International Development

[close] “If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time. If you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.” - Lilla Watson Peace Corps and International Development is problematic, and as a returned volunteer, I have been wanting for some time to critically re-examine my overseas experience, to think through its explicit and implicit power dynamics. How do issues of race, class, gender, colonialism, and geopolitics inform the "do-gooder" mentality of volunteer and paid international development work, and what does that mean for its impact on volunteers, host communities, and others? Change begins with learning, and that is why I wanted to start this group where we could read, discuss, and share centered on thought-provoking books that bring a more critical perspective to Peace Corps and ID organizations. One goal is to create a syllabus to be shared with future or returned Peace Corps Volunteers as well as others, something akin to Ibram X. Kendi's anti-racist syllabus for Ralph Northam. What would we imagine for Peace Corps and ID organizations if we incorporated a true grappling with our place in the world, this work, its dynamics, and discourses of improvement?

[close] Global Concerns Classroom (GCC) is an innovative global education program that seeks to raise awareness of current international humanitarian issues in U.S. youth and to empower them to take meaningful action. Through dynamic resources, student engagement programs, and professional development for educators, GCC prepares youth to gain the knowledge and skills needed to be globally competent for the 21st century. This reading list is to further the passion and intrigue for students through both fictional and non-fictional literature and engage in discussions about how the readings relate to current global issues. We will be reading one book a month and you are welcome to engage in the book discussion threads as soon as you have finished the book. This group is open to students, teachers, and parents!

[close] A place for anyone interested in/reading about international politics, economics, and law. Currently not moderated but drop me a message if you are interested in activating this group.

[close] We’re an online book club for those in international development. We read one book a month then discuss its themes and relations to our work/studies. Discussions take place in the comment section of http://www.developmentbookclub.wordpress.com. Anyone interested in development is encouraged to participate and we hope to learn from each other's perspectives and experiences!