In The News

Let’s Avoid Food Riots

Nayan Chanda March 15, 2011
Rather than address the root causes, governments tackle emerging food shortages, climbing prices and angry publics like a carnival game of Whac-a-Mole: Like little moles poking their heads from random holes, crises emerge and leaders whack at them in a frenzied race against time. Food insecurity is the new normal, explains YaleGlobal Editor Nayan Chanda in his regular column for Businessworld,...

How a One Drink Changed Fortunes, Incited Protests

Farok J. Contractor March 9, 2011
Tea, native to Asia, reached Europe in 1606, after Dutch traders sent a bulk tea shipment; within a century, the caffeinated drink became a popular beverage. Globalization’s pace was slower then, but the resulting prosperity and pain were still immense, explains Farok J. Contractor, professor of management and global business. He traces the course of tea’s globalization over the centuries: High...

Volatility in a Flash

Nayan Chanda March 2, 2011
Multinationals depend on intricate supply chains, with manufacturing plants based around the globe in locales offering low-cost labor and specialized skills, explains Nayan Chanda, YaleGlobal editor in his regular column for Businessworld. Chanda points out that “The success and failure of 21st century companies is increasingly determined by the efficiency of their supply chain management.”...

Europe Confronts Mediterranean Mayhem – Part I

Jean-Pierre Lehmann February 28, 2011
European leaders were cozy with dictators throughout the Middle East and North Africa for decades. Beginning in Tunisia, citizens have swiftly challenged authoritarian regimes in the region, threatening decades-old enforced stability with non-violent protests. This YaleGlobal series gauges European reactions to a crisis that threatens the continent’s borders, economy and stability. Europe...

Could ASEAN Drift Apart?

Geoff Wade February 25, 2011
The motto of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is “One Vision, One Identity, One Community.” But the economic powerhouse to the north – China – directs more attention to ASEAN’s mainland members in the Greater Mekong subregion than its maritime members. The subregion comprises of five member states: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand as well as the Chinese provinces of Yunnan and...

Libyan Arms Deals Come Back to Haunt Europe

David Böcking February 25, 2011
In Egypt, a military that refused to shoot fellow citizens made all the difference in overturning a regime that had held on to power for more than 30 years. But other rulers and military leaders – such as Libya’s – are less stricken by conscience. For more than a decade, Libya was subject to UN sanctions. Those were lifted in 2003, and Europe ended its arms embargo in 2004. Since then, the nation...

Brazil Takes a Second Look at China Ties

Sean Goforth February 23, 2011
Growing trade between Brazil and China is driven by China’s demand for Brazilian raw materials. China is Brazil’s biggest trade partner. Brazil may enjoy a large trade surplus, but the government increasingly recognizes that the relationship is imbalanced and not benefiting Brazilian ambitions. Exporting raw materials and importing manufactured goods challenges the Brazilian industrial sector,...