In The News

Virus Outbreak Tests EU: New York Times

Steven Erlanger March 19, 2020
The abrupt coronavirus outbreak poses a tough test for the EU’s solidarity and democracy as well as its US alliance. Italy, where the outbreak is most severe, asked for aid from fellow EU members without success. Germany and France restricted the export of healthcare goods while Austria and the Czech Republic banned travelers from Italy. On the other hand, China immediately sent medical experts...

To Hell With the Truth: Folha

Flavia Lima February 19, 2020
WhatsApp and other social media platforms increasingly influence public perceptions during election campaigns. A parliamentary committee in Brazil is examining the spread of misinformation on social media and finds disturbing trends, including a tendency for confirmation bias. A data analysis firm demonstrated how some Brazilian officials support misinformation on official social media accounts,...

Questions for a New Era of Business: Fortune

James Manyika and Lareina Yee December 24, 2019
A new era of business, much like the industrial revolution or the internet boom, is underway. Companies that recognize the trends including aging populations, new technologies, growing economies, improved health and increased influence of developing economies will flourish. Challenges include inequality, stagnant incomes, populism, climate change, rivalries that disrupt trade and concentration of...

Build Better Globalization: Harvard Business Review

Kimberly Clausing December 20, 2019
People in advanced economies, worried by inequality and stagnant wages, are turning against globalization. But embracing nationalism, and blaming immigration and trade, may not help. Quick fixes could do more harm than good. Kimberly Clausing, author and economist, urges reviewing policies to support workers and communities and reform taxes to share the gains of economic growth. She also urges...

Europe Divided Again: Wall Street Journal

Bojan Pancevski November 17, 2019
Three decades after the Berlin Wall fell, political divisions are again rising between East and West Europe, reports the Wall Street Journal. “Despite the economic success of German reunification and the triumph of democracy across Eastern Europe, the two regions are drifting apart again in a clash of values that is threatening the cohesion of the Western alliance and the European Union,” the...

Mainstreaming of Corruption: Project Syndicate

Sławomir Sierakowski September 30, 2019
Power is lucrative and intoxicating, and some politicians will use any means necessary to remain in office and ruin democratic checks. Special interests, lobbying interests and extremists tend to support nepotism, self-dealing, patronage, misuse of public resources, graft and bending rules, reinforcing a downward cycle of corruption and public cynicism. “In many countries, even supporters of anti...

Myth of Unified World Populism: Financial Times

Janan Ganesh September 12, 2019
The world has many populists in power in prominent nations – the US, India, the UK, Brazil, Turkey and the Philippines, to name a few – raising fears of global movement as envisioned by Steve Bannon, a former advisor to Donald Trump. Janan Ganesh expresses doubt that the populists have such capability. Populists thrive on enemies. Once in power, they struggle to take responsibility. Most simply...