United States

Pakistan, known for its textiles, would like the freedom to sell these wares in foreign countries, not just in local shops. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/benny_lin/4564466986/in/photostream/">Benny Lin (flickr)</a>

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To Aid or Trade?

After environmental disasters, nations often rush to pledge relief aid. But how well-meaning are these donations?

China's many factories are one aspect of its booming economy that propelled it to Number Two. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/colinmanuel/2702626549/in/photostream/">Collin Manuel (Flickr)</a>

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China Takes Number Two Spot

China’s consistently high growth rates, strong exports, and expanding industrial sector have been turning heads.

Immigrant workers hand cut and pack celery in Salinas Valley, CA. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danlong/2776334619/">danlong (flickr)</a>

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Go Ahead, Take Our Jobs

Most of us have probably heard that illegal immigrants are taking our jobs, but are they really?

The Uniform Project funds helps provide uniforms like these for underprivileged school children in India. Photo: <a href=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/opoponax/2319081821/sizes/m/"> the opoponax (Flickr)</a>

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A Little Black Dress Sends 264 Children to School for a Year

Take one basic little black dress (LBD), a cool girl from India, sustainability, and education for underprivileged children… What do they all add up to?

Could Yemen be reaching a tipping point? Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahron/148333784/">Ahron de Leeuw (flickr)</a>

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Will Development Aid Change Yemen's Future?

Once called “Arabia Felix” or “happy arabia” by the Romans, today Yemen is the poorest country in the Middle East.

California state colleges are struggling under budget cuts too, as this photo taken March 4 at state university's campus protest shows. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/anitakhart/4410455298/"/>anitakhart (Flickr)</a>

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California Schools Squeezed by Cuts

Across the United States, schools are in danger, but the situation in financially pinched California has put public schools in a state of emergency.

Caption. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jennfarr/3967961775/">Jenn Farr (Flickr)</a>

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Let's Rap About Oil

National outrage over this year’s BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico has catalyzed comparisons to nothing short of the apocalypse.

Mexican police carry child out of the way during a gun battle with the drug cartels. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/24388163@N08/3141600647/">Jorge Duenes (Flickr)</a>

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Drug Violence Derails Mexico's Economic Recovery

Not surprisingly, Mexico's economy shrank during the global recession.

A 1989 poster celebrating Congress of South African Trade Unions' Living Wage Campaign and May Day. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/egui/484824136/"/>Gardens Media Group/CAP (flickr)</a>

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The End of Poverty

In Los Angeles, California, a poor city in a debt-ridden state, a movement to end poverty is gaining popularity.

"Start small with things we know are effective," suggests Esther Duflo. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kalyan3/2313765916/">kalyan3 (Flickr)</a>

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Esther Duflo: Most Promising U.S. Economist

Esther Duflo is once again in the news, this time for having won the John Bates Clark medal.

Soap operas in Brazil have been a surprising force for social change. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedroliveira/407890498/" target="_blank">pedroliveira (flickr)</a>

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Learning from the Soaps

Cell phones are the gadgets that are changing the developing world, right? That's what scores of articles over the past few years — including several posts on Global Envision — have said.

One in five New Yorker's are considered poor. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hcolorblind/2677101931/">Hanna L (flickr)</a>

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Cash Incentive Program to Help the Poor Falls Short in NYC

The verdict is out on New York City's Opportunity NYC Family Rewards program.

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The Poverty Trap

There's a really interesting discussion happening here about the poverty trap in the U.S., and why for many workers earning less than $40k, they are often worse off if they get

An estimated 8.4 million payroll jobs were lost during the recession. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/irees/6054169/">wools (flickr)</a>

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What does it take to escape poverty?

What's most effective in helping people climb out of poverty? Jobs and education, according to New York Times columnist Nick Kristof, who cites several recent studies by economists.

OLPC instructors teach students how to use their laptops in Kigali, Rwanda. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rorycellan/3933612995/in/photostream/">cellanr (flckr)</a>

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Browsing for a New Future: Laptops in Rwanda

Rwanda's President Paul Kagame wants to secure a piece of the growing technology market that has already brought so much change to sub-Saharan Africa, and he’s starting young.