Aidnography

It is fair to say that Bono is one of the leading global celebrities involved in the aid industry and probably one of the founding fathers of modern, celebrity/musician engagement in international humanitarian and development issues. Harry Browne dedicates a detailed and critical analysis of Bono as part of Verso Books ’ ‘Counterblasts’ series. Since I already reviewed a critical treatment of Jeff Sachs in that series, The Frontman-Bono (In the Name of Power) provides a good opportunity to reflect on celebrity engagement beyond the Irish pop cultural icon and front man of the band U2. For readers of this blog and those who generally keep a critical eye on popular and public (re)presentations of development, Browne’s rationale behind his critical expose reads hardly surprising: For nearly three decades as a public figure (…) Bono has been (…) amplifying elite discourses, advocating ineffective solutions, patronizing the poor and kissing the arses of the rich and powerful. He has

Hi all, The first week of term was quite overwhelming-so the latest link review is a bit delayed. But this also means that plenty of interesting readings will be featured below! Development news looks at new volunteering research with a Southern focus; the Clintons & Haiti; the limits of how the new BRICs bank challenges the system; the challenges of humanitarian biometrics; Oxfam embracing the ‘data revolution’; what lacking preparedness for the next Katrina says about development & technology; how Gasland changed public debates & action; the myths of ‘Effective Altruism’ is this week's must-read! Our digital lives on data scientists and mommy bloggers’ disappearing income. Finally, some digital tools for reflective academic practice . Enjoy! New from aidnography New research on vocationalization in international development studies education The latest published outcome of my fruitful research and writing partnership with Daniel Esser is a new article in Learning

The latest published outcome of my fruitful research and writing partnership with Daniel Esser is a new article in Learning and Teaching where we discuss Countering the risks of vocationalisation in Master's programmes in International Development (gated access). As always, there is also an un-gated pre-print version of the article : We review the ontological and pedagogical origins of International Development graduate education in the context of increasing pressures to 'professionalise' graduate curricula. We apply Giroux's concept of 'vocationalisation' to argue that professionalisation risks undermining the field's intellectual foundations in an elusive quest to equip students with functional rather than intellectual skills. Acknowledging ever-growing competition among graduates for gainful employment in this sector, we argue that instructors of International Development should recommit to the field's reflective tradition by creating spaces

Hi all, New week, new links as the momentum for the start of the new term builds up. Development news features Oxfam latest trends on closing civil society spaces; the complexities of (not) paying UN interns; the challenges of sustainable reconstruction in Haiti; how artists can enrich non-profit management; RCTs & the nuances if evidence; what happens when a Kenyan politician leaves his office; Digital lives ask whether Google algorithms can change election results? Has hacking be gentrified and/or appropriated? Are women getting empowered through book clubs? Academia on the ‘war on learning’ and the question whether there is a ‘Netflix effect’ for training and teaching. Enjoy! New from aidnography Does the ADB have a problem with women? Any high-level development meeting that features contemporary buzzwords like ‘innovative’, ‘inclusive’ or ‘resilient’ in its description feels a bit strange when the participants comprise a very homogeneous group in terms of sex, gender, a

When I tweeted this picture from the ADB's 7th International Policy Advisory Group meeting yesterday, I did not anticipate that it quickly became one of my most re-tweeted Tweets in a long time: . @JeffDSachs & 24 (!) men discuss #post2015 *INCLUSIVE* #globaldev with @ADB_HQ #allmalepanel pic.twitter.com/MQrQhNS0lQ — Tobias Denskus (@aidnography) August 16, 2015 Even Jeffrey Sachs felt compelled to join the conversation after my colleague Raul Pacheco-Vega took up the tweet: . @aidnography @JeffDSachs @ADB_HQ and THAT is just one of the many reasons I am skeptical of SDGs. Who is involved in setting them? — Dr Raul Pacheco-Vega (@raulpacheco) August 16, 2015 @raulpacheco @aidnography @ADB_HQ Women fighting for SDGs hardest (e.g. UN Women) for gender equality, access of girls to education & more. — Jeffrey D. Sachs (@JeffDSachs) August 16, 2015 @JeffDSachs @aidnography @ADB_HQ I am really curious to know why was the panel you were on

Hi all, Another week is coming to its end and you are looking for Friday afternoon and weekend reading recommendations! Development news features inherent contradictions of the SDGs in a capitalist world, inherent contradictions of CSR & companies paying for lobbying, inherent contradictions of global privatized disaster rescue, inherent contradictions of global volunteering organizations that want experts without paying them (properly)-and more. Digital lives takes a look at the bottom of the global data pyramid and summit where privileged tech people discuss Effective Altruism. And in Academia a ed-tech pioneer is tired of the disruptor narrative and if you are part of the increasing metrified academy you may want to read why academia is not like baseball! Enjoy! New from aidnography On Facebook’s Internet.org false promises of a “poor man’s internet” Guest post by Hani Morsi: Beyond the praiseworthy premise of Internet.org, it is no humanitarian mission. Internet.org is Fa