Most SM readers are news junkies so by now, you’ve probably come across the latest Pew survey on International attitudes towards the US –

WASHINGTON – The United States’ popularity in many countries is lagging behind even communist China. The image of the United States slipped sharply in 2003, after the invasion of Iraq, and two years later has shown few signs of rebounding in Western Europe or the Muslim world, an international poll found… In Britain, which prides itself on its “special relationship” with Washington, almost two-thirds of Britons, 65 percent, saw China favorably, compared with 55 percent who held a positive view of the United States.

I guess many Brits prefer China’s real live gulags to our merely figurative ones. Our ever-polite neighbors to the north had the following 3 word view of Americans –

Rude, greedy and violent

Well then. Personally, I don’t read too much into these sorts of polls and they reinforce my view that much of Global Politics basically boils down to one big high school with America being the richest kid on the block.

And we all know how everyone in High School felt about that kid.

In fact, it’s even worse – we’re not just the rich kid (GNP) but also the quarterback (military), prettiest / most popular (Hollywood) and possibly the overly industrious, know-it-all Eagle Scout (Silicon Valley / Religion / Patriotism / Wide-Eyed Optimism) all rolled into one. Talk about a combo that would make the chess team, literature club, & “trench-coat mafia” seethe.

That’s not to say we don’t occasionally screw things up in a “careless” Daisy Buchanan sort of way, it’s just that it’s hard to imagine a world where this measure ever becomes / remains positive for long regardless of our behavior. (Although, in supremely High School-esque fashion, experiencing a 9/11 does appear to replenish global good will).

In the end, this particular global test doesn’t feel very falsifiable. BUT, there is one wrinkle here that’s actually pretty surprising / interesting – preceptions of the US in India – Continue reading →

(via Amit Varma / India Uncut) This just makes me want to scream. An OpEd in the Times of India discusses the trials and tribulations that met a promising higher ed venture in India. Like most stories, it starts with the best of intentions –

Two years ago, I met a distinguished friend in Delhi, who is the president of a prestigious American university that has produced several Nobel laureates. He loves India and he told me with some pride that India is increasingly perceived as a future knowledge capital of the world. He thought he would contribute to this future by setting up a branch campus here so that Indians could acquire his university’s degree at a fourth of the cost in America. I was delighted. Here’s a chance for a world-class education for our young, I thought.

And like many such endeavors, he ran smack into other (formerly) well-intentioned bureaucrats who are now glued in place by ossified political structures. The natural laws of bureaucracy and public-choice kick in –

Two years later I heard this tale of woe. His university’s application to the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) for an equivalence certificate went unanswered despite three reminders. Their meeting with the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) resulted in the demand for a huge bribe. Their efforts with the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Ministry entangled them in miles of red tape. “[AICTE] will decide our fees, student intake, and even the size of our buildings, and prosecute us like criminals for non-compliance. Even if we get their approval, it’s only for a year, and meanwhile the courts could overturn things.”

And the university’s response? Atlas shrugged –

…India is a hopeless cause and he has decided to set up a campus in China.

Sigh. On the plus side, I suppose the Indian higher ed establishment will be safe from neo-colonial exploitation & Race To The Bottom outsourcing. Continue reading →