Your Thoughts Matter

China

China’s life satisfaction, 1990-2010

Source: JournalistsResource.org

China has experienced unprecedented economic growth over the past 20 years, with some reports estimating that China’s per capita GDP and consumption each increased by a factor of four between 1990 and 2010. Surveys of Chinese citizens suggest, however, that the quality of life in China has not increased by the same magnitude as the country’s economy.

International socialization and the diffusion of human rights norms

Source: JournalistsResource.org
 

In 1948 the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; since then, the world has seen both widespread progress and continuing human rights abuses in various countries. Numerous factors determine states’ decision to uphold or ignore international norms; one is a state’s involvement or membership within intergovernmental organizations (IGOs).

Watchdog or lapdog? Media freedom and government respect for human rights

Source: JournalistsResource.org
 

An often-cited reason for the importance of media freedom is that it can promote a government’s respect for human rights. Around the world, however, media freedom and democratic societies are not uniquely associated with each other; some democracies have government-controlled media, while some autocracies have allowed free media. Consequently, the true effectiveness of free media within different regime types in promoting respect for human rights is open to question.

Who’s winning the clean energy race?

Source: JournalistsResource.org

A sustained period of fast economic growth nations such as China, Japan and South Korea has corresponded with an ever-increasing demand for energy.  To meet this demand, these countries have invested significantly in green technology.  The significant progress made is underscored in 2009 as China is reported to have passed the U.S. in clean energy investment and finance.

Energy innovation and competition among U.S., China, India, Brazil

Source: JournalistsResource.org

As the economic output and populations of China, India and Brazil grow, the countries’ energy consumption will continue to rise. Because traditional energy sources such as oil and coal are both nonrenewable and limited, these countries are pushing to develop new forms of alternative energy. Given that the United States remains the highest per capita consumer of energy, the need for sustainable energy sources is considered by many domestically to be a vital national interest.

Effects of nuclear conflicts and acts of nuclear terrorism

Source: JournalistsResource.org

The use of nuclear weapons in an urban area, particularly by a terrorist group, remains a palpable threat for many in a post-9/11 world. As populations congregate in ever-larger cities around the globe, scientists are seeking to measure all the likely physical impacts of such an attack on these dense clusters.