Fallout from the War on Terror–Part I

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Mark Sidel, Univ. of Iowa
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Four years after the 9/11 attacks, protecting America from an invisible threat continues to shape domestic and foreign policy. The complex effects of the war on terror extend far beyond security – and the unintended results are not all positive. In this two-part series, YaleGlobal explores how US anti-terrorism policy is changing America's position in the world. In part one, Mark Sidel considers the effects of antiterrorism policy on US universities. According to Sidel, the US is no longer a friendly destination for foreign students, who face stringent visa regulations. They are instead flocking to rival institutions in Britain, France, and Singapore – and American schools are losing "key contributors to a creative, research-based, value-added economy." At the same time, new rules for government classification of documents are making it difficult to research and to publish results, and overzealous restrictions on debate are softening, if not silencing, free speech. "Campuses are not in a new McCarthy era, but views outside the mainstream are less welcome than before – a development contributing little to the war on terrorism." Can the academic community recover? And will the US economy ultimately suffer? Sidel warns that it may take years before anyone knows for certain. – YaleGlobal

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Fallout from the War on Terror – Part II

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