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Archive for February, 2009

Polycentric or Monocentric? A Look at Metropolitan Planning in Scandinavia

Friday, February 27th, 2009

I recently visited two metropolitan regions in Scandinavia — Stockholm and Copenhagen — that both are anticipating steady rates of growth similar to Washington, D.C., where I work as a regional transportation planner.  Between now and 2030, these metropolitan areas expect their populations to increase between one and two percent … Continue Reading…

Russia’s Dilemma

Thursday, February 26th, 2009

Russia has never been easy. Will the present global financial and economical crisis nonetheless pave the path to a new period of thaw or even to some change of the “System Putin”? Last week, in discussions with a group of Americans and Germans in Moscow organized by GMF, representatives of … Continue Reading…

The politics of economics in new Europe

Tuesday, February 24th, 2009

One week after Dennis Blair, U.S. Director of National Intelligence declared the economic crisis the primary threat to U.S. national security Latvia fell victim to the political instability caused by the economic turmoil. Without a strong, coordinate response shoring up Central and Eastern European (CEE) economies, we are risking further political instability … Continue Reading…

Can We Make Aid More Predictable?

Monday, February 23rd, 2009

The following is a response to the UK Department for International Development Permanent Secretary’s entry on the Ideas4Development blog on social projection programs to help the poor manage the food, fuel, and financial crises.

Minouche Shafik provides us with a compelling case for increasing investments in social protection … Continue Reading…

The first 100 days

Tuesday, February 17th, 2009

My colleague John Glenn gives an interview to the Associated Press about the relationship between President Obama and Europe during the first 100 days. Continue Reading…

A look back on Clinton’s first term…

Wednesday, February 4th, 2009

My colleague Thorsten Klassen has just published his dissertation on, naturally, U.S.-German relations. He focuses on “Continuity within Change: The German-American Foreign and Security Relationship during President Clinton’s First Term.” Perhaps there are some lessons to be learned for the new U.S. administration in working with … Continue Reading…