WEF: If Europe’s refugees were a country, this is what it would look like

Written by Kai Chan Distinguished Fellow, INSEAD Innovation and Policy Initiative Tuesday 14 March 2017 Europe is in the midst of the largest refugee crisis since World War II. The mass migration of people primarily from the Middle East and Africa, and the tensions arising from this merging of different cultures, is threatening the continent’s unity. It’s important to recognize the value that migrants bring to their host countries. It’s also important to recognize our moral and legal obligations towards people fleeing conflict and unrest. At the same time, we should not simply dismiss those people who raise concerns about immigration as xenophobic or racist. When we do so, we risk fomenting backlash and sowing the seeds of division – something we’re already seeing happen across Europe and the US. Instead, we should be able to have open and candid conversations on these issues. But first, we need a better understanding of the challenge at hand. Europe’s refugee crisis, in numbers Below is a snapshot of the migrants that entered the EU from October 2014 to October 2015. [caption id="attachment_3338" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Regional origins of migrants entering Europe (arrivals from Oct 2014-15). Source: Economist; Eurostat; Frontex; UNHCR; author’s calculations.[/caption] And…

WEF: ¿Qué idioma te permite interactuar de manera más integral con la humanidad?

My article on WEF Agenda on the most powerful languages in the world translated in Spanish: ¿Qué idioma te permite interactuar de manera más integral con la humanidad? ****************************************************************************** [caption id="attachment_3155" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Image: REUTERS/Stephen Lam[/caption] En la actualidad se hablan en el mundo más de 6000 idiomas, pero aproximadamente 2000 de ellos tienen menos de 1000 hablantes. Además, 15 de ellos combinados reúnen a más de la mitad de los hablantes. En un mundo globalizado con sociedades multilingües, el conocimiento de idiomas es esencial para facilitar la comunicación y para permitir a las personas participar en las actividades culturales, económicas y sociales de una sociedad. Entonces, una pregunta natural es: ¿cuáles son los idiomas más útiles? Si un extraterrestre llegara a la Tierra, ¿qué idioma le permitiría interactuar de manera más integral con la humanidad? Para entender la eficacia de un idioma (y, por extensión, de una cultura), debemos considerar las puertas (“oportunidades”) que nos abre. A grandes rasgos, un idioma brinda cinco oportunidades: 1. Geografía: la capacidad de viajar 2. Economía: la capacidad de participar en una economía 3. Comunicación: la capacidad de entablar un diálogo 4. Conocimiento y medios: la capacidad de consumir conocimiento y contenido de…

WEF: These are the most powerful languages in the world

My article on WEF Agenda on the most powerful languages in the world: These are the most powerful languages in the world [caption id="attachment_3014" align="aligncenter" width="1008"] Image: REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis[/caption] ****************************************************************** There are over 6,000 languages spoken in the world today, but some 2,000 of them count fewer than 1,000 speakers. Moreover, just 15 account for half of the languages spoken in the world. In a globalized world with multilingual societies, knowledge of languages is paramount in facilitating communication and in allowing people to participate in society’s cultural, economic and social activities. A pertinent question to ask then is: which are the most useful languages? If an alien were to land on Earth, which language would enable it to most fully engage with humans? To understand the efficacy of language (and by extension culture), consider the doors (“opportunities”) opened by it. Broadly speaking, there are five opportunities provided by language: 1. Geography: The ability to travel 2. Economy: The ability to participate in an economy 3. Communication: The ability to engage in dialogue 4. Knowledge and media: The ability to consume knowledge and media 5. Diplomacy: The ability to engage in international relations So which languages are the most powerful? Based…

WEF: 世界上最强势的十大语言有哪些？

Chinese language version of WEF Agenda article: These are the most powerful languages in the world. (Dec 3, 2016) 2016年12月02日 现在全球有超过6,000种不同的语言，但其中有三分之一的语言各自只有不到1,000人会说。而还有15种语言的使用者加起来，就超过了全球人口的一半。 在一个多语言的全球化社会中，语言是让我们能够与他人交流、允许我们参与社会的文化、经济等活动的首要前提。那么哪些语言是最有用的？如果外星人降临地球，它们学会哪种语言最能有效地和地球人充分交流？ 为了定义语言的“有用性”，我们需要考虑语言能给我们铺平怎样的道路。广义来说，语言能给我们带来五种机会： 1.地理：旅行的能力 2.经济：参与经济活动的能力 3.交流：进行对话的能力 4.知识与媒体：消费知识与媒体的能力 5.外交：参与国际关系的能力 所以哪些语言最有用？ 基于以上五种机会，我们可以建构一个基于不同领域的有用性，对语言进行比较或排名的指数。语言能力指数（PLI）采取了20个指标以评价语言的影响力（参见下表）。该指数评价的是语言对人类整体而言的有用性，而并非针对受到任何地理环境、人文情况和个人偏好影响的单一个体。这一指数也无法衡量语言和其相关的文化的优美程度和价值。 这一指数面临的一个挑战是：很多指标经常是与民族国家挂钩，而非和语言本身直接相关。此外，单一国家可能对应多种官方语言，而这些语言的使用面和地位的区别也十分复杂。举例来说，即使某一国家中说某一种语言的人很少，这种语言依旧可能成为该国官方语言。其他挑战还包括如何区分语言和方言。因此我们需要一套条理清晰、经得起推敲的方法，将国家要素与和该国相关的语言逐一挂钩（关于这一套方法的说明，可以参见这里）。 接下来的表单列出了语言能力指数最高的全球十大强势语言。英语到目前为止能力最强：她是三个G7国家的主导语言（美国、英国、加拿大），同时大英帝国的遗产让英语具备了全球影响力。英语目前就是全世界事实上的通用语。汉语普通话尽管排名第二，但能力值只有一半。法语凭借其在国际政治中的卓著地位排行第三。第四和第五分别是西班牙语和阿拉伯语。 排名前六名的语言恰好是联合国的六种官方语言，而即便排除掉外交影响，她们也依然排名前六。前十名中剩下的四种语言中，两种来自金砖国家（葡萄牙语-巴西、印地语-印度），两种则是两个经济强国的官方语言（德语和日语）。 为何语言如此重要 对于竞争力而言，语言是一项关键要素。这一指数结果（部分的）揭示了为什么伦敦和纽约是全球两大中心城市。与之相似的是，拥有英语基础的香港和新加坡，比起日语为主导的东京，更能成为亚洲的金融中心。自然，全球十大金融中心城市有八个以英语为主导语言，也绝非偶然。 英语的强势既有积极影响，也有消极一面。英语的地位正在帮助一个全球化社会建立国际交流。但另一方面，英语入侵其他语言并取而代之的“英语化”正在威胁其他较小语言的生存和完整性。例如法国现在正在采取措施，防止英语表述进一步入侵法语。 下图显示的是语言（语言指数）和竞争力的相关关系。竞争力的数据来自世界经济论坛全球竞争力指数，该指数排行前十的国家中，有四个以英语为官方语言，另外六国中，有五国的英语母语使用者或流畅使用者比例也很高，唯一的例外是日本。 语言能力同时可以（部分程度上）解释全球精英想分布。换句话说，全球领袖和塑造者倾向于拥有英语的基础。因此英语普及程度低的国家，拥有的精英人士更少。英语普及程度要比人口、GDP和亿万富翁的数量，更与精英人士的数量相关。因此总是使用英语进行的全球政策讨论，可能忽视那些英语弱国的关切。 抱歉，谷歌翻译只能帮你到这儿了 全球化让说英语成了世界趋势。但实时翻译之类的科技能不能抵消学习语言的这种需求、让各语言之间更加平等？的确，翻译科技将是一项重大革新，就像GPS地图淘汰了地图集一样。 然而语言不只是把词汇堆叠起来。语言和文化紧密相关，更是人格情感的重要方面之一。 此外，研究证实了多语言使用者能够更批判性地解决问题。类似的是，人们在使用不同语言时，也能展现出不同的人格。简单来说，翻译设备永远不能完全替代人声，也无法带来学习外语的好处。就连谷歌都没能把所有人变成研究者，翻译设备就更不能让我们更了解异国文化、产生共情了。 尽管英语现在主导了全球语言界，未来汉语或者其他语言会不会对其构成挑战呢？这就提出了一个有趣的问题：2050年最强势的语言是什么语？下表就是语言能力指基于2050年的20个衡量指标得出的预测结果。 现在是不是该把罗赛塔石碑挖出来、重新开始学一门语言了呢？ 作者：Kai Chan是欧洲工商管理学院创新与政策倡议的特邀研究员。 以上内容仅代表作者个人观点。 本文由世界经济论坛原创，转载请注明来源并附上原文链接。 翻译：世界经济论坛博客翻译小组·钟源 世界经济论坛·达沃斯博客是一个独立且中立的平台,旨在集合各方观点讨论全球、区域及行业性重要话题。 作者是 Kai Chan , Distinguished Fellow, INSEAD Innovation and Policy Initiative 世界经济论坛是一个独立且中立的平台，以上内容仅代表作者个人观点 © 2019 世界经济论坛 Article as it appeared online.

Preface regarding articles from Princeton

During my six years at Princeton (1999-2005) I had the pleasure of penning quite a few articles for the Daily Princetonian, the school newspaper, and oftentimes also known simply as the ‘Prince’ — actually, all the writings came in the latter half of my time at Princeton.  Anyhow, writing for the Daily Princetonian (and other forums) was an apt continuation of a long held personal tradition: I had written for the school newspaper as far back as grades 7 and 8 (at Earl Grey Senior School in Toronto, Canada); I also wrote some stuff for Riverdale Collegiate’s (Toronto, Canada) school newspaper in my last year of high school.  This anthology constitutes a collection of all the writings that I did while at Princeton which were published in some way, shape or form. (Although, looking back, I shudder at the thought that such hastily written pieces had made it to print!) In hindsight — which is always 20/20 — I cringe at how I wrote some of my pieces in such sloppy format or with lack of focus.  For others, my views may have even changed since I first offered my public opinion.  But some, even in retrospect, still ring true…

Acknowledgment from PhD dissertation

First of all, I want to thank Paul Krugman for inspiration, many free books and fun conversations.  I often pinch myself, as a reality check, when noting that such a preeminent economist — and definite future Nobel laureate — is supervising my work.  I guess this is what makes Princeton so special.  Many thanks to all who have read this thesis, including (and especially) Alan Blinder, Hyun Song Shin, Gene Grossman, Nobuhiro Kiyotaki, and Lars Svensson, as well as classmates and friends.  Also, much appreciation to Thijs van Rens and Vasco Cúrdia for help with SWP, and to Gene Grossman, who helped me secure funding when I was post-enrolled (the bane of the graduate student).  The usual caveat applies: All remaining errors in this dissertation are my own. The many years spent at Princeton have been unbelievable, eliciting from me a myriad of emotions.  I will cherish my experiences and especially my friends, who added much delight to times spent in Princeton.  There are too many people to thank individually for all the camaraderie that I have enjoyed, so I will instead begin by thanking groups that are dear to me.  Foremost, I must thank colleagues, faculty and staff from…

Daily Princetonian: The graduate student’s long march

Students of English literature might be acquainted with Alan Sillitoe's classic novel, "The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner."  In that story, the protagonist, Smith, gains relief from his chaotic schedule in a well-heeled boarding school and time to muse about life in his daily runs.  As a runner myself — having competed in track and field, cross-country and marathons — I empathize with Smith. One of the simple pleasures of long-distance running is the seclusion that Sillitoe notes.  The solitude of running provides an opportunity to appreciate, inter alia, the beauty of the sun setting over rolling hills while hearing the sound of leaves crunching under one's feet.  However, sometimes the solitude is simply lonesome. This is why I sometimes think that Sillitoe was in fact writing about the doctoral adventure.  The Ph.D. is a very lonely pursuit, and it goes without saying that it is a long race, metaphorically speaking.  (The median time from matriculation to receiving a Ph.D. is 6.0 years.)  And the isolation of the Princeton graduate experience has given me an epiphany about life: It really is stranger than fiction. Though I don't run on the beach, I often imagine leaving tracks in the sand…

Daily Princetonian: The joys of adding insects to your daily diet

The food options at Princeton are rather threadbare:  The dining halls serve the same things day after day; Frist is simply atrocious; and the so-called eating clubs are places where I shudder to dine — but I'm happy to mooch a meal there if you care to invite me.  So what's a person in this one-tiger town to do if she's looking for a gastronomic adventure?  Before you shout "Go to Burger King!" let me say, "B.K. R.I.P."  Thus, we are left to grovel at the feet of the administration for a tastier menu selection. So what would I place on the menu?  Here's my idea:  I suggest that we start serving insects.  Think about it.  Remember all those cicadas from last year?  Well, if people would open up their minds — and stomachs — instead of viewing the swathes of cicadas as some biblical-proportion plague, one would instead see a smorgasbord of asparagus on wings (yes, they taste like asparagus).  And what a delicacy they are — they only come around once every 17 years! You can also take pride, when munching on a bug, in knowing that you are helping to control the pest population.  Plus, you'll never…

Daily Princetonian: Religion can blind followers to the truth

I am secular. In a society that is very religious this is an invitation for scorn. I was not always secular, however.  I was once a devout Christian. Up until my eighteenth birthday I would have described myself as a believer. I had started going to church as a young lad because my parents were too busy working to take me out. So when local church officials came knocking on my door and asked if I wanted to go to Sunday School – where there would be other kids to play with and, best of all, free food – I acquiesced. I was a very committed Christian. At one time I led the church youth group and headed a Bible study unit. Just as much, my social values were conservative: I summarily opposed abortions; I thought homosexuality was wrong. These were the norms I was taught at church. Now I see religious intolerance as one of the great challenges for a pluralistic and compassionate society. I say this because I see how religion is oftentimes used as a veil for hate: How is denying human rights (i.e., marriage) to gays seen as moral? Likewise, is it just to bring a…

Daily Princetonian: Assessing our responsibilities outside the Ivory Tower

Having a moral conscience is harmful to your wallet; it urges you to fight for social justice, often at the expense of a lucrative career.  For this reason, I wish that I were not held back by the mortgage of guilt in the inequality and destitution that I see in society. Although I have little sympathy for adults who make bad choices and end up on the short end of life, I cannot help but feel despair for those born into poor circumstances or saddled with bad luck in life. But why should I care about the welfare of strangers?  I am not burdened by the guilt of privilege.  I am neither tall, nor white, nor rich, nor blessed with beauty — traits that confer positive rewards to their owners.  If anything, the world has left me to die — literally and figuratively — more than once in my life (but I'm still kicking, although the lack of NHL hockey on TV is making me go insane!). Why should I fight against policies that will hurt the poor?  Regressive measures would have hurt me when I was young, when I was growing up as a poor immigrant child, but now…