HIR Articles

An interview with Heather Schmid and Dr. Rafay Mehdi

Heather Schmid is an international recording artist, pop star, and member of the Grammy Academy whose work has reached millions through live performances, recordings, YouTube clips, and other media.  Dr. Rafay Mehdi is an internationally-recognized MD who has taught medicine at Harvard University and been affiliated with Yale University and Boston University.  Together, they have founded Goddess, Inc. and the Neuroscience Media Group, which create uplifting entertainment designed to elevate discourse, bridge cultures, and foster international cooperation, goodwill, and peace.  Goddess, Inc.

By HIR Interviews  |  April 29, 2013

Switzerland & the Future of Elections

The Internet has had a profound impact on the way contemporary democracies work. Neither processes, such as electoral campaigns, nor actors, such as candidates, political parties or movements, are immune to the myriad challenges and opportunities offered by new media. The same goes for various fundamental institutions of democracy, such as parliaments and governments, which have adopted Internet-based strategies for both internal and external information and communication needs.

By Alexander H. Trechsel, Urs Gasser  |  April 17, 2013

GREG STONE works as a Senior Vice-President and Chief Scientist for Oceans at Conservation International. As an oceanographer, he has logged over 7000 dives in all oceans. He has led expeditions for National Geographic to Antarctica, Thailand, and many Pacific Islands, and has authored hundreds of publications, including in Nature, National Geographic Magazine and Science.

By Barrett Hansen  |  April 15, 2013

During his week-long visit at Harvard University in October of 2012, Douglas Alexander agreed to talk with the Harvard International Review about the European fiscal crisis, the state of the British economy, the job of opposition party leader David Cameron, as well as the foreign policy and security risks posed by Syria and Iran. As the EU begins its slow path to recover and Britain itself continues to face meager growth, Alexander has voiced strong opinions and clear policy suggestions for how to promote Britain’s shared interests with its global partners.

By Katya Johns  |  April 14, 2013

It is no longer a secret—Africa is finally on the rise. For many decades, we have been used to associating the continent with the Six D’s of horror: decay, disaster, drought, disease, despotism, and despair. They have not disappeared over night, but they are now being complemented by the Three E’s: emergence, evolution, and emancipation.

By Albrecht Conze  |  April 12, 2013

Mobile apps and tablets have assumed a prominent position in the landscape of technology use in education and training, as anticipated by the EDUCAUSE 2012 Horizon Report. With mobile phone subscriptions totaling around six billion, and predictions that sales of tablets and e-book readers will increase substantially as prices continue to fall, mobile devices are rightly seen as a compelling means of solving pressing global problems in education. Numerous successes have already been recorded.

By Agnes Kukulsa-Hulme  |  April 12, 2013

"For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.” - President john F. Kennedy

By Patrick Mendis  |  April 9, 2013

Despite efforts to guard against future financial crises, markets will remain vulnerable until the influence of globalization is addressed.  Global financial flows were a major factor in the US housing bubble and subsequent bust, as they bear much responsibility for the boom-bust financial patterns of the last 20 years.  Though various measures could break this pattern, the most promising would be an alteration in Federal Reserve (Fed) policy, something its leadership shows no sign of doing or even considering.

 

By Milton Ezrati  |  March 30, 2013

 In October 2012, Malala Yousafzai was shot by the Taliban in Pakistan’s northwestern town of Swat when she was returning home from school in a van. Why did the Taliban perceive a schoolgirl as a grave threat to its agenda of radicalizing youth? Armed with pen, enlightened with knowledge, and charged with the passion of fighting for the right to girls’ education, 14-year-old Malala has had no less of an impact than a drone in combating Talibanization.

By Syed Fazl-E-Haider  |  March 30, 2013