In The News

Turkish Novelist Orhan Pamuk Wins Nobel

Hillel Italie October 13, 2006
When the Nobel Committee in Stockholm announced its decision to honor Orhan Pamuk with the Prize for Literature on Thursday morning, outpourings of praise for the Turkish novelist and his moving, lyrical work came from all over the world. But one set of congratulations was notable for its absence: those of Pamuk’s own government. Turkey has been fighting Pamuk over the past years, indicting him...

Small Islands’ Migration Drama

Dominic Bailey September 28, 2006
Sunbathing tourists have discovered unexpected company on the beaches of the Canary Islands lately, as boatloads of West African migrants wash up on the shores of this Spanish possession just off the Moroccan coast. These migrants make the life-threatening crossing to flee political upheaval in regions like Senegal’s separatist Casamance province and to seek better lives in the schools and labor...

An Interview With Claus Frederiksen

September 26, 2006
The following is a transcript of Nayan Chanda's interview with Danish Minister for Employment Claus Frederiksen, conducted on September 13, 2006. The minister explains Denmark’s “flexicurity” policy, which gives employers flexibility in hiring and firing while offering ample job assistance and re-training to the unemployed. – YaleGlobal

Migrants Enrich Ever More Anxious Host

Stefan Wagstyl September 26, 2006
Economists argue that immigration is good for a country’s overall growth – even as some national leaders concede that controlling immigration is near impossible. But other analysts question the social costs of alienation of many Muslims or resentment from working-class Britons about high unemployment rates. Some anxiety also emerges about growth in and of itself, as populations swell and strain...

Alcohol Pickle

Adam Cohen September 25, 2006
The government of Finland has historically curbed alcohol through high taxes on the beverages. European Union law, however, permits individuals to carry alcohol throughout the bloc without restriction. Since the tax reductions, crime and alcohol-related illness have escalated in Finland, prompting the Finnish government, now holding the EU presidency, to propose higher alcohol taxes throughout...

US-Russia Effort to Contain Nuclear Experts Fades

Fred Weir September 22, 2006
Terrorists in search of weapons of mass destruction could turn to nuclear scientists for advice. The US and Russia established a joint program in 1998 providing opportunities for former Soviet scientists with nuclear secrets, and the program is set to expire. Ten Russian cities – once major Soviet sites for nuclear research and still home for 35,000 underemployed scientists – remain closed and...

Investing in Ethics: The Norwegian Model

Manfred Ertel September 15, 2006
As the world’s third largest oil exporter and a country that prides itself on promoting social justice, Norway has a pension fund of $250 billion, one of the largest in the world. Teams of ethicists investigate firms, when accusations emerge about exploited workers or environmental degradation, and offer advice. The fund, which earned more than 11 percent in 2005, influences corporations to...