In The News

Arab Satellite Television and Democracy in the Arab World

S. Abdallah Schleifer May 13, 2005
The history of televised news in the Middle East is a checkered yet fascinating one, writes S. Abdallah Schleifer of the Foreign Policy Research Institute. Early news broadcasts relied upon a simple regurgitation of state activity – presidents giving prepared speeches, inaugurating some new public work, or returning from a trip abroad – providing little analysis or variety. Stock footage paired...

Double Vision in Beirut

Frances Z. Brown May 12, 2005
In the three months since the assassination of Lebanon's former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, the Middle Eastern country has seen a remarkable transformation. Large-scale and tenacious street protests resulted in the resignation of the incumbent pro-Syrian prime minister. As Western powers acclaim the "Cedar Revolution" – named after the emblem adorning the Lebanese flag, and...

Spain Grants Amnesty to 700,000 Migrants

Giles Tremlett May 11, 2005
Going against the grain of regional ideology, Spain this week granted political amnesty to nearly 700,000 illegal immigrants living in the country. This is the latest in several blanket amnesties since 1990. During a three-month period in which illegal workers and their employers could file for the necessary papers, thousands of immigrants, from Latin America and around Europe came out from...

Inglish as She's Spoke

Gurcharan Das May 3, 2005
The worldwide spread of English has seen a rise in colloquially "blended languages," from Franglais (French and English) to Spanglish (Spanish and English) to Taglish (Tagalog and English), and so on. This Outlook India piece suggests a new addition: Inglish (Hindi and English). As the author writes, English is the ticket to a good job and middle class status in India. It unites...

India's IT Prodigals Return Home

Harsh Kabra May 2, 2005
"Brain gain" is booming in India as highly-skilled expatriates are returning home. A recent mini-migration of some 25,000 engineers, software designers, managers, and other professionals has taken place between the United States and India in the past four years. The numbers are still growing. The decision to uproot after decade or more of life in the US is motivated by a new land of...

Don't Tell Liz, but the Sari's So Out

Amelia Gentleman April 29, 2005
When British actress Elizabeth Hurley donned a sari recently in New York, she unknowingly committed a fashion faux-pas: The sari is the last generation's fashion. India's growing urban elite is fast abandoning the national dress for more comfortable clothing, like jeans. "It requires a lot of maintenance," says Hindol Sengupta, author of Indian Fashion. "Modern women don...

Nationalism Pits Shanghai Against its Global Ambition

James Farrer April 29, 2005
As China's center for foreign investment and cosmopolitan culture, Shanghai provides an intriguing case study on the intersection of globalism and nationalism, writes James Farrer. During the recent wave of anti-Japanese protests, demonstrators' voices alternated between an intensely nationalist rhetoric and a more subdued, moderate internationalism. And as for government reaction to...