Global, Local, Expert?

Sorry to be a bit boring, got development in mind lately. The movement to democratize the industry and let people self-determine is finally picking up steam in tangible ways. Rakesh Rajani's piece about the business of development provides a nice framework for the global-local relationship. So Ben Taylor's piece offering two possible approaches to Open Government in Tanzania is a nice follow up. What was it again? Oh yeah: think global act local. That must have been a few development paradigms ago. Plus ca change.

On the issue of global/local and 'expertise,' by stalking William Easterly on the Twitter I came across an article published in 2008 by Nathan Nunn and Leonard Wantchekon titled 'The Slave Trade and the Origins of Mistrust in Africa.' Anyone who can claim to know the origins of mistrust in Africa is already taking a huge risk in my opinion. I find the article objectionable on any number of levels, but in the interest of saving time let me just ask you to contrast their approach to 'Africa' with this anthropologist's approach to studying a complex issue in an African setting. Social scientists, all three studying a culture not their own. The economists do come out of this looking like aliens trying to puzzle out human behavior. Sigh. Economists.

So, Chadema lost Igunga. Here's Omar's original piece on the importance of this election for Chadema, and a follow-up that dips into some past analysis. And a post-mortem from The Citizen that contains interesting opinions from 'the man on the ground'.

Julius Malema, Film in Tanzania and That Damn Question.

The stuff that passes for movies made in Bongo? Kill. me. now. It hurts to see so much energy and raw talent go to waste because of a laissez-faire attitude. So it was with incredible pleasure that I stumbled across this critical and informative piece on Doc. Faustine's blog. More, please?

You know, my imaginary South Africa (the one with a non-existent crime rate and a Nandos at every street corner and Kiswahili is an official language too) is my Happy Place. So I like to imagine that the real South Africa will keep its shit together. But, you know: The violent xenophobia. Then, Jacob Zuma. And now, Julius Malema . What is really creepy is that the ANC has Zuma and Malema in crucial leadership positions. The ANC! Wait... is that the sound of yet another revolutionary party without a revolution going down the drain?

And finally, an exciting new blog by a bloggeress! And she's a sociologist too! Cherry on top. I like sociologists. A lot. Love them, really. Okay. Here is the caveat: I did spot That Damn Question about midway through my perusal. This is going to be an interesting ride. Most of all because Rasmus Hundbaek's (hope I got that right...) chosen topic is such a great one. And, you know, she's going to look at it with her sociologist eyes.