The “Aliens” Taking Our Jobs Are Not the Illegal Kind

The Backlash Against International Trade Is Rooted in Real but Misplaced Fears

Can we have all the adults in the room stand up and chant in unison: “Who’s Afraid of Global Trade? Who’s Afraid of Global Trade?” That should calm us down. It worked for the three little pigs.

I understand that when things are going badly it is our human instinct to find the culprit among the “others,” which often means foreigners (excluding the countries from which our personal ancestors immigrated). Per President Trump, the Chinese and Mexicans are the wolves currently devouring our jobs. Let’s breathe deeply and think hard about …

The Cap-and-Trade Solution to Our Trade Dispute With China

Warren Buffett’s Three-Decade-Old Plan Could Finally Be the Right Idea

President-elect Trump’s criticism of our trading relationship with China and our trade deficit with that nation has produced predictable reactions. Economists warn against “protectionism” and the dangers of trade wars. …

A Warning From the Bumpy Road to Mandalay

To Steer Clear of Economic Woes, the U.S. Needs Infrastructure Repairs

America’s infrastructure is headed down a bumpy road, and unless the country takes drastic action to fix its ailing transport, water, and other infrastructure systems, it might well wind up …

How California Can Survive the U.S.-China War

The Golden State Should Be the Voice of Reason in the Conflict Between Autocrats in D.C. and Beijing

California is trapped—caught in the dangerous space between two menacingly authoritarian regimes that want to fight each other.

One regime is headquartered in Beijing, and the other is about to take …

How a Trump Economy Could Make Singapore Great Again

Restrictive Policies on Trade and Immigration May Shift Innovation to the East—and It May Never Come Back

Did the presidential election change the Pacific Rim as we know it?

During these days of transition speculation, there is plenty of talk about what president-elect Donald Trump’s victory means for …

Can Anyone Really Rule the South China Sea? | Zocalo Public Square • Arizona State University • Smithsonian

Can Anyone Really Rule the South China Sea?

East Asian Powers Jockey for Islands and Atolls in an Ocean that Defies Man-Made Boundaries

Zócalo’s editors are diving into our archives and throwing it back to some of our favorite pieces. This week: The late political scientist and …