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[May 26] From La Española, death
toll from flooding rises to at least 363. From Latin America, on the
figure of Che
Guevara as martyr and T-shirt emblem. From Lebanon, how the Arab
world is living
a pre-democratic moment. From Europe, EU lifts a six-year
moratorium on new biotech foods, and Chris Patten says EU
handling of Turkey is crucial to avert an Islam-West clash. From the
Philippines, a lack
of economic opportunities fuels exodus of brightest prospects. From
Gambia, on celebrating the birth
of nationhood: what does independence mean? Curiously, the only
people of the world not preparing for the Asian century are Asians.
From PINR, on comparing Bush's
venture in Iraq to Putin's war in Chechnya. There are heightened
concerns that terrorists
already deployed in the US will attack this summer. The New York
Times traces Nicholas
Berg's odd path to his gruesome fate. Fouad Ajami on how Iraq
may survive, but the dream is dead. On what President Bush should
have said in his speech on Monday. As Kerry gets Google-bombed,
Democrats fight back. On how Kerry can appeal
to white men. On Michael Moore Conservatives: Meet
Britain's anti-American Tories. And The Observer would like
to ask Michael
Moore some questions [May 25] From Indonesia, civilian rule returns to Aceh. From Malaysia, on how conservatism proves inimical to Islam. From India, how economic growth and democracy can mix. From Japan, on Iraq and the end of history. From France, on a case that has ruined lives and blighted the judicial system. Former French PM Michel Rocard on Europe's modest mission. Within a decade, Spain and Italy will face the problem of a second immigrant generation. The weather becomes a new focus for the UN. The Kyoto Protocol looks certain to come into force after the EU backs Russia's bid to join the WTO. Why a recent WTO finding represents both a political victory and a financial gain for Africa's small farmers. A review of A Continent for the Taking: The Tragedy and Hope of Africa, and a look at Africa's debt dilemma. As obesity becomes a global health threat, the cruel reality is that far more people struggle each day just to get enough calories. And sometimes Nature wants to say "See? This is why some people want to kill elephants" [May 24] From Bangladesh, hundreds of people missing in twin ferry disasters that killed at least 23. From Canada, PM Paul Martin announces that a parliamentary election would be held June 28. From Mexico, on how to raise residents' quality of life without sacrificing the way-too-many protesters' free-speech rights. From Eurozine, here's an essay on energizing the European public space. A review of More Equal Than Others: America from Nixon to the new century. A review of Mencken's America. How a big cat in Palo Alto says much about the culture. And purple patches on life without principle by Thoreau, on the average man, and on man as a territorial animal [Weekend 2e] From Sudan, the country is in flames. From India, on the roots of Indian democracy, on the atheistic roots of Hindu philosophy, and abhor singularity: A critique of secularism? From Georgia, from being a hotbed of religious intolerance to the Rose Revolution. For proof that all politics is local, look no further than fundrace.org. On starting an organization called Fuck the Vote. On a story that has played out in city after city around the country as the Catholic church has tried to adjust to changing times. On how coffee bars keep on spilling across the landscape. The clowning, dancing, preening smack-talker is becoming the Rorschach image of the African-American male athlete. And here's some advice if you'd like to write a letter to the editor of The New York Times [Weekend] From Zambia, on the nasty little neoliberal myth. From Australia, why long-time mantra that classical liberalism is all about self-interest is a fairytale. From Zimbabwe, minority languages face extinction. From Cyprus, the melting pot goes global. From Belgium, on a vision of a European multicultural society that was shattered. From Kyrgyzstan, economic migrants face discrimination. From Great Britain, on a government document about how to deal with mass death. TNR on why Russians want democracy, and how opinion about Russia under Vladimir Putin is more divided than ever. On debating the borders of Europe. Barbara Crossette on the millions of people worldwide on the move. John Gray says Iraq isn't another Vietnam--it's much worse. Kerry is considering delaying his acceptance of the nomination. How might Bush and Kerrey's allegiance to Skull & Bones affect their relationship and political decisions? Grist interviews Matthew Rothschild, editor of The Progressive. On new web sites that aim to narrow down the online dating minefield to people who share common political views. And have you scheduled any leisure lately? [May 21] From Nigeria, on the meaning of social justice today, and on a metaphor for national development. From Europe, on the EU as a task, on how the new members can catch up, and how united is "New Europe" anyway? From Russia, on how Kant lingers over a territorial oddity. From Tibet, on how to preserve Buddhist culture. From Alternet, is Bush the Anti-Buddha? From The Economist, on how gang culture is carried home by Central Americans returning from the United States. Are Latinos more likely than other groups to respond to negative advertising? A new issue of the New Democrats' Blueprint is out. On why we hate voting--and how to make it fun again. Even though voters don't know much about John Kerry, he's running neck and neck with George W. Bush. Todd Gitlin on the other dirty war. William Rusher on where ideas come from. A look at David Brock, the formerly right-wing shark behind Media Matters. Why media planners are not just space buyers. Advertisers are using a variety of methods to grab consumers' attention. And does Taco Bell send out Leftist messages? [May 20] From Peru, unrest challenges central government. From the United States, families heckle former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani at the 9/11 hearings. From Malawi, who will become president? From Germany, just who is that guy who will be president? From India, a profile of new PM Manmohan Singh. From Bangladesh, on economic globalization and Third World poverty. On the work of Jagdish Bhagwati in light of India's recent election, more on In Defense of Globalization, and more on Niall Ferguson's Colossus. On the publication of Culture and Public Action, a book on why development policymakers should pay attention to culture (with an introduction pdf). Here are some conspiracies from 2003-2004. On choosing among the five candidates to host the 2012 Olympic games. Google now plans to offer 1 terabyte of storage capacity for its new email program. How the driver's license has become a de facto national ID card. It is strange to discover that one is politically correct, and even stranger that it was Tintin who revealed it. And Garry Kasparov fancies himself a moral philosopher
[May 19] From India, Sonia
Gandhi is facing formidable
political and economic challenges, while the country faces a crisis
of values (Oops, she's
out).
From Iraq, as the transfer of sovereignty nears, everyone
wants a piece of the action. From Sudan, on going from
rogue state to pariah state. From Trinidad & Tobago, on
the idea of a United
States of the Caribbean. From Canada, an interview with Joe
Hueglin of the Progressive Canadian Party. On the 10th anniversary of
the cease-fire that ended the killing in Nagorno - Karabakh, how are Armenia
and Azerbaijan
doing? On Latin America as a global
wallflower. John Paul II recalls the Communist
era of his youth in a new book. An article on taming
the world's megacities. Jane Jacobs on the greening
of the city. John McCain and Joseph Lieberman on what
to do next in Iraq. The Economist on seeking an honorable
way out.
Why has there been a plunge in New
York City's crime rate? And writers and directors have been demolishing
New York for more than a century-- why do we still lap it up? |
[May 26] From First Things, on how
Richard Rorty found religion, George Weigel on what
Catholics forgot about world order, Avery Cardinal Dulles on the rebirth
of apologetics, a look at the politics
of partisan neutrality, and more
on Culture and the Thomist Tradition: After Vatican II. A
Catholic perspective on Playboy's
50th anniversary. On how economics
is helping to drive the use of embryos. From The New Republic,
a review of books
on the Holocaust (and part
2). A review
of The Origins the Final Solution. A review
of Still Life With Bombers: Israel in the Age of Terrorism, and a
review
of How Israel Lost: The Four Questions. Can we apply economic
theory to suicide bombers? Yes
pdf. Author of the Gaia hypothesis James
Lovelock says nuclear
power is now the only green solution to global warming, but Americans
are entitled to cheap gasoline, right? On how progressives can go
on the offensive and develop a commonsense countermovement. Buzzflash
interviews Paul
Rogat Loeb, author of Soul of a Citizen. An excerpt
from Banana Republicans. In keeping with our national zeitgeist,
Ann Coulter is nominated
to be the official spokesperson for the Republican Party. And on disconnects
between cultural and political affinities, or welcome to Purple
America
[May 25] Susan Sontag on regarding
the torture of others and on what
we have done (and a response
by David Aaronovitch). On the lessons of Abu Ghraib: The
photographs were shocking, but the disturbing reality is that for
some people they clearly weren't. Michael Walzer didn't
think enough the first time around about what you might call jus
post bellum. On a new motto
for the occupation of Iraq: "America: Not Quite As Bad As
Saddam Hussein." On a cartoon
series collectively titled "Beetle Ghraib." From Uncommon
Knowledge, USC's Erwin Chemerinsky and Berkeley's John Yoo on military
detainees in a time of war. The ACU on National
Review's flip-flop
on the Iraq war. Brian Whitaker reads
The Arab Mind, best used as a doorstop. Can anyone still doubt Ahmad
Chalabi's place among history's great con men? An Atlantic
Monthly interview
and a Mother Jones interview
with Niall Ferguson, who claims America
has got Asperger's Syndrome. And a review
of John Pilger's The New Rulers of the World and George Soros' The
Bubble of American Supremacy |
[May 26]
From the Journal of Memetics, Börje Ekstig (Uppsala): The
Evolution of Language and Science Studied by means of Biological
Concepts; and Michael Lissack (ISCE): The
Redefinition of Memes: Ascribing Meaning to an Empty Cliché. An
essay In
defence of popular TV: carnivalesque v. left pessimism.
A review
of Deleuze's Wake: Tributes and Tributaries. From Books &
Culture, a review
of Crowded with Genius The Scottish Enlightenment: Edinburgh's Moment
of the Mind, and more
on Terry Eagleton's After Theory. From Chicago, Gary Becker
serves on the Pentagon’s Defense
Policy Board as an advisor to Donald Rumsfeld, and on a Big
Problems lecture, “After Capitalism: How about Democracy?” Times
like this, it seems like we
could use a few more rational anarchists.
Here's a thematic content
analysis of national anthems of Europe and the Arab League. American
doctors are five times as likely as British doctors to prescribe
antidepressants to children. What sparks our dreams, especially
those wacky ones? One man is on the case. Attachment therapy is
based on a pseudoscientific theory that, when
put into practice, can be deadly. In the search for cures, how
much is permissible? And an essay on when
even mathematicians don't understand the math [May 25] From Evolutionary Psychology, Daniel Kruger and Randolph Nesse (Michigan): Sexual selection and the Male:Female Mortality Ratio, a review of Genomic Imprinting and Kinship, and a review of Natural Ethical Facts: Evolution, Connectivism, and Moral Cognition. A review of Biological Complexity and Integrative Pluralism. Why gender-blind medicine serves neither men nor women well. Is public education moving towards single sex schools? The federal government is embracing science-like experiments in the public schools. There are not many people who know that the UN has a university of its own. On how many college towns have local statutes that limit students from establishing residency and registering to vote. For shy people, academic life is both protective and terrifying. Thumbing his nose at academe, a scholar tries to auction his services. And if Henry Louis Gates Jr. were an entertainer, he might challenge James Brown for the title of "hardest-working man in show business" [May 24] Rod Nicholls (Cape Breton): Ghosts, God and the Problem of Dirty Hands. From American Scientist, an essay on engineering and the human spirit. Did British astronomer Percy Seymour prove the validity of astrology? Therapists study how emotions can help people overcome deep hurt. Scott McLemee reviews Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar. A look at the latest volume in the "Notable American Women" series. More on Notre Dame's Monk Malloy, who is stepping down as president. A Yale graduate reflects on political events and ideological convictions during his time in college. And purple patches on charisma, on state and politics, and on cultural reality by Max Weber [Weekend 2e] Aakash Singh (Humboldt): Laughing at Politics: Rethinking Plato’s Republic. A new issue of the Post-Autistic Economics Review is out, including an article by James Galbraith. A review of Aristotle's Children: How Christians, Muslims, and Jews Rediscovered Ancient Wisdom and Illuminated the Middle Ages, a review of Trusting the Subject? Vol. 1, and a review of AC Grayling's Life, Sex, and Ideas: The Good Life Without God. A review of Mutants: On the Form, Varieties and Errors of the Human Body. The family tree of the domestic dog has now been laid bare. And from London Review of Books, an essay on war and showing pictures of the dead, a review of books on Russia, and James Wood reviews The Oxford English Literary History, Vol. XII: 1960-2000: The Last of England? [Weekend] From History Today (reg req), on the afterlife of a nuclear test site, on a tale of murder in Revolutionary Mexico, and on Troy, City of Dreams. History is hot--and not just because of Brad Pitt's flying thighs. From Liberation, a translation of "Toni Negri et Nanni Ballestrini sur Battisti et pour l'amnistie de la gauche en italie." What do historians think of the Bush administration? Obituary: Melvin Lasky. From TLS, a review of Never Marry a Woman with Big Feet: Women in proverbs from around the world, and a review of Kiss of the Yogini: "Tantric sex" in its South Asian context. From Canada, a school bans "sex bracelets". Beauty is more than a matter of good health--it is also down to genetics and a mixed ancestry. A conference looks at the science behind love. From Allsci: A Monthly Science Magazine, on creating a home test for parallel universes, on using cognitive science to design political ads, and a brief guide to statistical manipulation. From Great Britain, at last, someone is standing up for excellence in the arts. A review of The Lecturer's Tale, a genuinely funny academic novel of manners. And why Cubism wasn't just a style, but a full-scale inquiry into what it means to be alive [May 21] From the New School's World Policy Journal, on Washington's irrational Cuba policy, a review of books--or a Dissenter's Guide to Foreign Policy, and on hearing "What is wrong with you Americans?" From American Diplomacy, a look at the Foreign Service as America's Other Army (and part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, and part 6, with parts 7 and 8 to come). NYU's Bruce Bueno de Mesquita and George W. Downs on why gun-barrel democracy doesn’t work. Why the term "neo-conservative" may come to mean "dangerous innocence about world realities". On what the foreign policy "wise men" of the Cold War would have thought of the Iraq War. Purple patches on war, the strategy of conflict, on military depreciation of strategy, on military power, on new wars and old, on war and survival, on military coups in Third World countries, on imperialism and capitalism, and on the study of defeat. Stanley Fish on why we built the ivory tower. On the secular case for home-schooling. A interview with Brian Greene, author of The Fabric of the Cosmos. And Jim Holt on the Big Lab Experiment: Was our universe created by design?
[May 20]
Alessandro Pinzani (Tubingen): The
Contrabassist and the CEO: Moral Judgment and Collective Identity pdf.
You can access the
new Global Views and Voices for free through June 4th. From the Yale Review of Books, a review of books on the history
of the Democrat and Republican parties, a review
of Homosexuality and Civilization, and a review
of Building Suburbia. From Chicago, more on Alan
Gewirth.
A talk with Richard
Holmes, TV war historian, on the heart of
the ordinary soldier. Fifty years after Brown, we seem to
have settled for schools
that are separate and unequal, and one
two
three
reviews of books on Brown and its aftermath.
More
on Samuel Huntington's Who Are We? More
on Mind Wide Open. More
on Phillip Ball's Critical Mass.
A review
of Digital People: From Bionic Humans to Androids.
Here are thoughts on Bertrand
Russell, science collaboration and peace. Why the social realm of
moral behavior is not
entirely outside the reach of scientific inquiry. Could the planets really
control out fates? And on "cherry-picking": Everyone
does it, so it must be OK, right? (well, here's an article on social
chaos and social science)
[May 19] From Dissent, Michael
Walzer on the abuse of prisoners in Iraq, an article on Spain,
Italy, peace and terror, a review of recently-published books
by Hannah Arendt, more on politics
and science, and on a new campaign slogan: "It's
the |
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