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Citizenship of Convenience

March 5, 2013
Lifting restrictions on travel visas is supposed to spur tourism. Yet a few citizens do quick cost-benefit checks of other nations’ laws, then hop on planes, relocating for benefits: With the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution providing citizenship to those born in the United States, thousands...

What's Wrong With Globalization?

August 30, 2006
Globalization has boosted world productivity, reducing obstacles in selling goods and services. Yet the forces of production are varied and can be confused: One component includes objects, including energy or land, that undergo transformation in the production process; a second is the tools of...

Global Economy Dodges Bullets, But Stuck in Mud

November 26, 2019
The world economy slows, yet by sustaining steady economic growth the US economy has avoided recession. But the global economy can anticipate sluggish growth due to China-US trade tensions, slow business investment despite downward pressure on interest rates, fears about retirement and social...

Making “One Country, Two Systems” Work

August 6, 2019
Massive protests have paralyzed Hong Kong, and resolution could be tested as the summer comes to a close and China ponders how to respond and exercise control. The protests began with one demand, withdrawing an extradition bill that would allow Hong Kong people to be sent to China for trials. The...

China and the US Court Africa

August 1, 2013
Within two weeks of assuming power, China’s President Xi Jinping, visited Africa. US President Barack Obama’s recent visit, widely seen as an attempt to counter China’s growing influence on the continent. Many speculate on which power will prevail in what could be described as an African version of...

Scandal Erodes China’s Soft Power

May 4, 2012
China invests billions on Confucius Institutes and CCTV broadcasts to spread Chinese language, culture and perspectives on world news. But China’s harsh authoritarian rule, exposed by a few incidents or individuals attracting global attention, can undermine efforts to build soft power through a...

India’s Migrant Labor Pains

June 9, 2020
To contain the spread of Covid-19, India’s prime minister announced a lockdown for 1.3 billion people as of March 25 with four-hour notice. For millions in India’s cities and towns, jobs vanished overnight, along with access to shelter and food. “The pandemic exposed precarious living conditions...

Historical Reckoning in Korea?

July 26, 2018
With the end of the Second World War and Japan’s defeat, the Soviet Union and the United States divided and occupied Korea. The Korean War soon followed, from 1950 to 1953. This year marks the 65th anniversary of the signing of the Korean armistice agreement, the longest ceasefire in existence...
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