REFERENCE UPDATE

March 2009

ECONOMIC AND TRADE

1. The President’s Inbox: Asia and the Economy
Edward Alden, et al. Council on Foreign Relations, February 19, 2009, 12 pages
The authors discuss U.S. foreign policy toward Asia, the global economy, and the challenges and opportunities that fill the new administration's inbox.  The article focuses on the range of actions that the Obama administration has been taking to determine not only the impact on the U.S. economy, but on the broader global financial crisis.

2. The Future of the Chiang Mai Initiative: An Asian Monetary Fund?
C. Randall Henning. Policy Brief 09-5, February 2009, 9 pages
In 2000, the finance ministers of ASEAN, China, Japan, and South Korea (ASEAN+3) agreed to establish a network of bilateral swap arrangements (BSA) among the ASEAN+3 countries, known as the Chiang Mai Initiative (CMI).  Now the countries are negotiating among themselves to build these BSAs into a more comprehensive facility.  The author provides a brief primer on the CMI, examines the possibilities for the conversion of CMI into a common regional fund, and offers recommendations to East Asian governments and the rest of the world to enhance complementarities between financial regionalism and global institutions, such as the IMF.

3. Fighting the Urge for Protectionism
Razeen Sally and Fredrik Erixon. Far Eastern Economic Review, January/February 2009, 4 pages
The global financial crisis has changed the intellectual climate decisively against free markets and in favor of government regulation.  Will it lead to a new Age of Protectionism?  The authors provide a few historical examples of economic disasters caused by protectionism, and argue that there is a strong, evidence-based case for open markets, including open markets in financial services.

4. From Boom to Gloom
David Pilling, Financial Times, March 24, 2009, 6 pages
The author has reviewed economic situation in Asia and considered Asia a relatively safe haven from the global downturn. True, Asia was no longer as dependent on global financial flows as it had been in the run-up to its own crisis in 1997-98. Some case studies were highlighted in his article including Vietnam, China and India.

5. How the Crash Will Reshape America
Richard Florida. The Atlantic, March 2009, 10 pages
The author explores the economic conditions of the United States in response to the financial crisis of 2008 and offers various opinions on future commercial forecasting.  Also discussed are possible shifts within the nation's economic structure and influence, the employment sector of New York City, the conditions of factory-towns, and the geographical aspects of economic influence.

6. Border War
Noam Scheiber. The New Republic, February 18, 2009, 2 pages
U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and National Economic Council leader Larry Summers are profiled in this piece.  The author compares their strengths and weaknesses, and predicts who will dominate discussions of U.S. economic matters moving forward. 

7. Vietnam: Country Outlook
Economic Intelligent Unit - ViewsWire, March 4, 2009, 2 pages
The article provides brief and updated information on Vietnam's development including economic growth, international relations, domestic politics and policy trends.

REGIONAL SECURITY

8. An American Strategy for Asia
Dan Blumenthal and Aaron Friedberg. A Report of the Asia Strategy Working Group, January 2009, 39 pages
This report discusses a strategy for Asia through which Washington can confront and manage the ongoing regional transformation.  It outlines steps the United States must take to preserve peace and stability, promote prosperity, and support the spread of democratic institutions in the region.

9. U.S. Engagement in East Asia: A Case for ‘Track Two’ Diplomacy
Sarah Ellen Graham and John Robert Kelley. Orbis, Winter 2009, 19 pages
The authors assess the prospects for Washington to improve its relations with China through the mechanism of track two diplomacy by examining its main components and functions with illustrative examples.  The authors also discuss major areas of U.S. interest in East Asia and show how track two diplomacy might usefully be pursued within these contexts.

10. Reshaping the World Order
Stephen G. Brooks and William C. Wohlforth. Foreign Affairs, March/April 2009, 15 pages
With today's world of rising powers and new challenges, from terrorism and nuclear proliferation to financial instability and global warming, the need to reform the current architecture of international institutions is more imminent than ever.  The authors argue as to whether the United States is up to the task and look at how Washington should reform international institutions. 

11. A New Administration and the UN
Stephen Schlesinger. World Policy Journal, Winter 2008/09, 6 pages
The author examines the relationship between the United States and the United Nations (UN), offer an opinion on the steps U.S. President Barack Obama might take to reconnect with the institution, including support for the UN reform movement and attempts to get the UN to confront issues of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.

12. Hillary's State
Michael Crowley. The New Republic, March 4, 2009, 3 pages
Will Secretary Clinton’s State Department suffer from the same turf battles that her U.S. presidential campaign did?  The author discusses Secretary Clinton’s collaboration on the selection of George Mitchell and Richard Holbrooke as special envoys, and offers his insight on the effect Clinton will have on the U.S. State Department.

GLOBAL ISSUES AND ENVIRONMENT

13. Energy and Public Health: The Challenge of Peak Petroleum
Howard Frumkin,et al. Public Health Reports, January-February 2009, 15 pages
Global petroleum production is expected to reach a maximum in the near future and to decline thereafter, a phenomenon known as peak petroleum.  The authors examine how peak petroleum may affect public health and healthcare in four areas: medical supplies and equipment, transportation, energy generation, and food production.

14. Smart Choice for Biofuels
Jane Earley and Alice McKeown. Sierra Club and Worldwatch Institute, January 2009, 16 pages
The report examines a future path for biofuels to ensure that they are more environmentally and socially sustainable and that the use of renewable fuels for transportation contributes to the global effort to reduce global warming pollution.  It also outlines the economic and environmental impacts of first-generation biofuels, such as corn ethanol, proposes strategies to make the biofuels industry more sustainable, and offers specific policy recommendations.

15. Double Jeopardy: What the Climate Crisis Means for the Poor
Vinca LaFleur et al. Brookings Blum Roundtable 2008, August 2008, 44 pages
The authors explore the links between global climate change and poverty alleviation based on the premise that climate solutions must empower the poor by improving livelihoods, health, and well-being.  A common agenda to tackle two of the greatest challenges of our time – climate change and poverty – is also discussed.

16. A World Without Water
Tara Lohan. The Nation, February 16, 2009, 4 pages
A report from the World Economic Forum warned that in only twenty years our civilization may be facing water bankruptcy (e.g. shortfalls of fresh water so large and pervasive that global food production could crater).  The author interviews Dr. Peter Gleick, Founder and President of the Pacific Institute, and one of the world’s leading water experts about the global water crisis and a solution called the soft path for water.

MEDIA, COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

17. End Times
Michael Hirschorn. The Atlantic, January/February 2009, 4 pages
The author discusses the downturn of the U.S. newspaper industry in 2009, specifically addressing the question of the survival of The New York Times.  Among the issues examined are the parlous state of the finances of the newspaper, declines in circulation, and a reduction in its advertising revenue.

18. Endangered Species
Jennifer Dorroh. American Journalism Review, December 2008/January 2009, 8 pages
The author examines how newspapers and newspaper chains in reaction to the ongoing financial crisis in newspaper publishing are eliminating their reporters and news bureaus that cover the U.S. government in Washington, D.C.  How this action potentially endangers American democracy is also examined.

19. Emerging Technologies and the Global Crisis of Maturity
William E. Halal. The Futurist, March-April 2009, 8 pages
The author argues that to survive the technological revolution in the midst of the global crisis, a social revolution is needed that will bring institutions and civilization to a higher state of maturity.  The TechCast Project at George Washington University has developed a sophisticated website that surveyed 100 high-tech executives, scientists and engineers, academics, and other experts around the world to forecast breakthroughs in all fields of science and technology.  The author explains why the Project may be the most complete forecasting system available, and graphically presents some of its significant findings.

U.S. SOCIETY AND CULTURE

20. The End of White America?
Hua Hsu. The Atlantic, January/February 2009, 8 pages
If the end of white America is a cultural and demographic inevitability, what will the new mainstream look like?  And will a post-white America be less racially divided?  The author discusses race and racial awareness in the United States, focusing on the role played by whites in multicultural societies.

21. Stepping Back from Democratic Pessimism
Thomas Carothers. Carnegie Paper No. 99, February 2009, 24 pages
Is democracy in retreat and authoritarianism on the march in the world today?  The author examines the state of democracy in the world and discusses how to ensure that democratic pessimism, borne out of the Bush’s administration democracy promotion policy, does not result in backing away from U.S. support for democracy abroad.

22. Democracy: the Case for Opportunistic Idealism
Gideon Rachman. The Washington Quarterly, January 2009, 9 pages
The author examines U.S. democracy promotion policy of the Bush era, focusing on what the new U.S. administration should learn from the past and why they should adopt a policy of opportunistic idealism.

23. Silent Servants
Asia-Pacific Defense Forum, Third Quarter 2008, 8 pages
The author addresses human trafficking problems across the world and how the explosion of Internet usage, as well as the spread of digital and cellular-phone cameras, have been exploited as new tools for victimizing children.

24. The Cool Presidency
Michelle Cottle. The New Republic, March 4, 2009, 3 pages
The article looks at how U.S. President Barack Obama's journey for identity has evolved.  The author explains how Obama developed his cool demeanor; how his sense of cool differed from ex-U.S. President Bill Clinton's, and how the President’s confidence and alignment with young aides such as Reggie Love give him his cool.

25. Picturing the Harbor
Houman Harouni. Connect Magazine, January/February 2009, 3 pages
Relating his impression on a project he assigned to students in his photography class, the author ponders on how after-school programs can create an impact in the lives of students.

26. Groping for Words: A Guide to Slang and Usage Resources
Edwin Battistella. Choice, December 2008, 12 pages
Where does one go to find out if there is an apostrophe in Presidents(') Day?  Where does one look for information on the correct pronunciations of Missouri, Nevada, and Mississippi?  Where does one look to determine whether to put a comma before the last item in a series?  The author examines all the major style guides -- normative, prescriptive, academic, popular -- and lists a number of books on grammar, pronunciation, spelling, diction, and punctuation. 

27. The Arts in Global Society
Joseph W. Polisi. The Fletcher Forum of World Affairs, Summer 2008, 9 pages
The author interviews Joseph W. Polisi, President of The Juilliard School, about the value of the arts in the United States and the social responsibility of the artist as citizen, focusing on the shifting place of the arts in the American educational system, the need for increased cultural diplomacy via the arts, and the role of the artist in society and international discourse.

TRANSLATED DOCUMENTS

28. 2008 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Front Matter and portion on Vietnam
U.S. Department of State, February 25, 2009, 60 pages

29. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s op-Ed Celebrating International Women’s Day
America.gov, March 8, 2009, 2 pages