In The News

In China, traditional musicians face the two-fold threat of florescent pop music and a gradual drying of government funding, both of which have led to a decrease in demand for their craft. "While most pop music groups take in extra income by playing at clubs and parties," writes Yilu Zhao, "some traditional music ensembles… sit idle for months on end." As a result, many...

From outward appearances, soccer epitomizes globalization by enjoying worldwide appeal and trading players internationally. The culture of soccer, however, refuses to homogenize across borders or even across towns. Instead, says this article in the New York Times, local soccer teams come to embody the specific nationalist or tribal emotions of their local fan bases. For example, over the last...

In a critical rejoinder to an article by Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, Masooda Bano chastise Musharraf for calling on all Muslims to "bow unquestioningly to US demands." The "apologetic mindset" Musharraf evidences is an insult to Muslims worldwide and overlooks the achievements and strengths of many Muslims. He accepts that Muslim groups are responsible for...