Iqbal Ahmed

Iqbal Ahmed is a public policy graduate student at George Mason University, Arlington, VA, specializing in global policies on technology, economy, politics, and social reform. He completed a study abroad program at Oxford University, UK in summer 2011 on European Union (EU) policies. Iqbal has written for Foreign Policy Journal, Journal of Foreign Relations, Global Politician, and NPR’s “This I believe.”

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Articles by Iqbal Ahmed:

Burma’s Reform: an Opportunity or a Threat?

April 27, 2012 by

Burma’s Reform: an Opportunity or a Threat?

Luminaries smelled blood. Hillary Clinton, Kevin Rudd, and David Cameron came and went, openly advocating for continued democratic reform. All met with Ms. Aung Sun Suu Kyi. In the aftermath of grandiose state visits from such luminaries to Burma (officially known as Myanmar), Aung Sun Suu Kyi and military leaders face a long and difficult task to bring about political, social, and economic reforms in a country that has remained under a brutal military junta and isolated from most of the world since 1960.

Arlington and Shenzhen: A Tale of Globalization, Innovation, and Technology

February 8, 2012 by

Seven thousand miles separate Arlington, Virginia and Shenzhen, China. Two continents apart, these two cities could not be more different. Yet they are similar, geopolitically and globally. The characteristics of today’s globalization have united and connected cities like Arlington and Shenzhen.

The Food Piracy of Monsanto in India

January 12, 2012 by

The Somali pirates terrorize the Gulf of Aden. In India, Monsanto terrorizes one of basic sources of human survival – food. But this may change. After years of cajoling with Monsanto, the Indian government finally threw in the towel. In 2010, it banned commercial approval of GM seeds “indefinitely” to prevent Monsanto from “frankencroping” basic crops like brinjal.

One day in April of 1971

December 19, 2011 by

I met with a friend, an expat from Bangladesh like me, at a bar in Arlington on the eve of Bangladesh’s Victory Day on December 16 for drinks. It was already December 16 in Bangladesh because of the 11-hour time difference. After a few beers, my friend, who is 10 years older than me, offered to tell me a story. It was April 1, 1971. I was six years old.

Is Burma moving towards a democratic reform?

November 29, 2011 by

The notoriously powerful military junta of Burma is loosening its grip. In an uncharacteristic move, former army general Thein Sein, who came to power in March, thwarted the Chinese-funded $3.6 billion Myitsone dam project in the state of Kachin, relenting to the continuous pressure from the Burmese citizens in that region. The Burmese government has recently released more than 6,000 jailed political prisoners.

Can Imran Khan change Pakistan?

November 3, 2011 by

Imran Khan, the legendary cricket player, is larger than life in Pakistan. His fame, persona, and charisma go back to his cricket days when he mesmerized the cricket world with his dazzling performance and style, not to mention leading Pakistan to become the World Champion in 1992. Mr. Khan, 58, is long retired from cricket. But, now, he has brought his fame, charisma, along with patriotic endeavors into the political realm of Pakistan.

Poverty: a social burden or a challenge

October 26, 2011 by

What is poverty? It points to a cycle of human behavior, suggesting that the poor remain in poverty because of their adaptation to the burden of unfulfilled needs. Sudhir Vankatesh, the author of “Gang Leader for a Day,” said of Oscar Lewis, “Maybe there’s something in the way they live, in their lifestyle…that certain behaviors get transmitted from generation to generation.”

Grameen in the U.S.: Is it sustainable?

October 24, 2011 by

On September 26, 2011, Grameen America opened its first branch in the Bronx. Its goal is clear: to provide economic leverage to the low-income families in New York City. Grameen’s microcredit model aims to do what it achieved effectively in Bangladesh – to provide micro loans to individuals and small businesses and to create economic solvency.

Us vs. Them – Is It About Immigration Or Us?

October 14, 2011 by

Us vs. Them – Is It About Immigration Or Us?

Worldwide, the issue of immigration far exceeded its focal point – the immigrants. It has transformed into our own value judgment, predicament, and prejudice. In the U.S., the issue morphed into civil rights violation in the wake of a new controversial policy in Arizona. In France, ban on burqa has accentuated the anti-immigration sentiments.

Serbia’s Prospects for EU Membership

October 8, 2011 by

Just a few months ago, Serbia was the centerpiece of the European Union (EU) policy. Its ascension to the EU looked promising. But the euro crisis in Greece shifted the EU’s policy priority. Now, the crisis has run so deep that the EU itself is under the threat of being disbanded. It is unlikely. And it would be only a matter of time before Serbia along with other Balkan countries return to the EU policy debate.