Religion and Politics: Like and oil and water?

While public clerics are held in high regard by their own following, they are undoubtedly respected and influential beyond their immediate sphere of influence. The Dalai Lama, Ayatollah Khomeini, and Mahatma Gandhi are just a few examples of prominent spiritual leaders in their own rights. Each spiritual leader champions their religious belief, as well as social and political causes. In Stephen Mack's article Wicked Paradox: The Cleric as Public Intellectual, he states, "If there’s any truth to the old adage that religion and (liberal, democratic) politics don’t mix, it isn’t because they are polar opposites—an ideological oil reacting against a metaphysical water. Rather, it’s because they are, more or less, alienated kindred vying for the same space in the human imagination." While politics and religion may be competing for some sacred space in the human imagination, there is proof that religious clerics effectively use their high profile positions in order to influence international politics. The aforementioned religious clerics, and countless others, have publicly stated their views on international affairs in Tibet, Iran, and South Africa respectively. While these religious leaders are not foreign ministers or diplomats, their religious clout allots them time of the world stage. One of the most important religious clerics in today’s society is the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. From stem-cell research to condom distribution on the African continent, both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI have most recently set the Vatican’s foreign agenda. Thus, in addition to being a moral and spiritual leader, the Pope's ability to transcend geographical area in order to represent a broader constituency, allows him to act as a traditional player would in the field of international relations.

The Vatican is its own nation-state. It only takes up 106 acres and is the smallest recognized state in the world. The Pope’s role, in addition to spiritual leader, is Head of State for Vatican City, and it’s government, the Holy See. While the Vatican may seem small compared to other nations, it holds diplomatic ties with an impressive 177 countries. The Vatican’s reach goes beyond its own walls due to the establishment of Catholic churches throughout the world. Of late, much discussion has been devoted to rising secularism in Europe and its effects on the Vatican’s influence on the day to day lives of Catholics. However, considering an overwhelming majority of the southern hemisphere is Catholic, and even 22% of the U.S. population is Roman Catholic, the Church does not risk fading out of the spotlight anytime soon.

Using the Catholic religion’s broad and deep influence, individual Popes have been able to pursue direct foreign policy routes. For example, Pope John Paul II was an avid supporter in the fall of communism. He aligned himself, and the Vatican, with U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War. It was during the period that Pope John Paul II and Ronald Reagan were in office that the Berlin Wall came down. This condemnation of communism did have further ramifications on Vatican relations with other states. Most specifically in China, where missionaries were trying to establish a large Catholic following, the local government did not want close ties with a Pope that was looking to take the proverbial rug out from under them. In fact, it was only until Pope Benedict XVI ascended to power that Chinese relations with the Vatican have improved.

While the Vatican was aligned with U.S. foreign policy in the late twentieth centuries, it has since diverged from the world’s major superpower. In 2003 Pope John Paul II vehemently opposed the pre-emptive invasion of Iraq. One of Pope Benedict’s stops on his first U.S. tour was the U.N. General assembly in New York. It was there that he was predicted to denounce the American led occupation of Iraq. Over the years, the Vatican has displayed behaviours consistent with that of any nation-state. The Vatican’s activity on the world stage is consistent with the mantra that foreign policy objectives change with the changing of leaders and international environments.

Pope John Paul II did not only take an ideological foreign policy stand, but involved himself in religious conflicts as well. Due to his upbringing in World War II Poland, Pope John Paul II had an extreme interest in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He was the first pro-Isreali Pope in history, and while his stand on the conflict may have isolated some, it demonstrated the role that public clerics can assume with regards to religious conflict. Currently there are eighteen inter-domination conflicts around the globe, and public clerics are often criticized for being too inactive, and tacit in preventing or stopping violent action. In the end, Pope John Paul II’s support of Israel was not as important as his outreach to help other faiths resolve their disputes was.

Lastly, while public clerics may become involved in religious disputes in order to take on the role of mediator, clerics have the added responsibility of representing their own faith. The Pope’s uniquely authoritative voice is heard far and wide, and if what the Pope is saying is taken poorly, that reflects on the entire following. For example, in 2006 Pope Benedict XVI gave a speech in which he stated, “Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.” Riots outbroke in Muslim countries to oppose the Pope’s offensive words. This incident highlights the fact that religious clerics must be aware of different variables than a traditional public intellectual might. Their influence is not based purely on academia or thoughts, faith plays a heavy role. Therefore, any statements made about their own faith, or the faith of another religion, is taken with the utmost sensitivity.

Public clerics are important public intellectuals in today’s society. As seen in the Vatican and the recent Papacy, public clerics are almost celebrities on the international stage. They can take firm positions on political subjects, and attempt interfaith dialogues in order to resolve religious conflicts. Their responsibility to their own constituency, in the Vatican’s case a vast one, and to other religion’s, makes the Pope’s role as public cleric one that continually walks a fine line between proactivity and religious preservation.

White Noise

Last fall I was convinced that entering the Peace Corps was going to be my next bold move. While those hopes have been derailed for the meantime, I can't help but think of what influenced me to pursue them. Like most, I was seduced by the idea of moving to a distant land and roughing it for a few years. What may seem strange to some, is that an incentive for me was to leave behind the rat race and all of the technology that comes with it. I was looking forward to canceling my phone plan, and putting my out of date laptop out of commission. While technology and communications make the world run at warp speed, I'd much rather control my own pace of life than have a little screen set the tempo.



It seems absurd to me that if you can't answer an email within a matter of minutes, nonetheless hours, that those trying to get in contact with you nearly have a breakdown. Yes, I went grocery shopping. I left my phone at home. You can wait a few hours before I answer what time we can grab lunch tomorrow. With this rapid communication comes short attention spans, and ungodly expectations. Where is society coming to when I feel guilty for not answering a phone call at 11 p.m.? Everyone just needs to calm down and turn off their cellphone, PDA, laptop, whatever your drug of choice is, and breathe.







Speaking of drug of choice, these blackberrys have gotten out of hand. No where have I seen this epidemic spread more than on Capital Hill. They are the adult version of gameboys. People walk around like mindless zombies staring at a screen and pushing buttons. I was horrified during a briefing on the Hill when a Congressional staff member overtook the speaker with the constant clicking of their blackberry's scroll bar. How important is finding out that the meatpacker's of America are inviting your Congressperson to a barbeque in front of the Capital? Put it away, take it off of super vibrate mode, or leave the room if you must.



I am a self-proclaimed luddite. I don't know a damned thing about new technology. I barely graduated high school with my required 1 unit technology credit, and the courses that I took involved data entry and building bridges with hot glue and sticks. I do, however, catch myself becoming dependent on my email, or my phone. When you catch yourself sending a text message or calling someone for no other reason than the fact that you need to be occupied while walking from point A to point B, you need help.


Therefore, I challenge myself, and the rest of the general population to ween ourselves off of the teat of technology. Turn your cellphone off when you got to bed, or at least put it on silent. Don't feel the compulsion to check your email every six seconds because you're bored. Go outside. Be productive. L.A. Today mentions that we live in a three-window world comprised of televisions, computers, and cellphones. In my household these so called windows were simply referred to as screens. Maybe I should have taken my mom's advice when I sat two-inches from the boob-tube. She'd always scold me, "you'll go blind staring at that screen all day."

Etiquette Lessons

When you travel you pick up various tastes. You may like Mate herbal tea or Italian Nutella. If you're like me you shriek whenever you see the Spanish clothing brand Mango. But when does cultural curiosity go beyond just that and become just plain obnoxious?

I feel like you need to step into the shoes of a physics major to answer the question: it's all relative. If I am with friends at home and pronounce bruschetta not at broo-shet-ah, but as broo-skay-ta, I am commonly met with mocking tones. Apparently I'm too cultured to say it like the rest of America. But why should I say it wrong? Just because everyone else is saying it wrong? Should I fall in line and conform with acceptable cultural norms because others have not had the same experience? I've come to the conclusion that yes, yes I should. It's hard to convey your own personal travel and self-discovery to others. You come off pretentious rather than informed. As snobby rather than worldly. Just avoid the conflict in general and eat your toasted bread and tomatoes.

I do, however, react differently with people who have had similar travel experiences. You have a common base. An understanding that there is an incredibly complex world out there and you only know a little bit about it. I can sit there and pronounce "yo hablo" without emphasizing the 'h' and not be criticized for it. Perhaps this is why I feel more comfortable when I travel than when I'm in the United States. Perhaps this is why I made a promise to myself senior year of high school that I would leave the country at least once every year for the rest of my life.

Good, bad, or indifferent, I feel that traveling both isolates you in your native land, and exposes you to many foreign ones. But, if this is the price I have to pay to understand the world I live in, I'll gladly pay it.

Fried Mars Bars

It may have been rash to insinuate that only Americans eat artery clogging sweets. As this blog site strives to be fair and balanced, it is only appropriate to share this lovely treat from our equally health conscious Scottish friends.

How to make deep fried mars bars:

1. Buy a Mars Bar or its American equivalent, a Milky Way, depending on your locale.
   
2. Place your Mars bar in the refrigerator. It is important not to freeze, but chill the bar.
3. Remove the candy bar from the refrigerator
4. Unwrap your Mars Bar
   
5. Dip it in your favorite fish and chips batter. Don't be shy, use the same batter for everything you feel the need to fry. As Emeril Lagassi would say let them all "get happy" in the batter
   
6. Gingerly place the mars bar in a boiling vat of oil
7. Remove the bar from the oil when the coating looks crisp and golden. Serve immediately.
8. Enjoy!!

Arbitrage or Exploitation?

As a student of international relations, I have been taught to look at issues of global governance, international bodies, and political relations. One particular case study I read was on the Nike scandal of sweatshop workers in China. We debated and teased out arguments about corporations' rights, human rights, and whose standards should be upheld, the domestic worker's or the corporation's homeland? With this background you can imagine my surprise when I took a Global Strategy business class that mentioned "arbitrage" as the strategy of taking advantage of differences between nations. Wait, wait. This fancy word arbitrage = exploitation right?

It was with this that I was dropped into the deep end of the business mentality. No longer are children in India being denied their right to education by working in factories. It is that their families need the money so it is better for the children to go to work. This twisted logic, or excuse making is at the heart of the conflict between government and business. Business is driven by bottom-lines, efficiency, and innovation. International relations is concerned about the society, quality of life, and responsibility of these corporations.

Having dipped my toes in both fields I can see where business derives its mentality as well as international relations. However, where is the happy medium? The relationship of government and business is mutually dependent. Government needs business to fuel its economy, keep people working, and to contribute much to their bank account. But business also needs government to regulate their competitors, set standards for consumer products, and keep crucial industries afloat in hard times *coughbanksinthecreditcrisiscough*

One movement in the business world that I feel is noteworthy is the move for social responsibility. Companies that have micro-finance operations or give back to the community are starting to make themselves known. The Economist even had a feature section on corporate social responsibility recently. A friend I know who works for Philips electronics was griping about how Philips spends so much on its packaging because of its incorporation of recycled materials that it almost hurts the company. I feel that if all companies looked at their business practices and how they can tweak things so that they don't have such a negative social impact, that society, government, and business would all benefit.

The Difference in Different

Normally when people first meet they introduce themselves, ask where they're from, and play the name game. For me, the question "what are you" is brought up more frequently than "do you have any siblings." I have unique features that make it hard to point out my exact ethnicity. I'd like to think that if I were a superhero my name would be Ethnically Ambiguous Girl-not to be confused with the Ambiguously Gay Duo of course. Even when people don't blatantly ask the question they will play a guessing game. Russia? No. Middle East? No. Spain? No. Brazil...well you get the picture. I don't have a problem with people asking me about my ethnicity, but it's the context in which I am being asked that changes the way I feel about it.

When people ask me questions about my ethnicity, I feel that it is an attempt to create distance. People are not asking me so they can see if we have similar backgrounds, they are asking because I am different from them and they want to figure out what it is. Growing up multi-racial I embrace differences. It's great to know you've got a good story about where you're from and it truly builds character. I find, however, that being labeled as 'different' has different connotations when I am in the U.S. and out of the U.S.

Now, I am not one to rant about racial injustices and I am by no means hyper-sensitive to the issue. In fact, if race no longer became an issue I wouldn't notice the change. The problem is, that in the U.S. people want to identify with those like themselves. Unfortunately, race can become one of the identifying criteria. Often, people will categorize me into whatever category that they're not in. If you're white, I'm Asian. If you're Asian, I'm white. If you're black, it doesn't matter because I couldn't even pull that one off. Sometimes it's hard here to explain that you're multi-racial. You want to say "don't put me in that box." Does everyone really have to pick a side in the racial draft?

When I'm abroad though, I feel like my ambiguity is an asset. With the current anti-American sentiment seeping across borders, its not always favorable to run around yelling "God bless America" through a megaphone. Therefore, when I go abroad and am asked the same questions, I feel exceptional. Like I don't fit the stereotypical mold of what an American should look like. I remember my Dad even boasting that when he flew Lufthansa the stewardess (not a PC term I understand but a bad tick I can't get rid of) greeted him in German, rather than English, like she had to all other passengers.

I feel that those who guess my ethnicity when I travel, though generally incorrectly, aren't placing me in such a narrow box as Americans are. When I'm abroad I could claim to be from four different continents and people would believe it. As an international traveler you can never be a local, but you can be global, as my dad puts it. With this ambiguous ethnicity I feel like I can slip through the cracks of politics, ethno-centrism, and nationalism. Sometimes it's ok to be a mutt.

While I'm not anti-American and I do not want to disown my nationality, I would like to think that challenge people's opinions of Americans. No, we're not rodeo riding, fast food eating, uncultured swine. No, we do not all look like we shop at the Mall of America and eat fried cheesecake on a stick. So while I believe my ethnicity is an asset in blending into the international melting pot, I feel it is also a tool that I can use to impact the way that people think of the "stereotypical American."

Fascist Soccer

"Franco's occupying troops entered the city, fourth on the list of organization to be purged, after the Communists, the Anarchists, and the Separatists was Barcelona Football Club."

How Soccer Explains the World - Franklin Foer

The Politics of Chocolate

For those interested, check out page 15 of the Villa Rosa Voice on a history of chocolate and politics.

What is a Truffle?

Photo of chocolates from La Bottega del Cioccolato

I lived and studied in Florence, Italy for four months in early 2007. In my time abroad I worked in a chocolate shop. No, not a chocolate factory, but a small, boutique chocolate shop called La Bottega del Cioccolato. In my time at La Bottega I chopped, covered, packaged, baked, and sorted all types of chocolate products. I find it interesting that a year after my experience in Tuscany I find myself asking the question: what is a truffle?

I recently received a gift with these hard chocolates resembling sea shells. Inside they were filled with a raspberry-caramel cream. What threw me off was the packaging that said "royal raspberry caramel: TRUFFLES." But wait, aren't truffles supposed to be round, soft, and covered in cocoa powder? I decided to do some investigation to clear up this chocolate misunderstanding.


Apparently traditional chocolate truffles are made with a chocolate ganache center and rolled in cocoa powder. This chocolate confection is named after the truffle fungus because when they are harvested, they come out of the ground in a similar spherical shape, covered in earth which the cocoa powder is meant to imitate.This is the sort of chocolate that I associate with truffles, and that's why I didn't understand how something that looks like it came out of a Whitman Sampler can be called such a thing.

In my research I found that the definition of a truffle is not so narrow as my imagination pictures them to be. Apparently, truffles can vary in their contents and coatings and not resemble one another at all. Some have hard exteriors, others are coated in coconut shavings, and some have unique fillings.

Upon reflection, in my time at the chocolate shop I made and tasted many a truffle, but I didn't realize what they were because they were cast in molds, and were hard shelled. However, the truffles that I did taste were most definitely not your stereotypical truffle. Some were filled with white chocolate and szechuan white pepper, or some with the typical Italian digestivo Grappa. My reaction in trying that one was "troppo forte."

So now I have my mystery solved. Truffles began as imitations of fungus. Appetizing, I know. And have evolved to incorporate all sorts of flavors, fillings, and shapes. Well, that certainly takes the hot air out of my argument. However, I don't feel that I will ever recognize those hard-shelled impostors as truffles. Stick with traditio. Give me my fungus chocolate.

Cheer Up Charlie

Oh, the global credit crunch. While it may sound like a puffed rice candy bar, no one is jubilant about finding this golden ticket. The squeezing of the global economy is affecting nearly everyone, but one particular demographic could really be feeling the burn. In the U.S., students, arguably some of the poorest Americans, could see their education jeopardized when it comes to the availability of student loans.

For those concerned about the credit crunch, it is more likely that the worry is about a tightening of personal finances, as opposed to a worry about funding for college. For those unaware of the crunch, it is important to know why student loans are being threatened in the first place. This means looking into the epicenter of the quake, the subprime mortgage crisis.

During the U.S. housing boom in the early 2000s, lenders gave mortgage loans to high-risk, or subprime, borrowers with the idea that housing prices would continue to rise and allow for more favorable refinance options. The fall-out was the burst of the U.S. housing market in late 2006. The crisis has had widespread affects on mortgage lenders, banks, and other financial institutions.

Less money in the banking sector coupled with less confidence in borrowers means a tightening of the loan market. In an interview with the Baltimore Sun, M&T Bank spokesman Philip Hosmer explains that “the market some lenders use to raise money to make loans has dried up in the fallout from the subprime mortgage loan crisis. M&T raised money by bundling student loans and selling them as bonds to investors.” M&T is one of three large lenders that recently announced they would not be making new student loans.

Analysts of the financial aid and student loan market are trying to keep optimistic. It is touted there will be no change in student loans guaranteed by the federal government. Loans, such as Stafford loans (that hold interest rates around 6%) are guaranteed to all students. However, there are limits to these loans. Students can only borrow $3,500 freshmen year, $4,500 sophomore year, and $5,500 for junior and senior year.

Perkins loans, however, will be more scarce in the upcoming year. These loans typically go to the students with the most economic need and are held at the enticing interest rate of 5%. The reason Perkins won’t be available is two-fold. The federal government has not adjusted its pool of funds to keep up with rising college enrollment costs. Also, the high interest rates that come along with the credit crunch and economic recession make it necessary for those with existing loans to hold them longer. This leaves little capital to be lent out to students in need. No child left behind indeed.

How is this affecting whether to choose between Harvard or Harvard on the Pike? According to Mark Kantrowitz, a publisher of FinAid.org, eligibility will be the key difference affecting student loans. For students applying for private loans, they will need either excellent credit, or a co-signer that will guarantee to repay the loan. This, once again, short changes those students at the bottom of the economic pyramid. Those who truly need to take out private loans may find themselves unable to afford their first choice schools due to funding. Settling on an in-state second choice school may indeed be reality, but for some it limits educational opportunity. Thus proving, that the American dream does, indeed, have a price-tag.

What is a prospective student to do? Those who plan on taking out around $5,000/year need not worry, subsidized or unsubsidized Stafford loans will pick up the tab. Those trying to go to private school need to secure government backed Parent Plus or Parent Loan for Undergraduate student loans. If that fails a last resort is to panhandle on the street. Now, when you are begging credit-worthy passersby to be your co-signer, tell them they're not just sponsoring your education, but their sponsoring their country's future. If recent history has proven anything, a rally to patriotism is surprisingly convincing. Lastly, to leave with one last bitter sip of reality, even if your loans do come through, and you attend the university of your choice, don't be surprised if you scrounge your way through college eating cabbage soup with Grampa Joe.

Free Tibet

My first dog as a kid was a Lhasa Apso. Being the Nancy Drew that I was, I sleuthed out the fact that my new dog was native to Tibet. Ironically, I ended up naming her China. Today, I can’t help but wonder if good old China would have survived recent riots due to her namesake. The ethnic rifts between Tibetans and Han Chinese have been stewing for decades, but the difference between this uprising and that of 1959, when the Dalai Lama was forced into exhile, was the restraint that the Chinese government showed in response to the violence. Due to international pressure and observance, this incident in China could prove that economic liberalisation can place pressure on authoritarian governments to become more free and open.

Tibet is formally known as the “Tibet Autonomous Region.” It is an autonomous region like that of Hong Kong, and Macau. However, Tibet does not enjoy the independence that comes from being an international financial centre or the “Vegas of Asia.” Due to a boom in tourism and a speed train between Lhasa and Beijing, the demographics of the region have been shifting. Native Tibetans feel that nearly half of the population in Tibet is comprised of Han Chinese and Hui Muslims. Any economic growth that the region has seen is perceived as beneficial for Han Chinese because they make up a majority of business owners in the region. To add fuel to the fire, in 1991 the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, said that the shift meant that “Chinese settlers (were) creating Chinese apartheid.” He has gone so far as claiming ethnic genocide on his native homeland.

Given this background, the destruction that ensued on May 14^th makes a little more sense. Well, as much sense as rioting can make. Accusations, or possibly just rumors, of Buddhist monks being beaten by local police incited protests outside of Ramoche Temple in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. Of course, the Chinese version of the story is that the violence began with monks stoning police. While monks have been known to be active in separatist protests, it is hard to vision city wide riots beginning with fully robed monk winding up and beaming policemen.

From Ramoche, the rioters gained force and moved through the city. They smashed non-Tibetan shops, pulled merchandise into the streets, and burned the rubble. Tibetan shop owners were spared by tying traditional white scarves through shutter handles, tipping off rioters to move to the next shop. While this block party was going on, police hung low. It was only on March 15^th that tear gas was used to clear alleys still being affected by rioters, and single gun shots were fired to disperse crowds.

In the country that brought you Tiananmen Square, the reaction to protests in Lhasa have been uncharacteristically mellow. Many believe that the upcoming Olympics were on the minds of the Chinese political machine. This much anticipated event is expected to bring in huge profits and attention to Beijing and to China, and it is unlikely that major powers will boycott the games as Politosaurus Rex encourages in her post 2008 Olympics: Supporting Inhumanity in Beijing?. With so much invested in this project, the Chinese would be foolish to garner boycotts due to human rights violations in Tibet. Additionally, press coverage of the event has ratcheted up the pressure for China. You can’t sweep photographs by western reporters under the rug.

The international speculation that China would react mildly due to the Olympics was founded in reality. This brings hope that the more China is integrated into the global economy, the more it will be held to a higher standard, a standard that abhors repression, and the atrocities of human rights violations.

However, outsiders shouldn’t be too excited about Chinese politics becoming transparent and fair anytime soon. The timing of the riots so close to the Olympics could have been a fluke. There’s no telling what the government does in less well known conflict areas, or in the battles that aren’t broadcasted in international news networks. One Western student in Tibet apparently witnessed six Tibetan boys dragged from their homes, kicked and beaten with batons, bundled into a bus and driven away. Unfortunately, the Chinese are good at proving that, optimism can only go as far as reality.

"These are a few of my favorite things"

Two of my favorite things, Banksy and CurrentTV.

She just smiled and gave me a vegemite sandwhich!

I will say that I can speak three languages if someone asks. Well, if you count the number of languages that I can curse at you in, the number dramatically increases. But to learn a new language, and say that you are proficient, you need to know more than how to insult someone's mother. Here in the United States the intensity and degree of foreign language training that is received varies. Usually the standard Spanish and French are offered in high school. Latin is thrown in from time to time but the goal of learning this "dead" language is for SAT prep.

Two years of language training is the minimum; in those two years gaggles of students listlessly sit through their instructor trying to teach verb conjugations. Oftentimes, language training and requirements are not explained for their significance. Students question, why should I learn Spanish? My friend who is Mexican-American said that at a meet and greet one girl told her that she was learning Spanish so she could talk to her maid. Something tells me ADD highschoolers are not going to be motivated to learn Spanish so they can talk to the hired help (and that's assuming they have any). Oftentimes the excuse comes up that English is spoken everywhere so why learn someone else's language. It is true that English's use has grown enormously, but it is a poor excuse to refusing to learn another language.

Maybe foreign language adoption is simply based off of relevance. Take Switzerland as an example. Its surroundings have dictated the languages (French, German, and Italian) that are spoken within the country. The country's regions dictate which language is dominant, but citizens know multiple languages depending on the interactions they have with the varying regions. Then there's the U.K. whose population has the lowest foreign language ability in the European Union. This quote could have been taken before the recent 12 country expansion, but it's interesting to note nonetheless.

The U.S. aligns more closely with the British side of the spectrum, but there are foreign languages that are pushed more heavily than others depending on the context. During the Cold War students signed up to learn Russian. Today the context has shifted to the Middle East. After recognizing the drastic shortage in Arabic speakers, the government provided incentive to those who spoke Arabic along with other critical languages like Farsi and Urdu. For the business minded folk with dollar signs on their eyes, Mandarin is the place that they want to be.

While schools may be too strapped for resources to add new programs, a greater diversity of languages could provide reason for students to skip the trip to McDonalds and come to class. Children learn languages more easily. Maybe languages should be offered at a younger age in U.S. public schools. Or more variety of language could spark student's interest interest. Whatever they do, schools need to reinforce foreign language training as something of significance, rather than a requirement.

Internet Killed the Intellectual Star

Is technology making us dumber? I ask this question in all seriousness. Are our cell phones making us less aware of our surroundings, are video games slowly diffusing the electrical connections in our brains, or how about this: are blogs lowering the discourse for public intellectuals? Works like, Public Intellectuals: A Study of Decline by Posner, and The Last Intellectuals: American Culture in the Age of Academe by Jacoby have attempted to profile American public intellectuals and assess their status as endangered species (maybe we should get WWF involved). When thinking about the blogosphere and the public intellectual’s role within it, the question must be asked, is the public intellectual’s impact reflected on the content of their work or on the medium through which it is disseminated?

The internet is a wonderful place. If I could live in it I would. I imagine it would be much like Mr. Wonka’s factory, except instead of gumdrops and licorice I could listen to all of the free music that I wanted, or use my imagination to have all sorts of strange questions answered. Where the delight would stop and confusion begin, is where to get my information from. Blogging’s user friendly format allows for anyone to electronically “publish” themselves for public consumption. However, does this make every blogger a public intellectual? The short answer is no, it does not. I hardly feel that blogs covering what toilet paper celebrities buy for their homes (or which celebrities don’t use toilet paper) is adding to the enrichment of anyone’s lives.

Yet, blogs can be venues for public intellectuals to get new ideas out in lickety-split timing. There are established public intellectuals that have switched over from journals and publications to screens and URLs. By disseminating the same information that they would publish in the New York Times or in Foreign Policy on the internet does not make their ideas any less “academic”. It actually makes them more accessible, and in the world of public intellectuals, the more people who hear, read, or see you, the more merit badges you earn.

The problem with blogging is the volume. Allow me to compare the plight of public intellectuals with some dry economics. In the case of perfectly competitive markets, one of the criteria is that there is an absence of barriers to entry or exit in the market. With blogging anyone can easily set up a site, and dismantle it within seconds. The problem is that public intellectuals do not seek a perfectly competitive market. There are oligopolies, cartels, and those damned unions that get in the way of everyone joining the club. In this sense the method, in this case blogs, and the purpose of intellectuals to be a part of what Stephen Mack describes as a “class of academics and philosophically oriented writers” is watered down. Internet goers do not have the time to research all potential blogs and so called public intellectuals to know whose information is worth reading, and whose is garbage. Russell Jacoby perfectly states the dilemma that intellectuals run the risk of simply “adding to the cacophony” by utilizing blogs.

Blogging should have a label on the package that says, “WARNING: May cause attention deficit disorder.” Readers can look at blogs, click flashing ads, be redirected to links, and leave the site at random. The more worrisome fact is that as quickly as blogs are produced, they are just as easily forgotten. In this way, it may benefit the public intellectual to have traditionally published works thrown out into the public forum, if for nothing more than a sense of permanency. I can tell you one thing, if Adam Smith had an electronic version of Wealth of Nations online I wouldn’t have gone past the title page before redirecting my attention to something else with bright colors and bold type.

In the blogosphere you don’t need a publisher, an advisor, or a department head. You are free to speak on whatever topic you so choose. Many writers choose pseudonyms to protect their professional lives on the internet, even though freedom of expression was legal last I checked. The problem with unmarked blogs is that people want to know who it is that is trying to reach out to them. It bugs the hell out of me when I find a quote that I think is perfect and the author is simply stated “anonymous”. Yet, when it comes to the public arena the argument for legitimizing a public intellectual is a battle of credentials versus content.

Should we need to know that the person writing about genocide is a professor, or just a socially involved citizen? Certainly a person would feel more inclined to take the word of the Professor with street cred over the person that lives on the street. But does it really matter? If people have good ideas that are digested by the public, it should not matter whether they have the correct job description to be classified a public intellectual. I disagree with Posner’s idea to rank the top 571 public intellectuals, or for Foreign Policy to create a list of the top 100 public intellectuals. Your membership into the club shouldn’t be based on whether you were included in the Who’s Who of the intelligentsia, but on the topics you discuss and their importance to society.

This generation of public intellectuals has grown up seeking out the television interviews and namesake websites that their predecessors shunned. Blogs are a great tool to both send out new information and to get feedback from a larger audience. The problem is that the internet cannot educate the public on the author’s credentials, or political and ideological biases. It is the public in this case that lacks the time and energy to keep up with every individual claiming public intellectual status. It is with this idea that I conclude the public intellectual is not dead; they're merely lost in the static.

Dying to Go to School

Another day, another class, another shooting. This time senseless acts of violence were carried out at Northern Illinois University. A 27 year old graduate student killed five students and himself in a lecture hall. This shocking incident occurs in the wake of the April 2007 shootings at Virginia Tech. As a student, these stories of campus violence lead to one frustrated demand: WHY? These last two shootings did not occur at large inner city universities. They were at relatively isolated universities in college towns. The idea that geography keeps us safe from all things bad is shattered.

As a native of the Washington Metropolitan area I have experienced what it is like to be targeted by a gunman. In 2002 the so called Beltway sniper filled news outlets. 3 people were injured from these attacks, and 10 were killed, including a resident of my neighborhood. He was simply walking out of a Shopper's Food Warehouse and was shot. For nearly a month the entire area lived in fear that every white delivery van housed the sniper. Citizens were informed to walk in zig-zags down the sidewalk so as not to be an easy target. Children were forbidden from going outside.

While universities have responded to the recent shootings, it is hard to justify having first responders to a shooting. While it can prevent massive deaths like the V-Tech shootings, when it comes to guns what's done is done. What are universities to do about the protection of its students? I don't students will join the zig-zag club on campus, and no one will stand for metal detectors at the doors to lecture halls.

The two joining factors at both NIU and V-Tech were that the gunmen had histories of mental health problems. Perhaps a more effective step is to check the mental health of accepted students to university. This is not to alienate those with legitimate problems or to stigmatize mental health, but the safety of students is worth it. I know students who would be nice to others because they did not want to be targeted by them when they "snapped." It's important to protect the rights and lives of students and unless someone has a better idea, the first place to start may be with mental health screenings.

Dane Cook hits a little closer to home than expected.

F is for failing

So called failed states that don't provide their citizens with basic rights and protections are a problem for everyone. No matter what regions of the world they are located in, they disrupt economic activities, create border security issues, refugee problems, and can result in bloody civil war. It was only until these once irrelevant, failed states began facilitating terrorist cells that major powers, like the U.S. paid attention.

Now, it is true that some purely humanitarian missions have taken place in conflict regions, but it is hard for elected officials to justify soldiers dying without just cause. This is exactly what happened in Somalia in 1993. The U.S. mission's P.R. manager was seemingly out to lunch when footage of American soldiers being dragged through the streets was broadcast. In this situation, even the most seasoned campaign managers couldn’t put a positive spin on that.

But is it justifiable to say we don’t want our men and women involved in domestic crisis across the world? The Westphalian principles of sovereignty that have governed the established system for centuries would say if it does not directly concern your nation and its strategic interests than you have no rights to meddle. I say that’s a load of crap. We, the safe, fed, and peaceful bystanders have the responsibility to ensure the protection of those whose safety has been taken from them.

Yes, there are controversies as to who should be the ones entering these conflict zones. Should it be the African Union, the European Union, NATO, single nations, or U.N. peacekeeping missions? To address that issue is to be an international relations student, and let's be honest, not everyone is or wants to put the effort into tackling such grand issues.

I believe adamantly that it is not enough to stand by during humanitarian crisis with the attitude that it concerns them not us. It is deplorable for intergovernmental agencies like the U.N. to hesitate labeling a crisis a genocide simply for the fact that it obligates the organization and its members to act. I think an official policy of "waiting it out" is shameful and embarrassing. Think of it this way, if your safety was not guaranteed and you saw no end in sight to violence, pain, and suffering, who would come save you?

Coming to Terms

The World is flat. Unlike global warming, globalization is one phenomenon whose validity cannot be denied.

"People have accused me of being in favor of globalization. This is equivalent to accusing me of being in favor of the sun rising in the morning."
Clare Short

What are the implications of this buzzword? I like to use personal experience to explain it. I am from the state of Maryland. In case you weren’t sure, it’s that odd sliver next to Washington, D.C. In 2006 I spent a summer in Hong Kong. I met all sorts of expats: Aussies, Brits, Portuguese, Spaniards, Ghanaians, you name it. I once mentioned to a group of friends a crab seasoning from home called Old Bay. A Canadian in the group knew immediately what I was talking about. I would doubt whether someone in North Carolina knew what it was, nevertheless a Canadian in Hong Kong. It turns out the company he worked for back in Canada used to be an Old Bay distributor. Illustrations like this one lead to the conclusion that the geographical, cultural, and economic divides in this world are shrinking. Is globalization a threat or an opportunity? More importantly, how can we thrive in this highly interactive, highly competitive environment? Exposure to globalization’s affects at home, such as the loss of jobs due to outsourcing, popularization of Japanese animation, or tech support in India only lead to a passive of understanding of the forces at change around the world. In today’s world, the only way an individual can truly stay competitive is through foreign travel and exposure to unfamiliar cultures.

The joys of globalisation. One can enjoy a Liverpool-Chelsea match on the Fox Soccer Channel, wearing their preferred club’s scarf- bought off the official team website-while drinking an Irish stout, but never having set foot on English turf. Today we have the technology, the information, and the exposure to foreign cultures that inhibit a greater knowledge of the world around us. However, this idea of cultural globalisation does not provide a full enough understanding of foreign culture. One measurement of cultural globalisation is mass communication such as films, television programming, and print publications. However, what ultimately makes it through the filter can be surprising, and can provide an extremely distorted understanding of the values of others.

Superman in Hong Kong

Take for example the censorship of American produced film in the Chinese market. It was only with China’s negotiations for entry into the World Trade Organization that it allowed twenty American-films to be imported into the country. With government censorship and restrictions on film as a cultural import, it is flawed to say that American culture is portrayed accurately. Authoritarian governments shouldn't be blamed for cultural censorship entirely. The same phenomenon happens in less politically restrictive country, but instead of the government being the arbiter of communication, it is the free-market and consumer demands.

Additionally, those shows, films, and books that are being viewed aren’t always understood for their cultural idiosyncrasies. Jokes and statements made about current events in the country, cultural icons, or country specific attitudes can be lost upon the viewer. More often, the entertainment value comes from the more obvious differences in interpersonal relationships of the characters or in strange and misunderstood behaviours. While in Italy I watched the cult classic "A Night at the Museum" dubbed over in Italian. Aside from not understanding Owen Wilson the entire movie, the jokes that I laughed at were culturally ground, but the rest of the audience laughed at scenes that weren't meant to be amusing. A friend of mine was astounded by how much content in the Chappelle Show went straight over his friends' heads in Holland. They just don't get it. These two examples of passive exposure to cultural globalisation are not substitutes for a global perspective. Spending time abroad is the only way to understand the cultural nuances lost on those who are affected, rather than involved, in what they are exposed to.

If you want to see examples of cultural exchange you can sit at home and watch L'Auberge Espagnole on on-demand with your hot pocket in hand, or you can go to Europe. The European Union’s ERASMUS and ERASMUS Mundus programmes encourage and support university students to study outside of their native country. The programme ensures that the student’s home university recognizes the time spent abroad. This provides the framework for an interconnected higher educational system in those countries. Students can spend three months to one year studying in a foreign city. An added incentive for students is that their tuition fees are not altered for their different location. German political scientist Stefan Wolff predicts a shift in European identity and leadership in this so-called ERASMUS generation.

“Give it 15, 20, 25 years, and Europe will be run by leaders with a completely different socialization from those today.”

Stephen Wolff interview with the International Herald Tribune

One argument I have heard time and time again is that it is simply easier to travel throughout Europe. With states the size of some European country, the geographic differences seem to be in their favour for international travel. The European Union’s facilitation of mobility through the Schengen nations makes it even easier for EU citizens to cross borders. This argument of distance and isolation however, is a weak one. With extremely favorable relations with many countries, U.S. citizens enjoy privileged travel without specified visas. A look into a parallel country is Australia. In every country I have traveled to I have met Aussies-without question. Maybe it’s the fact that they're a country, a continent, and an island, but the Aussies spread across the globe like cicadas. I say if the Aussies can do it, why can’t, and why shouldn’t we?

Not only are students going abroad, but so are universities. Countries like Singapore are wooing American universities to establish campus there to provide their students with the university’s degree. In a mutually beneficial relationship, Singapore attracts top-ranked U.S. schools such as Cornell, MIT, the University of Chicago, Stanford, and Johns Hopkins so its students can essentially receive brand named degrees. The reputation associated with degrees from these schools assumes a high-rigour of education, and can make the students more competitive in the global job market. In return, American universities gain research facilities in the markets and regions that they are studying. This provides their research with a competitive advantage that other universities doing proxy research cannot achieve. The development of a global model of education through collaborations such as those in Singapore will favour students and academics with a global perspective, thus highlighting the need for cultural uprooting to keep up with the change.

Where is the incentive to travel if it is likely that international opportunities will present themselves in the workplace? In a study conducted by the Mercer consulting group, 38% of companies increased the amount of international transfers from headquarters abroad between 2004 and 2006. Global experience and a desire to work abroad are key for today’s workforce. Texas A&M professor S. Kerry Cooper notes that students with prior experience are looked upon favorably by companies today.

“Quite simply, recruiters see students with experience living overseas as more mature and having better communication skills. They are perceived as more desirable employees. They are more competitive in the workplace.”
Professor S. Kerry Cooper, Texas A&M

Although companies seem to be looking more for local managers and talent, it is often difficult to find skilled locals to take over traditionally expatriate jobs. This still leaves many positions open for company nationals to go abroad. Many companies offer career advancement as an incentive to go abroad. PricewaterhouseCoopers, the global accounting and auditing firm has a Life Experience Abroad Programme that sends young promising workers abroad with the promise of advancement in the company.

Then there are the others. That global workforce in emerging markets like China, Brazil, and India who are unapologetically climbing their way up the global ladder. In an Economist article, it is noted that

“Well educated Indians, Chinese, Brazilians or Mexicans-often armed with degrees from foreign universities-are perfect candidates for many European or American firms that want them to gain experience in the head office before they take on greater responsibility in their home markets.”

Those foreign posts and country manager positions that are common in the business world today could be shrinking. As developing countries continue to improve education and foreign markets become more attractive, these jobs could be lost to qualified local managers. This idea glocalizing, like outsourcing, could threaten the job market of the company’s headquarters.

How can the threat be hedged in order to stay ahead of these new competitors? The answer is by continually learning and developing new skills. Traveling abroad and learning different production, managerial, and interpersonal methods can allow employees and companies to acquire best practice methods. Whether it be Japanese supply-chain methods, or Italian ceramic production, there is much to learn through direct contact with foreign businesses and practices.

Globalisation is not a thing to be feared. From the Silk road, to the great explorers, to maritime trading routes, the spread of culture, wealth, and politics is not a new concept. However, this global integration throughout history could not have occurred by sitting in a charting room guessing what was out in the abyss. It was only by traveling and seeing the world that it was finally understood. While technology and communication have changed the rules of the game, the way it must be played still stays the same. Get out. Travel. See the world, and it might make a little more sense.