YaleGlobal Online

Smoke and Mirrors: An Experience of China

In the many comparisons about Asia’s two most populous nations, India is often categorized as an unruly democracy and China as a rigid economic powerhouse. But the contributions and challenges for both nations remain rich, subtle and unfolding, reminds Pallavi Aiyar, correspondent for the “Hindu” group of publications. In her book, “Smoke and Mirrors: An Experience of China,” Aiyar describes her curiosity and process of exploring China by getting to know people in all walks of life.

Descent Into Chaos: The United States and the Failure of Nation Building in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia

Poverty, with no opportunity for work or education, leads to a desperation that can be exploited by extremists. Ahmed Rashid, journalist and author, reviews how the US invaded Afghanistan in 2001 and allied with Pakistan, but seven years later, neither nation of Central Asia enjoys economic or political stability. By emphasizing a military approach, the US and Pakistan expanded the influence of extremists, creating a chaotic environment, where strategies for terror unfold and pose dangers for the region and globe.

The China Price: The True Cost of Chinese Competitive Advantage

Shoppers, manufacturers, workers and public officials are increasingly discomforted, even feeling guilt, by what has become known as the “China price” - the lowest price possible. Low prices carry the cost of environmental degradation, human-rights violations, health hazards and misery, argues Alexandra Harney in her book, “The China Price: The True Cost of Chinese Competitive Advantage.” Large multinational firms impose standards, overlooking falsified reports from managers and suppliers.

Hot, Flat and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution and How It Can Renew America

Economic growth, speeded by globalization and demanding populations, is slowly destroying the planet as we know it. Every minute, yet another species vanishes, reducing the earth’s biodiversity and untapped potential of rich plant and animal resources. In his book “Hot, Flat and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution and How It Can Renew America,” Thomas Friedman makes a passionate argument to recognize what is being lost and to establish a new conservation ethic to reverse some dangerous trends.

Dancing in Shadows: Sihanouk, the Khmer Rouge, and the United Nations in Cambodia (Asian Voices, a Subseries of Asian/Pacific Perspectives)

After years of war and atrocities in Cambodia, a peace agreement was signed in France in 1991, providing UN authority to share power with an array of factions over the troubled nation. The following year, Benny Widyono arrived as member of a UN team to pick up the pieces for a country that had long been a pawn in major power struggle for Southeast Asia.

The Long Revolution: The Birth and Growth of India's IT Industry

In a few short decades, India transformed itself from a poor nation offering cheap labor to a technological powerhouse. In his book, “The Long Revolution: The Birth and Growth of India’s IT Industry,” science editor Dinesh C. Sharma details the history. This chapter describes how software talent developed after foreign firms established roots and Indian engineers quickly adapted to a fast-changing business environment. Talent and fast-changing market conditions spurred trade and innovation.