By Afnaan Qayyum A hundred companies in the UK recently announced four-day workweeks without pay cuts. Meanwhile, there is an emerging debate in the U.S. over labor rights and workplace wellness. “Better late than never,” they said about the world’s richest economy. The business motivation for introducing employee wellness programs lies in increased productivity, reduced […]
Tag: Global Policy Studies and International Security
Featured Photo: Callie Richmond On Jan. 30, 2018, the LBJ School of Public Affairs welcomed U.S. Army Lieutenant General Sean MacFarland. His talk was part of the Dean’s Distinguished Leaders Series, which brings the best and brightest of the public world straight to LBJ. MacFarland, a three-star general slated to retire soon, spoke about his […]
Some of the most devastating wars in history have been fought in the name of religion. It is undeniable that differences in belief systems and ways of worship can cause irreconcilable disputes. Though religion plays a role in causing many conflicts, it also has the unique power to resolve them. In part one, I examined […]
Aung San Suu Kyi’s Complicity in the Persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar In 1991, Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize “for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights.” She was given the award for her involvement in the 1988 pro-democracy uprisings in Myanmar, in which she helped found the […]
The Turkish electorate just resoundingly passed a referendum with 58 percent of the vote that could very well end Turkey’s definition of democracy. Turkish democracy is not like other versions of democracy; well, maybe not until now. This week we will discuss how Turkey’s unique style of democracy came into existence. Next week, we will […]
Last week we discussed how Turkey’s unique style of democracy came into existence. In the second part of this series, we will explore the underlying problems and repercussions of the recent referendum vote where 58 percent of voters supported a referendum that limits the political power of the military and places the judiciary square in […]
Photo: Mattia Panciroli (CC) On Tuesday, Sept. 26, Saudi Arabia announced via televised royal decree that it will finally allow women to drive, marking a watershed moment in the fight for women’s rights. The verdict gives Saudi Arabian women both the literal and metaphorical wheel: as they are handed the keys, they will reach an […]
Coming from out of state hearing the UT alma mater “The Eyes of Texas” was a little unsettling. Really, the Eyes of Texas are upon you, you cannot get away… To be honest, prior to hearing (and, yes, singing) the song, I thought about Walker, Texas Ranger. Turns out that whether it’s Chuck Norris or […]
Is it a frontier space, a buffer area, a window into the east… or west, a tinderbox, or something else entirely? Since last November, more people have joined the conversation on how to understand Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Like any region, it cannot be simply summarized. Understanding the various threads of the CEE tapestry […]
The temperature had reached about 115 degrees that day in August 2007. I was a relatively young American soldier sitting in the backyard of a Sunni tribal leader, also known as a sheik, in a western Iraqi town called Ramadi. Since 2003 this sheik and his followers had been hard at work trying to kill […]