Middle East Articles

The United Nations has several bodies that address the issue of human rights either directly or indirectly. What is the role of the Human Rights Council within this bureaucratic structure?

The most salient issue of those concerned with the international financial architecture back in mid-2007 was “governance,” in particular governance of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This involved, among other things, the selection of future Managing Directors (by convention since 1946 always a European), representation on the Executive Board (which is responsible for the operating decisions of the IMF), and voting rights, which were based on out-dated formulae. The “legitimacy” of the IMF was said to be in doubt. This concern with governance was against a backdrop of excellent performance of the world economy since 2002, high and widespread growth, and low inflation but rising commodity prices, which helped exporters of primary products.

The recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai raise four questions for an educator. First, how did the education of these perpetrators shape such hatred that they could take the lives of hundreds of unarmed civilians? Second, how were the individuals who enabled these perpetrators’ actions educated, and why would they turn a blind eye or enable these terrorists to plan their attacks? Third, in what ways do the teachings of history and geography foster limited and intolerant views between India and Pakistan? As the responses of ordinary citizens in both of these countries demonstrate, biased national views constrain the options for leaders to pursue negotiated avenues of cooperation and perhaps increase the risk of military conflict between these nations.

Only a short time ago, economists were predicting that the number of currencies in the global monetary system would fall from more than 150 to perhaps three or four. In 2001, Harvard’s Kenneth Rogoff wrote in the American Economic Review, “It appears likely that the number of currencies in the world, having proliferated along with the number of countries over the past fifty years, will decline sharply over the next two decades.” While a domestic currency had traditionally been conceived as part of a nation’s sovereignty and tied to its political existence, there was no reason for that to persist.