Since the fall of the Soviet Union as a counter superpower, the United States has found itself in the singular position of global super power – which has also come with its own contradictions. This op-ed article from the New York Times argues that while the Bush administration has been good at...
Click here for the original article on The New York Times website.
Donald Trump does not tolerate criticism of his policies, wrongly equating support for him and his policies with love of country. On Twitter, he challenged four Democratic congresswomen who have lambasted the administration’s immigration policies, including overcrowded detention camps and...
In the Middle Ages, spices were valued commodities, but not, as most people assume, for their ability to preserve meat. Rather, it was because medieval cuisine placed a premium on a variety of flavors. Spices were also thought to have medicinal properties, adding to their allure. These are only...
Workers harvest pepper near Quilon, south India in the 14th century: The desire for flavor fueled building of empires. (Source: Marco Polo's Livre des merveilles)
The control over gold, silver, precious metals and recently oil has been a source of...
Out-of-wedlock childbirths have become more common worldwide since the 1960s, but with wide variations among and within countries. Inreasing economic independence and education combined with modern birth control methods have given women more control over family planning. In about 25 countries,...
Shifting culture: Women's increasing economic independence contributes to more children born outside of marriage, though acceptance varies widely among countries; throughout much of Latin America, out-of-wedlock births are the norm, left, but some...
Singapore, known for its restrictive rules and regulations, has allowed more political discourse on the rough-and-tumble internet. Observers, particularly in China, may not be encouraged by the drastically reduced margin of victory for the ruling party in the parliamentary elections that followed....
Click here for the article in The New York Times.
Saudi Arabia and Iran, locked in a bitter rivalry, seek to influence the Middle East with little reason but their own supremacy. Author Dilip Hiro, based on his own travels and experiences as a journalist, describes a history of troubled relations and power machinations. In her review of Cold War...
Saudi Arabia and Iran, despite a shared belief in the Prophet Muhammad as Islam’s founder, are riven by futile religious competition and vehement disagreements. Such disagreements should not matter for normal routines of trade, development or...
The United States is polarized and so are members of its major political parties, especially on foreign policy. Results of a Pew Research Study released today suggest that isolationist tendencies are tempered by recognition for the practical need for international engagement. “Wariness of...
Ambivalent America: US public opinion favors US role in NATO, top, but also prefers leaders to focus on domestic issues rather than seek to resolve foreign problems; US soldiers building a school in Las Marias, El Salvador
WASHINGTON: As Americans...
Political parties that pander to nationalism and spread xenophobia threaten Asia’s economic and social renaissance. For example, Japanese politicians insist on making pilgrimages to war shrines, refusing to admit any remorse for atrocities committed during World War II. Countries, including China...
With China and South Korea expressing anger after the visit Tuesday by Japan's prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi, to the Yasukuni war shrine, it will be tempting for the rest of the world to draw a simplistic message. A...
