A few weeks ago we spoke about the BRICs, the emerging countries which, if well-managed, could soon be the largest economies in the world. When I introduced the acronym I thought it was only a cute, obscure acronym known only to a group of geek professors. It turns out that some people have taken it seriously and this week there was the first ever summit meeting of BRIC Presidents. See this article from NYT (I have included the first sentences):
Emerging Economic Powers Meet in Russia
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/world/europe/17bric.html
MOSCOW — Leaders of some of the world’s most powerful economies gathered Tuesday to discuss how they can exert more control over the global financial system as it takes its first wobbly steps toward recovery.
Yet not an American or Western European was in the bunch.
The first summit meeting of the so-called BRIC group — Brazil, Russia, India and China — was intended to underscore the rising economic clout of these four major developing countries and their demand for a greater voice in the world.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Globalization - Nonprofits & Railroads?
As our class is almost done and our blog is about to close, I couldn't resist one final post - we began the class with railroads, so perhaps it's fitting to end with one!
I was thinking about yesterday's lively discussion on globalization of nonprofits, including the unintended consequence of the Compact phenomenon - a greater degree of scrutiny, accreditation, regulation even, of nonprofits by the government. The economic meltdown, including the recent failure of industries long taken for granted, has forced many to rethink how business is done. In fact, one NYC-based VP of corporate philanthropy suggested to me that as many as 30% of nonprofits may be out of business by the year's end.
Moving along to another nonprofit area, globalization has affected colleges and universities where the issue of accreditation has generated fierce debate and resistance, seen by some academics as a means of control. I came across the article "Globalization and the Emergence of For-Profit Higher Education" by Ann Morey of San Diego State University and she appears to confirm yesterday's discussion: "Higher education may no longer be viewed as a growth industry, but rather a mature one. Usually when this is the case, the government seeks to control and regulate the industry, thereby diminishing their autonomy and demanding greater accountability." (p.144).
http://www.jstor.org/stable/4151533
And Arthur Levine, former president of Teachers College at Columbia University, made the following statement in 1997: "There is an underlying belief that colleges and universities are
making precisely the same mistake that the railroads made. The railroads believed they were in the railroad business; they focused on making bigger and better railroads. The problem is that they were actually in the transportation industry, and as a result were derailed by the airlines. Similarly, it can be said that higher education is making the mistake of thinking it is in the campus business, when in reality it is in the very lucrative education business. High technology and entertainment companies are viewing noncampus-based education as an opportunity." (p.17).
http://www.jstor.org/stable/20027456
Though it's a scary time, failure can also offer opportunity.
So, as nonprofits move beyond grassroots startups to more sophisticated "third sector" organizations, there will be changes. And let's hope that the Baruch XMPA program helps prepare all of us to effectively meet them. (Or maybe it's time for me to find another line of work, selling pies from a roadside stand, as long as it's close to a train.)
All aboard!
Maryann McKenzie
I was thinking about yesterday's lively discussion on globalization of nonprofits, including the unintended consequence of the Compact phenomenon - a greater degree of scrutiny, accreditation, regulation even, of nonprofits by the government. The economic meltdown, including the recent failure of industries long taken for granted, has forced many to rethink how business is done. In fact, one NYC-based VP of corporate philanthropy suggested to me that as many as 30% of nonprofits may be out of business by the year's end.
Moving along to another nonprofit area, globalization has affected colleges and universities where the issue of accreditation has generated fierce debate and resistance, seen by some academics as a means of control. I came across the article "Globalization and the Emergence of For-Profit Higher Education" by Ann Morey of San Diego State University and she appears to confirm yesterday's discussion: "Higher education may no longer be viewed as a growth industry, but rather a mature one. Usually when this is the case, the government seeks to control and regulate the industry, thereby diminishing their autonomy and demanding greater accountability." (p.144).
http://www.jstor.org/stable/4151533
And Arthur Levine, former president of Teachers College at Columbia University, made the following statement in 1997: "There is an underlying belief that colleges and universities are
making precisely the same mistake that the railroads made. The railroads believed they were in the railroad business; they focused on making bigger and better railroads. The problem is that they were actually in the transportation industry, and as a result were derailed by the airlines. Similarly, it can be said that higher education is making the mistake of thinking it is in the campus business, when in reality it is in the very lucrative education business. High technology and entertainment companies are viewing noncampus-based education as an opportunity." (p.17).
http://www.jstor.org/stable/20027456
Though it's a scary time, failure can also offer opportunity.
So, as nonprofits move beyond grassroots startups to more sophisticated "third sector" organizations, there will be changes. And let's hope that the Baruch XMPA program helps prepare all of us to effectively meet them. (Or maybe it's time for me to find another line of work, selling pies from a roadside stand, as long as it's close to a train.)
All aboard!
Maryann McKenzie
Saturday, June 13, 2009
U.S. Tourism under Commerce
While one would think tourism in the US would fall under the Department of Interior (after all, that is the home of the Parks Department) it in fact falls under the Department of Commerce. In truth, things I often think will fall under interior fall under commerce, so there must be some reasoning that escapes me...
In any event, the Commerce web site states in 2003 an advisory board was created to "develop, create, and implement of a national tourism strategy. So before that we didn't think we needed a strategy? Not really sure. It goes on to state:
"The U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board serves as the advisory body to the Secretary of Commerce on matters relating to the travel and tourism industry in the United States. The Board advises the Secretary on government policies and programs that affect the U.S. travel and tourism industry, offers counsel on current and emerging issues, and provides a forum for discussing and proposing solutions to industry-related problems."
http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/TTAB/TTAB_Home.html
According to the site the board has 15 members and they are all appointed by the Secretary and they "represent companies and organizations in the travel and tourism industry from a broad range of products and services, company sizes and geographic locations. Members serve, at the pleasure of the Secretary, from the date of appointment to the Board until the date on which the Board’s charter terminates."
It seems like the charter is renewed every two years.
Carol Starmack
In any event, the Commerce web site states in 2003 an advisory board was created to "develop, create, and implement of a national tourism strategy. So before that we didn't think we needed a strategy? Not really sure. It goes on to state:
"The U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board serves as the advisory body to the Secretary of Commerce on matters relating to the travel and tourism industry in the United States. The Board advises the Secretary on government policies and programs that affect the U.S. travel and tourism industry, offers counsel on current and emerging issues, and provides a forum for discussing and proposing solutions to industry-related problems."
http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/TTAB/TTAB_Home.html
According to the site the board has 15 members and they are all appointed by the Secretary and they "represent companies and organizations in the travel and tourism industry from a broad range of products and services, company sizes and geographic locations. Members serve, at the pleasure of the Secretary, from the date of appointment to the Board until the date on which the Board’s charter terminates."
It seems like the charter is renewed every two years.
Carol Starmack
Thursday, June 11, 2009
DOES THE PRIVATE SECTOR HELP THE POOR MORE THAN INTERNATIONAL AID?
As usual The Economist is ripping off our ideas!!! The editors must have read our blog and heard about our discussion in class last Saturday and then decided to make their own contribution to the debate. See
EXTRA! JOIN THE ECONOMIST’S DEBATE: DOES THE PRIVATE SECTOR HELP THE POOR MORE THAN INTERNATIONAL AID?
June 10th, 2009
The Economist is hosting an interactive debate on the role of the private sector and governments in helping the world’s poor. To join the debate, go to http://www.economist.com/debate/overview/146&sa_campaign=debateseries/debate25/ads/house/728
John
EXTRA! JOIN THE ECONOMIST’S DEBATE: DOES THE PRIVATE SECTOR HELP THE POOR MORE THAN INTERNATIONAL AID?
June 10th, 2009
The Economist is hosting an interactive debate on the role of the private sector and governments in helping the world’s poor. To join the debate, go to http://www.economist.com/debate/overview/146&sa_campaign=debateseries/debate25/ads/house/728
John
Critique of Kiva????
Yikes. An hour ago I gave a resounding endorsement to Kiva after Jessica's post (see Kiva - Loans that Change Lives)
Now I open my e-mail and find the following:
Beyond Good Intentions: A Film Series about Improving International Aid. The final film in the Beyond Good Intentions series has been released. Committed to "uncovering more innovative and effective approaches to international aid worldwide", the series follows filmmaker Tori Hogan around the world as she talks to aid workers and communities in eight countries. (The series caused quite a stir with its critique of microfinance and of Kiva in particular.) The ten episodes explore these topics: Disaster Relief, Faith-Based Aid, For-Profit Approaches, Higher Standards for Non-Profits, International Aid Workers, Micro-Lending, Peace Corps, Research in Development, Social Entrepreneurship, and Volunteering Abroad. http://news.gilbert.org/clickThru/redir/7047/809402/rms
I haven't seen article or film yet. If anyone knows more about the critique of Kiva, educate us!!
John C
Now I open my e-mail and find the following:
Beyond Good Intentions: A Film Series about Improving International Aid. The final film in the Beyond Good Intentions series has been released. Committed to "uncovering more innovative and effective approaches to international aid worldwide", the series follows filmmaker Tori Hogan around the world as she talks to aid workers and communities in eight countries. (The series caused quite a stir with its critique of microfinance and of Kiva in particular.) The ten episodes explore these topics: Disaster Relief, Faith-Based Aid, For-Profit Approaches, Higher Standards for Non-Profits, International Aid Workers, Micro-Lending, Peace Corps, Research in Development, Social Entrepreneurship, and Volunteering Abroad. http://news.gilbert.org/clickThru/redir/7047/809402/rms
I haven't seen article or film yet. If anyone knows more about the critique of Kiva, educate us!!
John C
Coalition governments in New York
You have probably all been following this week's events in the NY Senate. Among all the other craziness I am fascinated that for the first time I can recall, people are using the term "coalition government" in relation to a US legislature.
See for example the following article which speaks not only about coalitions but also billionaires and "coups":
How a Billionaire Helped Plan the Albany Coup
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/10/how-a-billionaire-helped-plan-the-albany-coup
John C
See for example the following article which speaks not only about coalitions but also billionaires and "coups":
How a Billionaire Helped Plan the Albany Coup
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/10/how-a-billionaire-helped-plan-the-albany-coup
John C
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Kiva - Loans that Change Lives
In last week's class, we discussed various programs and policies that are effective in the transferability between nations. I believe Carol mentioned a US microcredit program that has had great success abroad and now in America as well. Tonight on the ABC evening news, a nonprofit called Kiva was featured which is doing just this. (Carol, does this ring a bell?) The piece featured a variety of small business owners that have submitted profiles on Kiva's website in hopes of receiving loans from Americans (ranging from a cake delivery small business in the Bronx to a BBQ caterer on the West Coast). You can learn more here: http://www.kiva.org/.
- Jessica
- Jessica
Brown to Reform House of Lords
Our old friend Gordon Brown is looking for ways to take the initiative again, and it seems that reforming the House of Lords is one possibility. See the following article (extract below):
Reprieved Brown has the Lords in his sights http://www.smh.com.au/world/reprieved-brown-has-the-lords-in-his-sights-20090610-c3lk.html
June 11, 2009
THE British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, is poised to announce reforms to the electoral and parliamentary systems in Britain in a bid to seize the agenda and refashion Labour before next year's general election. ...
It is tipped Mr Brown will push for a controversial reform of the House of Lords, flagging the possibility of an elected second House - a plan previously blocked by Conservative peers.
John C
Reprieved Brown has the Lords in his sights http://www.smh.com.au/world/reprieved-brown-has-the-lords-in-his-sights-20090610-c3lk.html
June 11, 2009
THE British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, is poised to announce reforms to the electoral and parliamentary systems in Britain in a bid to seize the agenda and refashion Labour before next year's general election. ...
It is tipped Mr Brown will push for a controversial reform of the House of Lords, flagging the possibility of an elected second House - a plan previously blocked by Conservative peers.
John C
Tank Man
Last night I saw Frontline on PBS and they aired a segment titled “Tank Man.” Tank Man is the student who heroically stood in front of the tanks in Tiananmen Square back in 1989. No one really knows what became of that young man. Some reports claim he was arrested, some claim he was executed, but no one really knows.
In this piece, filmmaker Antony Thomas interviewed four current Beijing University students and showed them the iconic photographs of Tank Man, asking them for their impressions and what the photos meant to them.
It was fascinating to watch their faces, because they had NO IDEA what the photo was of. They had never seen the photo and were guessing at what it might be – but admitted they were guessing. One student asked if it was artwork and had someone created the photo (presumably using Photoshop or some other program.)
The program then went on to explain how Yahoo, Google, Cisco, and other IT and internet providers willingly engage in the Chinese government’s censorship activities. A Google search of Tiananmen Square in China produces only tourist photos, no photos of the struggle and protest. Anyplace else in the world you will get vivid photos of the clash between government and students, who were joined by workers –and the deaths and violence that occurred. As a sign of ongoing censorship, this week – in anticipation of the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre – Twitter was “turned off” in China, and many internet providers were told to “perform maintenance.”
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tankman/view/
This story encompasses many issues we have been discussing in our class: emerging nations, the change from communism to some version of a market-based economy, how technology is changing the world but how it can be manipulated or censored, how economic change does not necessarily usher in democracy, and what exactly are people looking for: improved lives or more say in how they are governed.
Nicholas Kristof’s piece on June 3rd recounts his memories of the night – he was there as the Beijing bureau chief for the New York Times. He also asks some of the same questions we do and tells us that for many urban Chinese, life has improved and if they protest they will be arrested, so they just accept the improved economic conditions with no change in government.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/opinion/04kristof.html
Carol Starmack
In this piece, filmmaker Antony Thomas interviewed four current Beijing University students and showed them the iconic photographs of Tank Man, asking them for their impressions and what the photos meant to them.
It was fascinating to watch their faces, because they had NO IDEA what the photo was of. They had never seen the photo and were guessing at what it might be – but admitted they were guessing. One student asked if it was artwork and had someone created the photo (presumably using Photoshop or some other program.)
The program then went on to explain how Yahoo, Google, Cisco, and other IT and internet providers willingly engage in the Chinese government’s censorship activities. A Google search of Tiananmen Square in China produces only tourist photos, no photos of the struggle and protest. Anyplace else in the world you will get vivid photos of the clash between government and students, who were joined by workers –and the deaths and violence that occurred. As a sign of ongoing censorship, this week – in anticipation of the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre – Twitter was “turned off” in China, and many internet providers were told to “perform maintenance.”
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tankman/view/
This story encompasses many issues we have been discussing in our class: emerging nations, the change from communism to some version of a market-based economy, how technology is changing the world but how it can be manipulated or censored, how economic change does not necessarily usher in democracy, and what exactly are people looking for: improved lives or more say in how they are governed.
Nicholas Kristof’s piece on June 3rd recounts his memories of the night – he was there as the Beijing bureau chief for the New York Times. He also asks some of the same questions we do and tells us that for many urban Chinese, life has improved and if they protest they will be arrested, so they just accept the improved economic conditions with no change in government.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/opinion/04kristof.html
Carol Starmack
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
The Obama Effect?
As we discussed in class Saturday, Lebanon held elections this weekend. Somewhat surprisingly, an “American-aligned” coalition took 71 seats whereas the Syria-Iranian aligned opposition – including Hezbollah – took only 57 seats (see NYTimes Article)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/09/world/middleeast/09lebanon.html?_r=1&th&emc=th
It is hard to see these illustrations in the blog, so I recommend using the links.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/09/world/middleeast/09lebanon.html?_r=1&th&emc=th
Analysts are wondering if President Obama’s Cairo speech was echoing in the ears of the Lebanese voters as they went to the polls. Osama Safa, director of the Lebanese Center for Policy Studies in the US is quoted as saying: “It is no longer relevant for the extremists to use the anti-American card. It does look like the U.S. is moving on to something new.”
Iran also holds a presidential election this Friday. Some Middle East analysts wonder if the Obama Effect will spill over to this election as well.
While 475 candidates registered to run for office, only four were authorized by the Guardian Council to run. Hard-liner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is apparently not in the lead.
Interestingly, the candidate Hussein Mousavi has been heavily courting the female vote and his wife has been giving policy speeches and attending his rallies—very unusual in Iran.
The link below from a joint NDI/TCF Iran Newsletter will lead you to a time line of the Iranian election, that shows the progression from announcement of election in September, 2008, to the June 12th election.
http://ndi.org/files/images/Iran_2009Feb_ElectionTimeline.jpg
And the following link leads you to an explanation of lines of authority within Iran, also from the NDI/TCF newsletter
http://ndi.org/files/images/Iran_2009Mar_PowerDiagram.jpg
It is hard to see these illustrations in the blog, so I recommend using the links.
Carol Starmack
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Why I wont be blogging for a living
This appeared in today's NYT. It reminded me of our conversation yesterday about blogging:
Blogs Falling in an Empty Forest
By DOUGLAS QUENQUA
Why do blogs have a higher failure rate than restaurants?
Blogs Falling in an Empty Forest
By DOUGLAS QUENQUA
Why do blogs have a higher failure rate than restaurants?
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Third World -You Know it When You See It
As a follow up to today's class about the third world, I decided to post this "video" about street life in inner city Jamaica. It looks like it was done in the 80s but nothing as changed. Note the amputee sans prosthetic, hand wash laundry done at the shared "standpipe" street kids in torn clothing, graffiti abandoned vehicles and of course this "video" was done after the death of the artist whose estate I am willing to bet never saw a penny.
Friday, June 5, 2009
The Problems With Transparency Blogging
While reading the OECD article, Modernising Government: The Way Forward, with its recommendation for more “open government,” I wondered how President Obama’s efforts were going. Transparency has been a huge platform for his administration. Being on the President’s “Organizing for America” listserv, I receive all of the emails introducing websites like Recovery.gov, USAspending.gov, and the revamped Whitehouse.gov that highlight new measures his administration is taking to make government more accessible to the public. This week the FDA also introduced an initiative to make their agency more transparent.
It’s one thing to make public documents more easily available online – that’s a one-way transaction. But as the OECD article points out, open government also involves “enabling citizens to participate in decision making” (p. 3). The Obama Administration has answered this call by creating blogs aimed at engaging the public in dialogue about transparency (in addition to some face-to-face meetings). However, the young administration is finding that soliciting feedback through technology is a much more fraught project.
A Politico.com post by Josh Gerstein from June 4th noted two interesting issues that openness via blog technology brings to Obama’s efforts:
First, lots of people don’t know about blogging and do not feel comfortable using (or even have access to) the technology. In an example cited in Gerstein’s article, out of the 1.9 million federal workers asked to share their ideas about how to make their work more transparent back in February, only 91 comments appeared on a federal employee-only e-bulletin board. (And half of the posts were in response to others’ comments.) The new, tech-savvy White House staff overlooked procedures and cultural norms that would have made federal workers feel comfortable sharing their ideas.
Online dialogue, even on popular, more accessible sites, engages a self-selected population that tends to be middle class, younger professionals. In the federal workers bulletin board example, the responses they did receive were from IT professionals, not “rank and file” employees.
Second, it’s easy for an online conversation to get sidetracked or hijacked by individuals with passions about specific issues. A recent “brainstorming” discussion open to the public hosted by Whitehouse.gov, asked “How can we strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness by making government more transparent, participatory, and collaborative?” In response, the blog was overtaken with comments on topics like the legitimacy of Obama’s citizenship and marijuana legalization.
Beth Noveck, the initiative’s director, lamented, “The ideas that received the most organized support were not necessarily the most viable suggestions.”
The administration has good intentions. Further, this technological paradigm shift is in its infancy, so many of these issues are to be expected. The question is: Can the Obama Administration harness the technology in ways that will engage the broader public and actually move us towards a more modern and open system of government?
~ Nancy
It’s one thing to make public documents more easily available online – that’s a one-way transaction. But as the OECD article points out, open government also involves “enabling citizens to participate in decision making” (p. 3). The Obama Administration has answered this call by creating blogs aimed at engaging the public in dialogue about transparency (in addition to some face-to-face meetings). However, the young administration is finding that soliciting feedback through technology is a much more fraught project.
A Politico.com post by Josh Gerstein from June 4th noted two interesting issues that openness via blog technology brings to Obama’s efforts:
First, lots of people don’t know about blogging and do not feel comfortable using (or even have access to) the technology. In an example cited in Gerstein’s article, out of the 1.9 million federal workers asked to share their ideas about how to make their work more transparent back in February, only 91 comments appeared on a federal employee-only e-bulletin board. (And half of the posts were in response to others’ comments.) The new, tech-savvy White House staff overlooked procedures and cultural norms that would have made federal workers feel comfortable sharing their ideas.
Online dialogue, even on popular, more accessible sites, engages a self-selected population that tends to be middle class, younger professionals. In the federal workers bulletin board example, the responses they did receive were from IT professionals, not “rank and file” employees.
Second, it’s easy for an online conversation to get sidetracked or hijacked by individuals with passions about specific issues. A recent “brainstorming” discussion open to the public hosted by Whitehouse.gov, asked “How can we strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness by making government more transparent, participatory, and collaborative?” In response, the blog was overtaken with comments on topics like the legitimacy of Obama’s citizenship and marijuana legalization.
Beth Noveck, the initiative’s director, lamented, “The ideas that received the most organized support were not necessarily the most viable suggestions.”
The administration has good intentions. Further, this technological paradigm shift is in its infancy, so many of these issues are to be expected. The question is: Can the Obama Administration harness the technology in ways that will engage the broader public and actually move us towards a more modern and open system of government?
~ Nancy
Civil Service Redux
Many in our class belong to the cadre of workers known as civil servants, employed by various federal, state and city agencies. Jessica’s recent post referred to the subway ad for DC-37, one of CUNY’s several unions. We are a strange breed. Though the pay scale is typically not as high as what is found in the private and perhaps even the nonprofit sector, the feature of potential lifetime employment and next-to-free benefits may be a clear plus. And as we’ve discussed, it is also very difficult to terminate an employee, though not impossible.
I was chuckling while reading the Tummala chapter “Higher Civil Service in India” that described the astounding amount of intricate organizational details of the Indian Administrative Service. (Sounds like CUNY.) Based on the British system but molded to reflect cultural needs, this structure surely played a role that helped build India’s capacity and accelerated its role as an economic powerhouse. This is in marked contrast to the experience of many African nations.
Much like the Baruch XMPA program and the French Ecoles, India’s Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration trains new recruits and furthers the professional development of seasoned civil servants through a variety of administrative programs. It is also curious that Indian civil servants have restrictions on engaging in political activity, unlike what we see in New York – for example, our unions are key to mayoral victory in the polls.
India has a rigorous hiring process – imagine taking eight tests, each lasting three hours! And this is just the beginning. Following the recommendations of the 1980 Mandal Commission, India also has developed an affirmative action policy to insure both diversity and mobility within the ranks, a way to redress past wrongs due to class, caste or gender discrimination. One current legislative item proposes to increase women’s representation in Parliament to 33%. Sharad Yadav, an elected official from the Janata Dal party, has vowed to consume poison if the women’s bill is passed – can you guess the responses to his threat: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Will-kill-self-if-womens-bill-passed/articleshow/4621042.cms
As India moves into the 21st century, additional restructuring of the bureaucracy will undoubtedly occur, bringing about changes similar to those seen in other countries. One key finding of India’s Fifth Central Pay Commission, set up in 1994, recommended that civil servants change from “mere controllers and regulators…into catalysts, promoters and facilitators…” (p. 223).
Maryann McKenzie
I was chuckling while reading the Tummala chapter “Higher Civil Service in India” that described the astounding amount of intricate organizational details of the Indian Administrative Service. (Sounds like CUNY.) Based on the British system but molded to reflect cultural needs, this structure surely played a role that helped build India’s capacity and accelerated its role as an economic powerhouse. This is in marked contrast to the experience of many African nations.
Much like the Baruch XMPA program and the French Ecoles, India’s Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration trains new recruits and furthers the professional development of seasoned civil servants through a variety of administrative programs. It is also curious that Indian civil servants have restrictions on engaging in political activity, unlike what we see in New York – for example, our unions are key to mayoral victory in the polls.
India has a rigorous hiring process – imagine taking eight tests, each lasting three hours! And this is just the beginning. Following the recommendations of the 1980 Mandal Commission, India also has developed an affirmative action policy to insure both diversity and mobility within the ranks, a way to redress past wrongs due to class, caste or gender discrimination. One current legislative item proposes to increase women’s representation in Parliament to 33%. Sharad Yadav, an elected official from the Janata Dal party, has vowed to consume poison if the women’s bill is passed – can you guess the responses to his threat: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Will-kill-self-if-womens-bill-passed/articleshow/4621042.cms
As India moves into the 21st century, additional restructuring of the bureaucracy will undoubtedly occur, bringing about changes similar to those seen in other countries. One key finding of India’s Fifth Central Pay Commission, set up in 1994, recommended that civil servants change from “mere controllers and regulators…into catalysts, promoters and facilitators…” (p. 223).
Maryann McKenzie
OBAMA: EL DISCURSO ÍNTEGRO DE AYER EN EL CAIRO
The world is focused on the US and its President. Within 24 hours even small progressive magazines in Spain are publishing the Spanish version of Obama's Cairo speech
http://www.revistalafactoria.eu/noticia.php?id=30
OBAMA: EL DISCURSO ÍNTEGRO DE AYER EN EL CAIRO.
09-06-2009
El presidente estadounidense Barack Obama abogó ayer jueves, 4 de junio, en El Cairo por un "nuevo comienzo" en las relaciones entre Estados Unidos y el mundo musulmán, que permita dar vuelta a la página "de la desconfianza y los desacuerdos" y resolver el conflicto israelo-palestino.
Este es el texto íntegro de su discurso:
El discurso de El Cairo
John C
http://www.revistalafactoria.eu/noticia.php?id=30
OBAMA: EL DISCURSO ÍNTEGRO DE AYER EN EL CAIRO.
09-06-2009
El presidente estadounidense Barack Obama abogó ayer jueves, 4 de junio, en El Cairo por un "nuevo comienzo" en las relaciones entre Estados Unidos y el mundo musulmán, que permita dar vuelta a la página "de la desconfianza y los desacuerdos" y resolver el conflicto israelo-palestino.
Este es el texto íntegro de su discurso:
El discurso de El Cairo
John C
Thursday, June 4, 2009
The Trains in Spain
And now more on one of Professor Casey's hot topics: the trains in Spain.
During our first class, we discussed the Alta Velocidad Española (AVE), the Spanish state railway company run by RENFE. One of the upsides we explored about countries with central governments like Spain is that they can make comprehensive decisions that cut through the federalist tape that can stymie progress in countries like America. For Spain, the success of the decisions to nationalize the railways in 1941 and its current overhauling of railway technology are partly a result of its authorative government.
I was interested in exploring the topic of AVE further and found two articles in The Wall Street Journal (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124018395386633143.html) and The Economist (http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13061961) which give a broader picture of how the Spanish have responded to the AVE.
While it is true that many Spaniards support the railway development, it is important to note that not everyone has embraced or are embracing the infrastructure changes. Various issues these constituents point to are:
· Unfair political favoritism is given to certain cities who are placed high on the priority list for railway upgrades.
· Historic preservation monuments and neighborhoods located close to the railway construction areas are at risk of being damaged.
· Violent acts and threats have occurred to those involved in the construction by the ETA due to the railway development.
· The decline in airline industry's viability is partly due to the dramatic increase in the use of trains.
I am interested in hearing your thoughts about this topic. Specifically, what does America gain by having privatized railways? Are the benefits (reduction of environmental impact, faster and efficient travel and the promotion of travel and tourism) that Spain has gained with its railways exclusively the product of its nationalized system? What will it take for America to invest in more efficient and broader public transportation systems nationwide?
- Jessica
During our first class, we discussed the Alta Velocidad Española (AVE), the Spanish state railway company run by RENFE. One of the upsides we explored about countries with central governments like Spain is that they can make comprehensive decisions that cut through the federalist tape that can stymie progress in countries like America. For Spain, the success of the decisions to nationalize the railways in 1941 and its current overhauling of railway technology are partly a result of its authorative government.
I was interested in exploring the topic of AVE further and found two articles in The Wall Street Journal (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124018395386633143.html) and The Economist (http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13061961) which give a broader picture of how the Spanish have responded to the AVE.
While it is true that many Spaniards support the railway development, it is important to note that not everyone has embraced or are embracing the infrastructure changes. Various issues these constituents point to are:
· Unfair political favoritism is given to certain cities who are placed high on the priority list for railway upgrades.
· Historic preservation monuments and neighborhoods located close to the railway construction areas are at risk of being damaged.
· Violent acts and threats have occurred to those involved in the construction by the ETA due to the railway development.
· The decline in airline industry's viability is partly due to the dramatic increase in the use of trains.
I am interested in hearing your thoughts about this topic. Specifically, what does America gain by having privatized railways? Are the benefits (reduction of environmental impact, faster and efficient travel and the promotion of travel and tourism) that Spain has gained with its railways exclusively the product of its nationalized system? What will it take for America to invest in more efficient and broader public transportation systems nationwide?
- Jessica
President Obama's Speech
At Cairo University today, President Obama spoke to a wide number of different and at times discordant audiences – the Egyptian people (though many have argued that this important speech would have had better reception in one of the more democratic countries, such as Turkey, his overarching ideals need to be heard by a totalitarian regime); the Israelis and Palestinians (he acknowledged the suffering of both peoples, but was firm in his belief that Palestine deserved statehood); the United States people (some of whom still question the President’s citizenship and religious affiliation); Iran (in its quest for nuclear power); followers of Islam, Christianity and Judaism; the role of women in society (certainly a hot button for many, and not limited to those in the Middle East); militants (of all colors, religions and ethnicities) – "Violence is a dead end," he said. "It is a sign of neither courage nor power to shoot rockets at sleeping children, or to blow up old women on a bus. That is not how moral authority is claimed; that is how it is surrendered."
And I’m sure I’m missing a few others as I did not hear the speech in its entirety owing to commercial interruption.
Stressing the elusive goals of partnership and our common humanity despite both political and religious differences, some of which are centuries old, Obama stated: "I do have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed; confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice; government that is transparent and doesn't steal from the people; the freedom to live as you choose. Those are not just American ideas, they are human rights, and that is why we will support them everywhere."
These heroic ideals remind me of Bernard E. Bown’s (and yes, he is from CUNY) statement found in the chapter on India: “Modernization of the social structure is ultimately possible only with simultaneous modernization of the economy, each process being indisputable to the other.” To pick up on this thread, “Innovation and education, Obama said, "will be the currency of the 21st century, and in too many Muslim communities there remains underinvestment in these areas."
So, whether you're a pirate in Somalia, a youth from East New York or a Palestinian Catholic in Nazareth, education offers an opportunity to share power in society.
President Obama’s speech also offered a refresher of Middle Eastern history as his review reinforced details from the class readings that we will discuss on Saturday.
Maryann McKenzie
And I’m sure I’m missing a few others as I did not hear the speech in its entirety owing to commercial interruption.
Stressing the elusive goals of partnership and our common humanity despite both political and religious differences, some of which are centuries old, Obama stated: "I do have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed; confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice; government that is transparent and doesn't steal from the people; the freedom to live as you choose. Those are not just American ideas, they are human rights, and that is why we will support them everywhere."
These heroic ideals remind me of Bernard E. Bown’s (and yes, he is from CUNY) statement found in the chapter on India: “Modernization of the social structure is ultimately possible only with simultaneous modernization of the economy, each process being indisputable to the other.” To pick up on this thread, “Innovation and education, Obama said, "will be the currency of the 21st century, and in too many Muslim communities there remains underinvestment in these areas."
So, whether you're a pirate in Somalia, a youth from East New York or a Palestinian Catholic in Nazareth, education offers an opportunity to share power in society.
President Obama’s speech also offered a refresher of Middle Eastern history as his review reinforced details from the class readings that we will discuss on Saturday.
Maryann McKenzie
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
First Enron, Now Satyam Computer Services
Last Saturday, we spoke about the revival of the term “governance” after corporate greed led to the demise of corporate giants Enron and WorldCom. The Enron scandal also led to the dissolution of Arthur Andersen, one of the “big five” public accounting firms at the time.
In Chanchalguda India, two auditors, Srinivas Talluri and Subramani Gopalakrishnan, from the remaining “big four” public accounting firms, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) are currently in prison, charged with “multiple offenses, including dishonesty, cheating, falsification of accounts and using forged documents”.
PWC audited the books of Satyam Computer Services, an outsourcing information technology firm whose founders confessed to “cooking the books” to the tune of showing an extra $1 billion in cash that did not exist. According to R.K. Gupta, managing director at Taurus Asset Management in New Delhi, “this has put a question mark on the entire corporate governance system in India”.
In hindsight, one of the imprisoned auditors said that “the only thing he may have done differently would be to rely less on Satyam’s employees to provide copies of the company’s bank balances” --- REALLY??????
As a former auditor, there’s nothing better than receiving corroborating information from an independent source. Basic auditing 101 dictates sending confirmation of balance requests directly to a bank. However, in all fairness to PWC, “banks in India are not required to give balances directly to auditors”….. I doubt that will be the case going forward.
By the way, the head of Satyem Computer Services, Ramalinga Raju stated “I am prepared to subject myself to the laws of the land and face consequences thereof”. I wonder if Bernie Madoff feels the same way.
Joann L.
http://www.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUSTRE50616H20090107?feedType=RSS&feedName=businessNews
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/business/worldbusiness/08satyam.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/29/business/global/29prison.html?_r=1
In Chanchalguda India, two auditors, Srinivas Talluri and Subramani Gopalakrishnan, from the remaining “big four” public accounting firms, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) are currently in prison, charged with “multiple offenses, including dishonesty, cheating, falsification of accounts and using forged documents”.
PWC audited the books of Satyam Computer Services, an outsourcing information technology firm whose founders confessed to “cooking the books” to the tune of showing an extra $1 billion in cash that did not exist. According to R.K. Gupta, managing director at Taurus Asset Management in New Delhi, “this has put a question mark on the entire corporate governance system in India”.
In hindsight, one of the imprisoned auditors said that “the only thing he may have done differently would be to rely less on Satyam’s employees to provide copies of the company’s bank balances” --- REALLY??????
As a former auditor, there’s nothing better than receiving corroborating information from an independent source. Basic auditing 101 dictates sending confirmation of balance requests directly to a bank. However, in all fairness to PWC, “banks in India are not required to give balances directly to auditors”….. I doubt that will be the case going forward.
By the way, the head of Satyem Computer Services, Ramalinga Raju stated “I am prepared to subject myself to the laws of the land and face consequences thereof”. I wonder if Bernie Madoff feels the same way.
Joann L.
http://www.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUSTRE50616H20090107?feedType=RSS&feedName=businessNews
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/business/worldbusiness/08satyam.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/29/business/global/29prison.html?_r=1
In Your Face
In response to the earlier blog I published on May 21st regarding the 13 year old boy who became a dad, it turns out, this week, that he is not the father. Nonetheless, a 13 year old boy having unprotected sex with a 15 year old girl who by DNA, found out that there was at least one other boy, young man or man involved, still may leave some concern. The true father has yet to be revealed.
I believe it was Mary Ann who mentioned how France had not benefited from its media because of it being control by the government. In the book Introduction to Comparative Government, Michael Curtis makes reference to the fact that “France now has more choices and genuine independence from the government, though the quality of the programs leaves much more to be desired.” (pg. 176)
While in the UK, the media is using shock television to raise awareness about teen pregnancy. Recently in Leicester UK, a video “Teenage Kicks” was produced by a consulting firm as a sex education tool which has provoked debate and controversy both among adults and teens. The video uses hard hitting shock tactics to send a message, but whether or not it will reduce the teen pregnancy rates leaves much more to be desired.
We engaged in a very interesting and lively conversation during class last Saturday about “Paradigm Shifts” and “Phases of the Changes”. Will the more recent “citizen-centered governance” model about strategy and key concepts of public value drive this kind of media tactics or are there other reasons why a video of this type is aired and accepted by the people in the UK?
Take a look and tell me what you think!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyvI_D6iync
dlomax
I believe it was Mary Ann who mentioned how France had not benefited from its media because of it being control by the government. In the book Introduction to Comparative Government, Michael Curtis makes reference to the fact that “France now has more choices and genuine independence from the government, though the quality of the programs leaves much more to be desired.” (pg. 176)
While in the UK, the media is using shock television to raise awareness about teen pregnancy. Recently in Leicester UK, a video “Teenage Kicks” was produced by a consulting firm as a sex education tool which has provoked debate and controversy both among adults and teens. The video uses hard hitting shock tactics to send a message, but whether or not it will reduce the teen pregnancy rates leaves much more to be desired.
We engaged in a very interesting and lively conversation during class last Saturday about “Paradigm Shifts” and “Phases of the Changes”. Will the more recent “citizen-centered governance” model about strategy and key concepts of public value drive this kind of media tactics or are there other reasons why a video of this type is aired and accepted by the people in the UK?
Take a look and tell me what you think!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyvI_D6iync
dlomax
Divided We Stand
In Chapter 3, Blondel touches upon the cultural divide between Muslims and non-Muslims in France. He paints a bleak picture when he writes “[t]he many Muslims born in France may feel religiously but also culturally least at ease in an environment that is often hostile and at best uncomprehending” (p. 135). But according to a 2008 Gallup poll reported in The Economist, the Muslim community in France may be living comparatively better lives than their counterparts in Europe. (http://www.economist.com/world/britain/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13612116).
The Gallup used a “broad measure of economic and personal well-being” to assess the levels of satisfaction with life between the Muslim and non-Muslim communities of France, Britain and Germany. Turns out that France has the highest proportion of Muslims who consider themselves as “thriving” in their country of residence. While it is important not to overstate the happiness levels of French Muslims (who are continually subjected to discrimination and hostility in France), the study finds that they are comparatively happier than their French and British counterparts.
Also of note in the poll was the difference in opinions about homosexuality, abortion and sex before marriage between the Muslim and non-Muslim communities in the three countries. The study finds that French Muslims are more accepting of these issues than those in Britain and Germany. Refer to the chart that can be viewed via the link to see what I believe to be statisically and practically significant differences in opinions between the communities.
I am left wanting to know more about the French Muslims. What are the influential factors that make French Muslims comparatively happier and more liberal than British and German Muslims? I am also curious as about the techniques used in the poll such as their sample size, sampling plan, method and response bias.
: Jessica
The Gallup used a “broad measure of economic and personal well-being” to assess the levels of satisfaction with life between the Muslim and non-Muslim communities of France, Britain and Germany. Turns out that France has the highest proportion of Muslims who consider themselves as “thriving” in their country of residence. While it is important not to overstate the happiness levels of French Muslims (who are continually subjected to discrimination and hostility in France), the study finds that they are comparatively happier than their French and British counterparts.
Also of note in the poll was the difference in opinions about homosexuality, abortion and sex before marriage between the Muslim and non-Muslim communities in the three countries. The study finds that French Muslims are more accepting of these issues than those in Britain and Germany. Refer to the chart that can be viewed via the link to see what I believe to be statisically and practically significant differences in opinions between the communities.
I am left wanting to know more about the French Muslims. What are the influential factors that make French Muslims comparatively happier and more liberal than British and German Muslims? I am also curious as about the techniques used in the poll such as their sample size, sampling plan, method and response bias.
: Jessica
OK. I pledged to NPR! (v. the ABC)
After resisting for a few days, I finally broke down an hour ago and (re)pledged membership/donation to WNYC-NPR during its Spring fundraising drive.
I believe in supporting an institution that provides me with a wonderful service. But as I mentioned in class, it sticks in my craw that PUBLIC radio is not fully funded by the government and that I have to give my private donations. It also makes me very uncomfortable to hear my favorite radio journalists “begging” for money. It's just not dignified!!! Brian Lehrer even just made the comment that we should give money "because this is public service broadcasting".
I can't help but contrast this with Australian public radio, the ABC – Australian Broadcasting Commission which is fully funded by the Australian government(and I assume it is the same for the British BBC).
There is a nonprofit called the Friends of the ABC (and yes I am a member), but the main function of the Friends is to lobby for continued government support for the ABC and to lobby AGAINST the introduction of any advertising on the ABC. See: http://www.friendsoftheabc.org/
So which is better? I will admit that NPR is probably better than the ABC in the quality, breadth and depth of its content, but don’t know if that is a result the private nonprofit v government-funded models, or because of “economies of scale” (i.e the difference in public radio between a country of 300 million people and a country of 20 million). I am not an expert on the BBC, but I suspect it would compare favorably with NPR.
This is also connected to the discussion of the size of the "welfare state". I don't know if ABC/BBC funding is calculated as part of the Australian/British GDP that is dedicated to the welfare state (I suspect that it is).
John C
I believe in supporting an institution that provides me with a wonderful service. But as I mentioned in class, it sticks in my craw that PUBLIC radio is not fully funded by the government and that I have to give my private donations. It also makes me very uncomfortable to hear my favorite radio journalists “begging” for money. It's just not dignified!!! Brian Lehrer even just made the comment that we should give money "because this is public service broadcasting".
I can't help but contrast this with Australian public radio, the ABC – Australian Broadcasting Commission which is fully funded by the Australian government(and I assume it is the same for the British BBC).
There is a nonprofit called the Friends of the ABC (and yes I am a member), but the main function of the Friends is to lobby for continued government support for the ABC and to lobby AGAINST the introduction of any advertising on the ABC. See: http://www.friendsoftheabc.org/
So which is better? I will admit that NPR is probably better than the ABC in the quality, breadth and depth of its content, but don’t know if that is a result the private nonprofit v government-funded models, or because of “economies of scale” (i.e the difference in public radio between a country of 300 million people and a country of 20 million). I am not an expert on the BBC, but I suspect it would compare favorably with NPR.
This is also connected to the discussion of the size of the "welfare state". I don't know if ABC/BBC funding is calculated as part of the Australian/British GDP that is dedicated to the welfare state (I suspect that it is).
John C
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
"The Plant They Couldn't Close"
While we in the U.S. are mourning the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs in our beloved auto industry, European car makers are holding on to their workers, despite a serious decline in sales. In a recent New York Times article, Europe Feels the Strain of Protecting Workers and Plants by Nelson D. Schwartz, a union representative for G.M.’s Opel unit in Europe made this comparison:
“In the U.S., you get money to close down factories,” said Klaus Franz. “In Europe, you get money to keep them open and safeguard jobs.”
Franz is referring to the fact that U.S. companies have been handed billions of dollars in bailouts from Congress to stay afloat, but are still cutting jobs and closing down factories. The approach in Europe has been radically different: Because they would be forced to pay large government-mandated severance packages and suffer enormous public outcry, G.M. Opel plants in European countries like Germany, Belgium and France are refusing to shut down, even though their sales have decreased as sharply as in the U.S.
But there is a big risk to the European approach. It is believed that European car production in general is more than 25% over-capacity. Analysts warn that the European economy can’t hold on forever and that continuing at this rate -- with no increase in demand -- will lead to another crisis down the road. Some say that the Europeans are putting off the inevitable and should pay the price now.
This story demonstrates probably the most important cultural difference between U.S. and European public policy. In the U.S., welfare benefits primarily support our neediest – the poor, disabled, children and elderly. Being “on welfare” is a source of shame in the U.S. But as we discussed in class, Europeans see no problem at all in receiving welfare benefits. To them, it is the government’s duty to take care of its citizens. When Europeans cannot find work or are laid off, they do not feel responsible; they blame the government for not better protecting them. The auto industry example is just one that indicates the cultural divide between the American and European approaches to the protection of workers.
In Introduction to Comparative Government, Michael Curtis says that the “extent and cost of welfare systems depend on a number of factors” including the “changing labor market” (p. 37). Based on the above example, I wonder if the global recession is going to eventually force European governments to scale back on the benefits they have traditionally provided. In other words, will the economic crisis cause a cultural shift in European public policy regarding its workers – and what will the reaction of those workers be? Will they sacrifice jobs to save industry as we have?
~ Nancy
“In the U.S., you get money to close down factories,” said Klaus Franz. “In Europe, you get money to keep them open and safeguard jobs.”
Franz is referring to the fact that U.S. companies have been handed billions of dollars in bailouts from Congress to stay afloat, but are still cutting jobs and closing down factories. The approach in Europe has been radically different: Because they would be forced to pay large government-mandated severance packages and suffer enormous public outcry, G.M. Opel plants in European countries like Germany, Belgium and France are refusing to shut down, even though their sales have decreased as sharply as in the U.S.
But there is a big risk to the European approach. It is believed that European car production in general is more than 25% over-capacity. Analysts warn that the European economy can’t hold on forever and that continuing at this rate -- with no increase in demand -- will lead to another crisis down the road. Some say that the Europeans are putting off the inevitable and should pay the price now.
This story demonstrates probably the most important cultural difference between U.S. and European public policy. In the U.S., welfare benefits primarily support our neediest – the poor, disabled, children and elderly. Being “on welfare” is a source of shame in the U.S. But as we discussed in class, Europeans see no problem at all in receiving welfare benefits. To them, it is the government’s duty to take care of its citizens. When Europeans cannot find work or are laid off, they do not feel responsible; they blame the government for not better protecting them. The auto industry example is just one that indicates the cultural divide between the American and European approaches to the protection of workers.
In Introduction to Comparative Government, Michael Curtis says that the “extent and cost of welfare systems depend on a number of factors” including the “changing labor market” (p. 37). Based on the above example, I wonder if the global recession is going to eventually force European governments to scale back on the benefits they have traditionally provided. In other words, will the economic crisis cause a cultural shift in European public policy regarding its workers – and what will the reaction of those workers be? Will they sacrifice jobs to save industry as we have?
~ Nancy
Britain Grapples With Role for Islamic Justice
Britain Grapples With Role for Islamic Justice
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/world/europe/19shariah.html
By Elaine Sciolino
New York Times, November 18, 2008
Tenets of Shariah or Islamic law are increasingly being applied by Islamic scholars acting as judges in adjudicating cases concerning everyday life. Most of the cases involve women seeking an Islamic divorce. The evidence is typically of husbands’ beating, cursing and subjecting their wives to fear and or humiliation. However, “Islamic judges usually urge troubled couples to try to preserve their marriages,” especially when husbands are opposed to the divorce. In one such case the wife “sensing defeat, . . . brought our her secret weapon: her father. In walked a bearded man in long robes who described his son-in-law as a hot-tempered man who had duped his daughter, evaded the police and humiliated his family. The judge promptly reversed himself and recommended divorce.” Muslim women who are victims of domestic violence are taking advantage of Islamic law within a democratic society.
Although the Church of England has always had its ecclesiastical courts and the British Jews their “beth din” courts, a “national debate over the limits of religious tolerance and the pre-eminence of British law” is taking place, especially where the Conservatives and Liberals have “repeatedly denounced the courts as poor substitutes for British jurisprudence.” There are no records made of the proceedings. However, justice minister Jack Straw stated that, “There is nothing whatever in English law that prevents people abiding by Shariah principles if they wish to, provided they do not come into conflict with English law” which would “remain supreme.”
Marriage and divorce were traditionally relegated to the church. In democratic societies where the separation of church and state has been established, accommodations have been made to religious traditions in a multi-cultural societies. Indeed, this accommodation (cases have increased 50% since 2005) to the tenets of Shariah to Britain’s nearly two million Muslims, is also being taken advantage of by an ever growing populace of European Muslim women (Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands and Germany) as a forum for divorce within the Muslim tradition with a judgment of divorce having the imprimatur of God.
“The conflict over British Shariah courts comes at a time when Islamic principles are being extended to other areas of daily life in Britain. There are now five wholly Islamic banks in the country and a score more that comply with Shariah.” Shariah also has applications to automobile insurance policies and credit cards. France has prohibited Muslim female students from wearing a veil at school. At what point, if any, will Britain’s accommodation become a prohibition? The various frameworks of comparative public administration may address and shed light on these questions that have raised concerns.
LucindoS
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/world/europe/19shariah.html
By Elaine Sciolino
New York Times, November 18, 2008
Tenets of Shariah or Islamic law are increasingly being applied by Islamic scholars acting as judges in adjudicating cases concerning everyday life. Most of the cases involve women seeking an Islamic divorce. The evidence is typically of husbands’ beating, cursing and subjecting their wives to fear and or humiliation. However, “Islamic judges usually urge troubled couples to try to preserve their marriages,” especially when husbands are opposed to the divorce. In one such case the wife “sensing defeat, . . . brought our her secret weapon: her father. In walked a bearded man in long robes who described his son-in-law as a hot-tempered man who had duped his daughter, evaded the police and humiliated his family. The judge promptly reversed himself and recommended divorce.” Muslim women who are victims of domestic violence are taking advantage of Islamic law within a democratic society.
Although the Church of England has always had its ecclesiastical courts and the British Jews their “beth din” courts, a “national debate over the limits of religious tolerance and the pre-eminence of British law” is taking place, especially where the Conservatives and Liberals have “repeatedly denounced the courts as poor substitutes for British jurisprudence.” There are no records made of the proceedings. However, justice minister Jack Straw stated that, “There is nothing whatever in English law that prevents people abiding by Shariah principles if they wish to, provided they do not come into conflict with English law” which would “remain supreme.”
Marriage and divorce were traditionally relegated to the church. In democratic societies where the separation of church and state has been established, accommodations have been made to religious traditions in a multi-cultural societies. Indeed, this accommodation (cases have increased 50% since 2005) to the tenets of Shariah to Britain’s nearly two million Muslims, is also being taken advantage of by an ever growing populace of European Muslim women (Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands and Germany) as a forum for divorce within the Muslim tradition with a judgment of divorce having the imprimatur of God.
“The conflict over British Shariah courts comes at a time when Islamic principles are being extended to other areas of daily life in Britain. There are now five wholly Islamic banks in the country and a score more that comply with Shariah.” Shariah also has applications to automobile insurance policies and credit cards. France has prohibited Muslim female students from wearing a veil at school. At what point, if any, will Britain’s accommodation become a prohibition? The various frameworks of comparative public administration may address and shed light on these questions that have raised concerns.
LucindoS
Can the Internet Make a More Open Government?
By Saul Hansell
The Obama presidential campaign made groundbreaking use of social networking sites and other tools to organize its supporters. President Obama has promised to use similar technology to bring citizens into government. As in so many other areas, turning promise to policy may well be more difficult than it sounded on the campaign trail
Now suppose a White House blogger — or someone else answering comments on whitehouse.gov — can’t get a hold of the North Korea expert and simply goes with his or her best judgment about what to say. During the campaign, that could backfire if the other candidate gets a good talking point. But in government, the consequences can be much more serious: What if North Korea didn’t like the White House comment and decided to launch a missile attack on a neighboring country?
One of the topics we discussed in class this week included examining what issues will be prominent for discussing the new paradigm of public management. Technology is one area of new public management that truly has an immediate global impact. Technology provides opportunities for streamlining processes, increasing efficacy, accountability and reducing costs. These concerns are primary components that prompt us to assess and learn more about public management.
We have seen the effectiveness of the use of technology for promoting public campaigns, for providing instantaneous information, for managing day to day activities in private businesses and public administration agencies. The advantages are enormous, but so are the potential dangers as noted above.
While there are global implications, there is clearly an advantage for those who have built in this capacity. Not too surprisingly, there are serious barriers including what has been termed the digital divide in many developing countries and in poor communities’ right here in the US. The new wave of technology has yet to be seen. The upcoming year is sure to include far more discussion on the use of technology in every area of public management healthcare management reform is just one such example. Diana P
The Obama presidential campaign made groundbreaking use of social networking sites and other tools to organize its supporters. President Obama has promised to use similar technology to bring citizens into government. As in so many other areas, turning promise to policy may well be more difficult than it sounded on the campaign trail
Now suppose a White House blogger — or someone else answering comments on whitehouse.gov — can’t get a hold of the North Korea expert and simply goes with his or her best judgment about what to say. During the campaign, that could backfire if the other candidate gets a good talking point. But in government, the consequences can be much more serious: What if North Korea didn’t like the White House comment and decided to launch a missile attack on a neighboring country?
One of the topics we discussed in class this week included examining what issues will be prominent for discussing the new paradigm of public management. Technology is one area of new public management that truly has an immediate global impact. Technology provides opportunities for streamlining processes, increasing efficacy, accountability and reducing costs. These concerns are primary components that prompt us to assess and learn more about public management.
We have seen the effectiveness of the use of technology for promoting public campaigns, for providing instantaneous information, for managing day to day activities in private businesses and public administration agencies. The advantages are enormous, but so are the potential dangers as noted above.
While there are global implications, there is clearly an advantage for those who have built in this capacity. Not too surprisingly, there are serious barriers including what has been termed the digital divide in many developing countries and in poor communities’ right here in the US. The new wave of technology has yet to be seen. The upcoming year is sure to include far more discussion on the use of technology in every area of public management healthcare management reform is just one such example. Diana P
pantouflage
Our in class discussion of the French term pantouflage (literally, from "bedroom slippers") made me curious to know the equivalent English translation for the concept of government workers migrating to the private sector in search of more lucrative jobs.
Translator discussion board suggestions range from the bulky, "scheme used by senior civil servants who graduate from France's top schools at no cost to themselves and move to top-paying jobs in the private sector" to the more manageable "revolving door" process. As for etymology, one translator posits that "the idea is that you move between the administration and the contractor so comfortably they have your slippers waiting for you".
"Revolving door" seems to be the preferred term in the US. For example, the organization Clean Up Washington has published a report entitled "A Matter of Trust: How the Revolving Door Undermines Public Confidence in Government— And What To Do About It". The report outlines a variety of scenarios in which individuals migrate from the public to the private sector, or vice versa, along with the equally problematic custom of former elected officials morphing into lobbyists.
One of the most egregious examples they cite is that of Darleen Druyun, who was "found guilty of manipulating Defense Department procurement decisions to benefit Boeing while she was negotiating a job with the company".
The most serious consequences of this pantouflage seem to be an erosion of the public trust, especially in the impartiality of government, and an erosion of the morale of public sector workers as they see former colleagues benefiting financially from insider information and contacts.
A recommendation that has been adopted in some US states to combat the revolving door is the imposition of a "cooling off"/ recusal period of up to 24-months, whereby former public officials would have to wait on the sidelines before working in private areas related to their previous jobs.
According to the Italian group Anticorruzione, France has been combatting pantouflague by increasing the "role of ethics committees which are to advise administrative bodies on the compatibility of the proposed private activities of their civil servants and subordinate staff".
John Hunt
Monday, June 1, 2009
I'm DC 37
On my subway morning commute into Manhattan today, a new campaign featuring DC 37 caught my eye and seemed particular relevant to our Saturday conversation about the civil service in France
- Jessica
The ads feature photos of various DC 37 members from construction workers to librarians with statements like “I’m DC 37. I protect children. And Taxpayers’ dollars.” and “I’m DC 37. I strengthen the city’s infrastructure.”
You can see the ads on the top banner of this link: http://www.dc37.net/news/headlines/whitepapers.html
DC 37 is a union consisting of 125,000 members with 1,000 different job positions. The ad campaign seeks to shed light on a “shadow government” of private contractors and outside consultants in NYC. The ad critiques the excessive spending and pleads NYCers to call Mayor Bloomberg or city council members asking them “to save $9 billion by eliminating costly private contracts and allowing city workers to do the jobs for less and with more accountability.”
What a sharp contrast to the Blondel readings that describe a strong and highly respected civil service system in France that employs 2 million workers. The civil service’s long-standing history, prestigious training schools and excellent services have promoted a culture of respect for this field on a much larger scale than
I am curious to hear more about the impact these ads have and how many NYCers are actually compelled to make calls to Bloomberg to voice their opinions. The ads extend a powerful message to NYCers with its succinctness and bottom-line content as well as the additional information about the excessive amount of money given to private contractors. In a time of recession, the ads play upon our empty-pocket emotions of wanting the government to save money and end corruption and unequal favoritism. I also wonder if there is another side to the story that we need to hear from the private contractors.
Interestingly enough, as I reached my station destination, I overheard a fellow strapholder say to his friend “city employees are a bunch of lazy (expletive).”
- Jessica
An Embattled Enclave Yearns to be Free (and Liechtenstein)
An Embattled Enclave Yearns to be Free (and Liechtenstein)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/29/world/europe/29ossetia.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/29/world/europe/29ossetia.html
New York Times
August 28, 2008
Tskhinvali, the capital of the separatist region and self declared independent state of South Ossetia in Georgia, of the former Soviet Union, has for over the past 18 years been engaged in armed conflict with and battered by Georgian attacks. The recent signs of conflict: burned enclaves, bullet riddled trees, and strewn armor tank parts along the boulevard has not deterred Zalina Tskhovrebova, editor of the city’s largest newspaper, who “. . . allowed herself to think about the distant, wealth-drenched European principalities of Liechtenstein and Andorra, which are about the size of South Ossetia.” Russia and Nicaragua are the only two nations that have recognized South Ossetia, a region of approximately 70,000 people, and Abkhazia, another region of Georgia, as independent nations. Western leaders, however, consider the regions part of Georgia, who has declared them Russian-occupied territories.
South Ossetia has designated a building for the Russian embassy. A flag, coat of arms, and national anthem have been adopted, and a government established with a president and prime minister. Indeed, “Elionora Bedoyeva, South Ossetia’s minister for youth affairs and tourism, was preparing to once again pitch the region as an eco-tourism destination. . . . She talked about starting a ski resort[.] . . . Sochi, the wildly popular resort on the Black Sea, ‘has snow for four months a year,’ she said. ‘We have it for seven.’ With Russian aid pouring into Tskhinvali, it was beginning to take on a new aspect.”
Indeed, this regional conflict has the capacity for international overtones as the International Olympic Committee has awarded the 2014 Olympic winter games to Russia to be held in Sochi. The politics of sports will provide Russia with an opportunity to present to the international community its diplomatic leadership in a region where it retains influence, and demonstrate its economic and political revival after the breakup of the Soviet Union, especially where Georgia seeks NATO membership and entry into the European Union.
“Mr. Martynov - the director of a nonprofit group in Moscow called the International Institute for Newly Established States - said it was time for South Ossetia to shrug off of its warrior mentality and usher in a period of ‘managers and engineers.’ He said it could prove to be a model for a number of ‘states with unclear political status,’ like Transnistria, a breakaway region of Moldova that has also moved to reunite with Russia. One possibility would be to make it a tax haven, a strategy that has worked for Monaco, Andorra and Liechtenstein, he said.
“Why can’t Liechtenstein be here?’ he said. ‘The only difference is that they are in the center of Europe. They have the Alps. We have the Caucasus.’”
These developments provide a unique opportunity to study, learn and compare dynamics through the comparative public administration framework of international sports, its power to influence events from outside the traditional political processes, transform political processes by providing additional dimensions toward dispute resolution, and achieve, possibly, Olympic glory.
LucindoS
August 28, 2008
Tskhinvali, the capital of the separatist region and self declared independent state of South Ossetia in Georgia, of the former Soviet Union, has for over the past 18 years been engaged in armed conflict with and battered by Georgian attacks. The recent signs of conflict: burned enclaves, bullet riddled trees, and strewn armor tank parts along the boulevard has not deterred Zalina Tskhovrebova, editor of the city’s largest newspaper, who “. . . allowed herself to think about the distant, wealth-drenched European principalities of Liechtenstein and Andorra, which are about the size of South Ossetia.” Russia and Nicaragua are the only two nations that have recognized South Ossetia, a region of approximately 70,000 people, and Abkhazia, another region of Georgia, as independent nations. Western leaders, however, consider the regions part of Georgia, who has declared them Russian-occupied territories.
South Ossetia has designated a building for the Russian embassy. A flag, coat of arms, and national anthem have been adopted, and a government established with a president and prime minister. Indeed, “Elionora Bedoyeva, South Ossetia’s minister for youth affairs and tourism, was preparing to once again pitch the region as an eco-tourism destination. . . . She talked about starting a ski resort[.] . . . Sochi, the wildly popular resort on the Black Sea, ‘has snow for four months a year,’ she said. ‘We have it for seven.’ With Russian aid pouring into Tskhinvali, it was beginning to take on a new aspect.”
Indeed, this regional conflict has the capacity for international overtones as the International Olympic Committee has awarded the 2014 Olympic winter games to Russia to be held in Sochi. The politics of sports will provide Russia with an opportunity to present to the international community its diplomatic leadership in a region where it retains influence, and demonstrate its economic and political revival after the breakup of the Soviet Union, especially where Georgia seeks NATO membership and entry into the European Union.
“Mr. Martynov - the director of a nonprofit group in Moscow called the International Institute for Newly Established States - said it was time for South Ossetia to shrug off of its warrior mentality and usher in a period of ‘managers and engineers.’ He said it could prove to be a model for a number of ‘states with unclear political status,’ like Transnistria, a breakaway region of Moldova that has also moved to reunite with Russia. One possibility would be to make it a tax haven, a strategy that has worked for Monaco, Andorra and Liechtenstein, he said.
“Why can’t Liechtenstein be here?’ he said. ‘The only difference is that they are in the center of Europe. They have the Alps. We have the Caucasus.’”
These developments provide a unique opportunity to study, learn and compare dynamics through the comparative public administration framework of international sports, its power to influence events from outside the traditional political processes, transform political processes by providing additional dimensions toward dispute resolution, and achieve, possibly, Olympic glory.
LucindoS
Democracy is Best
Clive James wrote a series of articles in BBC Magazine in which he stressed the advantages of democracy over other forms of government. In Bowing to a Higher Authority http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8073863.stm James uses the Oxford Poetry scandal as a platform to further discuss democracy. James says, “Despite its drawbacks, democracy is the right system for running a country - it just doesn't stack up as the best way of choosing a poetry professor.”
James looks to Philosopher Karl Popper and Albert Camus to define democracy. According to Popper democracy is a government that can be changed at the whim of the people. This is not to say that people have to be informed or wise, only that they want change and have the ability to make it happen. Which is why James adds Albert Camus’s views of democracy as a form of society created by and maintained by those who know they don't know everything, but they do know when government change or reform is needed.
James makes an interesting point about popular elections which are essential to democracy and the role of government in the private sector. “We don't have popular elections to a medical board. We ought to have government oversight of a medical board through the people's representatives, but a popular election in every field would be government by plebiscite and would produce more injustice than it avoided. Within a properly constituted democracy there is room for all kinds of alternatives as long as they are enlightened. “
What struck me most when reading this was one of the other featured articles on the BBC website that same day. There was a story about the 20th anniversary of the Tiannamen square riots in China. The number of people killed in their fight for democracy 20 years ago is still unconfirmed and estimated to be hundreds if not thousands. In the clip below you hear current day protestors talking about how 20 years later they are still fighting for democracy. The Chinese people want democracy and many have been willing to give up their lives for it. I think it is safe to say that the protesters 20 years ago and today would agree with James’s view that democracy is best.
Jen S
James looks to Philosopher Karl Popper and Albert Camus to define democracy. According to Popper democracy is a government that can be changed at the whim of the people. This is not to say that people have to be informed or wise, only that they want change and have the ability to make it happen. Which is why James adds Albert Camus’s views of democracy as a form of society created by and maintained by those who know they don't know everything, but they do know when government change or reform is needed.
James makes an interesting point about popular elections which are essential to democracy and the role of government in the private sector. “We don't have popular elections to a medical board. We ought to have government oversight of a medical board through the people's representatives, but a popular election in every field would be government by plebiscite and would produce more injustice than it avoided. Within a properly constituted democracy there is room for all kinds of alternatives as long as they are enlightened. “
What struck me most when reading this was one of the other featured articles on the BBC website that same day. There was a story about the 20th anniversary of the Tiannamen square riots in China. The number of people killed in their fight for democracy 20 years ago is still unconfirmed and estimated to be hundreds if not thousands. In the clip below you hear current day protestors talking about how 20 years later they are still fighting for democracy. The Chinese people want democracy and many have been willing to give up their lives for it. I think it is safe to say that the protesters 20 years ago and today would agree with James’s view that democracy is best.
Jen S
Show Girls or Brown Shirts?
While this hopes to be a serious post about the rags-to-riches Italian Prime Minister who has been flummoxed by recent personal indiscretions, listening to NPR this morning --- http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104775381 --- I almost choked while brushing my teeth.
To quote the PM, "Mussolini had squadrons of black shirts. According to the foreign media — which are in the service of the Italian left — I have squadrons of showgirls. Thank god for that; they're much better." Quoi!?!
It's true that he has maintained power for quite some time as the second longest-serving Italian PM. It also seems that his personal business may have intruded into affairs of state as the selection process for parliament reps may be flawed, hence the comment above. Known for past gaffes, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3041288.stm., this is the same guy who referred to President Obama as "young, handsome and tanned."
Perhaps the real significance is that this dude controls a big portion of the Italian media and so who will then effectively question his policies? Maybe not the press and not a showgirl, but certainly his wife. Noemi-gate.
Let's just hope that Rupert Murdoch won't run for office.
http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090601/FOREIGN/705319831/1140
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silvio_Berlusconi
Maryann McKenzie
To quote the PM, "Mussolini had squadrons of black shirts. According to the foreign media — which are in the service of the Italian left — I have squadrons of showgirls. Thank god for that; they're much better." Quoi!?!
It's true that he has maintained power for quite some time as the second longest-serving Italian PM. It also seems that his personal business may have intruded into affairs of state as the selection process for parliament reps may be flawed, hence the comment above. Known for past gaffes, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3041288.stm., this is the same guy who referred to President Obama as "young, handsome and tanned."
Perhaps the real significance is that this dude controls a big portion of the Italian media and so who will then effectively question his policies? Maybe not the press and not a showgirl, but certainly his wife. Noemi-gate.
Let's just hope that Rupert Murdoch won't run for office.
http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090601/FOREIGN/705319831/1140
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silvio_Berlusconi
Maryann McKenzie
Portugal Holds on to Words Few Can Grasp
Portugal Holds on to Words Few Can Grasp
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/15/arts/design/15abroad.html?scp
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/15/arts/design/15abroad.html?scp
By Michael Kimmelman
NY Times July 15, 2008
Who am I? Who are we? These interrelated questions are largely defined by culture - the many contributing facets that distinguish peoples and continue to enrich the world’s mosaic by its history, language, customs and traditions. Culture is ultimately defined by the individuals and the greater community of individuals: the nation. Nations that have chosen to preserve and define its culture and national identity, predominantly the nations of Europe, have established governmental cultural ministries.
Reference to this subject on the first day of class, and touched upon again on the second day of class in the farcical Monty Python video clip where the monarch repeats to his subjects “You are Britons!” with the retort, “What’s a Briton?” made me scour through my “articles to read folder” where I had put away a July 15, 2008 New York Times article: Portugal Holds on to Words Few Can Grasp, by Michael Kimmelman. I saved the article because as an undergraduate English major, I wished to learn more of a nationally recognized poet whose works I was not familiar, and remembered and retrieved it as my interest peeked on the literary and cultural aspects as an XMPA student studying comparative public administration.
The elderly heirs of Fernando Pessoa, (b. 1888, d. 1935) an exalted Portuguese poet and writer who the English critic Harold Bloom referred as the most representative poet of the twentieth century, plan to auction some of his works and correspondence. Portugal’s culture minister is distressed, although the National Library of Portugal purchased many of Pessoa’s notebooks from them. At a public forum he said “the state has the power to keep what it decides is national patrimony in the country.”
Pessoa’s last home has become a city-run cultural center and a bronze statue sits outside the “Brasileira” (Portuguese for "The Brazilian Woman") one of the oldest and most famous cafés in Lisbon, which was a favored haunt of Pessoa, intellectuals and writers.
It appears globalization, multi-culturalism and immigration, coupled with possibly a bit of insecurity, but more a desire to preserve its legacy and define its national identity, underlie the Ministry of Culture’s concerns.
LucindoS
NY Times July 15, 2008
Who am I? Who are we? These interrelated questions are largely defined by culture - the many contributing facets that distinguish peoples and continue to enrich the world’s mosaic by its history, language, customs and traditions. Culture is ultimately defined by the individuals and the greater community of individuals: the nation. Nations that have chosen to preserve and define its culture and national identity, predominantly the nations of Europe, have established governmental cultural ministries.
Reference to this subject on the first day of class, and touched upon again on the second day of class in the farcical Monty Python video clip where the monarch repeats to his subjects “You are Britons!” with the retort, “What’s a Briton?” made me scour through my “articles to read folder” where I had put away a July 15, 2008 New York Times article: Portugal Holds on to Words Few Can Grasp, by Michael Kimmelman. I saved the article because as an undergraduate English major, I wished to learn more of a nationally recognized poet whose works I was not familiar, and remembered and retrieved it as my interest peeked on the literary and cultural aspects as an XMPA student studying comparative public administration.
The elderly heirs of Fernando Pessoa, (b. 1888, d. 1935) an exalted Portuguese poet and writer who the English critic Harold Bloom referred as the most representative poet of the twentieth century, plan to auction some of his works and correspondence. Portugal’s culture minister is distressed, although the National Library of Portugal purchased many of Pessoa’s notebooks from them. At a public forum he said “the state has the power to keep what it decides is national patrimony in the country.”
Pessoa’s last home has become a city-run cultural center and a bronze statue sits outside the “Brasileira” (Portuguese for "The Brazilian Woman") one of the oldest and most famous cafés in Lisbon, which was a favored haunt of Pessoa, intellectuals and writers.
It appears globalization, multi-culturalism and immigration, coupled with possibly a bit of insecurity, but more a desire to preserve its legacy and define its national identity, underlie the Ministry of Culture’s concerns.
LucindoS
17th Amendment -- Senators to be elected by the people
On Saturday we were talking about differences between UK Parliament and US Congress. I mentioned how, similar to the UK system, the US Constitution originally called for only direct election of lower house, House of Representatives, and Senators were elected by state legislatures. I couldn't remember the year that changed. I checked, and that direct election of sentors didn't happen until 1913 when the 17th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified.
http://www.usconstitution.net/constamrat.html#Am17
Carol Starmack
http://www.usconstitution.net/constamrat.html#Am17
Carol Starmack
Fun with Blogging
I am hugely impressed by the content you are posting on this blog, AND I am also learning a lot about the blogging process.
Today I was frustrated to find that our May posts got archived and don't show up anymore on the right. I can't figure out how to change that. Can anybody tell me how to do it? (or just do it yourself and surprise us!!)
But I did find how to put a Search box onto the blog. You will have noticed it on the top right. You can now search inside this blog. Great!!
If you have any tips and tricks on how to improve this blog and the blogging process, add it as a comment below.
John C
Today I was frustrated to find that our May posts got archived and don't show up anymore on the right. I can't figure out how to change that. Can anybody tell me how to do it? (or just do it yourself and surprise us!!)
But I did find how to put a Search box onto the blog. You will have noticed it on the top right. You can now search inside this blog. Great!!
If you have any tips and tricks on how to improve this blog and the blogging process, add it as a comment below.
John C
Transpaency and Disclosure
Aprapos of our conversations Saturday and several of our blog posts over the last few weeks, the discussion over how, if at all, the market melt-down will change the way America does business or our government regulates industries continues. Many people are calling for increased transparency and disclosure in the way derivative instruments are traded, but as this NY Times piece points out, the financial sector is resistant to such efforts. They are mounting large lobbying efforts to ward off regulation.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/01/business/01lobby.html?_r=1&th&emc=th
A few quotes from the article:
“The debate about where derivatives will trade speaks to core concerns about the products: transparency and disclosure.” Or lack thereof as things currently stand…
“There are two distinct camps in this argument. One camp, which includes legislative leaders, is pushing for trading on an open exchange — much like stocks — where value and structure are visible and easily determined. Another camp, led by the banks, prefers that some of the products be traded in privately managed clearinghouses, with less disclosure.” The issue over open market trading comes down to transparency – how can anyone be sure (even the firms themselves) they have correctly valued their holdings if the market is a shadow market? Such a market is open to manipulation and also simple wishful thinking. There is a real incentive to over value one’s holdings.
Economist Jeff Madrick laid out his prescription for reform in a NY Review of Books article a few weeks ago
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/22280
“One principle should dominate future regulation—the shadow banking system should be brought under the same regulatory oversight as commercial banking. In sum, these firms must maintain minimum capital requirements against the loans they make and mortgage-backed obligations and other CDOs they buy, just as commercial banks do. The structured investment vehicles commercial banks use to avoid such capital and other requirements should be disallowed. A federal agency, most desirably the Federal Reserve, should have the authority and obligation to examine the books of investment banks, hedge funds, and other participants in the shadow banking system to determine the quality of their investments and to set the standards by which capital is deemed adequate. Derivatives should be required to be listed on an exchange, where information about them and their prices is openly visible to market participants and federal authorities.”
Seems reasonable to me.
Carol Starmack
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/01/business/01lobby.html?_r=1&th&emc=th
A few quotes from the article:
“The debate about where derivatives will trade speaks to core concerns about the products: transparency and disclosure.” Or lack thereof as things currently stand…
“There are two distinct camps in this argument. One camp, which includes legislative leaders, is pushing for trading on an open exchange — much like stocks — where value and structure are visible and easily determined. Another camp, led by the banks, prefers that some of the products be traded in privately managed clearinghouses, with less disclosure.” The issue over open market trading comes down to transparency – how can anyone be sure (even the firms themselves) they have correctly valued their holdings if the market is a shadow market? Such a market is open to manipulation and also simple wishful thinking. There is a real incentive to over value one’s holdings.
Economist Jeff Madrick laid out his prescription for reform in a NY Review of Books article a few weeks ago
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/22280
“One principle should dominate future regulation—the shadow banking system should be brought under the same regulatory oversight as commercial banking. In sum, these firms must maintain minimum capital requirements against the loans they make and mortgage-backed obligations and other CDOs they buy, just as commercial banks do. The structured investment vehicles commercial banks use to avoid such capital and other requirements should be disallowed. A federal agency, most desirably the Federal Reserve, should have the authority and obligation to examine the books of investment banks, hedge funds, and other participants in the shadow banking system to determine the quality of their investments and to set the standards by which capital is deemed adequate. Derivatives should be required to be listed on an exchange, where information about them and their prices is openly visible to market participants and federal authorities.”
Seems reasonable to me.
Carol Starmack
Sunday, May 31, 2009
A Baruch MPAer in Namibia -- her blog
I have recently made contact with a Baruch MPA graduate, Tamara Webb, currently doing a volunteer year in Namibia.
Turns out she also has a blogspot, which has some wonderful vignettes about life in Namibia. It's a great complement to the material we are reading in the textbooks!. See:
http://www.tamaraswebb.blogspot.com/
John C
Turns out she also has a blogspot, which has some wonderful vignettes about life in Namibia. It's a great complement to the material we are reading in the textbooks!. See:
http://www.tamaraswebb.blogspot.com/
John C
Germany backs fresh curbs on executive pay despite protest.
This article appeared in the May 30 financial times. Angela Merkel, German Chancellor proposed new legislation to increase transparency and control exorbitant salary hikes of executives of German companies in the private sector. This legislation was met with resistance by a letter stating “Corporate decisions such as shaping of board members’ contracts should not be set by law in the tiniest detail”. Parliament supports Merkel’s proposal fully stating “not only did we make no concessions to these people, but the letter was in fact a great example of the mentality we want to eradicate”.
This article epitomizes much of the discussion that occurred in class Saturday. What is represented in this article is another shift in the paradigm of public administration. The government has taken a clear position in an effort to respond to the economic needs of the country and the citizenry by establishing policies that regulate private industry for the public good. It further demonstrates the motivation of government to establish some measures that promote a higher sense of economic security for its citizens through transparency as well as remedies for abuses.
This response appears to provide some indicators of the confidence level of citizens as it relates to the private sector and the increase sense of urgency to respond to the economic crisis that has encompassed global proportions through government regulations.
While this policy is too late for our market economy, one may speculate that had we initiated similar policies of oversight and transparency (particularly salary levels of executives) would this have limited the greed in the private sector that has created the downward economic spiral? Diana P
This article epitomizes much of the discussion that occurred in class Saturday. What is represented in this article is another shift in the paradigm of public administration. The government has taken a clear position in an effort to respond to the economic needs of the country and the citizenry by establishing policies that regulate private industry for the public good. It further demonstrates the motivation of government to establish some measures that promote a higher sense of economic security for its citizens through transparency as well as remedies for abuses.
This response appears to provide some indicators of the confidence level of citizens as it relates to the private sector and the increase sense of urgency to respond to the economic crisis that has encompassed global proportions through government regulations.
While this policy is too late for our market economy, one may speculate that had we initiated similar policies of oversight and transparency (particularly salary levels of executives) would this have limited the greed in the private sector that has created the downward economic spiral? Diana P
But don't give up on the American model!!!
The Economist may be showing suprising deference to French dirigisme (see my previous post), but it hasn't given up on the American model. This weeks's contribution from the Economist editorialists is:
In his zeal to fix capitalism, Barack Obama must not stifle America’s dynamism
http://www.economist.com/printedition/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=13740170
Here is an extract from the opening paragraphs:
DEFENDING American capitalism these days is a thankless job. Reckless lending by American financiers produced a crisis that has pushed the world into its worst recession since the 1930s. Tales of greed and fraud during the boom years abound. Small wonder that although Americans still prefer their government neat and local, they are a little less hostile to federal activism these days... [But Obama] and Congress risk overreaching. America has experienced a failure of finance, not of capitalism. Its broader economy remains an astonishing Petri dish of creative destruction. Even in boom times, 15% of American jobs disappear each year. Their places are taken by new ones created by start-ups and expansions. This dynamism remains evident today, amid the most crushing economic conditions most businesses have encountered (see our special report in this issue).
John C
In his zeal to fix capitalism, Barack Obama must not stifle America’s dynamism
http://www.economist.com/printedition/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=13740170
Here is an extract from the opening paragraphs:
DEFENDING American capitalism these days is a thankless job. Reckless lending by American financiers produced a crisis that has pushed the world into its worst recession since the 1930s. Tales of greed and fraud during the boom years abound. Small wonder that although Americans still prefer their government neat and local, they are a little less hostile to federal activism these days... [But Obama] and Congress risk overreaching. America has experienced a failure of finance, not of capitalism. Its broader economy remains an astonishing Petri dish of creative destruction. Even in boom times, 15% of American jobs disappear each year. Their places are taken by new ones created by start-ups and expansions. This dynamism remains evident today, amid the most crushing economic conditions most businesses have encountered (see our special report in this issue).
John C
France on Top? Vive le dirigisme?
As a follow up to our discussion yesterday on the current debates about which “model” of government works better, I refer you to back to one of my first posts: The changing international enviroment
Re-reading it today reminded me that I forgot to discuss the term “dirigisme” with you. Here it is in the opening paragraphs of the Economist article I refer to in the earlier post (also note the use of “corporatist”):
“FOR years leaders in continental Europe have been told by the Americans, the British and even this newspaper that their economies are sclerotic, overregulated and too state-dominated, and that to prosper in true Anglo-Saxon style they need a dose of free-market reform. But the global economic meltdown has given them the satisfying triple whammy of exposing the risks in deregulation, giving the state a more important role and (best of all) laying low les Anglo-Saxons.
At the April G20 summit in London, France’s Nicolas Sarkozy and Germany’s Angela Merkel stood shoulder-to-shoulder to insist pointedly that this recession was not of their making. Ms Merkel has never been a particular fan of Wall Street. But the rhetorical lead has been grabbed by Mr Sarkozy. The man who once wanted to make Paris more like London now declares laissez-faire a broken system. Jean-Baptiste Colbert once again reigns in Paris. Rather than challenge dirigisme, the British and Americans are busy following it: Gordon Brown is ushering in new financial rules and higher taxes, and Barack Obama is suggesting that America could copy some things from France, to the consternation of his more conservative countrymen. Indeed, a new European pecking order has emerged, with statist France on top, corporatist Germany in the middle and poor old liberal Britain floored."
John C
Re-reading it today reminded me that I forgot to discuss the term “dirigisme” with you. Here it is in the opening paragraphs of the Economist article I refer to in the earlier post (also note the use of “corporatist”):
“FOR years leaders in continental Europe have been told by the Americans, the British and even this newspaper that their economies are sclerotic, overregulated and too state-dominated, and that to prosper in true Anglo-Saxon style they need a dose of free-market reform. But the global economic meltdown has given them the satisfying triple whammy of exposing the risks in deregulation, giving the state a more important role and (best of all) laying low les Anglo-Saxons.
At the April G20 summit in London, France’s Nicolas Sarkozy and Germany’s Angela Merkel stood shoulder-to-shoulder to insist pointedly that this recession was not of their making. Ms Merkel has never been a particular fan of Wall Street. But the rhetorical lead has been grabbed by Mr Sarkozy. The man who once wanted to make Paris more like London now declares laissez-faire a broken system. Jean-Baptiste Colbert once again reigns in Paris. Rather than challenge dirigisme, the British and Americans are busy following it: Gordon Brown is ushering in new financial rules and higher taxes, and Barack Obama is suggesting that America could copy some things from France, to the consternation of his more conservative countrymen. Indeed, a new European pecking order has emerged, with statist France on top, corporatist Germany in the middle and poor old liberal Britain floored."
John C
Drivers License for Bankers
http://www.cnbc.com/id/30976042
Dutch Finance Minister Wouter Bos plans on implementing a test for anyone serving on a Banking Board. Even Gerrit Zalm, former Finance Minister, who runs the now nationalized of ABN Amro will be required to take the test which is being called “Drivers License for Bankers.” Details of who will create and administer the test have not been worked out yet but will most likely fall to Dutch Central Bank DNB.
The Dutch banking sector’s reputation, like that of many other nations including the U.S. has suffered during the economic crisis. Minister Bos formed a commission to find ways to restore the public’s faith in the banking industry. The committee came up with the recommendation of a required test which would ensure that top banking executives have the necessary expertise and qualifications to run a bank.
In class yesterday we talked about the role of the government in the public sector varies among countries. In the Untied States, banking is subject to increasing scrutiny and regulation by the public sector. The U.S. President has flexibility to appoint the best, brightest and most qualified person to work in banking regulations. In U.K., top positions, including those which regulate banking, are held by members of Parliament. The person in charge of banking may or may not have a background or expertise in banking. In France public servants, including those who regulate banking have been trained at Le Grande Ecole and may have some training in this area. The Dutch Banking Drivers License is the government getting involved in the banking sector to make sure that top officials have the required level of expertise to work in this field. But will this restore the public’s faith in the banking industry? Should a similar test be implemented around the globe?
Jen S
Friday, May 29, 2009
Multiracial descendents fastest growing demographic group
"The significance of race as we know it in today's legal and government categories will be obsolete in less than 20 years," said William H. Frey, a demographer at Brookings Institution.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2009/05/28/2009-05-28_like_president_like_citizens_americans_of_multiracial_descent_fastest_growing_de.html
This quote was noted in an article titled “Like President, like citizens: Americans of multiracial descent fastest growing demographic group.” The article explains how the growth for people of a mixed race in the U.S. has grown by 3.4%, the states that experience the highest increase of people who are of a mixed race were California, Texas, New York and Florida. The main cause for the increase is due to the social acceptance of people engaging in relationships outside of their race. Something that was once illegal and considered immoral in many states for the last 3 centuries is now causing new rules to be implemented so that a person’s racial mix is respected and recognized.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MultiracialI
n the U.K., who also has a high rate of people with multiracial backgrounds, it’s noted that by 2020 mixed race will become Britain’s largest ethnic minority group. Wow has the world turned. Many other countries have also experienced an increase in the population of multiracial people.
In class we discussed the idea of culture and the effects it has on government as well as the various stereotypes that are experienced. However if this article holds true than culture and stereotypes as we know it will also evolve; thus changing the dynamics of policy and politics. Bobbi W.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2009/05/28/2009-05-28_like_president_like_citizens_americans_of_multiracial_descent_fastest_growing_de.html
This quote was noted in an article titled “Like President, like citizens: Americans of multiracial descent fastest growing demographic group.” The article explains how the growth for people of a mixed race in the U.S. has grown by 3.4%, the states that experience the highest increase of people who are of a mixed race were California, Texas, New York and Florida. The main cause for the increase is due to the social acceptance of people engaging in relationships outside of their race. Something that was once illegal and considered immoral in many states for the last 3 centuries is now causing new rules to be implemented so that a person’s racial mix is respected and recognized.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MultiracialI
n the U.K., who also has a high rate of people with multiracial backgrounds, it’s noted that by 2020 mixed race will become Britain’s largest ethnic minority group. Wow has the world turned. Many other countries have also experienced an increase in the population of multiracial people.
In class we discussed the idea of culture and the effects it has on government as well as the various stereotypes that are experienced. However if this article holds true than culture and stereotypes as we know it will also evolve; thus changing the dynamics of policy and politics. Bobbi W.
More on Racist Australia
It’s been an interesting week for discussions about racism in Australia. First there was shooting in Sydney after which an “eyewitness” used the word “wog” to describe the gunman (it turned out later she was making it all up). The video went viral. See the following:
Then Sol Trujillo, the departing American CEO of the recently privatized telephone company Telstra, calling Australia “racist and backward” (This was described in my earlier posting: Australia: Racist; backward?).
And then there was a series of reports of Indian students being assaulted. See the following video:
http://media.smh.com.au/national/breaking-news/australia-not-racist-however-546957.html
Now there is a bit of national soul searching. See the Adele Horin’s Op Ed:
Sol, your wake-up call is important: we've no good reason to be smug
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/sol-your-wakeup-call-is-important-weve-no-good-reason-to-be-smug-20090529-bq6l.html
The opening paragraph is as follows:
“It's bad enough when an outsider dares to criticise Australia. But when the outsider is Sol Trujillo, the national hackles rise in outrage. Sol is easy to dislike. Let me count the reasons: his dismal business acumen which drove Telstra to its weakened state; the $30 million he pocketed for four years' work; his treatment of Australian telecommunication consumers; and his political positioning to the right of the Howard government which, remarkably, was too pro-regulation for his taste.”
Analyzing the article from the perspective of this course, it’s interesting to speculate on what criteria would we use to evaluate whether a country/society is racist?
John C
Then Sol Trujillo, the departing American CEO of the recently privatized telephone company Telstra, calling Australia “racist and backward” (This was described in my earlier posting: Australia: Racist; backward?).
And then there was a series of reports of Indian students being assaulted. See the following video:
http://media.smh.com.au/national/breaking-news/australia-not-racist-however-546957.html
Now there is a bit of national soul searching. See the Adele Horin’s Op Ed:
Sol, your wake-up call is important: we've no good reason to be smug
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/sol-your-wakeup-call-is-important-weve-no-good-reason-to-be-smug-20090529-bq6l.html
The opening paragraph is as follows:
“It's bad enough when an outsider dares to criticise Australia. But when the outsider is Sol Trujillo, the national hackles rise in outrage. Sol is easy to dislike. Let me count the reasons: his dismal business acumen which drove Telstra to its weakened state; the $30 million he pocketed for four years' work; his treatment of Australian telecommunication consumers; and his political positioning to the right of the Howard government which, remarkably, was too pro-regulation for his taste.”
Analyzing the article from the perspective of this course, it’s interesting to speculate on what criteria would we use to evaluate whether a country/society is racist?
John C
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Development Aid Good or Bad? Part deux
This was intended to be a comment to John C.'s post and Maryann's and Carol's comments but I'm having a problem posting comments and I wanted to comment before the moment passes. I was listening to NPR a few weeks ago while driving and Dambisa Moyo author of "Dead Aid" was promoting her book. Her point of view was so different from anything I had ever heard on the topic that I actually sat in the car after reaching my destination just to hear the end of the interview. I suspect the interviewer didn't do his prep correctly because he not only appeared surprised by her point of view he kept asking her questions based on his own cognitive shortcuts on the issue. Of course her point of view which I thought was iconoclastic obviously is not that singular as John's posting shows furthermore, Ms. Moyo acknowledged other writers and economists as well as her own parents who share the same idea. I've linked to a interview by the Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/feb/19/dambisa-moyo-dead-aid-africa I suppose because she is African, I paid closer attention. She is compared to Ayaan Hirsi Ali by her mentor. If I were not enrolled in the XMPA I would have bought her book which I may still do so during the summer.
As I recall from the NPR interview, she is not opposed to Aid for disaster relief but for everything else she is opposed. This flies in the face of the more recent high profile efforts by Bill Gates, Bono etc. who argue that not enough has been done. For me the tragedies (not counting the wars, droughts, AIDS and famine) occur when leaders like Mugabe drag their countries from relative prosperity and stability into abject poverty and chaos. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1064589.stm
The positive report from Ghana from our first class was heartening and a few other countries are managing to keep their economies and societies stable or to achieve recovery from the devastations of war and disease. To prove or disprove her thesis we would need a natural experiment and of course that is impractical and unethical. I think that fifty years into the post colonial era, the landscape looks bleak. In some places the standard of living and life expectancy have plummeted. I agree with the premise in How Europe Underdeveloped Africa by Walter Rodney but moving beyond that, creative solutions are needed.
Tamara
As I recall from the NPR interview, she is not opposed to Aid for disaster relief but for everything else she is opposed. This flies in the face of the more recent high profile efforts by Bill Gates, Bono etc. who argue that not enough has been done. For me the tragedies (not counting the wars, droughts, AIDS and famine) occur when leaders like Mugabe drag their countries from relative prosperity and stability into abject poverty and chaos. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1064589.stm
The positive report from Ghana from our first class was heartening and a few other countries are managing to keep their economies and societies stable or to achieve recovery from the devastations of war and disease. To prove or disprove her thesis we would need a natural experiment and of course that is impractical and unethical. I think that fifty years into the post colonial era, the landscape looks bleak. In some places the standard of living and life expectancy have plummeted. I agree with the premise in How Europe Underdeveloped Africa by Walter Rodney but moving beyond that, creative solutions are needed.
Tamara
Battling Piracy Around the world
Battling Piracy Around the world
Huhh? Was my first reaction after hearing the story on the nightly news about a merchant sea captain held hostage by “pirates”; I thought we left Captain Hook behind about 200+ years ago. As the story unfolded and America cheered for the safe rescuing of Captain Phillips I sat, watching the nightly news, as they announced the captured pirate will be tried in the United States. Instinctively I became perturbed by this idea, but yet filled with anticipation to see the“21st century pirate”. A young man is what I saw, who appeared oblivious to the ramifications of his actions. Could he have been romanticized by the billion dollar industry this old age problem has become? Perhaps it could have been that he just believed this was a way for survival. Which ever the story maybe one thing is certain, piracy is a global concern challenged by opposing views.
On NPR’s website I came across a few articles discussing this international issue and controversy on piracy. The article discusses how piracy has been a problem for roughly 5 centuries. During the
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104455073#commentBlock
Golden Age of Piracy (17th & 18th century) governments were forced to take on drastic measures that involved the public hanging of many pirates. Two wars were battled along the Mediterranean and Northwest African coast known as “The Barbary Wars”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Barbary_War
As we fast forward to today piracy continues to persist along Southeast Asia and Africa. However are we dealing with the same kind of pirates or piracy? Who are these people? I came across a definition for both pirate and piracy. http://www.rochedalss.eq.edu.au/pirates/pirate1.htm
“Pirates are regarded as common enemies of all people. In that nations have an equal interest in their apprehension and punishment, pirates may be lawfully captured on the high seas by the armed vessels of any state and brought within its territorial jurisdiction for trial in its tribunals. “
While “Piracy is recognized as an offense against the law of nations. It is a crime not against any particular state, but against all humanity.”
The words that struck me were “common enemy of all people” and “crime against all humanity”. Does this include the people of Somalia except for those who choose piracy as their way of life to feed their family? What about the illegal dumping of waste and the illegal fishing by foreign commercial fleets that have caused many Somalia children to starve and be poisoned to death. How does this fit into the equation for defining our new age “pirates”? Does it fit at all?
Many believe that the pirates today have gone beyond retaliating on those who have destroyed and disrupt there waters and therefore should be handled with the same violence as the 17th & 18th century. While many others believe solving the lack of governance, and economic instability many of these countries breeding pirates face will essentially solve piracy.
In class we discussed the comparisons of various governments and types of policing in various countries. What about crimes that cross borders and effect a collection of countries? How effective is the international legal system that would address this issue and others that cross borders?
Bobbi W.
Huhh? Was my first reaction after hearing the story on the nightly news about a merchant sea captain held hostage by “pirates”; I thought we left Captain Hook behind about 200+ years ago. As the story unfolded and America cheered for the safe rescuing of Captain Phillips I sat, watching the nightly news, as they announced the captured pirate will be tried in the United States. Instinctively I became perturbed by this idea, but yet filled with anticipation to see the“21st century pirate”. A young man is what I saw, who appeared oblivious to the ramifications of his actions. Could he have been romanticized by the billion dollar industry this old age problem has become? Perhaps it could have been that he just believed this was a way for survival. Which ever the story maybe one thing is certain, piracy is a global concern challenged by opposing views.
On NPR’s website I came across a few articles discussing this international issue and controversy on piracy. The article discusses how piracy has been a problem for roughly 5 centuries. During the
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104455073#commentBlock
Golden Age of Piracy (17th & 18th century) governments were forced to take on drastic measures that involved the public hanging of many pirates. Two wars were battled along the Mediterranean and Northwest African coast known as “The Barbary Wars”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Barbary_War
As we fast forward to today piracy continues to persist along Southeast Asia and Africa. However are we dealing with the same kind of pirates or piracy? Who are these people? I came across a definition for both pirate and piracy. http://www.rochedalss.eq.edu.au/pirates/pirate1.htm
“Pirates are regarded as common enemies of all people. In that nations have an equal interest in their apprehension and punishment, pirates may be lawfully captured on the high seas by the armed vessels of any state and brought within its territorial jurisdiction for trial in its tribunals. “
While “Piracy is recognized as an offense against the law of nations. It is a crime not against any particular state, but against all humanity.”
The words that struck me were “common enemy of all people” and “crime against all humanity”. Does this include the people of Somalia except for those who choose piracy as their way of life to feed their family? What about the illegal dumping of waste and the illegal fishing by foreign commercial fleets that have caused many Somalia children to starve and be poisoned to death. How does this fit into the equation for defining our new age “pirates”? Does it fit at all?
Many believe that the pirates today have gone beyond retaliating on those who have destroyed and disrupt there waters and therefore should be handled with the same violence as the 17th & 18th century. While many others believe solving the lack of governance, and economic instability many of these countries breeding pirates face will essentially solve piracy.
In class we discussed the comparisons of various governments and types of policing in various countries. What about crimes that cross borders and effect a collection of countries? How effective is the international legal system that would address this issue and others that cross borders?
Bobbi W.
Girl, 16, to sail solo around the world
In class we discussed several ways in performing comparative analysis amongst countries around the world. One of the frameworks of an analysis in our discussion was culture and the influence it has on a government and its society.
The article I came across is about a 16 year old girl, Jessica Watson, from Australia who intends to set out in November to sail the world by herself. Her goal is to break the current record that is held by18 year old Jesse Martin who is a German born Australian. Jessica has already sailed parts of the Tasman sea at age 15 in preparation of her huge journey. Although I am not sure if there are any legal ramifications she may face concerning her age. I don’t know whether you agree or disagree with this story; however you must applaud her courage and determination. The article mentions various other teens with the same desire. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasman_Sea
As I read this article I thought about the women in the Middle East, where their culture has forced them to disguise themselves as men in order to get behind the wheel of a car since women aren’t allowed to drive. And, just last month a law was passed in Afghanistan that allows husbands to demand sex from their wives every 4 days.
http://newsflavor.com/world/middle-east/is-demanding-sex-rape/
Taking a look at our own backyard, in Debbi’s, blog “They are just teens” our own culture has allowed for the U.S. to be one of the leading countries with a high rate of teen pregnancy. Perhaps this young girl’s courage will be inspiring and influential to others.
Bobbi W.
The article I came across is about a 16 year old girl, Jessica Watson, from Australia who intends to set out in November to sail the world by herself. Her goal is to break the current record that is held by18 year old Jesse Martin who is a German born Australian. Jessica has already sailed parts of the Tasman sea at age 15 in preparation of her huge journey. Although I am not sure if there are any legal ramifications she may face concerning her age. I don’t know whether you agree or disagree with this story; however you must applaud her courage and determination. The article mentions various other teens with the same desire. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasman_Sea
As I read this article I thought about the women in the Middle East, where their culture has forced them to disguise themselves as men in order to get behind the wheel of a car since women aren’t allowed to drive. And, just last month a law was passed in Afghanistan that allows husbands to demand sex from their wives every 4 days.
http://newsflavor.com/world/middle-east/is-demanding-sex-rape/
Taking a look at our own backyard, in Debbi’s, blog “They are just teens” our own culture has allowed for the U.S. to be one of the leading countries with a high rate of teen pregnancy. Perhaps this young girl’s courage will be inspiring and influential to others.
Bobbi W.
Of Tragedies and Statistics
The question of whether democracy should be viewed as an ideal to be aspired to by all nations is a subject of much debate. Since by democracy one typically is referring to western democracies (USA, Europe etc.) the notion of having to aspire to a norm emanating from this group of countries now appears to be anathema to much of the third world. Indeed, some involved in policymaking in western countries seem ready to concede that the democracy barometer may be just another way to impose western values and hegemony upon third world nations. Layered upon this ideological debate is the seeming correlation between democratic societies and economic power (with China being the obvious outlier). Ultimately, do people who live in societies without representative and transparent government really care about those trappings if their basic needs such as shelter and health care are being taken care of? Do native Kuwaitis need to have a western style political and judicial system if those institutions are not part of the social and political contexts of that society. (Jreisat 2002) Why should democracy be an aspirational goal? Kuwait has a per capita income of $31,640, life expectancy is 76 years for men and 80 years for women and the government guarantees the financial wellbeing of all Kuwaits http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/country_profiles/791053.stm
Why should they be striving to mimic the western style of representative government? A benevolent dictator ruling a country with great resources which are shared in some measure with the polity may not seem like a bad deal compared to some alternatives.
Democracy is best seen as an alternative for the totalitarian regimes where the leaders' only purpose appear to be the acquisition and consolidation of power at the expense of the citizens. During the cold war era, the rule of Josef Stalin and his successors served as a cautionary tale for emerging nations.
If they didn't align themselves with the western democracies that too could be the fate of their citizenry. Millions killed for dissenting or starved to death under misguided societal re engineering not to mention the bread lines. The western European countries have had their despots, their revolutions, their bloody wars and reigns of terror but by the post WWII era, those upheavals had been relegated to history. For those developing countries who still decided to flirt with the communist system, the CIA would implement its persuasive capabilities and if that didn't work the right hand of god would be brought to bear on the recalcitrant.
Since the Castros seized power in Cuba in 1959, the regime has evoked strong feelings from supporters and detractors. Detachment is extremely rare in this area. Supporters compare Cuba under the Castros with Cuba under Batista and conclude that the society is much more egalitarian. Why should Cuba become a democracy ? It isn't the heritage of the country, furthermore, it is the system of government belonging to its nemesis. They posit that Castro has improved health care and in doing so improved the lives of millions. Critics say that Cuba had one of the highest levels of health care before the revolution as measured by infant mortality and numbers of doctors. They extrapolate that if Cuba had continued on the pre-revolution trajectory, it would have achieved a much higher standard of living for its citizens at less cost to personal freedoms. Even as I embark on a comparative analysis of the heath care system of the US and Cuba it is hard to be certain that the statistics on health care are accurate. The analogy is that after the fall of the Soviet bloc the pervasive falsification of official government statistics was revealed; so the statistics from any repressive regime should be viewed with caution.
Is there (or should there have to be ) a choice between health care and freedom? The right to health care is enshrined in the Cuban Constitution http://www.medicc.org/publications/medicc_review/0905/mr-features1.html while in the USA the we have our freedoms under the Bill of Rights
http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.billofrights.html
Tamara
Why should they be striving to mimic the western style of representative government? A benevolent dictator ruling a country with great resources which are shared in some measure with the polity may not seem like a bad deal compared to some alternatives.
Democracy is best seen as an alternative for the totalitarian regimes where the leaders' only purpose appear to be the acquisition and consolidation of power at the expense of the citizens. During the cold war era, the rule of Josef Stalin and his successors served as a cautionary tale for emerging nations.
If they didn't align themselves with the western democracies that too could be the fate of their citizenry. Millions killed for dissenting or starved to death under misguided societal re engineering not to mention the bread lines. The western European countries have had their despots, their revolutions, their bloody wars and reigns of terror but by the post WWII era, those upheavals had been relegated to history. For those developing countries who still decided to flirt with the communist system, the CIA would implement its persuasive capabilities and if that didn't work the right hand of god would be brought to bear on the recalcitrant.
Since the Castros seized power in Cuba in 1959, the regime has evoked strong feelings from supporters and detractors. Detachment is extremely rare in this area. Supporters compare Cuba under the Castros with Cuba under Batista and conclude that the society is much more egalitarian. Why should Cuba become a democracy ? It isn't the heritage of the country, furthermore, it is the system of government belonging to its nemesis. They posit that Castro has improved health care and in doing so improved the lives of millions. Critics say that Cuba had one of the highest levels of health care before the revolution as measured by infant mortality and numbers of doctors. They extrapolate that if Cuba had continued on the pre-revolution trajectory, it would have achieved a much higher standard of living for its citizens at less cost to personal freedoms. Even as I embark on a comparative analysis of the heath care system of the US and Cuba it is hard to be certain that the statistics on health care are accurate. The analogy is that after the fall of the Soviet bloc the pervasive falsification of official government statistics was revealed; so the statistics from any repressive regime should be viewed with caution.
Is there (or should there have to be ) a choice between health care and freedom? The right to health care is enshrined in the Cuban Constitution http://www.medicc.org/publications/medicc_review/0905/mr-features1.html while in the USA the we have our freedoms under the Bill of Rights
http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.billofrights.html
Tamara
Everything Is Derivative --- Political Rap in Switzerland
A lovely trilingual country with cowbells ringing in distant mountain valleys, trains that run on time and bars that close at 7pm. I was struck by an article in today's NYTimes by Michael Kimmelman "In Quiet Switzerland, Outspoken Rapper Takes On the Far Right." I was drawn to the piece since it's always been a personal fascination to see how various American cultural icons are interpreted by other countries. There's the Harajuku section in Tokyo where on Sundays Japanese youth dress up in 1950s US-inspired vintage outfits or have you ever heard rock-n-roll tunes sung by the French? Ugh, sorry, but nobody does it better.
Though expecting to see how the Swiss wrecked rap, I was surprised to see another facet of American life: how the bully pulpit of the ultranationalist Swiss People's Party under the leadership of Christoph Blocher who won the highest percentage in the last election, modeled its "bully" platform on the American model. "We call it the Americanization of of Swiss politics. Crime has remained the same in recent years, but Blocher and his allies cultivate a sense of insecurity by running a permanent political campaign, particularly against immigrants, and this resonates with Swiss people who fear change...," according to University of Geneva political science chair Pascal Sciarini. Osama bin Laden's name even came up. Another part of their platform is that the left controls both the arts and universities, and so "...there needs to be a counter model, more American, with private foundations, not public subsidies..."
Yikes, this is deja vu all over again, to borrow Yogi Berra's famous quote.
So, 30-year-old Stress, as he calls himself, has made some noise by taking on the political establishment. One line goes "My Switzerland doesn't see mosques and minarets as threats." Ironic that he's an immigrant, was employed by a multinational firm and is married to a former Miss Switzerland.
And though his last album went double platinum, I'm afraid to listen to it.
Maryann McKenzie
Though expecting to see how the Swiss wrecked rap, I was surprised to see another facet of American life: how the bully pulpit of the ultranationalist Swiss People's Party under the leadership of Christoph Blocher who won the highest percentage in the last election, modeled its "bully" platform on the American model. "We call it the Americanization of of Swiss politics. Crime has remained the same in recent years, but Blocher and his allies cultivate a sense of insecurity by running a permanent political campaign, particularly against immigrants, and this resonates with Swiss people who fear change...," according to University of Geneva political science chair Pascal Sciarini. Osama bin Laden's name even came up. Another part of their platform is that the left controls both the arts and universities, and so "...there needs to be a counter model, more American, with private foundations, not public subsidies..."
Yikes, this is deja vu all over again, to borrow Yogi Berra's famous quote.
So, 30-year-old Stress, as he calls himself, has made some noise by taking on the political establishment. One line goes "My Switzerland doesn't see mosques and minarets as threats." Ironic that he's an immigrant, was employed by a multinational firm and is married to a former Miss Switzerland.
And though his last album went double platinum, I'm afraid to listen to it.
Maryann McKenzie
Development Aid: Good or Bad?
On Day 3, June 6, we will be talking about developing countries. One of the central issues is whether international aid does good or harm. Are we to believe those who seek a significant increase in international development aid (see for example the Jeffery Sachs reference and the UN Millenium Development Goals http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/ ) and forgive current debts or do we believe those who say we should end development aid and use “market” solutions only to foster development?
The following report just landed on my desk from the Cato Institute, a think tank that advocates for free market solutions.
The False Promise of Gleneagles
http://www.cato.org/pubs/dpa/dpa9.pdf
Not surprisingly the report explains why aid doesn’t work and why free trade will (see below for opening paragraph). Do you agree?
John C
....
OPENING PARAGRAPH OF The False Promise of Gleneagles
In response to persisting poverty in Africa, representatives
from the world’s eight leading industrialized
nations—Germany, Canada, the United States, France,
Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Russia—met in Gleneagles,
Scotland, in 2005 and agreed on a three-pronged
approach to help Africa. They would increase foreign aid to
the continent, reduce Africa’s debt, and open their markets
to African exports. Unfortunately, aid has harmed rather
than helped Africa. It has failed to stimulate growth or
reform, and encouraged waste and corruption. For example,
aid has financed 40 percent of military spending in
Africa. Similarly, debt relief has failed to prevent African
countries from falling into debt again.
The following report just landed on my desk from the Cato Institute, a think tank that advocates for free market solutions.
The False Promise of Gleneagles
http://www.cato.org/pubs/dpa/dpa9.pdf
Not surprisingly the report explains why aid doesn’t work and why free trade will (see below for opening paragraph). Do you agree?
John C
....
OPENING PARAGRAPH OF The False Promise of Gleneagles
In response to persisting poverty in Africa, representatives
from the world’s eight leading industrialized
nations—Germany, Canada, the United States, France,
Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Russia—met in Gleneagles,
Scotland, in 2005 and agreed on a three-pronged
approach to help Africa. They would increase foreign aid to
the continent, reduce Africa’s debt, and open their markets
to African exports. Unfortunately, aid has harmed rather
than helped Africa. It has failed to stimulate growth or
reform, and encouraged waste and corruption. For example,
aid has financed 40 percent of military spending in
Africa. Similarly, debt relief has failed to prevent African
countries from falling into debt again.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Rights, Religion, Rhyme or Reason
“Teens in New York City have the right to sexual health services without getting permission from parents, girlfriends/boyfriends or anyone else.”
“In Costa Rica a law was passed to guarantee comprehensive reproductive health services to adolescents.”
“In Ghana a creation of a “broad health policy” will address guidelines for public health agencies to address reproductive health needs for adolescents.”
“In France emergency contraception pills are being distributed by school nurses.”President Obama’s 2010 budget proposal to congress promises to address the need for adolescent reproductive health care.http://www.guttmacher.org/ - 23k - Cached
These are a few of the rights or advances necessary in developing the need to reduce and/or maintain teen pregnancy birth and abortion rates world-wide.
During our class discussion one of the things mentioned was, “How do we divide the world?” Religion, economic development, political government and culture are the many rhyme (sense) and/or reasons for the complexity of addressing this critical public health issue.
The government of the UK, US and the Netherlands agree that poverty is associated with the increase rates of teen pregnancy. In the UK the largest spending programs are on social security, health, the environment, education, transport, and defense. Curtis, et. al, explained in chapter 2 pp. 106 and 107, the Mixed Economy.
Teen Pregnancy cost the US over $7 billion annually. http://www.lifelinefamilycenter.org/teenpregnancyfacts.htm
Countries with lower rates of teenage pregnancy — the Netherlands, Germany, and France — also have liberal contraceptive coverage for contraceptive pills and devices, including free contraceptive services for teenagers (Berne & Huberman, 1999). Can the US and the UK take this same approach?
D Lomax
“In Costa Rica a law was passed to guarantee comprehensive reproductive health services to adolescents.”
“In Ghana a creation of a “broad health policy” will address guidelines for public health agencies to address reproductive health needs for adolescents.”
“In France emergency contraception pills are being distributed by school nurses.”President Obama’s 2010 budget proposal to congress promises to address the need for adolescent reproductive health care.http://www.guttmacher.org/ - 23k - Cached
These are a few of the rights or advances necessary in developing the need to reduce and/or maintain teen pregnancy birth and abortion rates world-wide.
During our class discussion one of the things mentioned was, “How do we divide the world?” Religion, economic development, political government and culture are the many rhyme (sense) and/or reasons for the complexity of addressing this critical public health issue.
The government of the UK, US and the Netherlands agree that poverty is associated with the increase rates of teen pregnancy. In the UK the largest spending programs are on social security, health, the environment, education, transport, and defense. Curtis, et. al, explained in chapter 2 pp. 106 and 107, the Mixed Economy.
Teen Pregnancy cost the US over $7 billion annually. http://www.lifelinefamilycenter.org/teenpregnancyfacts.htm
Countries with lower rates of teenage pregnancy — the Netherlands, Germany, and France — also have liberal contraceptive coverage for contraceptive pills and devices, including free contraceptive services for teenagers (Berne & Huberman, 1999). Can the US and the UK take this same approach?
D Lomax
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Cross-national
I know it may be a little difficult for most of us, but try to think back when you were a teenager. If you could use one word to describe who you were, what would that one word be? Okay, I’ll go first……Explorer!
What makes US teens different from UK teens different from Netherland teens, different from Japanese teens and so on? When I teens, I am talking about adolescent female and males between ages 15-18 years of age. The Youth Behavior Risk Survey (YRBS) which should sound familiar to all of us from Remler’s class is a Center for Disease Control (CDC) national school-based confidential survey administered to public high schools only.
So what do other parts of the world use to survey their youth? Turns out many other countries such Wales, Scotland and England are collecting cross-national data and have adapted the CDC’s YRBS questions as a tool to measure the behavior of the teens in their country. When we look around we see teenagers in our communities and in our lives that pretty much look the same. Their clothing, hair styles, music, how they are marketed by various advertisers are all pretty similar. Despite their different racial, ethnic, cultural, religious, economic and social backgrounds it is interesting to evaluate the outcomes of these self reported random sampled surveys. To find out more about the YRBS and to seek some of the results see: http://www.cdc.gov/YRBS/ - 26k - Cached .
By the way, researchers across the board take into consideration, especially when it comes to the sex and obesity questions on the YRBS that boys overestimate the number of times they had sex and how much they weigh, and girls underestimate the number of times they had sex and how much they weigh. Just like adults!
D Lomax
What makes US teens different from UK teens different from Netherland teens, different from Japanese teens and so on? When I teens, I am talking about adolescent female and males between ages 15-18 years of age. The Youth Behavior Risk Survey (YRBS) which should sound familiar to all of us from Remler’s class is a Center for Disease Control (CDC) national school-based confidential survey administered to public high schools only.
So what do other parts of the world use to survey their youth? Turns out many other countries such Wales, Scotland and England are collecting cross-national data and have adapted the CDC’s YRBS questions as a tool to measure the behavior of the teens in their country. When we look around we see teenagers in our communities and in our lives that pretty much look the same. Their clothing, hair styles, music, how they are marketed by various advertisers are all pretty similar. Despite their different racial, ethnic, cultural, religious, economic and social backgrounds it is interesting to evaluate the outcomes of these self reported random sampled surveys. To find out more about the YRBS and to seek some of the results see: http://www.cdc.gov/YRBS/ - 26k - Cached .
By the way, researchers across the board take into consideration, especially when it comes to the sex and obesity questions on the YRBS that boys overestimate the number of times they had sex and how much they weigh, and girls underestimate the number of times they had sex and how much they weigh. Just like adults!
D Lomax
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