Counting Down

It seems that a month away should be more than 35 short days.


But that's the count down until I'm in Mali. It's time to get packing... or ordering from online considering the severe lack of appropriate shopping places within a decent drive (and considering current gas prices that have me wanting to ride my bike that 77 miles). When I get back from Mali, maybe that bike ride won't be so bad...

I've been going through all of my old documents, memories, and class notes that I've always kept in my desk (until my parents hijacked the desk and put the papers in a plastic tub). Refreshing and exhausting at the same time. It's a mixture of emotions and thoughts and doodles and notes and poetry and trying to be poetic. Some of the most challenging messages are those from Uganda and those developing my beliefs about development theory. I have my notes from the very first time I met with Development Ethicist, Denis Goulet, at his office in Flanner Hall. I had absolutely no idea what I was talking about. I'm still not sure that I do.

After returning from Uganda, I was pretty sure that I didn't want to return there (or to Africa in general) for a long time. Anyway, my program in Development Studies, I thought, had taught me that my place in development was on the American side of things-- where I believe that I have more influence and at least more power to make a difference considering my background. So much needs to be changed in America before development abroad (and domestic!) can occur. And is it really my place to be directing or trying to decide what development should look like? Probably not. And yet, I'm headed to Mali with the Peace Corps to do Small Enterprise Development. Let's just say that I'm trying to figure some things out and balance the desire to make the difference here and the desire to make relationships and a difference. I'm not sure that the balance exists, but I'm going to try this out!

Although I don't want to do development, per se, I want to do something related to the "positive outcomes" of "development" work. There are four critical thinkers currently pushing (or have pushed) the envelope to the brink; these people make me truly happy because I know that challengers are out there who can't be satisfied with the current situation of development thought and the harmful status quo:

- Herman Daly, who champions sustainable development that includes thoughts about the environment
- Amartya Sen, of the International Development Ethics Association, author of Development as Freedom
- Joseph Stiglitz, author of Fair Trade for All and Making Globalization Work
- the late Denis Goulet (did anyone question this!?), author of The Cruel Choice and The Uncertain Promise, among other fantastic articles on development ethics

On we go. Perhaps it's dangerous for me to be reanalyzing my development theory before landing in a completely different environment with a project and goals and AH! responsibility! I'll be back, with new authors/people to add to my list of favorites (hopefully some Malians, some women, some youth...) Now, back to packing.