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
Sunday, May 31, 2009
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
Saudis’ Local Elections Delayed for Two Years
By MICHAEL SLACKMAN
Published: May 19, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/20/world/middleeast/20saudi.html?ref=world
Information on experiences from many developing countries indicates that political authority and political values not only determine the boundaries of general administrative action and behavior but also shape bureaucratic attitudes towards it citizens (Jerisat:62). Evidence from this article demonstrates that despite the modernization and limited progress toward the development of a constitutional monarchy, the boundaries established by the political authority does indeed shape the bureaucratic attitudes towards it citizens.
One of the topics discussed in class is the influence of religion, divine law and tradition in establishing the legitimacy of a government’s structure. Saudi Arabia is a classic example of a monarchy whose political structure is sanctioned by traditional religious beliefs. It is strengthened by nationalism that further perpetuates the resistance to change or reform towards a more inclusive democratic society. Oil rich Saudi Arabia with its growing economy and increasing populations continues to be guided by the principals of religion. The Holy Qur'an is the constitution of the country, which is governed on the basis of Islamic law. The king's powers are limited because he must observe the Shari'a and other Saudi traditions. He also must retain a consensus of the Saudi royal family, religious leaders (ulema), and other important elements in Saudi society. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3584.htm
Further evidence of religious influence is demonstrated by the role of women in Saudi society. While some progress has been made for women, in particular educational opportunities and employment positions, suffrage is not one that has been considered. Even with efforts to move this voting agenda forward traditional values continue to promote the separation of men and women. Absent from discussion or future plans for elections are women’s right to vote. Women are still dominated by Islamic law that supports devaluing the worth of women in comparison to men. Diana P.
Published: May 19, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/20/world/middleeast/20saudi.html?ref=world
Information on experiences from many developing countries indicates that political authority and political values not only determine the boundaries of general administrative action and behavior but also shape bureaucratic attitudes towards it citizens (Jerisat:62). Evidence from this article demonstrates that despite the modernization and limited progress toward the development of a constitutional monarchy, the boundaries established by the political authority does indeed shape the bureaucratic attitudes towards it citizens.
One of the topics discussed in class is the influence of religion, divine law and tradition in establishing the legitimacy of a government’s structure. Saudi Arabia is a classic example of a monarchy whose political structure is sanctioned by traditional religious beliefs. It is strengthened by nationalism that further perpetuates the resistance to change or reform towards a more inclusive democratic society. Oil rich Saudi Arabia with its growing economy and increasing populations continues to be guided by the principals of religion. The Holy Qur'an is the constitution of the country, which is governed on the basis of Islamic law. The king's powers are limited because he must observe the Shari'a and other Saudi traditions. He also must retain a consensus of the Saudi royal family, religious leaders (ulema), and other important elements in Saudi society. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3584.htm
Further evidence of religious influence is demonstrated by the role of women in Saudi society. While some progress has been made for women, in particular educational opportunities and employment positions, suffrage is not one that has been considered. Even with efforts to move this voting agenda forward traditional values continue to promote the separation of men and women. Absent from discussion or future plans for elections are women’s right to vote. Women are still dominated by Islamic law that supports devaluing the worth of women in comparison to men. Diana P.
Australia: Racist; backward?
Maryann made the comment that it was interesting too see the US through the lens of a foreigner.
Australia just got a serving of that. Sol Trujillo, an American who has been the CEO of the recently privatized telephone company (sort of AT&T) for the last few years recently resigned and criticized Australia as he left to go back to the US. His term as CEO was controversial and many say less than distinguished, so he has been accused of "sour grapes"... but anyway, here is a report on what he said
Racist, backward: Sol's parting shot
http://business.smh.com.au/business/racist-backward-sols-parting-shot-20090526-bl3p.html
John C
Australia just got a serving of that. Sol Trujillo, an American who has been the CEO of the recently privatized telephone company (sort of AT&T) for the last few years recently resigned and criticized Australia as he left to go back to the US. His term as CEO was controversial and many say less than distinguished, so he has been accused of "sour grapes"... but anyway, here is a report on what he said
Racist, backward: Sol's parting shot
http://business.smh.com.au/business/racist-backward-sols-parting-shot-20090526-bl3p.html
John C
You Say “Arts," I Say “Arts, Culture, Sports, Leisure, and Tourism”
In our first class, as we discussed the organization of governments as a lens through which one could conduct comparative analysis, Professor Casey (“John C”) referred to the habit of most governments that support national offices devoted to the arts of adding “tourism,” “sports” and/or “leisure” to their moniker.
(It’s interesting that the words “arts” and “culture are used interchangeably in some cases, but not in others. For the purposes of this post, "the arts/culture" are the individuals and/or groups who make artistic expressions as a profession, the processes by which they create their work, and the spaces where performance-based, fine, new media, and folk art are shared with the public.)
How a country labels their arts policy institutions may say something about how its government and people view the role of the arts in their societies. One theory: Perhaps it implies a perception that unless they contribute to the country’s profit and industrial growth, the arts alone do not need support at the top levels of government. Or perhaps it’s assumed that art making, art education, art appreciation and the development of audiences for the arts will simply always exist, with or without governmental policy; maybe the arts are taken for granted. Or perhaps it says that artistic expression should be supported by private means, not public ones.
According to Jeff Chang, writing in The Nation, the answer is more devious than that. “For decades, the de facto policy has been to confuse the culture industry with the source of creativity and largely to abandon the production, promotion, distribution and enjoyment of arts and culture to the dictates of the boom/bust marketplace,” Chang claims. In the piece, Chang argues for the need of a more prominent role not just for “the arts,” but for “creativity,” in our country’s revitalization. I happen to believe that he is right. I am intrigued by what a national Department of Creativity, devoted to making and implementing policy for supporting arts and creative practices could possibly do for the U.S.
This was a good motivating piece for my case study research, in which I will be looking at the differences in arts policy and administration between the U.S. and the U.K.
~ Nancy
They Are Just Teens!
I think it’s safe to say that many, if not most people would agree that thirteen year olds should not be pregnant or responsible for a pregnancy. While just recently in Britain, a 13 year old, Alfi Patten became a dad. www.independent.co.uk/.../the-big-question-why-are-teen age-pregnancy-rates-so-high-and-what-can-be-done-about-it-1623... - 65k - Cached. The United States and the UK are at the top of the list for teen births. UK has the highest teenage birth rates in Western Europe and in the US teen pregnancy rates dropped dramatically since 1991, but still remain much higher than in many European countries. In the UK more than 8,000 girls under the age of 16 years old become pregnant each year. In the US 90 per 1,000 girls between ages 15-19 become pregnant. In New York City it’s 100 per 1,000 and in the Bronx it’s 124 per 1000. USA Today recently reported that teen birth rates significantly increased in 26 states representing most regions in the USA. Professor Casey, I mean John, you love charts and I love maps. Here is a really cool map that shows the increases in each state. www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-01-07-teenbirths_N.htm
- 50k - Cached
During our discussion on comparative public administration in class last Saturday we mentioned many terms such as international, multinational, cross-national, cross-culture and intercultural to name just a few. How does having teen births so high in the US and the UK while at the same time countries like Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Germany have much lower birth rates. After all they are just teens, right?
Teen pregnancy is a complex, multi-faceted phenomenon that is influenced by societal and neighborhood norms, culture, education, religion, family and peers and much to do with the terms that we discussed in class. And what we will discuss in upcoming classes, the government.
Ever since 1916 when Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood was thrown in jail for providing contraceptives and advice on reproductive health to women in Brooklyn, teen pregnancy continues to be a complex and controversial issue. In order to find some answers perhaps efforts must examine the many antecedents toward teen sexual behavior that address both the proximal and distal influences.
D Lomax
- 50k - Cached
During our discussion on comparative public administration in class last Saturday we mentioned many terms such as international, multinational, cross-national, cross-culture and intercultural to name just a few. How does having teen births so high in the US and the UK while at the same time countries like Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Germany have much lower birth rates. After all they are just teens, right?
Teen pregnancy is a complex, multi-faceted phenomenon that is influenced by societal and neighborhood norms, culture, education, religion, family and peers and much to do with the terms that we discussed in class. And what we will discuss in upcoming classes, the government.
Ever since 1916 when Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood was thrown in jail for providing contraceptives and advice on reproductive health to women in Brooklyn, teen pregnancy continues to be a complex and controversial issue. In order to find some answers perhaps efforts must examine the many antecedents toward teen sexual behavior that address both the proximal and distal influences.
D Lomax
Monday, May 25, 2009
Win-a-Trip, Save the World
New York Times Columnist Nicholas Kristof developed the “Win-a-Trip” contest. Winners accompany Kristof on a trip to Africa and report on their experiences. Kristof’s hope was that a college student reporting back to their peers via blog entries and YouTube would raise the next generation’s interest in global issues as well as providing a fresh perspective on issues such as poverty, and hardship facing many African nations.
Kristof reaches out to college students to find a third contestant in the following video. http://video.nytimes.com/video/2009/01/17/opinion/1231545372460/win-a-trip-with-nicholas-kristof-2009.html?scp=5&sq=kristof&st=cse
Paul Bowers, a sophomore at University of South Carolina became the third winner and was promised a trip to Guinea Bissau, Guinea and Liberia, and possibly also to Sierra Leone. The actual itinerary would depend on what roads were passable when they arrived in the rainy May season.
The two headed out on their trip and Bower’s blog entries started to appear on Kristof’s NY Times blog “On the Ground” (You can read blog entries from Kristof, Bowers and the other contest winners at http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com) Bower’s blog entries reflect his fresh perspective on the hunger and malnutrition he witnessed. In his May 22, 2009 entry he speculates on why people are trapped in cycles of poverty. He draws on of Paul Collier’s 2007 book “The Bottom Billion” who says “the people who seek to help them are often misguided, working from either false assumptions or bad data. From aid groups to governments to average citizens, they have compassion and all the right intentions, but they lack an accurate understanding of the real issues at hand.” Bower puts himself in that category recognizing that he lacks a bigger picture understanding of the economics, politics and epidemiology relevant to the issues at hand is humbled by people who have been able to wrap their brain around such complex issues and try to make a meaningful impact on them.
In order to gain a big picture perspective on such complex global issues, we can look to the goals of comparative policy as discussed in class and Jreisat’s book. By looking at complex issues in this context, we gain a better understanding which can be used to come up with better solutions.
By gaining a better understanding of the problem and the cultural and political factors can help turn good intentions into meaningful action. Bower notes that small changes were the most effective. “Africa doesn’t need headless hearts, but it doesn’t need heartless heads, either. The people who gave me the most hope on this trip were the ones who combined real expertise with genuine compassion. From civically minded flour mill operators to obstetricians who provided services free of charge, their fields were diverse but their mindsets were similar.”
Let’s hope that Kristof’s contest inspires a new generation of students who use a comparative approach and a fresh perspective to make a difference on long-standing, complex global issues.
Jen S
Kristof reaches out to college students to find a third contestant in the following video. http://video.nytimes.com/video/2009/01/17/opinion/1231545372460/win-a-trip-with-nicholas-kristof-2009.html?scp=5&sq=kristof&st=cse
Paul Bowers, a sophomore at University of South Carolina became the third winner and was promised a trip to Guinea Bissau, Guinea and Liberia, and possibly also to Sierra Leone. The actual itinerary would depend on what roads were passable when they arrived in the rainy May season.
The two headed out on their trip and Bower’s blog entries started to appear on Kristof’s NY Times blog “On the Ground” (You can read blog entries from Kristof, Bowers and the other contest winners at http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com) Bower’s blog entries reflect his fresh perspective on the hunger and malnutrition he witnessed. In his May 22, 2009 entry he speculates on why people are trapped in cycles of poverty. He draws on of Paul Collier’s 2007 book “The Bottom Billion” who says “the people who seek to help them are often misguided, working from either false assumptions or bad data. From aid groups to governments to average citizens, they have compassion and all the right intentions, but they lack an accurate understanding of the real issues at hand.” Bower puts himself in that category recognizing that he lacks a bigger picture understanding of the economics, politics and epidemiology relevant to the issues at hand is humbled by people who have been able to wrap their brain around such complex issues and try to make a meaningful impact on them.
In order to gain a big picture perspective on such complex global issues, we can look to the goals of comparative policy as discussed in class and Jreisat’s book. By looking at complex issues in this context, we gain a better understanding which can be used to come up with better solutions.
By gaining a better understanding of the problem and the cultural and political factors can help turn good intentions into meaningful action. Bower notes that small changes were the most effective. “Africa doesn’t need headless hearts, but it doesn’t need heartless heads, either. The people who gave me the most hope on this trip were the ones who combined real expertise with genuine compassion. From civically minded flour mill operators to obstetricians who provided services free of charge, their fields were diverse but their mindsets were similar.”
Let’s hope that Kristof’s contest inspires a new generation of students who use a comparative approach and a fresh perspective to make a difference on long-standing, complex global issues.
Jen S
First names/titles in Australia
On Day 5 we will be talking more about working in the international arena, and there are numerous books/websites that give you tips on how to work in a culturally appropriate manner with international colleagues.
The website Executive Planet makes the following suggestions regarding the use of first names and titles when working in Australia / with Australians.
"First names are used both in personal and professional circumstances even amongst relatively new acquaintances, and Australians tend to move quickly on to a first-name basis. ... In Australia, professional or academic titles do not necessarily command respect, and are not widely used in addressing. Professional titles are not prominent in Australian business culture, and are sometimes dismissed as pretentious."
For the full article, see:
http://www.executiveplanet.com/index.php?title=Australia:_First_Name_or_Title%3F
http://www.executiveplanet.com/index.php?title=Australia:_First_Name_or_Title%3F
My students in Australia would never call me Professor Casey, and I have found it hard to adjust to the greater level of formality here in the US.
SO YOU HAVE MY PERMISSION TO CALL ME JOHN!!
John C
(formerly known as Professor Casey)
The website Executive Planet makes the following suggestions regarding the use of first names and titles when working in Australia / with Australians.
"First names are used both in personal and professional circumstances even amongst relatively new acquaintances, and Australians tend to move quickly on to a first-name basis. ... In Australia, professional or academic titles do not necessarily command respect, and are not widely used in addressing. Professional titles are not prominent in Australian business culture, and are sometimes dismissed as pretentious."
For the full article, see:
http://www.executiveplanet.com/index.php?title=Australia:_First_Name_or_Title%3F
http://www.executiveplanet.com/index.php?title=Australia:_First_Name_or_Title%3F
My students in Australia would never call me Professor Casey, and I have found it hard to adjust to the greater level of formality here in the US.
SO YOU HAVE MY PERMISSION TO CALL ME JOHN!!
John C
(formerly known as Professor Casey)
Will History Absolve the Policymakers? (The H1N1 Fog of War)
Western democracies have laws about when and how the government can declare emergencies to suspend civil liberties. They grant special powers to the government to act expeditiously to remedy devastation caused by natural disasters, to effectively mobilize in times of war or to protect the public in cases of serious pandemics. These decisions restrict the individual rights of citizens in order to protect the public as a whole. In countries with authoritarian and totalitarian systems of government these types of decisions are more easily made because public criticism of the government is not allowed. Furthermore, the baseline expectation of freedom and liberty by the citizens which exists in constitutional democracies either is non existent or exists at a very low threshold in totalitarian countries. In the 1980s Cuba's response to the AIDS was to test everyone and quarantine those who tested positive for HIV. This link to a New York Times editorial from 1989 begs the question, do the ends justify the means? Link Most policy decisions do not take place in this high stakes arena and in western democracies are usually the end result of a process following the rational model, the incremental model or any of their variations. Jreisat, Jamil E. (2002)
When a pandemic shows up on a country's doorstep policy decisions have to be made quickly in a framework where the facts are not fully crystallized. For guidance on how to respond effectively policymakers can look to the history of their own countries or of other countries to find out how similar pandemics were managed and what the outcome was. On the other hand, each society is unique and even within one country what may have been and effective way to respond to a pandemic ten years ago may not be applicable now because of cultural and other changes within the society. Making the right decision could potentially save millions of lives and the policy makers could be lauded by the press and the citizens. An effective response could be studied after the fact, by academics and other policymakers as an example of effective public administration . On the other hand, in democratic societies, if police powers are invoked and the pandemic turns out to be more benign than anticipated, then policymakers and their decisions will be the subject of ex post facto review. They may have to answer to commissions of inquiry, there may be lawsuits and sometimes criminal investigations.
In the case of the H1N1 virus the responses of various governments say volumes about the role of government and public administration and the cultural milieu in those societies. In the United States the Supreme Court has upheld the right of the legislature to enact reasonable regulation to protect the public health and the public safety; Jacobson v Massachusetts 197 U.S. 11 (1905). Justice Harlan wrote "a community has the right to protect itself against an epidemic of disease which threatens the safety of its members." So far the response of the US has been cautious at the federal level while at the local level there have been school closures on a case by case basis.
In contrast, the Chinese government recently quarantined tourists in Hong Kong and placed some Canadian students under preventative medical surveillance. A report in the China Daily titled Expert: China's Quarantine of virus suspects in Line with Law justifies the actions of the Chinese government.
link
China has reason to be cautious given the recent SARS out break. It is too early to say conclusively but the fatality rate of the H1N1 virus appears to be lower than anticipated. The jury is still out on H1N1 even as the New York Times reports that we have our second fatality in New York City link. There is a big difference between contemplating the closure of schools as opposed to quarantining large swaths of the population. In an open society as ours, how far will public health authorities go if the death toll is higher? In countries where individual rights are not that highly regarded governments use what we may deem a much lower threshold for deciding to use measures such as quarantine. A pandemic has the potential for becoming the next post WW1 influenza outbreak or it may turn out to be very contagious but mostly non fatal. Policy makers at the outset do not know which category the current virus is in. Any decision made will have far reaching consequences, they will need to use judgment, intuition, and creativity in deciding on an effective policy. Jreisat, Jamil E. (2002).
Submitted by Tamara
When a pandemic shows up on a country's doorstep policy decisions have to be made quickly in a framework where the facts are not fully crystallized. For guidance on how to respond effectively policymakers can look to the history of their own countries or of other countries to find out how similar pandemics were managed and what the outcome was. On the other hand, each society is unique and even within one country what may have been and effective way to respond to a pandemic ten years ago may not be applicable now because of cultural and other changes within the society. Making the right decision could potentially save millions of lives and the policy makers could be lauded by the press and the citizens. An effective response could be studied after the fact, by academics and other policymakers as an example of effective public administration . On the other hand, in democratic societies, if police powers are invoked and the pandemic turns out to be more benign than anticipated, then policymakers and their decisions will be the subject of ex post facto review. They may have to answer to commissions of inquiry, there may be lawsuits and sometimes criminal investigations.
In the case of the H1N1 virus the responses of various governments say volumes about the role of government and public administration and the cultural milieu in those societies. In the United States the Supreme Court has upheld the right of the legislature to enact reasonable regulation to protect the public health and the public safety; Jacobson v Massachusetts 197 U.S. 11 (1905). Justice Harlan wrote "a community has the right to protect itself against an epidemic of disease which threatens the safety of its members." So far the response of the US has been cautious at the federal level while at the local level there have been school closures on a case by case basis.
In contrast, the Chinese government recently quarantined tourists in Hong Kong and placed some Canadian students under preventative medical surveillance. A report in the China Daily titled Expert: China's Quarantine of virus suspects in Line with Law justifies the actions of the Chinese government.
link
China has reason to be cautious given the recent SARS out break. It is too early to say conclusively but the fatality rate of the H1N1 virus appears to be lower than anticipated. The jury is still out on H1N1 even as the New York Times reports that we have our second fatality in New York City link. There is a big difference between contemplating the closure of schools as opposed to quarantining large swaths of the population. In an open society as ours, how far will public health authorities go if the death toll is higher? In countries where individual rights are not that highly regarded governments use what we may deem a much lower threshold for deciding to use measures such as quarantine. A pandemic has the potential for becoming the next post WW1 influenza outbreak or it may turn out to be very contagious but mostly non fatal. Policy makers at the outset do not know which category the current virus is in. Any decision made will have far reaching consequences, they will need to use judgment, intuition, and creativity in deciding on an effective policy. Jreisat, Jamil E. (2002).
Submitted by Tamara
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Trains & Diasporas
It’s always interesting to hear about US origins through the lens of a foreigner, as such a perspective usually offers a new orientation. It just so happens that the hotel in the photo, Le Chateau Frontenac in Quebec, was built in 1893 by the Canadian national railroad whose business plan was to build a series of grand hotels all linked by rail, with the hope that an easy rail connection will promote tourism.
Prof. Casey jumpstarted some of my thinking, as I was trying to sort out the philosophies and operating styles of Catholics and Protestants in Europe which was then ferried over to the colonies. This Catholic-Protestant tension would naturally spill over to the developing country, following Plymouth in 1620 and the Jamestown settlement in 1625. Religion drove early 17th century policy, based in part on the administrative structure of the Roman Empire (Pope = Caesar), and continuing on to Charlemagne, though thwarted in 1521 by Martin Luther who nailed a paper to a church door in Worms, Germany, aka the Diet of Worms (Reichstag zu Worms). Luther was sick and tired of the Roman religion, and these folks wanted a change.
So, our country’s founding was based on preexisting European alliances, especially the English and French ones, both good and bad. When considering the past history of these two countries, it’s no wonder that their controversy would be played out in the colonies, then controlled by the British. During the Revolutionary War, the colonies were helped by Generals Lafayette from France and Kosciusko from Poland. Their countries had their own revolutionary movements. The Louisiana Purchase occurred some years later in 1803 when there was concern about the balance of power for England, France and Spain in this new world. These hotheads were sorting out their own stuff, some in areas far from New York and Washington, D.C.
In 1855, French living in the Canadian Maritime provinces, known as Acadia, were deported to various parts along the US east coast, and into Louisiana. Known as Le Grand Derangement, the majority of the French population was displaced from their homes, families separated and property seized, as they were sorted into waiting ships.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Upheaval#Charles_Lawrence.27s_expulsion_orders
Thousands died and their misery inspired Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to write Evangeline, the classic poem about the expulsion, caused by the suspicion that the Acadians would not declare their sovereignty to British crown. Acadians, or Cajuns as they came to be known in Louisiana, made new lives in their new homes, though some did find their way back to Canada. Makes me think of crayfish and zydeco. Or lobster and step-dancing.
The Acadaian separatist movement lives on in Canada where in 1982 signage was mandated to be in two languages. Acadian culture continues, inspiring a band from Baie Sainte-Marie, NS to call itself Grand Derangement http://www.myspace.com/grandderangementacadie. Another article further dissects this culture, seen through the eyes of a Canadian Jewish writer http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/canadian-gothic.
My conclusion? None yet, other than a quick thought that people have long memories for past wrongs. In the meanwhile, I’ll listen to the music, enjoy the food, and maybe even contemplate a train ride from Halifax to a grand hotel in Quebec.
Maryann McKenzie
May 20, 2009
Prof. Casey jumpstarted some of my thinking, as I was trying to sort out the philosophies and operating styles of Catholics and Protestants in Europe which was then ferried over to the colonies. This Catholic-Protestant tension would naturally spill over to the developing country, following Plymouth in 1620 and the Jamestown settlement in 1625. Religion drove early 17th century policy, based in part on the administrative structure of the Roman Empire (Pope = Caesar), and continuing on to Charlemagne, though thwarted in 1521 by Martin Luther who nailed a paper to a church door in Worms, Germany, aka the Diet of Worms (Reichstag zu Worms). Luther was sick and tired of the Roman religion, and these folks wanted a change.
So, our country’s founding was based on preexisting European alliances, especially the English and French ones, both good and bad. When considering the past history of these two countries, it’s no wonder that their controversy would be played out in the colonies, then controlled by the British. During the Revolutionary War, the colonies were helped by Generals Lafayette from France and Kosciusko from Poland. Their countries had their own revolutionary movements. The Louisiana Purchase occurred some years later in 1803 when there was concern about the balance of power for England, France and Spain in this new world. These hotheads were sorting out their own stuff, some in areas far from New York and Washington, D.C.
In 1855, French living in the Canadian Maritime provinces, known as Acadia, were deported to various parts along the US east coast, and into Louisiana. Known as Le Grand Derangement, the majority of the French population was displaced from their homes, families separated and property seized, as they were sorted into waiting ships.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Upheaval#Charles_Lawrence.27s_expulsion_orders
Thousands died and their misery inspired Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to write Evangeline, the classic poem about the expulsion, caused by the suspicion that the Acadians would not declare their sovereignty to British crown. Acadians, or Cajuns as they came to be known in Louisiana, made new lives in their new homes, though some did find their way back to Canada. Makes me think of crayfish and zydeco. Or lobster and step-dancing.
The Acadaian separatist movement lives on in Canada where in 1982 signage was mandated to be in two languages. Acadian culture continues, inspiring a band from Baie Sainte-Marie, NS to call itself Grand Derangement http://www.myspace.com/grandderangementacadie. Another article further dissects this culture, seen through the eyes of a Canadian Jewish writer http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/canadian-gothic.
My conclusion? None yet, other than a quick thought that people have long memories for past wrongs. In the meanwhile, I’ll listen to the music, enjoy the food, and maybe even contemplate a train ride from Halifax to a grand hotel in Quebec.
Maryann McKenzie
May 20, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
2010 The Year of the Bible?
The other morning when I turned on my computer and opened up my internet browser, one of the Yahoo News pop ups caught my eye. The headline read 2010 “Year of the Bible” I double checked the date to make sure my eyes were not fuzzy because based on our discussion in class last week, one of the founding principles of the United States is separation of church and state and the freedom to practice (or not) the religion of your choice.
I followed the link and found this article on the Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/22/paul-broun-gop-congressma_n_206631.html Congressman Paul Broun of Georgia introduced a bill asking President Obama to:
"The president is encouraged ... to issue a proclamation calling upon citizens of all faiths to rediscover and apply the priceless, timeless message of the Holy Scripture which has profoundly influenced and shaped the United States and its great Democratic form of government, as well as its rich spiritual heritage, and which has unified, healed and strengthened its people for over 200 years."
Lawmakers who opposed the bill believe that it violates the First Amendment’s separation of church and state. Others also oppose on the grounds that the Bible does not encompass all religion making the government favoring one faith over many others.
The other thing that struck me about this story is that “According to GovTrak.us, “the resolution is among the most-blogged-about pieces of legislation, with most posts less than complimentary in nature.” http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0509/22832.html While there are many American who do not agree with the resolution, one thing they do have is Freedom of Speech. Freedom of Speech is another fundamental right in the United States. Americans have the ability to publically voice their opinions about lawmakers and many do so everyday on public blogs. As witnessed by Professor Casey, it takes only minutes to set up a blog. Blogs are a modern expression of Freedom of Speech, at least in the United States. Would this proposed legislation stir such controversy Iran. Even if people in Iran did not agree with it, would they have the freedom to publicly say so?
Jen S
I followed the link and found this article on the Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/22/paul-broun-gop-congressma_n_206631.html Congressman Paul Broun of Georgia introduced a bill asking President Obama to:
"The president is encouraged ... to issue a proclamation calling upon citizens of all faiths to rediscover and apply the priceless, timeless message of the Holy Scripture which has profoundly influenced and shaped the United States and its great Democratic form of government, as well as its rich spiritual heritage, and which has unified, healed and strengthened its people for over 200 years."
Lawmakers who opposed the bill believe that it violates the First Amendment’s separation of church and state. Others also oppose on the grounds that the Bible does not encompass all religion making the government favoring one faith over many others.
The other thing that struck me about this story is that “According to GovTrak.us, “the resolution is among the most-blogged-about pieces of legislation, with most posts less than complimentary in nature.” http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0509/22832.html While there are many American who do not agree with the resolution, one thing they do have is Freedom of Speech. Freedom of Speech is another fundamental right in the United States. Americans have the ability to publically voice their opinions about lawmakers and many do so everyday on public blogs. As witnessed by Professor Casey, it takes only minutes to set up a blog. Blogs are a modern expression of Freedom of Speech, at least in the United States. Would this proposed legislation stir such controversy Iran. Even if people in Iran did not agree with it, would they have the freedom to publicly say so?
Jen S
Cap and Trade – Just Fooling Ourselves or Reasonable First Step?
Earlier this week the The House Energy and Commerce Committee narrowly approved a bill that, if enacted later this year, will -- among other things -- establish a cap-and-trade program. This program aims to limit the growth in polluting emissions, but does very little to reduce those emissions – the goal is a reduction of 17 percent by 2020 and by 83 percent by 2050. But is that too little too late?
A debate is looming in Congress, in the scientific community, and the public over what is the correct approach to stopping the oncoming train known as global warming
Many industry groups are against the bill because it places burdens on business. Many environmentalists are supportive, because they believe it makes good progress on the problem. But representatives on each side have broken from their organization’s positions in protest. Several environmental groups, including Greepeace, issued a statement criticizing the bill, saying, “the decision-making process was co-opted by oil and coal lobbyists determined to sustain our addiction to dirty fossil fuels.” This NY Times article sums up many of the positions nicely:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/22/us/politics/22climate.html?ref=politics
Physicist James Hansen, director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), recently claimed the bill and its cap-and-trade fix is simply small tweaks to the status quo. Hansen’s remarks were made during his acceptance speech upon receiving the Peter A. A. Berle Environmental Integrity Award, which he received for the courage and integrity he has shown over the years in the area of global warming. The whole of his speech was actually quite terrifying -- he paints a truly bleak picture. His remarks can be heard here (the intro gives you good background on Hansen, but it runs a bit long. His remarks begin around the six minute mark and run around 15 minutes.)
http://www.tcf.org/list.asp?type=EV&pubid=253
The US has a history of trying to ignore the dangers of global warming because agreements don't do enough. We signed the Kyoto Protocol under Clinton’s administration, but it was never ratified because the members of the Senate objected to portions of the agreement. 183 countries to date have signed the protocol. Our abstention puts us in the company of Afghanistan, Andorra, Brunei, Chad, Iraq, the Palestinian Authority, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, San Marino, Somalia, China, Vatican City, and Zimbabwe.
Personally I have the same internal debate going that Paul Krugman wrote about last week in his New York Times op-ed "The Perfect, The Good, The Planet"
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/18/opinion/18krugman.html
How much is enough movement to support a bill? The pragmatist in me wants to see the current bill enacted because it is a meaningful first step and some movement in the right direction can have the effect of showing naysayers that the end did not come with added burdens on businesses. But is that enough in the face of such dire predictions?
The other recipient of the Peter A. A. Berle Environmental Integrity Award on Thursday was David Foster, who heads the Blue Green Alliance, a group dedicated to finding ways for labor and the environmental movement to work together on issues relating to global warning. Five years ago you would have been laughed out of the room if you suggested labor and greens could find common ground. Today, there is actually an organization! Foster believes some movement is better than none.
What do you think?
Carol Starmack
A debate is looming in Congress, in the scientific community, and the public over what is the correct approach to stopping the oncoming train known as global warming
Many industry groups are against the bill because it places burdens on business. Many environmentalists are supportive, because they believe it makes good progress on the problem. But representatives on each side have broken from their organization’s positions in protest. Several environmental groups, including Greepeace, issued a statement criticizing the bill, saying, “the decision-making process was co-opted by oil and coal lobbyists determined to sustain our addiction to dirty fossil fuels.” This NY Times article sums up many of the positions nicely:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/22/us/politics/22climate.html?ref=politics
Physicist James Hansen, director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), recently claimed the bill and its cap-and-trade fix is simply small tweaks to the status quo. Hansen’s remarks were made during his acceptance speech upon receiving the Peter A. A. Berle Environmental Integrity Award, which he received for the courage and integrity he has shown over the years in the area of global warming. The whole of his speech was actually quite terrifying -- he paints a truly bleak picture. His remarks can be heard here (the intro gives you good background on Hansen, but it runs a bit long. His remarks begin around the six minute mark and run around 15 minutes.)
http://www.tcf.org/list.asp?type=EV&pubid=253
The US has a history of trying to ignore the dangers of global warming because agreements don't do enough. We signed the Kyoto Protocol under Clinton’s administration, but it was never ratified because the members of the Senate objected to portions of the agreement. 183 countries to date have signed the protocol. Our abstention puts us in the company of Afghanistan, Andorra, Brunei, Chad, Iraq, the Palestinian Authority, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, San Marino, Somalia, China, Vatican City, and Zimbabwe.
Personally I have the same internal debate going that Paul Krugman wrote about last week in his New York Times op-ed "The Perfect, The Good, The Planet"
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/18/opinion/18krugman.html
How much is enough movement to support a bill? The pragmatist in me wants to see the current bill enacted because it is a meaningful first step and some movement in the right direction can have the effect of showing naysayers that the end did not come with added burdens on businesses. But is that enough in the face of such dire predictions?
The other recipient of the Peter A. A. Berle Environmental Integrity Award on Thursday was David Foster, who heads the Blue Green Alliance, a group dedicated to finding ways for labor and the environmental movement to work together on issues relating to global warning. Five years ago you would have been laughed out of the room if you suggested labor and greens could find common ground. Today, there is actually an organization! Foster believes some movement is better than none.
What do you think?
Carol Starmack
Thursday, May 21, 2009
When Stereotypes Turn Bad...
Not sure if this should be a comment to Professor Casey's post this morning about the stereotyping blogger, but I was writing this yesterday, so here goes:
In Saturday’s class, we discussed the respectable and less-respectable uses of stereotyping, noting it can be a dangerous, “risky, offensive, and non-productive exercise.” Negative stereotypes have a way of entering the unconscious of people and from there have the ability to impact public policy.
In the May/June issue of The Boston Review, Neil Malhotra and Yotam Margalit of Stanford University write about anti-Semitism and the economic crisis.
http://bostonreview.net/BR34.3/malhotra_margalit.php
They state much media coverage of the Bernard Madoff scandal included extensive references to his ethnic background and his connections to the Jewish community.
In the May/June issue of The Boston Review, Neil Malhotra and Yotam Margalit of Stanford University write about anti-Semitism and the economic crisis.
http://bostonreview.net/BR34.3/malhotra_margalit.php
They state much media coverage of the Bernard Madoff scandal included extensive references to his ethnic background and his connections to the Jewish community.
They conducted a study exploring people’s responses to the economic collapse trying to figure out how anti-Semitism might come into play. Their results were fairly dramatic and did indicate anti-Semitism plays a role in how people perceive the crisis, especially when prompted by questions that contain specific reference to Madoff’s ethnicity or his connection to the Jewish community. Surprisingly, they found a larger incidence of anti-Semitism in their results from Democrats over Republicans.
In follow up questions, non-Jews that were prompted with information about Madoff’s ethnicity were twice as likely as those that were not to oppose tax cuts to big business in the wake of the financial disaster. This is an indication that unconscious negative stereotypes can filter through to public opinion about policy responses to a crisis, which ultimately could have an impact on how legislators fashion legislation.
The authors remind the reader this is not the first time in history an economic downturn has sparked anti-Semitic sentiments. A recent report in the Vienna Review states that anti-Semitism is also on the rise again in European countries.
http://www.viennareview.net/story/02458-anti-semitism-right
And a report by the Anti-Defamation League shows that overall, 31 percent of respondents across Europe blame Jews in the financial industry either “a great deal,” “a good amount” or “a little” for the current global economic crisis.
http://www.adl.org/PresRele/ASInt_13/5465_13.htm
This could have policy implications for European nations as well.
The authors remind the reader this is not the first time in history an economic downturn has sparked anti-Semitic sentiments. A recent report in the Vienna Review states that anti-Semitism is also on the rise again in European countries.
http://www.viennareview.net/story/02458-anti-semitism-right
And a report by the Anti-Defamation League shows that overall, 31 percent of respondents across Europe blame Jews in the financial industry either “a great deal,” “a good amount” or “a little” for the current global economic crisis.
http://www.adl.org/PresRele/ASInt_13/5465_13.htm
This could have policy implications for European nations as well.
Carol Starmack
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Taiwan -- "Observers" at World Health Organization Meeting
Each of the 192 nation states discussed in class on Saturday are members of the World Health Organization currently participating in the World Health Assembly meeting in Geneva this week. For the first time in 38 years, Taiwan is also participating in the meeting "as an observer" under the name “Chinese Taipei”.
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSLI62888
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-05/19/content_7788983.htm
At present, the United Nations does not recognize Taiwan as an independent state.
However, where sentiments about “one-China” (according to the People’s Republic of China or “mainland China”) or “two separate and sovereign Chinese governments” (according to the Republic of China, “Taiwan”) were once very strong, each side has softened its stance (as long as issues of “state” are not discussed).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_status_of_Taiwan
This is partly a result of revised policies “to ease tensions across the Taiwan straits” by the Kuomintang Party or “Nationalist Party of China” after winning the election in 2008. In order to “keep the peace”, this party endorses the “three noes" policy – “no unification, no independence and no use of force”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuomintang
There are times when political tensions must be put aside in response to a threat to civilian life. According to Wu Nengyuan, director of the Institute of Taiwan Studies, “the two-sides can find proper ways to attend events which involve issues concerning people’s livelihood”.
Not being a part of the WHO meetings during the Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic in 2003 proved very difficult for Taiwan (where 60 people died).
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5220a1.htm#tab
Whether any SARS deaths could have been prevented as a result of attending the WHO meetings is unknown. However, being a participant in this week’s meeting (as the H1N1 virus pandemic is being addressed) is certainly a step in the right direction.
Joann L.
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSLI62888
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-05/19/content_7788983.htm
At present, the United Nations does not recognize Taiwan as an independent state.
However, where sentiments about “one-China” (according to the People’s Republic of China or “mainland China”) or “two separate and sovereign Chinese governments” (according to the Republic of China, “Taiwan”) were once very strong, each side has softened its stance (as long as issues of “state” are not discussed).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_status_of_Taiwan
This is partly a result of revised policies “to ease tensions across the Taiwan straits” by the Kuomintang Party or “Nationalist Party of China” after winning the election in 2008. In order to “keep the peace”, this party endorses the “three noes" policy – “no unification, no independence and no use of force”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuomintang
There are times when political tensions must be put aside in response to a threat to civilian life. According to Wu Nengyuan, director of the Institute of Taiwan Studies, “the two-sides can find proper ways to attend events which involve issues concerning people’s livelihood”.
Not being a part of the WHO meetings during the Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic in 2003 proved very difficult for Taiwan (where 60 people died).
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5220a1.htm#tab
Whether any SARS deaths could have been prevented as a result of attending the WHO meetings is unknown. However, being a participant in this week’s meeting (as the H1N1 virus pandemic is being addressed) is certainly a step in the right direction.
Joann L.
Show me the Money
While conducting some research on my topic, which is an examination of the policies which led to health care decisions regarding the treatment of people with HIV and AIDS in Cuba and the USA (this may be tweaked to New York State or New York City), I stumbled upon the BBC article, Cuba to Abandon Salary Equality. The full text can be read at the link below. I plan to write an analysis of the similarities and differences which exist in policy and how they have
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7449776.stm
resulted in disparate outcomes in the incidence of HIV AIDS in both societies and also to examine whether long term survival rates are similar, dissimilar and why. This article mentions the fact that Cuba has had salary equality since 1959 but Raul Castro is changing that. Average wages in Cuba for everyone including doctors and laborers is $20 per month. The vice minister of labor Carlos Mateau, is quoted as saying "it is harmful to give a worker less than he deserves, it is also harmful to give him what he doesn't deserve." This is vastly different than "from each according to his ability to each according to his need" popularized by Karl Marx in 1875 and which has been the lynchpin of the communist economic system.
On its face, my topic seems very different from the topic of Carol's blog but reading this BBC article caused me to identify a theme common to both issues. The economic structure in Cuba is an anachronism and Raul Castro appears to be making the first steps towards using monetary incentives for work to increase productivity. Workers will be given a 5% bonus for meeting targets and supervisors would get a 30% bonus if their team increases production. From my perspective, one of the reasons for the failure of communist economies is
that in translating the ideal into reality, policymakers overlook basic human nature and the likely responses of people. If there is no incentive to produce then why should one strive to produce?
Carol's blog discussed the current meltdown of the capitalist economies which seems to happen with predictable regularity every few decades. Here too, policymakers in capitalist societies (read USA) ignored basic human nature. If you offer excessive monetary incentives based on production then the likely response is that some people will abandon common sense, ethics and concern for their fellow man in pursuit of the monetary reward. If the size of a banker's bonus is based on the volume of mortgages he writes and there is no risk because those mortgages are going to be sold anyway, then why not write an obsene amount of suspect mortgages to gullible people?
Carol advocates abandoning the capitalist system because it is fundamentally flawed just as most communist societies have abandoned their system. Some societies such as China, have an amalgam of communist rhetoric combined with state endorsed capitalism. The bottom line is that organizing a stable, just society costs money and health care costs a lot of money . Cuba has made the provisison of health care for all citizens a priority and has used its limited resources to achieve that. The United States on the other hand has the best medical facilities and doctors in the world but there are 25 million people who have no insurance. It addresses the health care issue in fits and starts every few decades.
What does this have to do with HIV/AIDS? The political and economic structure of both societies influence the decisions made by policymakers in addrssing HIV/AIDS. Inevitably there is a question of where and how to allocate scare resources. How does a society
which pays its doctors on average $20 per month compare with a society which pays its doctors on average considerbly more than that? Which society is more efficient in its use of resources?
Tamara
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7449776.stm
resulted in disparate outcomes in the incidence of HIV AIDS in both societies and also to examine whether long term survival rates are similar, dissimilar and why. This article mentions the fact that Cuba has had salary equality since 1959 but Raul Castro is changing that. Average wages in Cuba for everyone including doctors and laborers is $20 per month. The vice minister of labor Carlos Mateau, is quoted as saying "it is harmful to give a worker less than he deserves, it is also harmful to give him what he doesn't deserve." This is vastly different than "from each according to his ability to each according to his need" popularized by Karl Marx in 1875 and which has been the lynchpin of the communist economic system.
On its face, my topic seems very different from the topic of Carol's blog but reading this BBC article caused me to identify a theme common to both issues. The economic structure in Cuba is an anachronism and Raul Castro appears to be making the first steps towards using monetary incentives for work to increase productivity. Workers will be given a 5% bonus for meeting targets and supervisors would get a 30% bonus if their team increases production. From my perspective, one of the reasons for the failure of communist economies is
that in translating the ideal into reality, policymakers overlook basic human nature and the likely responses of people. If there is no incentive to produce then why should one strive to produce?
Carol's blog discussed the current meltdown of the capitalist economies which seems to happen with predictable regularity every few decades. Here too, policymakers in capitalist societies (read USA) ignored basic human nature. If you offer excessive monetary incentives based on production then the likely response is that some people will abandon common sense, ethics and concern for their fellow man in pursuit of the monetary reward. If the size of a banker's bonus is based on the volume of mortgages he writes and there is no risk because those mortgages are going to be sold anyway, then why not write an obsene amount of suspect mortgages to gullible people?
Carol advocates abandoning the capitalist system because it is fundamentally flawed just as most communist societies have abandoned their system. Some societies such as China, have an amalgam of communist rhetoric combined with state endorsed capitalism. The bottom line is that organizing a stable, just society costs money and health care costs a lot of money . Cuba has made the provisison of health care for all citizens a priority and has used its limited resources to achieve that. The United States on the other hand has the best medical facilities and doctors in the world but there are 25 million people who have no insurance. It addresses the health care issue in fits and starts every few decades.
What does this have to do with HIV/AIDS? The political and economic structure of both societies influence the decisions made by policymakers in addrssing HIV/AIDS. Inevitably there is a question of where and how to allocate scare resources. How does a society
which pays its doctors on average $20 per month compare with a society which pays its doctors on average considerbly more than that? Which society is more efficient in its use of resources?
Tamara
President Obama Unveils National Limit on Vehicle Emissions and Mileage
On Tuesday, May 19, 2009, President Obama scored a victory by announcing a plan requiring automakers to reduce vehicle carbon dioxide emissions by 30% and improve gasoline mileage to 35.5 miles per gallon, on average (for cars and light trucks) by 2016.
After seven years of debating whether each state should separately set their own fuel economy standard, this national standard was welcomed by automakers and various coalitions and interest groups. This is because domestic and imports alike would be required to follow the same standard -- no one automaker would have an unfair advantage.
According to Douglas Allen, associate professor of management at the University of Denver’s Daniel’s College of Business, “without these guidelines, the U.S. auto industry would come up short…the rules clarify the road forward for car companies and remove the threat that individual states would impose a patchwork of regulations governing fuel efficiency and new vehicle carbon emissions”.
As Professor Marwell would say… “FEDERALISM”!
The average price per automobile will increase by $1,300, but that will quickly be made up in fuel savings over a few short years.
Trying to do their part to help the environment may come in the form of lower profit margins for the auto industry. According to Dennis DesRosiers, president of DesRosiers Automotive Consultants Inc., “nobody makes money producing small cars in North America”. As we discussed in class on Saturday, America is a car-loving culture. We’ll just have to love cleaner, more fuel efficient vehicles! Is a plan to fix our sub-par transit system next?
http://www.wcbs880.com/topic/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=3723240 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30847065
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/19/obama-carbon-emissions-auto-industry
Joann L.
After seven years of debating whether each state should separately set their own fuel economy standard, this national standard was welcomed by automakers and various coalitions and interest groups. This is because domestic and imports alike would be required to follow the same standard -- no one automaker would have an unfair advantage.
According to Douglas Allen, associate professor of management at the University of Denver’s Daniel’s College of Business, “without these guidelines, the U.S. auto industry would come up short…the rules clarify the road forward for car companies and remove the threat that individual states would impose a patchwork of regulations governing fuel efficiency and new vehicle carbon emissions”.
As Professor Marwell would say… “FEDERALISM”!
The average price per automobile will increase by $1,300, but that will quickly be made up in fuel savings over a few short years.
Trying to do their part to help the environment may come in the form of lower profit margins for the auto industry. According to Dennis DesRosiers, president of DesRosiers Automotive Consultants Inc., “nobody makes money producing small cars in North America”. As we discussed in class on Saturday, America is a car-loving culture. We’ll just have to love cleaner, more fuel efficient vehicles! Is a plan to fix our sub-par transit system next?
http://www.wcbs880.com/topic/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=3723240 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30847065
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/19/obama-carbon-emissions-auto-industry
Joann L.
Blogs and Stereotyping of White People
I couldn't resist posting information about this story of a 30-year-old PhD dropout who was working as an advertising copywriter in Los Angeles and is now making a fortune by blogging about stereotypes about white liberals.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/books/theres-a-lot-to-like-if-youre-a-middleclass-leftie/2009/05/20/1242498807730.html
See his blog at: http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/
I doubt if our PAF9181 blog will make a fortune, but who knows. It may go viral. Perhaps we should have an agreement about profit sharing and starting making arrangements for book tours!!!
John Casey
http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/books/theres-a-lot-to-like-if-youre-a-middleclass-leftie/2009/05/20/1242498807730.html
See his blog at: http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/
I doubt if our PAF9181 blog will make a fortune, but who knows. It may go viral. Perhaps we should have an agreement about profit sharing and starting making arrangements for book tours!!!
John Casey
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
A Community College for Chile
In class we discussed the idea that higher education options in other countries are more limited than in the US and that private universities (like Bates College!) may not exist at all.
In fact, even public universities abroad often serve a smaller fraction of high school graduates. Large numbers of them may be channeled directly into technical schools where they are compelled to choose a career at age 18. These students are often permanently excluded from university due to an inability to pass rigorous entrance exams or a lack of resources to afford private college.
In order to address this situation and better prepare its workforce for the future, Chilean authorities have begun a collaboration with LaGuardia Community College in order to replicate the CUNY system of "junior colleges". According to a LaGuardia spokesperson quoted in the NY Daily News:
"[The Chileans] were interested in the two-year transferrable degree. It's something that does not exist in Chile. So they decided to start their own and model it on LaGuardia. The problem in Chile, he said, is that students must choose a career right out of high school. Only the top few percent are accepted into the country's low-cost public universities. The rest must attend private schools, which are not affordable for many Chileans. If students switch careers, they lose all their credits."
According to Community College Times, "an emphasis on a two-year transferable associate degree in Chile will be a radical change. Chile’s higher education system currently consists of four- and five-year degree programs for mainly wealthy citizens and a system of technical colleges that train workers for specific industries."
Chilean exchange students have already come to Queens to test out the CUNY community college system. All of their credits earned here will transfer back towards a degree in Chile. In video interviews, several of them commented on the feasibility and need for community colleges in Chile. The Chilean press seems intrigued by the idea of allowing technical school students to pursue more liberal arts coursework while accruing credits towards university.
We in the US community college system often complain about the relative lack of funding and respect that our institutions receive to serve the neediest students. However, it seems clear that we should appreciate the mere existence of such a flexible and completely open-access structure.
John Hunt
NB: hyperlinks highlighted above
Les Miserables & HDI
The Economist recently published an article ("Still Miserable", May 14, 2009) about a French government program geared towards improving the conditions of French prisons(http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13653923).
Much like America, French prisoners exist in inhumane conditions. In a 2006 report by Alvaro Gil-Robles (the Council of Europe's human-rights commissioner), he sited chronic overcrowding, unsanitary cells, dirty lavatories, broken showers and mattresses on the ground in many of the 194 prisons in France.
When I read this article, I could not help but think about the United Nation Development Program's HDI rating scale we discussed in our last class. HDI provides statistical information about the human development of 179 countries in the world based on three different dimensions: living a long and healthy life (measured by life expectancy), being educated (measured by adult literacy and enrollment at the primary, secondary and tertiary level) and having a decent standard of living (measured by purchasing power parity, PPP, income).
In 2008, France was rated as 11th out of 179 countries.
Knowing that the prisons in France are “on the borderline of human dignity”, I began to wonder if the United Nation Development Program includes all of a country's citizens in its calculation of human development? More specifically, are prisoners included? If it does not, is it a huge oversight and discriminatory to not include various sectors of society? Would the figures change dramatically if they were included? Additionally, should prisoners have the ability to live long and healthy lives, to receive various levels of education and to have a decent standard of living (the basic dimensions of human development)?
What do you think?
- Jessica K.
Much like America, French prisoners exist in inhumane conditions. In a 2006 report by Alvaro Gil-Robles (the Council of Europe's human-rights commissioner), he sited chronic overcrowding, unsanitary cells, dirty lavatories, broken showers and mattresses on the ground in many of the 194 prisons in France.
When I read this article, I could not help but think about the United Nation Development Program's HDI rating scale we discussed in our last class. HDI provides statistical information about the human development of 179 countries in the world based on three different dimensions: living a long and healthy life (measured by life expectancy), being educated (measured by adult literacy and enrollment at the primary, secondary and tertiary level) and having a decent standard of living (measured by purchasing power parity, PPP, income).
In 2008, France was rated as 11th out of 179 countries.
Knowing that the prisons in France are “on the borderline of human dignity”, I began to wonder if the United Nation Development Program includes all of a country's citizens in its calculation of human development? More specifically, are prisoners included? If it does not, is it a huge oversight and discriminatory to not include various sectors of society? Would the figures change dramatically if they were included? Additionally, should prisoners have the ability to live long and healthy lives, to receive various levels of education and to have a decent standard of living (the basic dimensions of human development)?
What do you think?
- Jessica K.
I just love charts -- comparative housing bubbles
As you will find out in the next few weeks, I just love tables /figures /charts and any other device that helps you graphically compare statistics in different countries. This one appeared today in an article on how Germany never had a housing bubble (but is still suffering the consequences of the bubble in other countries). If you click on the chart you should be able to see a larger version. See the original article at: http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/19/der-bubble-envy/
Probably one of the many reasons that Germans continued to believe in the welfare state is that there was less faith their own individual wealth.
John Casey
Monday, May 18, 2009
What Pandemic? The H1N1 Effect
According to the New York Times
Most recently Japan confirmed 74 new infections, including in a 5-year-old boy and a man his 60s. As a result, Japanese authorities have closed more than 1,000 schools in and around
The pandemic's hysteria has died down in the United States, but as schools close from Queens to Western Japan, we must seriously consider what this pandemic scare is doing to nations across the globe. Mexico has suffered devastating losses on their tourism industry, one that may take years for the nation to recover from. Consequently, countries such as Britain and Japan are urging the World Health Assembly to change the way it decides to declare a pandemic because of the panic effect it is having on global populations and economies. There is no doubt that this flu fear has caused major declines in productivity, travel, disruption to education, threatens small businesses, and caused a tizzy at all levels of administration (but at least we got an HHS Secretary out of it). The nations are saying that the agency must consider how deadly the virus is, not just how fast it is spreading, to avoid unduly raising alarm.
Indian Markets Surge on Congress Party Victory
Today, the Indian stock market had to suspend trading as it soared by over 2,000 points -- more than 17 percent -- on the news of the Congress Party’s victory in the recent Indian Parliamentary elections.
Indian Markets Surge on Congress Victory.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ce840dc6-436f-11de-a9be-00144feabdc0.html?nclick_check=1
The unprecedented surge in the markets was brought on by the overwhelming support for the Congress party in India’s recent parliamentary elections. In contrast to the US, which effectively has a two party system, India has a mutli-party system and in most cases one party does not win enough seats to hold a majority of seats with which to rule. This year, the Congress Party, India’s oldest political party -- the party of Nehru and Ghandi -- has done phenomenally well and while not holding an outright majority, will only have to work with a few small minority parties in order to get majority control.
Curtis, et. al, explain in Chapter 10, pp. 556 – 564 the history and characteristics of this historical party. They tell us the Congress Party dominated India’s first 30 years of independence, that they then lost hold of their power in 1977, but that after the assassination of Indira Ghandi, her son Rajiv called for elections and was able to win a massive majority for the Congress Party once again (p.558) Due to problems with corruption in the Congress Party-run government, and better coordination of opposition groups, in the 1989 election, Congress was unable to withstand pressures from opposition groups and was unable to “command a working majority.”
Part of what makes the Congress Party so interesting is that it is very much a family legacy. As Curtis et al tell us on page 560, Sonia Ghandi ran for election on a slogan “Tried, Tested, and Trusted.” It is believed she is grooming her son to take over in the coming years. While in the US we have seen “family dynasties” such as the Adamses, Roosevelts, Kennedys and the Bushes, we do not have any kind of family dynasty to rival the Ghandi dynasty and their hold on the Congress Party.
Reports show in the recent election, “the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance had won 262 of the 543 parliamentary seats, confounding predictions of an inconclusive poll producing a weak coalition.”
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/people/g/sonia_gandhi/index.html?inline=nyt-per
The Congress Party held a tenuous control over Parliament for the past five years, but the coalition it had to put together in order to rule was difficult to maintain and manage, and depended on a diverse collection of parties, including the Communist Party.
Part of the reason for Congress’s surge in popularity is due to the support of rural voters. Curtis et al., tell us on page 540, that “in cultural life and social structure, India is closer to the classic model of traditional societies” than a modern society. Most of the rural voters are poor agrarian workers (over 60% of the Indian workforce is engaged in agriculture -- p.553) and many if not most are illiterate. The Congress Party has made great inroads with this portion of the electorate over the past five years chiefly through increased spending on social spending and welfare programs.
At the same time the average poor worker is elated, the business community is also excited by the country’s vote for stability in voting in the Congress Party and the continued leadership of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. James Lamont of the FT believes the markets are looking forward to economic reforms, perhaps in the way of some privatization, to come out of the new government.
Carol Starmack
Indian Markets Surge on Congress Victory.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ce840dc6-436f-11de-a9be-00144feabdc0.html?nclick_check=1
The unprecedented surge in the markets was brought on by the overwhelming support for the Congress party in India’s recent parliamentary elections. In contrast to the US, which effectively has a two party system, India has a mutli-party system and in most cases one party does not win enough seats to hold a majority of seats with which to rule. This year, the Congress Party, India’s oldest political party -- the party of Nehru and Ghandi -- has done phenomenally well and while not holding an outright majority, will only have to work with a few small minority parties in order to get majority control.
Curtis, et. al, explain in Chapter 10, pp. 556 – 564 the history and characteristics of this historical party. They tell us the Congress Party dominated India’s first 30 years of independence, that they then lost hold of their power in 1977, but that after the assassination of Indira Ghandi, her son Rajiv called for elections and was able to win a massive majority for the Congress Party once again (p.558) Due to problems with corruption in the Congress Party-run government, and better coordination of opposition groups, in the 1989 election, Congress was unable to withstand pressures from opposition groups and was unable to “command a working majority.”
Part of what makes the Congress Party so interesting is that it is very much a family legacy. As Curtis et al tell us on page 560, Sonia Ghandi ran for election on a slogan “Tried, Tested, and Trusted.” It is believed she is grooming her son to take over in the coming years. While in the US we have seen “family dynasties” such as the Adamses, Roosevelts, Kennedys and the Bushes, we do not have any kind of family dynasty to rival the Ghandi dynasty and their hold on the Congress Party.
Reports show in the recent election, “the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance had won 262 of the 543 parliamentary seats, confounding predictions of an inconclusive poll producing a weak coalition.”
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/people/g/sonia_gandhi/index.html?inline=nyt-per
The Congress Party held a tenuous control over Parliament for the past five years, but the coalition it had to put together in order to rule was difficult to maintain and manage, and depended on a diverse collection of parties, including the Communist Party.
Part of the reason for Congress’s surge in popularity is due to the support of rural voters. Curtis et al., tell us on page 540, that “in cultural life and social structure, India is closer to the classic model of traditional societies” than a modern society. Most of the rural voters are poor agrarian workers (over 60% of the Indian workforce is engaged in agriculture -- p.553) and many if not most are illiterate. The Congress Party has made great inroads with this portion of the electorate over the past five years chiefly through increased spending on social spending and welfare programs.
At the same time the average poor worker is elated, the business community is also excited by the country’s vote for stability in voting in the Congress Party and the continued leadership of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. James Lamont of the FT believes the markets are looking forward to economic reforms, perhaps in the way of some privatization, to come out of the new government.
Carol Starmack
Working across cultures .. against terrorism
If you have 27 minutes, listen to the following podcast of a fascinating segment NPR segment Fighting Words. http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/episodes/2009/05/18/segments/132176 (if the link doesn't work, copy and paste into your browser).
It is an interview with David Kilcullen, adviser on counterinsurgency to General Petraeus and the author of The Accidental Guerrilla: Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One who talks about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is interesting as a discussion about how to fight insurgent groups, but it can also be analyzed from the perspective of what he has to say about comparing “what works” in different countries, and what it takes to apply an approach that has been successful in one country to the situation in another country. In particular it is a great lesson on how much we need to know about local conditions before we import “successful” tactics from another setting (whether it is to fight terrorism or to improve health and education outcomes). This is a core theme of this course. Listen particularly from minute 6.
It is an interview with David Kilcullen, adviser on counterinsurgency to General Petraeus and the author of The Accidental Guerrilla: Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One who talks about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is interesting as a discussion about how to fight insurgent groups, but it can also be analyzed from the perspective of what he has to say about comparing “what works” in different countries, and what it takes to apply an approach that has been successful in one country to the situation in another country. In particular it is a great lesson on how much we need to know about local conditions before we import “successful” tactics from another setting (whether it is to fight terrorism or to improve health and education outcomes). This is a core theme of this course. Listen particularly from minute 6.
Paper Dolls
Netflix sent me a DVD this weekend that unexpectedly illustrated some of the immigration policies that may form part of our discussions this session. “Paper Dolls” is a documentary that chronicles the lives of a performing group of trans-gendered Philippine men working as home health aides in Israel.
As acts of violence and terrorism escalated during the Second Intifada, Israel closed its borders and deported many of its Palestinian workers, thus creating the need for replacement workers to be brought in from abroad. These relaxed immigration policies attracted many Philippine healthcare workers, including the members of the Paper Dolls. Most of the documentary subjects had not been open about their trans-sexuality in the Philippines but found a higher degree of freedom under Israeli law and societal norms, even as they navigated discrimination in the Orthodox suburbs where many of their patients lived.
However, the work permits received by these immigrants soon proved highly restrictive. Losing one’s job as an elderly caretaker with a family brought about the immediate invalidation of a work permit, creating an underclass of newly undocumented foreigners living in fear of aggressive immigration raids. According to the documentary subjects, there was little hope in Israel of an immigrant working hard and eventually obtaining citizenship, apart from marriage and conversion to Judaism.
The situation of the Philippine workers also provides an interesting contrast to the former-Soviet and the Ethiopian immigrants who arrived in Israel as part of the aliyah policies that were intended to grant Israeli citizenship to Jews around the world. It also illustrates the high rates of emigration of Philippine nationals around the world, where they often encounter difficult conditions and discrimination. Remittances from these emigrants now form a substantial part of the Philippine economy.
The topics raise complicated questions about managing workforce, immigration and integration issues when formulating policy:
How can a country with limited population growth meet its workforce demands? What opportunities for true integration and citizenship should exist for "guest workers"? What responsibility does the host country have towards immigrants when the jobs disappear? How much do emigrant home countries depend on remittances from its citizens abroad?
John Hunt
NB: hyperlinks are underlined above for clicking.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
One Big Happy Healthcare Family?
The United States has always prided itself on an individualist culture and the strength of a capitalist market economy; the expectations of which have dwindled in the face of an economic recession. As the Obama administration explore opportunities for cost-savings and social welfare programs, the healthcare industry is prepared for a complete overhaul.
Obama's latest healthcare plan, poised to save $2 trillion over 10 years, will challenge our individualist society to now take a collective approach- some dare say socialist (!). In a recent NPR story (NPR, Orszag: Health Coalition's Plan A Significant Step), U.S. Budget Director, Peter Orszag, says that the main factor driving this plan forward: "I have never seen the doctors' association, the hospitals' association, pharma, and device manufacturers step forward and say, 'We believe we can take costs out of the system. We believe we can bend the curve on long-term cost growth...That is different." Among the coalition's plans for these huge savings, include electronic health records, coordination of care, and comparative effectiveness research of treatments.
Has the recession made even the worst enemies understand that 'we are all in this together' and realize that our healthcare system has become so unsustainable that even corporate insurance giants must be part of an outcomes driven system as opposed to a profit driven system? Perhaps, but let's not forget for a second that there is a lot of money to be made in universal health insurance, upgrading health technology, and even prevention initiatives. Will these die-hard American capitalists, lobbyists, and politicians embrace a new approach to healthcare and will the recession help us avoid another Clintonian disaster? -Michelle Shal
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