In The News

Alienated Muslim Youth Seek Purpose, Thrills in Joining Jihad

Joji Sakurai February 19, 2015
Adolescents grapple to find an identity during a stage of human development described by psychologist Erik Erikson. Those who don’t succeed in feeling good about their role in society blame others and may hold a grudge against their community. They also make ideal targets for recruiters of criminal and extremist groups. “Religious fervor rarely has much to do with what draws people to join such...

What Germany Owes Ukraine

James Kirchick February 16, 2015
Foreign Policy Initiative Fellow James Kirchick blasts the depiction of Angela Merkel as Europe’s “Iron Lady” as she orchestrates diplomacy with Russia over aggression in Ukraine while emphasizing military confrontation is not an option. Kirchick assesses Putin’s strategy: “He intends to punish Ukraine for ousting its pro-Russian leader” through “a semi-permanent condition of low-intensity armed...

New Ceasefire Points Toward Frozen Conflict in Ukraine

David R. Cameron February 12, 2015
A ceasefire in the fighting for eastern Ukraine was announced after leaders of Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine met in Minsk. But a ceasefire alone may not produce a comprehensive settlement or an enduring peace, warns David R. Cameron, professor of political science at Yale University. “That requires resolution of the underlying, and possibly intractable, dispute over the constitutional form...

Social Media Becomes Lifeline for Civilians Under Fire in Ukraine

Paul Sonne February 9, 2015
Anecdotal reports emerge of Ukrainians relying on social media to avoid skirmishes or track down missing relatives. Images and videos also document the conflict. “In the midst of the latest violence, online social-networking groups dedicated to specific towns in eastern Ukraine are offering some of the most vivid, real-time glimpses into the conflict’s crushing impact on civilians,” reports Paul...

Economic Interests Attract China to Russia

Wang Yiwei February 3, 2015
With its invasion of Crimea and intervention in eastern Ukraine, Russia invited condemnation and sanctions from the West and had little choice but to tighten ties with China. Stronger Sino-Russian relations prompt some analysts to compare China and Russia. “China should take such questions and comparisons seriously – making it clear through public diplomacy that the country is not like Russia,”...

Germany’s Nationalist Movement Rides on a Wave of Islamophobia

Frank Griffel January 29, 2015
Nationalists in Germany are making Islamophobia a scapegoat for troubles, with protests in Dresden and support spreading throughout the country. Political, business and cultural leaders are determined to block parties with xenophobic rhetoric, explains Frank Griffel, professor of religious studies at Yale University. Adolf Hitler published Mein Kampf in 1925, exposing his ideology and anti-...

European Union Tries Rebooting the Economy

Joergen Oerstroem Moeller January 27, 2015
The European Central Bank announced dramatic expansion of its monetary stimulus plan to purchase asset-backed securities and bonds through September 2016 for a total of at least €1 trillion On the surface, the move has similarities to US stimulus measures in play since late 2008, with the US Federal Reserve purchasing billions of dollars in mortgage-backed securities, bank debt and treasury notes...