In The News

Power of New Nationalism

Nayan Chanda February 21, 2011
Emphasizing invented enemies, tyrannical leaders argue that only they can protect their nation, sometimes with brutal methods. Yet such tactics weaken the sense of nationhood when citizens have to cower in fear, doubting their own worth. Informed by satellite television or social media sites and emboldened by new perspectives and exchanges, youths in growing numbers challenge the entrenched...

Revolution 2.0: Democracy Promotion in the Age of Social Media

Mark Sedra February 18, 2011
New communication technologies from the printing press to Facebook and Twitter don’t cause revolutions alone, argues Mark Sedra in an essay for the Globe and Mail. But fast means for distributing criticism and making plans can spur activism, particularly in promoting democracy. Social networking has emerged as the Web communication “medium of choice in the developing world, with those who are...

Bahrain Security Forces Accused of Deliberately Recruiting Foreign Nationals

Ian Black February 17, 2011
Military, police and security forces are all that stand between citizens who yearn for greater rights and regimes who impose autocratic control. Egyptians managed to convince their president to walk away from power after the military refused to fire on non-violent protesters. Protesters demand similar reforms in Bahrain. But the Al Khalifa regime has recruited security details – specifically...

Eighteen Days That Shook the Middle East – Part II

Rami G. Khouri February 16, 2011
Governments that avoid rigid ideological rules for their citizens and allow new ideas to flourish can wield great influence. This two-part YaleGlobal series suggests that Egypt, the largest of Arab nations, transformed by the uprising, will in turn transform governments and politics throughout the Middle East. By embarking on a wave of democratization, Egypt could reclaim its historic role as the...

Eighteen Days That Shook the Middle East – Part I

Dilip Hiro February 14, 2011
Protesters in Tunisia and Egypt accomplished much – shaking off fears of security forces, speaking out against corrupt systems and toppling authoritarian leaders. But revolution is far from complete, reminds author Dilip Hiro. By definition, representative government for Egypt requires inclusion of the Muslim Brotherhood. That group – started in 1928 by a teacher and a few workers in British...

China Cocks Its Ear to Arab Freedom Cry

Peter Hartcher February 14, 2011
Measured by market-exchange rates, China’s economy is about 40 percent the size of the US economy. Measured by purchasing power, China is the world’s largest economy, writes Peter Hartcher for the Sydney Morning Herald. The nation’s products, services and labor are comparably inexpensive, often due to great sacrifices of the Chinese people. The government uses an iron hand to keep opposition...

Analysis: Fallout From Egypt Being Felt in Region

Brian Murphy February 11, 2011
Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak has resigned after 18 days of mounting nonviolent protests, followed by mass labor strikes, stalling an economy that benefited but only a few. The protests – persistent, self-policed, nonviolent, largely leaderless – orchestrated a homegrown revolution. The Egyptian military, trained and partly funded by the US, has taken control of the government; Egyptians...