In The News

Global Obama Versus Nationalist Europe

Daniel Williams April 25, 2016
US President Barack Obama is urging Europeans to stay united to better manage he increasing tally of cross-border challenges what author Daniel Williams calls “unbridled globalization.” Writing for TheWorldPost, he explains, “The fight is between the globalizers, of which Obama has emerged as a key spokesman, and nationalists, represented by a host of right-wing parties and populist politicians...

Islamic State Has Erased the Line Between Foreign and Domestic Policy

Nader Mousavizadeh April 25, 2016
The rise of the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, both as security threat and driver of desperate refugees, has erased the line between foreign and domestic policy for the United States and Europe, explains author Nader Mousavizadeh for Reuters. He argues that a crisis of confidence challenges traditional politics with “a corrupting gulf between the professed values of democracy and civil rights...

A Scheme to Encrypt the Entire Web Is Actually Working

Andy Greenberg April 21, 2016
The nonprofit Internet Security Research Group hopes to encrypt all internet websites with a program called Let’s Encrypt. The goal, according to the group’s founder, is 100 percent encryption for the internet, moving from http to https, reports Andy Greenberg for Wired. The program reduces surveillance, yet may also shield malicious sites. The short code is automated, easy to use and free, and...

Recruiting Students Overseas to Fill Seats, Not to Meet Standards

Stephanie Saul April 20, 2016
Responding to budget cuts from state legislatures, US public colleges increasingly rely on international students who pay higher tuition fees. Some universities rely on recruiting agencies to target international students, some of whom may be poorly prepared. Reporting for the New York Times, Stephanie Saul describes Western Kentucky University’s deal with Global Tree Overseas, paying commissions...

Obama's Cautious and Calibrated Approach to an Assertive China

Robert Sutter April 19, 2016
The world’s two largest economies are rivals that fare best when cooperating on their many shared interests, whether stemming climate change or nuclear proliferation. A key area of contention between the two powers is the South China Sea, and under Xi Jinping, China has been more aggressive in pursuing its broad claims. Robert Sutter, author and international affairs professor, describes the...

How to Save Brazil

Luiz Felipe d’Avila April 18, 2016
Brazil, among the world’s 10 largest economies and the fifth most populous, is in political and economic turmoil. The president has been impeached and the Brazilian Senate will decide whether to proceed with a trial. Populist policies and a drop in commodity prices led to debt that is 70 percent of GDP. Political leaders must act swiftly to restore public confidence and reduce corruption...

Corporations’ Flight to Low-Tax Countries Angers US

Farok J. Contractor April 12, 2016
US presidential candidates are responding to voters' ire over a complex tax code that shields the wealthiest from tax payments. Reports of corporate inversions – US firms relocating headquarters to take advantage of lower tax rates in countries like Ireland – highlight the negative consequences of globalization for voters already angry about entrenched income inequality, outsourcing and job...