In The News

The Decline of the West, and How to Stop It

Javier Solana and Strobe Talbott October 25, 2016
Western democracy’s many achievements are in jeopardy as cooperation erodes at both the global and national levels, warn Javier Solana, former secretary general of NATO, and Strobe Talbott, president of the Brookings Institution. “A vital lesson of the modern era is that internationalism has stabilized the world, while lapses into bellicose nationalism have wreaked havoc,” the two write. Nations...

Death of Thai King Throws Country Into Turmoil

October 13, 2016
Thailand is among the world’s 30 largest economies, though political differences since 2001 have contributed to slowing growth. The Thai king has died, and the crown prince who has lived mostly outside the country with a lifestyle described as excessive is less popular. The constitutional monarchy made military coups easier, reports the Economist, and it’s “widely assumed that the succession...

A Strange American Election

Nayan Chanda October 10, 2016
The outcome of the US presidential race will influence world policies and markets, and the debates and many news reports command a global audience. Donald Trump, businessman and television celebrity, is running against Hillary Clinton, former US secretary of state and US senator. “Thanks to the unprecedented rise of an ignorant, blowhard reality TV star as one of the contestants, the world’s...

Analysis: How the Colombian Peace Deal Fell Apart

Alan Gomez October 3, 2016
After years of civil war, amid sentiments that Colombian leaders failed in addressing rural concerns, a rebel movement emerged in 1964. “People around the world were stunned when Colombians voted down a peace deal that could have ended a 52-year battle between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC,” reports Alan Gomez for USA Today. “The main reservation...

US Presidential Debate Stirs Worries in Asia

September 27, 2016
The outcome of the US presidential election could shift global fortunes, and the first debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump revealed sharp contrasts. “Mr. Trump has drawn attention for challenges to the Asia security and trade architecture that has girded U.S. alliances with Australia, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines for decades and more recently acted as a hedge against China’s...

The Growing Gap Between Town and Country

Ronald Brownstein September 26, 2016
The industrialized world is experiencing a growing divide between “diverse global cities” and the rural “places that feel left behind,” according to Ronald Brownstein of the Atlantic. Sadiq Khan, mayor of London and the first Muslim mayor of a major Western city, pointed this out during a visit to Chicago. Alongside Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Khan celebrated immigrants and increased opportunity...

China’s Non-Peaceful Rise Already in Play?

Harry J. Kazianis September 8, 2016
China is not content with being second place in economic or military prowess, and a divisive election in the United States may open a window of opportunity for Chinese moves toward hegemony, especially in the South China Sea, suggests Harry Kazianis, director of Defense Studies for the Center of the National Interest in Washington. News reports claimed that Beijing had dispatched vessels near...