In The News

When It Comes to Political Islam, Moscow Seems Confused

Konstantin Eggart May 1, 2006
Moscow has a contradictory relationship with radical Islam. On one hand, Russia embraces Islam as part of its general, sometimes subtle, oppositional stance towards the West. After inviting a Hamas delegation to Moscow, Russia deflected accusations from Israel and the US – suggesting that the group had not conducted terrorist acts on Russian soil – eager to prove it does not tow the US, EU or...

Worries about the WSF

Saleem H. Ali April 28, 2006
The World Social Forum (WSF), intended to promote a “democratic debate of ideas,” emerged as an alternative to the more exclusive World Economic Forum, and in March Karachi hosted 30,000 lively WSF delegates. The young activists from around the world who attend WSF expect that global leaders will resist relying on short-term economic parameters alone in making decisions that can have consequences...

World Bank Falsified Information on Malaria Treatment, The Lancet

Christian Nordqvist April 28, 2006
The World Bank has been accused of wasting funds on useless malaria treatment and falsifying treatment results. The major aid organization that provides loan and resources for ending poverty retorts that the accusation is unfounded. The accusation first appeared in the UK medical journal "Lancet," written by a Canadian physician and UN consultant who argues that the World Bank approach...

Shaking Spain Out of Its Siesta

John Ward Anderson April 26, 2006
Globalization and intense competition across borders has made it more challenging for countries to maintain some cultural traditions. In January 2006, the Spanish government enacted regulations requiring that all federal agencies enforce a strict 45-minute lunch break – allowing workers to head home at 6 pm rather than 8 pm. By abolishing the siesta, a 3-hour lunch break once traditional in Spain...

We Are Globalized, But Have No Real Intimacy With the Rest of the World

Martin Jaques April 24, 2006
With globalization, most anticipate an inter-connected world with greater understanding of multiple cultures more than ever before. Author Martin Jacques argues that this assumption is at odds with the tone of globalization, based on a “one-size-fits-all” model of western cultural imperialism. Whereas European colonialism included exporting self-defined values of civilization, it did not strive...

Learning Globalization From Football

Branko Milanovic April 21, 2006
Football is not only popular, but probably the world's most globalized profession. The most talented Brazilian, Cameroonian and Japanese football players move from country to country more so than doctors, computer scientists, blue-collar workers or bank tellers. On the club circuit, rules have evolved so that international character defines top teams, and statistics show that success...

Bit of Malay Culture Is Now Vanishing Under Muslim Rules

Chris Prystay April 21, 2006
Introduced to Southeast Asia in the 13th century, Islam gradually supplanted Buddhism and Hinduism, but co-existed with ancient traditions over the centuries. Since the 1970s, however, fundamentalist Islam has spiked in multicultural countries such as Malaysia, with Muslim students and scholars galvanized by Iran emerging as an Islamic state. Political gains of Parti Islam parallel the increasing...