Saturday, January 29, 2005
The G8 and Africa: Rhetoric or Action?
Just as a quick follow up to this post on the main blog [synaptic disunion]. I finally figured out what I was watching on C-SPAN. My sick brain finally put everything together, and I found some information online. It was a forum called "The G8 and Africa: Rhetoric or Action?"
There's a Webcast with 27 minutes of highlights here.
There's also a short blurb with a link to a session summery (as well as the above webcast), here.
Participants were (from left to right):
- William J. Clinton, Founder, William Jefferson Clinton Foundation; President of the United States (1993-2001)
- William H. Gates III, Co-Founder, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Chairman and Chief Software Architect, Microsoft Corporation, USA
- Thabo Mbeki, President of South Africa
- Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
- Bono, Musician, DATA (Debt, AIDS and Trade in Africa), United Kingdom
- Olusegun Obasanjo, President of Nigeria
Moderated by
- Christine Ockrent, Senior Anchor, Journalist and Author, France 3, France
very rough outline...
I presented my instructor with this outline today in class. He seemed to like how I was beginning my approach. But, to be sure, things could continue to evolve.
Note, the missing sections. I'm still working these out. Also, I may rearrange some of the sections, or even lengthen some of them, if I feel they need a more detailed treatment.
I was sure to mention that I'm not going to focus on the bloody nature of FGM, outside of it's health concerns, as it is already generally known, and well documented. A quick description of the types of FGM practiced, and which ones are specific to Ghana is as close as I'll come.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Research Outline
Changing Political Ideas Toward Unsafe Traditional Practices in Ghana:
A Study of the History of Laws Surrounding Female Genital Mutilation
I.Introduction
A. types of FGM practiced in Ghana
B. location of FGM frequency in Ghana
II.History
A. Legal History of FGM in Ghana
1. major players
2. early laws
3. outside influences
B. Social History of FGM in Ghana
1. affects of FGM on family and social life
2. health hazards of FGM on individuals
3.
III.Current Political Atmosphere
A. Current Law surrounding FGM in Ghana
1. major players
2. enforcement and non-enforcement in rural Ghana
3. outside organizations
B.
IV.Conclusion
A. Future of FGM in Ghana
B.
Thursday, January 20, 2005
sharpening the focus...
I'm starting to finally get a handle on doing research again, and have narrowed the focus of my topic such that it will make it easier to find articles related to it. I've decided on the following topic: Changing Political Ideas Toward Unhealthy Traditional Practices in Ghana. Not focused enough? Well, I've decided to only cover one type of traditional practice, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
So far I have been able to find loads of information about the laws surrounding this practice, not only in Ghana, but in other parts of the world. I've found articles about the history of the practice as well, so that I can better chart changes over time. I will be looking at how FGM is treated in both rural Ghana, and cosmopolitan Ghana. Furthermore, I will try to cover a little of the religious aspect of the practice, and how it affects social and political relationships at the familial level, up through the national level.
I will likely not cover in too much detail the horrendous nature of this practice, or it's degrading effects on women in general, as much has been written about it. I will mention this however, and direct the reader to several of the wonderful articles, papers, and movements aimed at ending the practice. What I will be measuring, or at least atemping to measure in this paper, are the changes over time regarding the practice, and the effectiveness or non-effectiveness of Ghanaian laws surrounding it...much of the rest of the content of the paper will likely be descriptive of the history and cultural nature of the practice as it relates to political and social relationships at several levels.
So, now, I have at least 500 pages of printed journal articles to skim through over the next month or so...I also have an outline to write, which I will post here, and I will be writing an abstract in at least a week or two, which I will also post here. I might also post links to the various .pdf files from my growing bibliography.
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
shifting focus...
I've found out that our research project is over (specifically) the politics of Ghana. Not surprising, since the professor did his own field research in Ghana. So, I've started focusing on the effects of culture change on the politics of Ghana. This is still broad, so I might granularize it even further.
One topic if interest are the changing attitudes in Ghana (and indeed, across Africa) toward ritualistic practices that are considered unhealthy by most of us in what is generally called "the west" by most Africans. What is interesting, specifically, are the local laws and statutes that are put in place to keep these practices from happening. What is even more interesting is in what areas these laws are overlooked.
I'm starting to lean, as I begin my searches on scholar.google.com, toward the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and the changing outlooks and laws surrounding the practice. I think mostly because there's been alot of good writing and research done already.
Notes and articles related:
(FGM - specifically)
http://www.unfpa.org/focus/ghana/culture.htm#What%20Agyeman-Rawlings
Google Scholar Search String (lots of good articles and PDF's here):
Female Genital Mutilation Ghana Politics Laws
(General Change Related)
http://www.crvp.org/book/Series02/II-5/contents.htm
http://web.africa.ufl.edu/asq/v2/v2i3a3.htm
google scholar...
Time to start using this:
Google Scholar
notes to self...things to read...
http://www.uiowa.edu/~africart/toc/history/giblinhistory.html
http://www.crisisstates.com/Research/projects/mideast01.htm
http://archives.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/africa/10/29/troubled.democrac.ap/
http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/ssrg/africa/poli1.html
http://web.gc.cuny.edu/RalphBuncheInstitute/faculty.html
http://web.africa.ufl.edu/asq/v2/v2i3a3.htm
Thursday, January 13, 2005
political africa...
Our class project will be over Political Africa. I haven't presented this idea to the professor yet, but I'm leaning toward my portion of the research being over the effects of rapid culture change on political Africa.
I'm interested in Culture Change, both directed and non directed. I think how we effect each other as individuals and groups is very interesting. I also find directed Culture Change to be both a challenging prospect and an interesting concept. To be able to direct change by using anthropological thoughts seems to me, a very practical application of the discipline.
To be sure, I am not saying that pure anthropological research is any lesser a discipline, I'm just interested in the relatively new discipline of applied anthropology (where it relates to change agents and directed culture change). Directed culture change begs the question, "what gives us the right to change a culture at all?" That's a good question. As Anthropologists, we don't want to push our own ideology on a people, but we want to work within a culture, find out what it's possible weak points are (concerning longevity, bad social adaptations, and etc..) and find a cultural precedent for changing cultures from within.
For example, how would one go about stopping the practice of female circumcision? Make it illegal? In some countries, this would work (like here in the United States), but in others, it just wouldn't work. Change has to come from within. As an Anthropologist, my first task would be to understand why the practice is important, both from a religious standpoint, and from a social adaptation standpoint (possibly other angles as well). Then, find some way to change the practice gradually from within using the groups own laws and precedents. If this just isn't possible at all, then I'd have a problem. I'm not at the point in my anthropology career to know what to do in this case. Leaving it alone comes to mind, but the practice is so damaging, dangerous and degrading (and in a few cases fatal), that I would feel compelled to keep trying.
At any rate, the effects of rapid culture change on political Africa might end up being too broad of a subject to tackle. I might have to get my professor to help me narrow my focus a bit. I think I'll also need to get him to define in what way he is using the word "political." Is he talking about the politics of Africa, or is he talking about the political map of Africa, and how it came about. These are two entirely different issues, it seems to me.
I look forward to working on this research though, and using this blog to post comments, thoughts, and links.
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
more books, and etc...
I got the rest of the books required for my class, and have skimmed through them. I look forward to reading Notes from the Hyena's Belly, and think that I will find Africa and Africans mildly interesting. I'm still finding the ethnography of the Dobe people the most interesting.
I missed class on Monday, and am anxious to see what our research topic will be. I'll be making notes, and posting links here for myself, and classmates as well. With any luck, we will jointly author a paper that will be presented at the research symposium in May. That's going to be super cool.
Dispelling myths about Africa will also be fun. I still remember the comments of a friend of a friend when, in 1990, I got the opportunity to visit Kenya. His only reaction was "why would anyone ever want to go there?" These days I would most likely just laugh at a person who said that, or at least not bother with answering them, because I can already tell what kind of person I'm dealing with from a comment like that. Talking to them would be useless. However, as it was then, my answer was simply "why would anyone NOT want to go there?" I still feel that way today.
In 1990, however, I was twenty years old, and stupid. I was also visiting missionaries, so my vision of Africa was viewed through certain pre-conceptions. I visited Africa at a time in my life when I was just trying to figure out who I was, and where I belonged in the world. It had a profound effect on me, however, one that sticks with me to this day. I'm anticipating learning more about the place I visited though, learning more right here in the Inland Northwest than I learned while right there on the ground in Africa.
Africa is often forgotten by the west. Geonocids take place there without even a nod in their direction by the largest "Christian" nation on the planet. The reason? I'll blog more about that later. But, since the slave trade was ended, I suppose there hasn't been much economic interest in Africa, and until there is renewed economic interest, the US will most likely be blind to most of what goes on there.
Saturday, January 08, 2005
anthropologie
Why Anthropology? Why am I taking more classes? Why am I getting a second bachelors degree in such a "useless" discipline as Anthropology?
I can't really answer those questions well enough for most people. Most people see my choice to study Anthropology as useless because it won't further my current career. Some people see Anthropology as a discipline rife with liberal and evolutionary thought, and therefore something to be avoided.
Mostly, when I tell family or co-workers what I'm taking and I get confused looks coupled with the question "Why?" My only response is, because it's cheap, and I really enjoy it. I suppose knowing for the sake of knowing isn't good enough for most people, or offends the efficiency of the Puritan work ethic. Useless things are to be avoided. Knowledge that doesn't bring one closer to God, or help one further their career is shunned. And, while it can be argued that learning for learnings sake can bring one closer to God, and further one's career, no matter the knowledge, it still is an offensive practice many.
So, it is into the world of Anthropology that I throw my brain. It is with great excitement that I rush toward knowledge that many ignore and deem useless. So be it.
This blog will cover my career as a student of Anthropology. I am enrolled in my first class, Peoples of Africa, and am already starting to re-acquire the mental skills I had during my first bachelors. I can't wait to see what lies ahead for me. And at the prices I'm paying for classes, I can't help but be giddy!
notes - links - thoughts
In this blog I will jot down thoughts about the anthro classes I'll be taking over the next few years. I will also at times use anthropological thinking when thinking about current social problems.
