In The News

Spiegel Online: Eight Myths of Migration

Hein de Haas March 23, 2017
Migration continues to top political agendas, but a failure to understand the phenomenon will cause new problems. Fear of an “uncontrollable influx…. has fueled the rise of extreme nationalist parties,” explains Hein de Haas for Spiegel Online. The professor of sociology refutes myths of migration. Migration is circulatory; closed borders do not automatically lead to less migration and actually...

Nikkei Asian Review: Brexit Moment of Truth

Humphrey Hawksley March 22, 2017
Britain will give formal notice March 29 on exiting the European Union. “Britain has suddenly become a place of uncertainty for investors – from Asia and the rest of the world,” explains Humphrey Hawksley for Nikkei Asian Review. “Already, thousands of Asian companies that are integral to the British economy are slowing or reversing expansion plans.” Hawksley points that the UK’s share of the...

Spiegel Online: Dutch Election Slows Europe's Populists

Claus Hecking March 21, 2017
Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his center-right political party, the VVD, won the Dutch general election. Rutte has held the position since 2010, but faced a strong challenge from the far-right populist Geert Wilders. Wilders’ calls for nationalist policies and a “Nexit” from the European Union were at odds with the Netherlands’ global position as a leading exporter, Claus Hecking posits for...

The Telegraph: US Makes Formal Apology to Britain After White House Accuses GCHQ of Wiretapping Trump Tower

Steven Swinford March 17, 2017
The United States issued a formal apology to Great Britain after the White House press secretary repeated a Fox News source suggesting that former US President Barack Obama spied on Trump Tower with the help of British intelligence. GCHQ described the allegations as “nonsense” and “utterly ridiculous.” The diplomatic uproar came on the same day that the Trump administration released a proposed...

The Spectator: Theresa May Fights a War on Two Fronts - Any Mistakes Could Be Fatal

James Forsyth March 16, 2017
British voters approved leaving the European Union, by a margin of 52 to 48 percent. More than 55 percent of voters in Northern Ireland and 62 percent in Scotland voted to remain. British Prime Minister Theresa May will trigger Article 50 and the two-year process for EU exit soon. Actual costs and institutions to handle trade, travel, immigration and regulatory details are yet unknown. May must...

Reuters: EU Headscarf Ban Ruling Sparks Faith Group Backlash

Alastair Macdonald March 14, 2017
Companies have great control over the appearance of their employees, and the EU’s Court of Justice has ruled that employers can ban religious and political symbols if “in pursuit of legitimate business interests” and if “a broad dress code for all customer-facing staff” is applied “to project an image of political and religious neutrality,” reports Alastair Macdonald for Reuters. The court...

Independent: European Parliament Votes to End Visa-Free Travel for Americans

Jon Sharman March 6, 2017
The European Union expects consistent treatment by other nations for citizens of its member states. The European Parliament voted to end visa-free travel for Americans within the EU, after the United States “failed to agree to visa-free travel for citizens of five EU countries – Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania – as part of a reciprocity agreement.” The United States, Australia,...