The world seems to be caught in a web of crises, risks, and uncertainties. International terrorist attacks are penetrating deep into countries. Competition between firms and states is intensifying, giving rise to fears about outsourcing, economic restructuring, unemployment, and thinning social safety nets. Financial and housing market bubbles-or collapses-are holding people in a state of near-permanent anxiety. Uncertainty about the availability of oil at low and stable prices is generating concern about meeting the world's future energy demands. Incidents of avian flu are triggering fears of an impending pandemic.