Post 13: Reflection on SDG’s (Makeup post)

By: Kailey Witcher

Reflect on the SDGs and their impact (if at all) on positive change.

Give special attention to the SDG impact on countries in Africa.

In other words, this is a time to critically analyze the SDGs, reflect on the totality of what you have learned during the semester, and offer suggestions for improvements to the SDGs– and ultimately on life in developing countries.

Use one of the countries that you analyzed during this semester as your case study.

SDG’s, sustainable development goals, are a combination of seventeen goals that are in place to aid those in poverty. The goals address the global challenges people face such as poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and more. The goals are in place with the hopes that the goals will all be reached by the targeted date of 2030. I believe that the SDG’s being established, are most definitely a step in a positive direction for the challenges many people across the world face. SDG’s have been a starting point for many policies to be implemented and many groups to form across countries, whose goals are to help those less fortunate and facing tough times.

SDG’s align with the needs of those suffering in Africa, so the goals will be a good step in helping to get those in Africa back on their feet. Currently the SDG’s are focused on the building of productive capacity and focus heavily on economic and environmental factors. These factors are things that people in Africa need to put their focus into, so they can grow and be more prosperous in the future. African Union’s Agenda 2063, have goals that reflect similarly with the SDG’s. Africa is currently striving to build a “prosperous and united Africa.” Together the SDG’s and organizations throughout Africa can work together to reach their similar goals in place to try and help Africa be the best it can be.

The Sustainable Development Goals are helping to kickstart work that has to be done in order to better other countries. But the goals are just the beginning. The target time of 2030, for reaching these goals is important to remember because if the goals can be reached by then, then we have a chance at knowing how to successfully keep going in the efforts to better countries like Africa, as well as others in need.

Currently Duke University is helping to implement the Madagascar 2030: The Sustainable Development Innovation Challenge. Their goal is to help the “exotic frontier” that is Madagascar, as the environment in Madagascar is currently really threated by challenges that it faces in trying to thrive. Students are trying to take the current SDG’s that are in place and focus those onto helping the problems Madagascar is facing in aspects such as  health, poverty, economic development education, and more.

One of the Sustainable Development Goals, is clean water and sanitation. A “cheetah” which is an organization who aims to help less unfortunate countries, that is in Madagascar currently is WaterAid. WaterAid works to install wells and latrines in parts of Madagascar. Organizations like these are really taking action to help reach some of the SDG’s currently in place.

References

“Office of Undergraduate Education.” Madagascar 2030: The Sustainable Development Innovation Challenge | Duke Office of Undergraduate Education, 1 Jan. 1970, undergrad.duke.edu/programs/winter-forum/madagascar-2030-sustainable-development-innovation-challenge.

“Sustainable Development Goals.” SDG Center for Africa, sdgcafrica.org/about/the-sdgs/.

Post Twelve: The Struggle Muslim Youth Face

By: Kailey Witcher

What struggles are unique to Muslim youth in Europe? In what forms does Muslim youth identity manifest itself in Europe? What role does discrimination play in the formation of Muslim youth identities?

Muslim youth in Europe are frequently face struggles.. They struggle from the beginning of their youth due to intergenerational because they often have very different views than their older generations. This leads to a disconnect between the two generations on many things such as their religious practices and the way they live their everyday lives. Society in Europe has changed a lot between the two generations, as the Islamic religion isn’t as dominate in Europe as it once was. This makes the Muslims in Europe have a bigger struggle to face when it comes to fitting in with the majority of Europe’s society.  

This disconnect they feel with the rest of European society, and even older generations in their own families, can make the Muslim youth feel like they need to rebel or react to the struggles of  trying to fit in in an extreme way.

Compare and contrast the following patterns of Muslim-European interaction: assimilation, communitarianism, or new modes of integration. What does the reality look like, especially for the youth? Discuss.

Assimilation is when Muslims immigrate to other societies and completely conform to the rest of society, instead of continuing to live somewhere new while still practicing their traditional beliefs and usual way of living. This way of conforming is unfortunate because cultures are losing their lifestyle and abandoning their traditions which is sad for any group to have to do. Muslim youth are having a harder time standing their ground when it comes to the way they are living, they aren’t able to practice their religion as freely as their older generations were.

Communitarians are those that believe Muslims should partake in assimilation, wanting them to conform to the communitarians way of living. In essence they don’t believe in multiculturalism and instead believe their way of doing things and their beliefs are more important than that of others. For the Muslim  youth, they are facing this extremely because they are the minority in Europe right now and they are being peer pressured into conforming to the traditions of the rest of society.

What is the diversity myth discussed by Malik? How does assimilation differ from multiculturalism? Give examples. What solutions does Malik propose to overcome the failure of multiculturalism?

In the article, The Failure of Multiculturalism, Kenan Malik discusses a diversity myth that he says is the theory that today, Europe is more diverse than ever before. He stressed that to fully understand that debate of why this would be a myth, you need to have a clear understanding of the term “multiculturalism,” which he describes as a society that is diverse due to things such as immigration. Assimilation, requires the abandonment of traditions so that people are fully practicing the values and beliefs of the rest of society. Multiculturalism differs in the fact that those immigrating to other countries are still speaking their language and living based on their cultural beliefs. Malik believes there is a debate on whether Europe is really more diverse, and people will take their side based on how they “define social differences.” As a solution  to overcome the failure of multiculturalism Malik suggests establishing new laws and legislation. Malik believes that all people should receive respect from others about their beliefs and values. He wants laws to be in place that will make everyone from different cultures feel included. Acceptance and coexisting is he what he hopes to achieve by having this laws and legislations established.

What is the gist of Sajan’s article? Do you agree or have other examples that back up his argument?

In, Decoding Europe’s Homegrown Terrorism, Sajan’s discusses the Muslim youth, and how they are looked at unfairly as the cause for the terrorism taking place in Europe. She brings up the question, is the terrorism done by Muslims because of their “Islam roots,” or the “imbalance” between the different social groups in Europe. I don’t know enough first hand to know which is the cause for the terrorism done by Muslim youth in Europe but I do know the amount of terrorist acts is scary and concerning. I think multiculturalism in a society is important because everyone should have the freedom to live by their beliefs where they want to, and that shouldn’t cause conflict, especially conflict in the form of violent terrorist acts.

Concluding remarks and thoughts – what stands out? What is your take on the remarks?

I think Sajan’s article is really interesting. She brings up a good point to think about, the root cause of terrorism. It is easy for people to group all Muslim youth together and put them in a negative light but people should also consider the part the rest of European society may have on what causes Muslim youth to feel like they need to act violently. While there is NO excuse, societies should do their best to make other cultures feel welcome to live how they want to as long as it doesn’t cause any harm.

Post Eleven: Creating Intercultural Norms

By: Kailey Witcher

Based on the article, Islam and the West: Narratives of Conflict and Conflict Transformation, discuss the story of intercultural confrontation and intercultural compatibility and how they affect conflict transformation.

According to the article, Islam and the West: Narratives of Conflict and Conflict Transformation, intercultural confrontation is becoming more evident between the “Middle East” and “Western” cultures in modern society. Although both cultures have a lot of similarities among histories, there is a fictional dichotomy that has been created between the two groups. Our current society has lived through recent decades of increased Muslim influence in the western world and those with the stern western beliefs are finding riffs rather than finding mutual respect.

These riffs include depicting the Muslim culture as everything we are not and representing mutually exclusive values. But there is still a very traditional view of Muslim culture seen in their religious practices, oasis baring deserts, and extravagant lifestyles. This can be directly compared to the Western stereotypes of sex, Hollywood, and materialism. A lot our impression on Islam has been based on presumptions of what we know and only slight truths; vice versa with their perception of us. In the article the authors bring up the idea that each party will see the other as being “and inferior rival or shadow to the self” which has lead to these “dehumanizing” stereotypes. These impressions can lead to dangerous stereotypes such as “violent” or “hypocritical” which results in the judgements that the two cultures leave on each other. This is not to say that there is no cooperation between the seemingly different cultures. Both histories span back many generations with rich stories and mutual hardships. As quoted in the article, “Middle Eastern Muslims and Westerners find themselves enmeshed in a complex, multidimensional conflict.” Today, the United States and the Middle East have become more intertwined than ever before as their culture has become a dominant part of our way of life. There may be some push back on the people of the Muslim faith, but there is also a welcoming sense of compatibility with a new age of respect. Ultimately, both cultures are setting themselves in to a setting of mutual respect and cooperation.

What are the hard decisions about immigration according to Frum that need to be taken in the US. Do you agree? Is there a right level of immigration?

The conversation of immigration seems to have immersed every American in recent years with polarizing opinions and solutions. The United States should not be stopping all immigration from happening. Instead, according to Frum, one of the first difficult decisions to make, is deciding how much immigration is applicable. Quantifying the number of immigrants in to a country can be a tantalizing task as too much can create rifts in current citizens along with economic difficulties and too little will result in resentment of the people, resulting in inequality. The next difficult decision about immigration, is the fact of a desire to immigrate. Millions of people want to immigrate to a more developed country, but these are the same people that have larger families. These large families will effectively “replace” the current population in the more developed countries. The final difficulty is the economic benefits/struggles to welcome and maintain immigrants.

I believe the proper amount of immigration is welcoming, yet not undeserving. Many of the arguments against more lenient immigration laws are stemmed from fiscal short-comings or the rise of violence, but it is statistically proven that neither of these will be a detriment to the citizens of the country. Welcoming immigrants to the country is a part of the American way of life and we should be able to provide this opportunity to all those who are willing to make the courageous choice.

Post Nine: Facing Hardships

By: Kailey Witcher

How do Zemni and Parker (ch.13) explain the “failure of integration” of Muslims in Europe? Why is the way Europeans think about integration and multiculturalism problematic in the discourse surrounding Islam and Muslims in Europe? Explain and give examples.

In chapter 13 of Islam, Europe’s Second Religion, Sami Zemni and Christopher Parker, discuss the “failure of integration” of Muslims in Europe. Europeans have not always looked at Islam in a positive light, and that has a lot to do with the failure of integration of Muslims in Europe. This failure of integration is a “failure to adopt styles and practices of daily life.” Europeans aren’t very inclusive towards immigrants and right now Muslims are considered the “other.” With Muslims always being considered outsiders, they will never properly feel integrated.

In Europe, they take their culture very seriously and believe everyone should follow by the beliefs, values and practices they have. The integration of Islam into their culture is a threat to them wanting everyone to go along with traditional culture.

The way the Europeans think about integration and multiculturalism is problematic because they have a bigger population in Europe and it would be negative for them if they were all forced out of the area. They should be able to live the lifestyle they choose, the Europe, the place they have chosen as a home. Integration is good for growth of countries, as diversity can offer a lot of opportunities.

What is your assessment of the Foreign Policy The Dispossessed article and the film My Escape? Does the comic do justice to the refugee situation? Is it a good analysis of the crisis? Does Islam play a role? Even if you only watched a part of the film My Escape what is your assessment of the film? What caught your attention?

In the article The Dispossessed, I believe the comic did do justice to the refugee situation. The comic provided a picture of the refugees journey fleeing their country. The refuges faced many hardships on their journey. The gates to Hungary being closed was one of the first of many problems they faced along the journey. They had were faced with limited funds and the frequent struggle to stay together as a group. The comic allows the story to be brought down to a level a reader can connect with and understand.

The firm My Escape, was a portrayal of the journey to Germany, that many went on in 2015. Many people recorded parts of their journey on their mobile phones and some of that footage is included in the firm. This footage allows the viewers to experience a first-hand look at the difficult journey those fleeing to Germany faced. The film also includes interview footage so people who experienced this could explain what they were going through and their feelings about their journey. Seeing and hearing all the things people featured in this film go through is eye opening and difficult to hear. A girl in the film tells about how she was almost forced to marry a man who was thirty, much older than her, even being threatened to be kidnapped if she was not handed over. She researched ways to flee, in hopes of finding a better life. Once they do decide to flee their country they face a hard journey to the new and better life they are seeking. There are so many conversations in the media and in politics about immigration but you don’t ever get to hear about the hardships those going through the journey have to face. They are searching for safer home environments and they are sacrificing and risking so much.

Post Eight: Muslim Presence in France

By: Kailey Witcher

Explain the historical background of the Muslim presence in France. Why does the Islamic community lag behind both economically and socially in France. Discuss

Shireen T. Hunter addresses the Islam population in France in his book, Islam, Europe’s Second Religion. Out of all of the European countries, France has the largest population of Muslims. Muslims first immigrated to France during the first World War. Underdevelopment and poverty, as well as high birthrates and postcolonial instability, are main causes for this migration of Muslims to France. Hunter explains that while France’s Muslim community is “ethnically diverse,” they are also “divided along social and economic lines.” While France is largely populated with Muslims, the Islamic community is lagging behind, both economically and socially. Socially, many Muslims feel as though they are excluded from society because of their darker complexions and Arabic names. These things can be seen as ways they are unique to others but to them they can make them feel like outcasts in a sense. Economically, Muslims are frequently forced to face discrimination, often in the workplace. Hunter believes that Muslims in France, “have a much lower socioeconomic status than the national average.” One thing he  attributes this “inferior” status to is unemployment, which for Muslims is more than double the national average. Muslims face discriminations that have limited a lot of them to low-paying jobs.

How does the presence of Islam in France cause a challenge to the secular order? Is France’s secularism, or Laïcité, unique? Explain!

In France, there is a high Muslim population. The presence of Islam in France causes a challenge to the secular order because Muslims are more vocal and open about their religious beliefs and practices than others in France. Many Muslims will wear headscarves when they are out and is something that is at times questioned by others in France that aren’t Muslim. According to an article written by Carla Power for TIME, France’s relationship with the Islam population has been “tense.” Power’s talks about how France has a “passion for keeping church and state separate.” With Muslims often wearing clothing that outwardly expresses their religion, many people in France believe it is actions like these that go against the wants of those in the country who try and keep this separation between church and state.

I believe that France’s secularism is unique! Living in America I often get the chance to see people outwardly practicing things from different religious and cultures. America allows people to express their beliefs outwardly without having to feel excluded for the most part. France is definitely more controlling about what people wear when they are out in public, as there have been many instances where Muslims were told to take their headscarves off. An article written by Lizzie Dearden, gives the example of a Muslim woman being arrested for wearing a full-body swimsuit and headscarf. In my opinion, France should allow more freedom for people to wear what they want to that expresses their beliefs, as long as they aren’t harming themselves or anyone else in the process.

Based on your readings and research, why is the headscarf seen by some (many?) as a threat to Western culture?

After reading and doing more research on the headscarf, it is clear that it can be seen as a threat to the Western culture by many. Muslims wear the headscarf as a reminder to themselves to put God first. Similarly other religious will sometimes wear things to outwardly show their beliefs, such as when Jewish men wear a kippah or Catholics wear a cross. Some people in the Western culture might connect the headscarf as being a threat because of past terrorist attacks that have happened. Once a terrible event such as a terrorist attack happens and Muslims wearing headscarves are associated with that it can be hard for others to view Muslims wearing this accessory in a positive way.

Post Seven: Muslim Practices and Beliefs

By: Kailey Witcher

What are some of the myths about Muslims in Europe that Justin Vaisse discusses?

In the article, Muslims in Europe: A Short Introduction, Vaisse provides different examples of myths about Islam in Europe. The first myth he talks about is that, being Muslim constitutes a fixed identity, sufficient to fully characterize a person. He goes on to explain that this myth essentially means that when it comes to Muslims, people “wrongly assume that religion rather than nationality necessarily trumps other identities.”

The second myth is that Muslims in Europe are, in one way or the other, inherently foreign, the equivalent of visiting Middle-Easterners who are alien to the “native” culture. He states that of the 15 to 17 million people who are of the Muslim background in the EU-27 countries, majority hold French, British, German, etc. nationality.

The third myth is that, Muslims in Europe form a “distinct, cohesive and bitter group,” in the words of a 2005 Foreign Affairs article. Vaisse states that in reality, they are “anything but a cohesive group.” There is no unity found between Muslims on the European level, as well as no unity found on the national level. There are “profound divisions” found between culture and brand of Islam, religion, affiliation, social status, political views and ethnicity.

The final myth given is, Muslims are demographically gaining on the “native” population. The assumption behind this is that, Muslims form a distinct demographic bloc defined by religion, and will never blend into the rest of society. This myth is proved wrong because of the significant rates of intermarriage, conversions and by the reality of integration in other countries.

Why is it important to make a distinction between the religious and political dimensions of Islam?

Shireen Hunter writes in the book, Islam, Europe’s Second Religion, about the importance of making a clear distinction between religion and political dimensions of Islam. This is important because they do not wish to be classified as the Islam in Europe, as they would rather show their uniqueness through, religion, culture, and distinct identity. Hunter believes that if people didn’t consider the religious dimension that, “all discussions about other aspects of Islam in Europe—social and political integration, economic process, or other matters—would be, if not futile, highly inadequate.” She believes that both dimensions are different from each other and therefore should be understood separately. If one focuses on the religious dimension as their way of living, “one must also speak of God.”

The political dimension of Islam follow the general rules of politics but does not affect how they live their daily lives, in a way that the religious dimension does.

Hunter explains about those that speak about ‘ibadat (worship) versus mu amalat (social affairs). He believes these differ in reference to the overall lifestyle of different the Islam in Europe.

What kind of challenges do education and social rifts in Europe bring to Muslim communities of Europe? What does Ramadan suggest Muslims should do in face of such challenges?

Education is an important thing for a social group to thrive in for their community. Education is challenge for Muslim communities in Europe in the sense that they, do not teach more than what is the tradition norm being taught. They want individuals that are “capable.” Hunter believes that communities, “can be assessed through its readiness to invest in the education and training of tomorrow’s adults.” She thinks that education is something that should be important to the community, wanting them to strive to teach, to get the best out of those in the future.

Hunter explains also that, “European societies are going through deep social and economic crisis.” Problems developing for the Islam in Europe include, unemployment, economic marginalization, social exclusion and in turn, delinquency. Hunter explains that because there are things that the community could challenge themselves to do to better the community as a whole, that they should not hesitate to take on those challenges. Violence is common and so Muslims must take actions to “develop partnerships at a local level.” Some things Hunter says the Muslims can do are oppose discrimination in employment, promote social welfare, intervene against suburb violence and look after marginalized persons. Hunter explains that to truly face these challenges Muslims need to focus on their religion practices.

Post Six: Sachs vs. Easterly: A competing argument

By Kailey Witcher

Chapter 10 talks about the debate on pros and cons of development aid with leading economists Jeffrey Sachs (Columbia University) and William Easterly (NYU) pitted against each other. Each side has valid points. After reading for a few weeks about the issue of ending poverty, what is your take on this debate. Which side do you take and why? Or are there other arguments that could be made and thus another side that could be taken? There is lots of information online; for ex.

In chapter 10 of Poor Economics, we are presented with two viewpoints on development aid. Willian Easterly of NYU argues that, if politics are right, good policies will emerge, and conversely that without good politics, it would be impossible to have good policies. He believes that embracing RCTs, randomized controlled trials, “has led development researchers to lower their ambitions.” When looking at the issue of schools not getting majority of the money set aside for them, Easterly’s view would be that there would be no point in deciding what to give to schools with the money if majority of the money won’t make it to the schools anyway. Easterly’s main argument is that we should not be providing aid to those in poverty, and that instead the poor should be aiding themselves, as he thinks they are the best ones to help themselves. Easterly is quoted in the video provided saying that he believes those in poverty, “are their own best resource.” He believes helping them extensively would be patronizing towards them in a sense.

Jeffery Sachs of Columbia University, gives a competing argument that we should be doing our part in aiding those in poverty. He believes corruption is in a sense just a poverty trap, that poverty is what causes corruption and inversely, corruption is what causes poverty. He backs up this argument with the belief that we should be helping aid the poor more in fixing specific goals. Capital accumulation, economic growth and rising household incomes, are three things that Sachs believes will be improved on if we aid the poor correctly.

After reflecting on both arguments and hearing about the stance each person takes, I would say I agree more with Jeffery Sachs. While I think those in poverty can take steps towards helping themselves, I believe that as those not in poverty, we are in a good position to do what we can to aid those stuck in a poverty trap. We have the resources it will take to aid those in poverty with goals that Sachs brings up such as, malaria control, food production, safe water and sanitation and more. To stand back and do nothing would not be in the best interest of those who are suffering.

Reflect on the last weeks’ readings on the SDG goals #1 end poverty in all forms everywhere and goal #2 end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. Do Banerjee and Duflo address these issues sufficiently? What are policy measures that seem to work? What needs are addressed and are the global measures taken sufficient?

After reading Poor Economics, I believe that Banerjee and Duflo did sufficiently address the first two sustainable development goals of ending poverty in all forms and ending hunger completely. The authors made points about how those in poverty originally get stuck in poverty traps, and they provide solutions to top problems for those in the poverty traps. They touch on was of fixing the health problems that occur for those in poverty, and fixing environmental problems the poor run into. A lot of points in the book are made to those not in poverty, explaining to them that they could be key to helping those in poverty. Those not in poverty have the ability and resources to help aid the poor. Microcredits are an example of a step that can be taken to help the poor get started with a business of their own that will hopefully help get them on their feet. Helping provide education is another step that can be taken to help those in poverty. Providing education, supplies for nets to keep harmful bugs out, and better insurance plans are all examples the authors touch on that could help the poor in the long run. The authors are supports of the sustainable development goals put into place because they believe those are measurable ways to see that we are successfully helping those in poverty.

Post Five: Microfinancing vs. Poverty

By: Kailey Witcher

What is the basic argument for and against micro-credits that Banerjee and Duflo make? Do you agree with them?

According to BusinessDictionary, a microcredit, is a small financial loan made to individuals in poverty that are seeking to start their own business. Banjeree and Duflo state, “everyone has a shot at being a successful entrepreneur, and that those who were poor, specifically had likely chances of finding amazing opportunities.” They made the argument that microcredits are one way to help the poor in being successful in their long-term business goals. They gave the example of a trash collector who took out a total of three loans, having worked her way to a business slowly after each loan. They explain that by the time the trash collector received the third loan she was, “at the helm of a large network of trash collectors.” These microcredits helped her work her way towards a better long-term future.

Arguing against microcredits, Banerjee and Duflo talk about how some of these businesses might not be becoming as successful in their business ventures because they are not enough to fully secure them. They believe there are two “shadows” of microfinance, that the  poor operate tiny businesses and that they often make little money. Overall I would say microcredits are a good idea but there needs to be a better system, one that includes other helping aids for those in poverty trying to start a business. Aiding to staff a business or helping in other ways would also help the poor to be successful in long-run business ventures.

Are micro-credits working in your assigned country? Do you agree with its limits?

The Guardian website features an article talking about the presence of microfinance in Madagascar. According to the article, Madagascar’s microfinance sector was established in 1990, but only began thriving in the last ten years. An example of a sixty year old woman named Justine Sija is given, as she can make double her earnings with the credit she has been able to receive. Others mentioned in the article also believe microcredits are beneficial for them and their small businesses.

AKDN calls Madagascar’s micro-finance sector, “a critical segment of the financial landscape.”

These responses make me believe that in some way or another microcredits are helping those in poverty in the long-run.

I agree that microfinancing can have its limits of many opening small businesses and not always making a lot, but I can see where it can be beneficial to many as well. Many people will have other factors that will play a role in them being successful with the loans. A good location of a business, financial ability to pay employees and grow the business are all things that can go well for some that are able to take advantage of microcredits.

What is happening in your country with micro-credits or any other way to handle money, savings, trade?

Microfinance is in a period of rapid growth. Poor often lack access to formal banking and therefore don’t have the proper tools to save efficiently. The micro-finance sector, has some of those in poverty in Madagascar a chance to grow a business and in the long-term be able to support themselves and their families. Microcredit is a chance for success to those who might not have any other way to become as successful as they do after receiving the loans. Improvements could be made to the Microfinance sector and that is something that should continue to be done overtime. 

Reflect critically on this article.

Over the past two decades, global poverty has been declining and rapidly, which is good to hear. Reading the article on Brookings, we hear that governments around the world have committed to eliminating extreme poverty by 2030, as the first sustainable development goal. Knowing global poverty is declining quickly you would assume that this goal would be reached but that isn’t true because of what the article calls countries that are severely off track, also known as SOTCs. Those specific countries poverty rates are decreasing very slowly, thus not allowing extreme poverty to be gone for sure by the year 2030. I think these countries could use extra attention and should take actions such as micro-financing, to an extreme level if they want to make their poverty rate start decreasing faster.  

• Is digital technology making a difference? – [you need to do research to answer this question; first you need to explain what digital technology entails and then look at the ramifications]
• Read this article from 2017 and watch the video – do you agree?

Post Four: Poor Economics and Aiding Madagascar

By: Kailey Witcher

Part I:

Find a ‘cheetah’ in your assigned country (person or organization) and show his/her/its work that helps the country move towards protection of human rights, free speech, systems of accountability, reducing poverty, etc.

WaterAid is an organization that I would consider a “cheetah” in Madagascar. The organization WaterAid works to install wells and latrines in parts of Madagascar because many people don’t have access to proper sanitation and clean water. This lack of sanitation has resulted in many deaths each year. Along with installing wells and latrines, WaterAid has also helped develop a rice bank system, which allows locals to take loans of rice or money and pay it back over time. WaterAid is doing their part to help those in poverty living in Madagascar and with their contributions as well as others the hope would be to continue to improve the living standards there.

Chapter 3 of Radelet’s Emerging Africa talks extensively about democracy building as well as discusses how one defines democracy, what is elemental and how are democracies ranked and judged. How does your country rank? Explore the following sites and answer the questions

According to Freedom House, Madagascar is a partly free country, with a score of 56, one hundred being the highest score. Looking at percentage of the population, Madagascar has 12% free, 49% partly free, and 39% not free.

What are the dangers that global democracies are facing?

According to an article by the Washington Post, 2017 was the 12^th year in a row that democracy has declined around the world. In the article it states, “as democracy is undermined, the world inevitably becomes a more dangerous place.” Global democracies are facing a decline in more and more countries and that could be a problem in the future, as it could lead to tyranny, militaries becoming the guiding political force, and corruption.

Is YALI active in your country?

According to the Young African Leaders Initiative website, they are currently active in the country of Madagascar.

What is the current news in your country?

According to allAfrica, a headline in the news currently in Madagascar is that the new President was sworn in on January 20^th of this year. Delegations from 35 countries and international organizations were present for the inauguration.

Part II:

What are effective health investments?

In Chapter 3 of Poor Economics, Banerjee and Duflo bring up the topic of health traps. Similar to poverty traps, they describe health traps as what happens when people living in poverty are too poor to live a healthy lifestyle, in turn keeping them more stuck in poverty when they are unable to work due to health issues. Banerjee and Duflo talked about multiple effective heath investments that would be beneficial for those people living in poverty. The authors describe these health investments as “low hanging fruits” because they believe the investments are affordable but aren’t being taken advantage of as much as they should be. Some examples of effective health investments that the authors mention include bed nets to prevent malaria, vaccines, and access to clean water and sanitation. The authors made the point that if preventative health care actions are taken it could be beneficial in the long run because those who don’t suffer from health problems tend to make more money in the long run, as they don’t have the expenses of health care or the inability to work due to poor health.

Post Three: Emerging Africa

By: Kailey Witcher

Part I:

Explain the meaning of a “Cheetah” and a “Big Man” also called the cheetah generation and the hippo generation? (Ch. 7 and 3 from last week’s reading) Explain how these terms refer to a different way of looking at democracy and civil society?

            The Cheetah generation are described in this article as a “new generation of young Africans who look at African issues and problems from a totally unique perspective.” Radelet describes this generation as trying to redefine Africa through things such as democracy, and transparency. This generation is not defined by their age or any other factors but they are defined as a generation that is trying to make a difference. Radelet says, while this generation is mostly younger, some are still older and just sick of the old ways of doing things in Africa. The article makes note of the Cheetah generations “commitment and drive to break from the past and move counties in a new direction.”

            In contrast of the Cheetah generation is the Hippo generation, made up of older members, who are seen as “stuck in the past and slow to change.” They believe in the old colonist paradigm and the slave trade. This generation is described as an “emerging class of entrepreneurs and leader”, that put their focus on transparency, accountability, good governance, respect for basic human rights and private sector economic opportunities.

            Older leaders in Africa are known to be slowly fading away, with the new Cheetah generation shaping what Africa is becoming.

Is Radelet’s positive view in Chapter 6 on the African ICT explosion valid and sustainable? What are challenges?

            I believe Radelet’s positive view on the African ICT is valid because it has given opportunity for technology to help lift people out of poverty and has helped change the economic fortune of Africa for the better. Technology, the spread of mobile use and internet connections, are expanding economic opportunities, creating jobs, reducing business costs and more. While I think Africa is on the right track with technology being a helping factor to their economy I do believe they need to continue to expand the use of technology before it can be considered sustainable. Currently only 5 percent of people living in Africa has access to ICT, which is a good start but could always be improved. The problem with ICT becoming more available throughout bigger parts of Africa is going to be expenses. Africa will need to put a lot into technology to continue to get more out of it.

Part II:

Reflect on Banerjee/Duflo’s Chapter 1:  Is it possible to get trapped in poverty? What are poverty traps? Which ones are present in your assigned country?

            After reading Chapter 1 of Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty, I have an understanding on poverty traps and I believe it is possible to get trapped in poverty the way Banerjee and Duflo have described. In an economy where so much money is needed that those in poverty can’t pull themselves out of it, then poverty will never be solved and it continues to be a terrible cycle. Banerjee/Duflo touch on the question of whether help from foreign counties can be beneficial or harmful to the countries suffering from poverty. The answer to this is unclear but they can help not by just providing quick solutions but by providing ways for those countries in poverty to begin helping themselves. When looking at the idea of poverty traps, Banerjee/Duflo are quoted saying “until something is done about these problems, neither free markets nor democracy will do very much for them.” With that being said I believe it is up to outside countries and those within the countries suffering from poverty to come up with ways to help countries out of that “poverty trap.” After researching Madagascar,  I believe they are in a poverty trap involving their health problems. Madagascar is, “a nation full of disease.” While Madagascar has improved their health care to some extent, they have a long way to go until they reach the point in their overall health quality that they want to be. They have also had problems with their environment as well. Much of their wildlife has been damaged which has contributed to their poverty.  

Use the World Bank data website HERE and report on the progress of the SGD #1 in East Africa, Madagascar.

            According to the World Bank, Madagascar’s GDP growth has increased between 2013 and 2017, from 2.3% to around 4.2%, in 2018 it reached 5%. It is estimated that Madagascar’s GDP will continue to rise.

Is Human capital an issue in your country?  

            Madagascar has acknowledge their economic situation and they are making decisions that will hopefully help them come even further in helping their country. They have increased preschool coverage, working at helping their young children with their education. They have found that if they invest in young children, they will be able to carry that far into other generations and better their country.

References

“Building Human Capital in Madagascar.” World Bank, www.worldbank.org/en/news/opinion/2017/06/20/building-human-capital-in-madagascar.

“Standard of Living in Madagascar.” Standard of Living in Madagascar, standardoflivinginmadagascar1.weebly.com/.

Post Two: Millennium Villages Project

By: Kailey Witcher

1. What are the factors that classify as good news in Africa according to Radelet?

A large part of Africa is in a stage of growth. Not all, but many places throughout the country are seeing positive change from previous years. The change is being seen throughout their “economic growth, deepening democracy and strong leadership” (Radelet, 9). Places such as Ghana, Mozambique, Mali, Tanzania and Cape Verde are seeing positive changes in things such as annual growth income numbers, amount of imports and exports and a growing GDP. Radelet gives the specific example of Mozambique, whose GDP has grown 7.5 percent per year for 15 years, this example makes Mozambique one of the fastest growing GDP rates in the world according to Radelet (Radelet, 10) GDP is one of the many factors Radelet considers good news for Africa, other points he makes include that parts of Africa are seeing a jump in primary school enrollment, a drop in infant mortality and poverty, and much more. Radelet points out that in the past Africa has been known for their economic decline and political decay, now the countries mentioned earlier plus even more parts of Africa are moving away from that historical trend, which is great news for Africa.

2. Explore the Millennium Villages HERE. Then find retrospectives and critical views. And address the most urgent task eradicating poverty which according to Jeffrey Sachs is the greatest global challenge.

The two villages I explored were Koraro, Ethiopia and Pampaida, Nigeria. Koraro is located in one of the poorest regions of Ethiopia and suffers from “degraded soil, high malaria and maternal mortality rates, poor drinking water and poor infrastructure.” Koraro is made up of 11 villages that are difficult to travel between due to road conditions. Not only is it hard to get around the area but to go out even further to the dry weather road located about 54 miles out is difficult as well, cutting off Koraro even more.

Pampaida suffers from mass desertification and other land degradation. Poverty spread throughout the area has caused a lot of overall suffering to this part of Nigeria, a top problem being food shortage. Throughout about three to five months during the year the area has extreme food shortage, a problem that is a big goal for the Millennium Villages Project to fix.

Post One: The Quest to End Poverty

By: Kailey Witcher

Jacqueline Novogratz in her TED talks brings up the question on how to define poverty. What is her answer? What is her main message? Find at least one other TED talk on this subject and reflect on it.  Do you agree or disagree with the message?

Novogratz tells a story about donating a sweater to Good Will and later on running into someone who had that sweater far from where she donated it originally. She describes our world as “being connected” and “just one large contextual story.” I understand the terms she uses because we all do share one big world and between those connections along with using the unique tools we all bring to the table we are able to use that connection to hopefully help benefit developing countries. She uses the example of people in India working on farms for less than two dollars a day. She points out the big number of people that are currently living on close to nothing. Her main goal in this video is to point out the large problem poverty is and the huge effect it has on many, and encourages those to stay educated and help in any ways possible. She stresses that we can help other countries and so we should, without question. I agree that if developed countries have tools they can use to help developing counties get be better off than they should do what they can.          

   A second TED talk on poverty called, “An Escape from Poverty” Novogratz stresses that poverty is complex. She tells the story of how people can come out of what seems like having nothing and be able to reach their goals they set for themselves.

What is the vision, the goal of the SDGs? What is the effect of neo-liberalism (cutting government spending promoted by the World Bank and IMF)? 

Sustainable Development Goals are meant to “universally call to action an end to  poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peach and prosperity.” The important concept behind this goal is teamwork. It will take multiple people and a lot of genuine effort to be successful in reaching SDG’s. There are currently 17 goals that range from climate change goals, economic inequality goals, innovations goals and more. United Nations set up these goals ad they have made a big impact with their efforts so far but more can always be done and there is constantly going to be things that can be done to better the world overall. Cutting government spending could have a negative impact on SDG’s because if the government can provide money aid when they can they should take advantage of that.

John McArthur in Own the Goals talks about “Players on the Bench”. Who are they and what does he criticize?

The article Own the Goals, by John McArthur refers to those who weren’t contributing to the aid of Millennium Development Goals as effectively as they may have seemed. McArthur gives specific examples including George W. Bush, State Department officials and others. McArthur expresses that those people and institutions were steering away from the term MDG’s because of how it would make them look publicly. The article argues that this dissociation from the term MDG’s cost opportunities for the U.S. to “highlight its contributions to development efforts and foster international goodwill.” McArthur criticizes that this issue is going to keep occurring if people of higher power or those with a platform don’t fully support MDG’s.

The article “How to Help Poor Countries” (2005) addresses the question of more aid money. Please elaborate. What are suggestions made by the authors? Do you agree?

The article How to Help Poor Countries, is about the increase in international aid for underdeveloped counties. The article states the importance of wealthy companies doing their part to help the many developing countries. The authors encourage the importance of more aid money because it is a way to help those struggling countries become better off, therefore helping the world as a whole be better off. The other side of the argument that the authors point out is that aid from richer countries to poorer countries can only do so much. Poor countries that are receiving the aid need to be efficient with the aid they receive to get the most out of the help. The article states, “development is something largely determined by poor countries themselves, and outsiders can play only a limited role,” I believe the article makes a strong argument to back this idea up. I would agree that developing countries need to accept help from richer countries but not forget the importance of helping themselves. The article uses the term “tools” to describe the aid money from other countries, developing countries need to use those tools correctly.

Sources:

“Background of the Sustainable Development Goals.” UNDP, http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development-goals/background/.

John W. McArthur: “Own the Goals – What the Millennium Development Goals have   Accomplished”, Foreign Affairs, March/April 201

 Nancy Birdsall, Dani Rodrik & Arvind Subramanian (2005). “How to Help Poor Countries.”   Foreign Affairs 84(4): 136-152

Novogratz, Jacqueline. “Invest in Africa’s Own Solutions.” Ted, Ted, http://www.ted.com/talks/jacqueline_novogratz_invests_in_ending_poverty#t-562021.