In The News

Immigration, Populations, Climate Change, Ideologies

J. Russell Tyldesley July 6, 2007
Conflict over immigration, economic growth, climate change, territorial claims, limited energy or water supplies all increase as the world grows more crowded. Such conflicts would be easier to resolve if population growth slowed, argues J. Russell Tyldesley. The world’s population now stands at more than 6.5 billion, as compared with 1.5 billion in 1900, 2.5 billion in 1950, with more than 9...

Doctors Who Kill

Regina Dwyer July 6, 2007
As reports emerge about physicians accused of planting and setting car bombs in the UK, the world grapples for reasons why. Doctors are only human, writes Regina Dwyer, a retired physician, in an essay for the International Herald Tribune. She suggests that a physician intent on terrorism could find rationalizations with the concept of triage, comfort with death and even the situational nature of...

Fast, Freewheeling Globalization for All

Susan Froetschel July 5, 2007
Any attempts to analyze globalization must wrestle with its heady speed. Daniel Altman’s latest book, Connected: 24 Hours in the Global Economy, is one such effort. Altman, who also writes a column on managing globalization for the International Herald Tribune, uses a sample of events from a single day – June 15, 2005 – to analyze all manner of economic connections. He suggests that every person...

At IBM, A Smarter Way to Outsource

Steve Lohr July 5, 2007
As information-technology jobs are outsourced, companies like IBM adapt by doing more complicated and personalized jobs for clients. In the process, the IBM team determines exactly what should and shouldn't be outsourced. For example, IBM works with a Texas utility company, CenterPoint Energy, on a “smart grid” project to improve service and save energy. IBM divides the tasks into those...

The Next Globalization Backlash

Sebastian Mallaby July 3, 2007
Globally, with national reserves growing, countries move spare cash into sovereign wealth funds. Oil-rich countries, such as Russia and Nigeria, have experienced high growth rates, and it is unlikely that hydrocarbon prices will fall anytime soon. A global trade imbalance also spurs the funds’ growth. East Asian countries, such as China and Japan, have accumulated large sums, while the US...

The Rising and Falling Power of Hydrocarbon States

Dilip Hiro July 3, 2007
The global economy runs on oil. Unequal distribution of oil throughout the world bestows power on the few states with ample supplies. Venezuela is one example of a nation that uses oil as leverage in foreign affairs: Besides consolidating his popular base at home, President Hugo Chavez has helped debt-ridden countries in that region, openly mocks the US and signed an arms-procurement deal with...

Europe/Plan B – For a Carbon-Free Economy Independent of Arabic Oil, Russian Gas or Chinese Coal

Juraj Mesik July 2, 2007
Demanding more studies on climate change and delaying are easy. Action to reduce dependence on nonrenewable energy sources requires leadership. “Our task is hard – our task is unprecedented – and the time is short…. Speed will count. Lost ground can always be regained – lost time, never. Speed will save lives… speed will save our freedom and our civilization.” The 1942 State of the Union speech...