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Indian Farmer Promotes “Magic Farming”

July 29, 2013
The notion of harvesting tons of crops from soil, water, a handful of seeds and fertilizer has a magic quality to it – and an Indian farmer in Bihar has used magic shows to convince other farmers to turn to organic methods. An NGO program on organic farming in 2001 convinced Shreekant Kushwaha that...

West Rises in China’s Back Yard

April 17, 2007
Social mobility in China means more comfortable and attractive homes, and developers move fast to build homes and offices with a Western aesthetic. In Beijing, small housing developments such as Venice Aquatic City and Thames Town are modeled after villages scattered throughout Europe. Many Chinese...

Ottoman Ghosts: Turkey in the Middle East

October 5, 2006
The Turkish Parliament’s decision to send troops to the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon is a milestone event, according to banker Matein Khalid. Since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, Turkey’s policies and politics have largely distanced the secularized country from the Arab...

Bush Sets Defense as Space Priority

October 18, 2006
The US might be the most powerful nation on the face of the earth, but much of that power depends on a vast array of satellites orbiting high above the planet. Now, President Bush has signed a new National Space Policy declaring that control of the interplanetary void is “as important to the...

Sands Shifting for Africa's Nomadic Herders

February 12, 2010
A recent study undertaken by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) found that African pastoralists produce goods more efficiently than their peers who practice “modern” farming techniques. For example, while cattle ranchers specialize solely in meat, pastoralists...

Headless Bodies and Other Immigration Tall Tales in Arizona

July 16, 2010
Immigration has been a major driver of US economic growth, but at a time of economic distress, it has emerged as a contentious issue. Recent attempts by politicians to exploit concerns over immigration by falsehood or exaggeration could have unintended consequences. Defending a new law targeting...

Academic Boycotts Alone Are of Little Use

July 20, 2007
The academic boycott of South Africa began in the mid-1960s as a move to eliminate apartheid. Over time, the boycott gathered momentum, but had limited success. Critics pointed out that the boycott stifled the flow of ideas and interaction, hurting the very people who were supposed to be helped by...

The World: Set Ways; Vive La Dolce Vita

April 25, 2006
With the accelerating convergence of ideas and commodities, the world has more jobs available. Yet, many Europeans prefer job security to risky endeavors and resist the process of globalization. Pundits expected recent elections to decide the direction for Europe, but voters are polarized. Close...
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