In The News

Bush Seeks New Push to Curb N-Weapons

Edward Alden February 12, 2004
To stem the spread of nuclear weapons, President Bush proposes a ban on all sales of civilian nuclear enrichment technology. Under his new plan, nuclear countries would provide fuel only to those countries that renounce enrichment. Recognizing that this could fundamentally change the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, Bush is seeking to make changes through the Nuclear Suppliers Group, a 40-nation...

The Strategic Straitjacket of Globalization

Banning Garrett February 11, 2004
Unlike during the Cold war, when competition was only between the US and the Soviet Union, today all globalizing nations are competitors. However, writes Banning Garrett, Director of Asia Programs at the Atlantic Council, these competing nations are also partners in today's globalizing economy, which is growing increasingly interconnected and interdependent. These new conditions of...

The Long Arm of the US Workplace

Patti Waldmeir February 8, 2004
Along with jobs, "is America also exporting its notion of what constitutes fairness in the workplace," asks the author of this Financial Times article. Whereas only a few years ago, sexual harassment litigations were unique to the American workplace, such cases are more and more common in other countries as well. Even American companies operating in countries without sexual harassment...

At Least 7 Nations Tied To Pakistani Nuclear Ring

Peter Slevin February 7, 2004
US and Pakistani intelligence officials recently denounced the founder of Pakistan's nuclear program Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan for illegally trading nuclear technology to other nations. After Dr. Khan's confession, officials now find themselves confronted with the terrible realizations this new information. Dr. Khan's network to sell nuclear materials seems to have extended to, at...

Voices of Mumbai

Ian Douglas February 6, 2004
Since the World Social Forum (WSF) began four years ago it has sought to address the myriad issues which the World Economic Forum fails to take into account. Concerns encompass the negative effects of globalization, human rights, environmental degradation, international peace, disenfranchisement, and international law. With such a range of issues, a consensus as to what is most pressing is...

Job Description for the Next Pope

R. Scott Appleby February 3, 2004
Historian R. Scott Appleby believes the Catholic Church must ensure the next Pope fulfills a broad range of qualifications, not least of which is the ability to redefine the Church's understanding of current issues. Specifically, three challenges will confront the next Pope, and indeed the Catholic Church. Increased secularization, "indifferent or hostile to religious faith,"...

Immigrants Shouldn't Act like Dracula's 'Undead'

Sunanda K. Datta-Ray February 3, 2004
In a provocative essay, Sunanda K. Datta-Ray, a researcher at the Institute of South-east Asian Studies, argues that the sympathetic worldwide response to the proposed French ban on religious symbols in schools highlights the development of the "globalization of protest" and social movements. Improved communications and the rapid flow of ideas, ideologies and people across national...