History Archives

Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Asha’s Charity Scams

How Beautiful Forevers Asha Embraced Charity Scams

What are charity scams? How did the character Asha get involved in charity scams in the book Behind the Beautiful Forevers? Charity scams are when a charity fundraiser diverts the majority of the money collected from donors for personal use. In Behind the Beautiful Forevers, Asha used her nonprofit as a vehicle for government officials to divert funds meant for a school education program. She planned to make money from her share of the stolen funds. Read on to discover how the desire to escape poverty drove Asha to participate in charity scams.

Thomas Friedman: Thank You for Being Late—Overview

What is Thomas Friedman’s Thank You for Being Late about? What are the three main forces that, according to the author, are shaping the current landscape of the world? In Thank You for Being Late, Thomas Friedman aims to explain: what the current conditions (as of 2016) are and how we can best adapt to them. He discusses how these conditions arose as the three forces that shape the world (technology, globalization, and climate change) all accelerated at once—and how we can adapt to them. Below is a brief overview of the takeaways from Thank You for Being Late by

How Political Reforms in India Affected Annawadi

What triggered the demand for political reforms in India? How did the reforms affect the residents of Annawadi in the book Behind the Beautiful Forevers? The failure of the police to respond effectively to the terrorist attacks in 2008 triggered the demands for political reforms in India. The anticipated reforms and removal of the ruling political class did not happen. Plans to raze Mumbai’s slums including Annawadi continued. Read on to discover how the demand for political reforms in India affected the residents of Annawadi, as detailed in Behind the Beautiful Forevers.

The History of Geopolitics: How Did We Get Here?

What’s the current state of geopolitics in the world? How has the global geopolitical arena changed over the years? Before globalization fully took hold, maintaining geopolitical stability was about armed forces, nuclear weapons, and regulation of weapons—essentially, conventional military power. Today, conventional military power still matters, but global stability also requires taking into account the three accelerations. In this article, we’ll discuss the history of geopolitics, its current state, and what we can do to adapt to the upcoming changes.

The State of the World Today: How Did We Get Here?

Do you feel like the world is changing so fast that you can’t keep up with new developments? How does one even keep up with such an exponential pace of change? Today, the world is accelerating at a pace never seen before, which results in many people feeling destabilized or lost. In these ever-changing times, the best thing we can do to feel more stable is to take a moment to reflect and reorient ourselves. In this article, we’ll discuss the state of the world today, how today’s conditions arose, and what we can do to keep up with the

The Impact of India’s Economic Collapse on Annawadi

How did India’s economic collapse in 2008 affect the residents of Annawadi, according to the book Behind the Beautiful Forevers? What did the residents do to survive? India’s economic collapse heavily affected sectors like construction and hospitality which resulted in fewer jobs for Annawadi’s residents. Hungry residents started eating rats and frogs, while some like Sunil survived by stealing. Read on to learn more about the devastating impact of India’s economic collapse on Annawadi’s residents.

The Future of the Workforce: How Will We Adapt?

How has the state of the workforce changed over the years? What are the main factors responsible for the changes? What can we do to adapt? According to Thomas Friedman, the author of Thank You for Being Late, globalization and the increasing interconnectedness of the world have resulted in eight fundamental changes in the state of the workforce. Further, the future of the workforce depends on how well we can adapt to these changes. Keep reading for the eight changes that transformed the state of the workforce and the three ways we can adapt.

Why Annawadi Residents Tried to Marry into Money

Why were the residents of Annawadi trying to marry into money in the book Behind the Beautiful Forevers? What strategies did they use to find wealthy suitors? The residents of Annawadi wanted to marry into money so they could attain economic security and climb the social ladder. Residents like Manju tried to improve their appearance and build their social networks in hopes of expanding their marriage prospects. Read more to discover how Annawadi’s residents like Manju tried to marry into money.

Climate Change Science: The Early History

What is the early history of climate change science? What role did doubt-mongering play? Addressing climate change involves regulating energy use, the keystone of economic activity. This has made it a target of doubt-mongering—an attempt to discredit the science behind it. Historians Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway discuss the early debate about climate change science in their book Merchants of Doubt. Read more to learn about early climate change science and the merchants of doubt.

Thomas Friedman: Rethinking Societal Morality

Is morality still relevant in today’s society? How does the current state of morality differ from the past? What were the main factors that brought about this change? According to Thomas Friedman, the author of Thank You for Being Late, the state of societal morality is changing fast as globalization and technological change are taking over the world. To keep up with these accelerations, we need to rethink morality by including ethics in education and building strong communities. In this article, we’ll discuss modern morality and what we can do to adapt our moral compass to the changes brought about