languages have become rare and are dying out. But...

'Imam for Peace' Sows Discontent

Ullrich Fichtner April 29, 2010
An immigrant imam in suburban France is drawing notice for his teachings. Hassen Chalghoumi preaches against the wearing of the full-bodied veil by Islamic women and seeks to make Islam accommodating to European countries. While Chalghoumi enjoys support from many non-Muslim French, including President Nicolas Sarkozy, he has attracted increasing criticism from Muslims, who argue that France...

D.I.Y. Culture

Michael Kimmelman April 23, 2010
Discussions of globalization often focus on how it is a homogenizing process, portraying Western culture as a hegemonic force that penetrates new markets and kills off traditional culture and local customs. Yet, argues New York Times columnist Michael Kimmelman, such a "dubious concept" of globalization fails to acknowledge that individuals can utilize its technological and...

Leave it To Turkish Soap Operas to Conquer Hearts and Minds

Nadia Bilbassy-Charters April 21, 2010
Turkish soap operas are surging to popularity in the Arabic world, with over 80-million Arabs watching the recent finale of one show. The shows press the boundaries on traditional social issues and one, which is set in the West Bank, has sparked conversation about the Israel-Palestine conflict. Perhaps as a result of these shows, Turkey's reputation in the Arab world is improving and Arab...

For Somalis Caught Between Islamists and Weak Government, Fleeing is Only Option

Sudarsan Raghavan April 21, 2010
Al-Shabab, the Islamist group that controls increasingly large swathes of Somalia, has instituted a repressive and violent regime that is forcing Somalis to flee to neighboring countries. Al-Shabab has gained strength despite an Ethiopian invasion, supported by the Americans, in 2006 designed to remove Islamists from power. Now, however, the internationally-supported government is paralyzingly...

Hola! Asian Call Centers Lure Back Spanish

Margot Cohen April 16, 2010
The pursuit of independence by former colonies during the 20th century often included efforts to minimize reliance on the imposed language. In some, like the former Spanish colony of the Philippines, the colonial language fell out of general use even as another colonial language English was embraced as a language of business. Today, less than 1 percent of Filipinos speak Spanish. But the few...

Hear Them Roar

Rana Foroohar April 16, 2010
In countries and conflict zones where female voices are traditionally stifled, women have proven to be some of the most active dissidents. This tendency is not limited to the ranks of activists as female participation in politics and business has grown dramatically worldwide. In the developing world, the levels of basic education for women are rising. There are now as many girls as boys in...