In The News

Turkey and the European Tent – Part II

Mohammed Ayoob October 13, 2005
In the second installment of a two-part series on the ramifications of the Turkey-EU negotiations, Mohammed Ayoob wonders if in the end Turkey will be ever be inside the European tent. Turkey became an associate member of the European community in 1963, but has waited more than 40 years for membership talks to begin. In spite of loyal membership in NATO, Turkish citizens are well aware that...

Cracks in the Social Net

Alexander Osang October 13, 2005
“We left that city like the colonial powers left Africa,” lamented the ex-head of personnel at what was one of the largest textile mills in North Carolina. In 2003, the Pillowtex plant, based in the city of Kannapolis, closed and laid off its five thousand workers overnight. In a region where unionization was militantly discouraged, the mill provided an entire framework of life for the community...

Opportunity in Tragedy?

October 10, 2005
Following Saturday's devastating earthquake, Pakistan appealed to the international community for emergency supplies and money. But because of the long-standing dispute over the Kashmir region, Pakistani officials have been reluctant to accept help from India. In order to save lives in Kashmir and elsewhere, the two nuclear powers must set aside their political disputes and focus on joint...

Aboriginal Remains Will Be Returned

James Button October 6, 2005
Five years ago, world media focused its attention on Gaborone, Botswana, to watch the repatriation of a corpse. The stuffed body of a 19th century African, who had been on display for over a century in European museums, was returned to his native soil. Indigenous populations outside of Europe, from the "Hottentots" of southern Africa to the Maori of New Zealand, were long the subjects...

Fashion Magazines Rush to Mold China's Sense of Style

Howard W. French October 4, 2005
China has come a long way from the privations of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. Today's Chinese have more economic freedom and money than ever before, and they are using those resources to enjoy the bourgeois tastes of Western fashion and lifestyle. Western magazines like Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and FHM offer Chinese consumers advice on everything from shopping to sex....

Too Soon for Turkish Delight

October 3, 2005
After decades of waiting – in addition to last-minute delays – Turkey may finally see a beginning to formal talks concerning EU membership. European diplomats had been unable to agree on a negotiating framework, because Austria's government has insisted that Turkey be given an alternative "privileged partnership" rather than full membership. Though Austria was forced to back down...

The Home of English Football's Most Ardent Fans? Uganda

Evelyn Kiapi Matsamura September 30, 2005
Surpassing action movies and McDonald's – and perhaps even democratic governance – soccer is one passion that unites far reaches of the globe. Watched by billions and played by millions, the sport's stars are global heroes, its teams global icons, and its history a global narrative. European clubs, whose primary fan base at one time hailed almost exclusively from their respective...