While visiting Hanoi recently, HPR staff writer Jay Alver noticed an astounding number of privately owned businesses in the city. Slightly confused, he asked a local guide how this could be true, given the supposedly absolute control the Communist Party wields. Smiling a bit, the guide responded slyly that with increasing liberalization in Vietnam and … Read more
Generally, the photos and videos released by North Korean state media are meant to uphold the regime’s aura of power and greatness. But in February 2011, state television aired footage of Kim Jong-un holding binoculars upside down as military officials surrounded him, a mistake uncharacteristic of the tightly controlled government. For the then-vice chairman of … Read more
While cities have defined the way humans live and interact for millennia, social network theory (SNT) has changed the understanding of cities. SNT focuses on the interconnectivity of actors, whether on a personal or national level. Applying this theory to cities sheds light on the complexity of the urban environment. As Sergio Rey, professor at … Read more
While traditional discourse has focused on the exodus of well educated professionals from developing nations, over half a million Chinese students who had worked or studied abroad had returned home by the end of 2009. They are commonly referred to as haigui or “sea turtles.” This group is using the skills gained in their ventures … Read more
China’s transformation is one of the most startling tales of economic fortitude over the last half-century. Within this transformation, the importance of China’s migrant workers is often underestimated, even though Chinese migrants account for nearly twenty percent of China’s annual growth. Like migrant workers elsewhere, economic prospects and opportunities in Chinese cities drive rural Chinese … Read more