3 ways to help countries transition to sustainable development
The 2015 Paris climate change conference was a momentous political outcome as more than 190 nations have committed to take action on climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and becoming more resilient to climate impacts. Two other notable scenes on the environment and development front i…
Broken Promises for Syria’s Children
If you ever lose faith in the power of hope, not to mention the importance of never giving up, remind yourself of the story of Mohammed Kosha. A 16-year-old Syrian refugee living in Lebanon, Mohammed has overcome obstacles that most of us cannot even imagine, in order to excel in his education. Worl…
The Intersection of Policy and Practice
A lot of space, time and energy has been devoted to policies—both public and corporate—around women in the workplace. That makes sense given how much both public and company policy can either support or undermine the advancement of women and the health of families. But I don’t think nearly enough at…
Deciphering North Korean Economic Policy Intentions
The question of whether or not North Korea might openly pursue economic reform has been a focus of expert discussions for years. According to optimists, the DPRK’s masters could transform, or even “conventionalize,” the “Stalinist state” to become a “normal” country—if they retained power long enoug…
Why ISIS Is Targeting French Catholics
The murder last week of French priest Father Jacques Hamel at the hands of two homegrown jihadis in a church near the Norman port city of Rouen marked just the latest in a series of terrorist attacks that have convulsed France. This one, though, carried unsettling echoes from a chapter of French his…
Now is the time to open Strasbourg’s ‘Bronislaw Geremek’ European University
During the referendum campaign in the UK, the cost of the European Parliament ‘travelling circus’ between Brussels and Strasbourg was highlighted by some Brexit supporters as one of the 20 reasons why UK citizens should vote in favour of leaving the EU. Even though many arguments used by t…
Islamic State’s Child Soldiers: First Come the Sweets, Then the Beheadings
In a tent in a refugee camp in Dohuk, at the base of ochre-colored mountains, Amir and Ahmed, 15 and 16, unroll their mats on the floor to forget the terrible memories. It’s a cool autumn evening, and they prop themselves up with cushions and turn on the TV. The two brothers fled from their captivit…
Al-Qaeda affiliate’s desperate ‘switch’ validates US Syria policy
The announcement by Jabhat al-Nusra on July 28 that it was severing ties with al-Qaeda may be a sign of the terrorist organization’s increasing desperation. Russian and Iranian-backed Syrian forces have now encircled east Aleppo, where Jabhat al-Nusra and its Aleppo Conquest coalition …
Health Technology in Emerging Global Epidemics: An African Policy Perspective
Depite tremendous technological advances in detecting and treating infectious diseases, curbing the global health threat posed by these diseases is increasingly complex. This is particularly worrisome given globalization trends characterized by extensive international trade and travel. In a vastly g…
The Global Security Threat of Antimicrobial Resistance
Today we are faced with the harsh reality that the treatment or prevention of infectious diseases has not made quantum advances since the early successes of vaccines and antimicrobial therapies. In a sense, the world is headed backward, as once-treatable microbes become resistant to existing therapi…