In The News

Westward Ho: Asians March Into Africa – Part II

Loro Horta March 18, 2011
In terms of natural resources, Africa is one of the richest continents, luring explorers, colonists and investors since the 15th century. Emerging economies, foreign-aid agencies, energy and mining corporations continue that quest today. This two-part YaleGlobal series examines the implications of these engagements for sustainability and sovereignty of the African nations. Mozambique, though not...

Westward Ho: Asians March Into Africa – Part I

Johan Lagerkvist March 16, 2011
New trade routes are taking hold, linking Africa’s rich resources with the industrial needs in Asia and South America, and this two-part YaleGlobal series analyzes the emerging economic, political and security partnerships. The 2008 global economic crisis and slow recovery for the US and Europe have only reinforced the South-South partnerships, shifting trade relations and fueling economic growth...

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,...

Heat Damages Colombia Coffee, Raising Prices

Elisabeth Rosenthal March 10, 2011
Is global warming now making your cup of coffee more expensive? Rising temperatures, heavy rains and fungus are certainly reducing coffee yields throughout Latin America, reports Elisabeth Rosenthal for the New York Times. The reduced yields coincide with attempts in Colombia to establish brand certification based on flavor and origin. Some commodity analysts suggest that the nation has hit a “...

Degrees and Dollars

Paul Krugman March 8, 2011
The message is bleak: Education does not automatically lead to jobs, suggests Paul Krugman, New York Times columnist. To maximize profits, corporate executives steadily relocate factories to nations with low-cost workers or try fast-improving technology for tasks performed by well-paid, educated workers. Advanced technology and fast-growing productivity continue to reduce jobs, the economist...

India Needs a Sputnik Moment

David J. Karl March 4, 2011
Competition is a great motivating force for individuals and nations. In the global battle to innovate, the preferred weapon of choice is education. Warning his nation that India and China produce more engineers and scientists, US President Barack Obama calls for a Sputnik moment, harkening back to the 1950s when the Soviet satellite launch spurred new investments in education and technology. But...

The Experience Economy

David Brooks February 24, 2011
Consumers snap up the latest in electronic devices and regularly use sites like Facebook or Twitter. But such new inventions contribute a fraction of direct jobs produced by the automobile industry, notes David Brooks in his column for the New York Times. Brooks quotes Tyler Cowen’s e-book, “The Great Stagnation,” in suggesting that the US had a history of strong economic growth because of easy “...