Dear blogosphere,
This is my first blog and I'm not entirely sure how to introduce myself but I'll give it a shot:
My name is Julia. I'm a Division III (senior) at Hampshire College currently working on my Division III project (senior thesis). I've spent most of my time at Hampshire studying political science and sub-Saharan Africa, both of which led me to a semester in Uganda and Rwanda studying Post-Conflict Transformation through the SIT last spring.
I'll be using this blog to document interesting "artifacts" i.e. news articles, images, essays, and videos that relate to my thesis. I don't expect anyone to read my posts, but if you do please feel free to comment, question and share other links.
Now might be a good time to describe the thesis itself. I'm writing 3 essays on humanitarianism. The first (now in rough draft form) is on the morality behind giving.
-How does the donor see her/him self in relation to the recipient of aid?
-How was the western humanitarian conscience constructed?
-How has humanitarianism become something viewed as being a-political?
-And ultimately, why do people give?
The second essay explores the ways in which humanitarianism is marketed. This includes news media, humanitarian organization marketing, and art images.
-How does the donor view the recipient?
-How do image and media representations of African peoples establish an over-generalized and victimizing understanding of an entire continent?
-Is the urgency to take action on behalf humanitarian causes dulled as a result of the U.S. understanding of Africa as a place in a perpetual state of poverty, chaos, and conflict?
-Is it possible to "market" Africa in a new way? (this is the hard part. suggestions?)
Essay 3 will be titled "marginalization" but I won't know the specifics until essay 2 is done. This blog will be most useful for essay 2 since it's so visually based.
Well, thanks for reading!
Stay tuned for lots of really interesting things to think about!
Cheers,
Julia
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I'm particularly interested in reading your essays. I work in the area of philanthropic giving in corporate America and I've always been interested in the morality behind giving and how donors view recipients, because I want people to give more. Let's face it, there is need everywhere in the world. We (Americans) have so much more than others and we can "afford" to give more. I would like to know how to market the needs of my own community in a new way to get people to give and/or pay attention to where the need is. Most agencies prefer money over goods, but many people I know prefer to clean their closets and buy new items before writing a check. Maybe the way to market Africa as well as other communities in need is not to show images of poverty and need but to show development and strength in communities. (Micro loans are getting more attention than poverty, chaos and conflict because I don't believe individuals believe one person can make a difference in areas of such vast desparation and conflict.) Americans like to get in on the "ground floor" of ideas and areas with possibility and growth. They like being pioneers and contributors to the pioneer attitudes. It's a shame that there is so much need in Africa due to war, and so much need in America due to poverty. i can't help thinking, however, that it's poor people and people in need that turn Americans (and perhaps others) away because it's a problem that can never be solved. Love your blog. Thanks Julia.
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