In The News

"Copywood" No Longer

Christina Klein October 11, 2004
Shaking Hollywood's previous stranglehold, the South Korean film industry has evolved to become one of the world's most successful examples of domestic cinema. Media scholar Christina Klein charts the rise of Korean film as a unique response to specific political, economic, and social circumstances. Boasting qualities that are at once evocative of Western styles and yet unique to...

Lack of Arabic Speakers is a Crack in US Security

Daniel Sneider October 5, 2004
The growing realities of world geopolitics have given non-traditional languages an elevated profile in the US-waged war on terrorism. The recent revelation that over 123,000 hours of FBI-collected audiotapes of terrorist "chatter" had been left untranslated has further sparked a movement toward developing competent translation and cultural agents. The US Army's Defense Language...

A Graphic Film of Protest, and Cries of Blasphemy

Marlise Simons September 27, 2004
The assimilation of Europe's many millions of Muslim immigrants dominates public discourse in the continent today. Many critics of Islam see Muslims as carrying a set of values at odds with the European identity, calling for internal reform within Muslim communities. Even some Muslims also approach the contentious issue from this angle. Ayaan Hirsa Ali, a Somalian-born refugee, now a member...

Al Azhar to Offer Courses in Thailand

Don Pathan September 23, 2004
In an effort to provide affordable education to Thai Muslims, the renowned Al Azhar Islamic Research Academy will begin to offer classes in Thailand. Instead of traveling overseas for Islamic education, aspiring students will have a viable domestic option and, it is hoped, will be less likely to join militant groups overseas. Though officials claim that the educational endeavor is not a direct...

Of Do-Gooder Celebrities and Stereotyped Bleak Image

S. N. M. Abdi September 16, 2004
Many people would be thrilled by a visit from pop star Ricky Martin. This is not necessarily the case in Calcutta (Kolkata), India. Western superstars, such as Martin, periodically travel to the city for charity-related sojourns. Many Indians suggest that despite the stars' good intentions, the media hype surrounding their visits dramatizes the city's stereotypically bleak image....

Turban Chaos

Ranvir Nayar September 14, 2004
France’s 5,000 to 25,000-strong Sikh population joins French Muslims in protesting the controversial Law of Secularism, which bans the wearing of religious symbols in public schools. Upon returning to school campuses, Sikh students wearing turbans were denied access, despite previous assurances from French authorities that they would be the exception to the rule. Defiant parents are preparing to...

Purity of Chinese Language Debated

September 13, 2004
Since China has opened its economic gates to the rest of the world, a wave of foreign words, ranging from yinqing (engine) to maidanglao (McDonalds) has flooded into its vernacular. While some linguists praise the development as evidence of Chinese vitality and openness, others fear the language is losing its purity. A solution, some propose, would be to enforce the National Language Law of the...