europe

Whether it is the flow of displaced persons to Europe from the Middle East and North Africa or the ebbs and flows of Mexicans across America’s southern border, issues of migration, immigration and population movement controls are often politically radioactive.

Economists who study international development often focus on measuring countries’ aggregate and per-capita volumes of output. However, the mix of industries and products — the diversity within an economy — is an important and under-appreciated variable in predicting potential growth, according to scholars at the Center for International Development at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Information communication technology (ICT) such as computers and cell phones has proliferated throughout the world, and many developing nations are consuming them at an increasing rate. Moreover, as such goods become technologically outdated in wealthier nations, they are often shipped to developing countries for refurbishment, recycling or disposal. However, such countries are sometimes ill-equipped to deal with the parts found in many products in an ecologically sound manner.

According to the United States Refugee Act of 1980, “a refugee is a person who is outside his or her country and who is unable or unwilling to return because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution.”

Firmly identifying the specific factors that trigger conflict and instability around the globe has long been a goal of policymakers, humanitarian organizations, security agencies and academics. In the past, many analysts have pointed toward underlying economic factors, and the type and character of political institutions present have often remained a secondary area of focus, researchers note.

Officials in Norway are examining links between the perpetrator of the deadly twin attacks in that country on July 22, 2011, and the right-wing extremism that reportedly fueled his actions.

What is the relationship between firearm availability and murder rates? It’s a complex question, and answering it involves weighing a number of variables.

Bicycle commuting is a relatively common in many parts of Europe, China and India, but less so elsewhere. While it is gaining support in the United States — a federal tax break for bicycle commuters became law in 2008 — it remains significantly less popular here than abroad.