Analyses
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Analysis on the unexpected relationship between the dollar’s international acceptability and the US military’s global presence. Since World War II, the US has provided two essential services to the rest of the world: an international currency and international military protection. Producing them was costly, both in terms of achieving dollar stability and undertaking military expenditures in many parts of the world. However, the benefits were far more important. Foreigners were prepared to hold more dollars than they actually needed and to forgo risk premiums even when the dollar weakened. The more the dollar was held abroad the more gains the US could collect, as the production...
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By Lana AsfourA review of the British Museum’s Hajj exhibition in London. The current ‘Hajj’ exhibition at the British Museum has been praised by Brian Sewell as ‘an exhibition of profound cultural importance’ and criticized by Mehdi Hasan as a ‘whitewash’. It is both, as it happens, though the former finally outweighs the latter. The whitewash accusation refers to the fact that there is no mention of the on-going destruction by Saudi Arabia (whose Abdul Aziz Public Library is the British Museum’s partner in hosting the exhibition) of important Muslim historical and cultural sites. Wahhabism, the puritanical form of Islam that dominates in Saudi Arabia,...
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By Kevjn LimAnalysis on the centrist party founded by Ariel Sharon, and its role in current Israeli politics. In Israel’s fractious politics, parties poised as ‘centrist’ have repeatedly proven themselves long on well-meaning rhetoric but short on survivability. Kadima, Ariel Sharon’s brainchild, broke part of the mold in 2006 by becoming the first and only such party to win a parliamentary majority and to lead a governing coalition. Yet, only three years later, it consigned itself to the opposition despite commanding the lead at the ballots for the second time straight. In late March, during Kadima’s primaries, Tehran-born former defense minister Shaul Mofaz ousted Tzipi...
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Queen Elizabeth II may be a valuable symbol for Britain, but as a Canadian figurehead she contributes little to the country’s identity. As a Canadian studying in Britain, I look forward to celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee this June. The House of Windsor deserves celebration as a unique British symbol. For Canada, however, the time has come to cut our ties with the House of Windsor. Our head of state should live in Canada. The Canadian head of state could be appointed by parliament, selected by the order of Canada, or elected by popular vote. Whichever of these methods, any Canadian citizen should be eligible to serve. There have been Canadians calling for abolishing the...
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Gregor Konzack interviewed Lamberto Zannier, Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), at the Munich Security Conference. Mr. Zannier speaks about the need for organisations like the OSCE, NATO-Russia relations and what needs to be done to solve protracting conflicts in the world. Q - Can the OSCE have a positive impact on NATO-Russia relations? You as Secretary General of the OSCE will definitely have a response to this comment by Natalia Burlinova. A - The Munich Security Conference is pointing to the need for the kind of activities the OSCE is doing. It is pointing to the fact that there is a need for building trust and fostering reconciliation...
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*[This article was originally published by Knowledge@Wharton on March 28, 2012]. Is the great 30-year bull market in bonds coming to an end? Yes, perhaps -- or maybe not: It depends on whom you ask and how flexible your timing is. While many people think of bonds as conservative holdings, they have produced stellar returns for decades, thanks to the taming of inflation and other factors. A basket of stocks would have returned a mere 19% from the start of 2000 through 2011, for example, while a basket of bonds would have returned about 113% through a combination of rising prices and interest earnings. But many experts say economic recovery could now reverse the process by driving interest...
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This is an edited and somewhat expanded version of my comments in the education panel of the Harvard India Conference 2012. The topic of discussion was "Education in India - Opportunities and Challenges in the Next Decade". We are considering what challenges and opportunities in education await India over the next decade. I would like to share with you three lenses I look at the question through — from the perspectives of the individual, the community, and technology. For me, the highest purpose of education for the individual is simply this: to cultivate attention -- the state of being where one can engage with the question at hand with clarity, care and affection, bringing...
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By NALSAR IVDebating is on the rise in schools across India, and Indian debaters have reason to be optimistic about the future. Among the many half-baked generalizations about Indians, there is one with which most would concur - their fondness for an argument. The picture of dinner-table discussions on politics and religion is a charming romanticization, but the tradition of Indian debate holds far greater significance. In the world’s largest and most diverse democracy, the search for consensus is long, hard, and fraught with ideological hostility. Agreeing to disagree is the most important accord we have. There are a variety of debating formats available in school and college. Most students...
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Beverly Schwartz writes an inspiring compendium on social entrepreneurship. As Marketing Director and Vice President of Ashoka, the institution that first named and pioneered the field of social entrepreneurship in 1980, Beverly Schwartz has played an instrumental role in improving our understanding of social entrepreneurship and the possibilities the field presents for the future. Social entrepreneurship is outlined in Ashoka’s mission statement as a bold and empowering alternative to relying on government intervention to affect social change. In the face of an untreated or seemingly entrenched social dilemma, social entrepreneurs devise a plan that allows citizens to take the task...
