"The new strategy for economic growth in poor countries should not, as today, focus on increasing exports and liberalizing international trade, but should foster internal demand through job creation and pay raises resulting from a social bottom line." –from Global Development, by Frans Doorman, 1998

In the hours following Michael Jackson’s death, people around the globe shared common pain, resuscitated old vinyl records stored in their basements and stayed up later than usual watching 1980s VHS or Youtube videos of Thriller and Billy Jean. Michael Jackson was adored by a wide spectrum of global

Since the 1970s, France has been evolving into a culturally and ethnically diverse country, though this has gone largely unnoticed. Yet throughout this process, entire populations on the margins of the privileged circles have been left out of the country’s economic progress, and in the 1980s and 199

According to a poll recently conducted by the University of Maryland and Zogby International, Germany’s popularity is on the rise in the Arab world. The poll revealed that large segments of Arab society approve of Germany’s potentially greater role in world politics. Twenty-three percent of Arabs in

Think Lucknow and the mention to the city of nawabs will be incomplete sans mention of Khushbir Singh Shaad, Lucknow’s very own local shayar (poet).
Known for his six book s on poetry complete with brilliant thought provoking muse penned both in Hindi and Urdu, Shaad has also penned verses for

It is heartening to note that the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD), under the able guidance of Sri. Kapil Sibal, wishes to overhaul the education system in the country. It envisages replacing marks with grades (already been done by some Boards), having a ‘one nation -one board principle

On the international day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking, drug users gathered outside Shastri Bhavan (New Delhi, India), to reject “sham” programmes for addiction and demand meaningful involvement in policies. Protesting torture and cruelty in de-addiction centres, drug users called upon

The day before November's US presidential election, I was checking my bags in at the San Francisco airport. I handed my driver's license to the woman behind the counter and told her my name. When she looked at me, I could tell there was confusion and apprehension behind her mask of polite profession

I find it difficult to know and understand what's really going on in Iran. Every time I log on to the internet and go to reputable news sites, Iran is making headlines.
But I am still confused and ignorant about whether the election results are legitimate or not, and whether the majority of Irania

This Sunday was as good as they get. It started with my morning paper – usually a distressing experience but, today in the weekend section, I saw pictures of people at two different events wearing the green ribbons that I had designed as an expression of support for our troops and our nation.
Thes

Umarkot, the birthplace of Moghul Emperor Akbar and a city of large Hindu population, is one of the few towns in Pakistan where religious festivals such as Holi and Diwali are celebrated by both Hindus and Muslims. Holi and Diwali are considered to be a particularly Hindi festival. However both Hind

It sees itself as one of the Middle East's most liberal countries, but Lebanon's lack of female politicians sticks out like a sore thumb. While Lebanese women today enjoy senior positions in the private sector, political appointments have all but eluded them.
Lebanese women were granted suffrage i

At my mosque, like almost all mosques across the country, women pray upstairs or at the back of the prayer hall. Watching elderly and pregnant women, often with young children attached at the hip, painstakingly traverse the back entrance and hike up concrete stairs evokes a cognitive dissonance with

France currently has the largest Muslim community in Europe with approximately five million people (i.e., about eight percent of the total population), most of whom hold French nationality. This sociological and demographic fact has raised many questions regarding the level of integration or exclusi

Shakespeare said, ‘as butterflies to the wanton boys are we to gods, they kill us for their sport.’ The plight of the economy and its remnants speak volumes about economic drone attack albeit executed inadvertently as far as consequences are concerned. The gods, the wanton boys are vainglorious with