Category Archives: Uncategorized

A discussion worth remembering, from yesterday. Academics is changing. It is more and more about doers who want to connect the world of theory with the world of real world experimentation and hands-in-the-mud implementation. It’s about being critical and radical, but being able to communicate and persuade others. It’s about being idealistic and stubborn, but being able to live with the frustrations and fight until the end. It’s about not losing the bigger goal to prestigious ivory towers. Not letting […]

My generation – especially youth who are for whatever reason attracted to the activist lifestyle; especially those coming from a North American perspective – are often taught that we have the potential to change the world. To make an impact. To save the earth and humanity from an apocalypse. Throughout my high school and university years, I was also fed a steady diet of such propaganda. (I’m using propaganda here without a negative connotation.) I don’t disagree, nor do I […]

Recently, for work I’m summarizing and synthesizing many scholarly articles on what factors actually improve educational outcomes, mostly targeted at the context of developing countries. Firstly it’s amazing to be paid to read quality articles and books (on my reading list is also Poor Economics – a book I’ve been trying to settle down and read for so long!) on topics in development I’m very interested in. Second, there are just a few lessons that really strike me reading these […]

Interesting post over at Blattman (by the way, I can’t believe Freakonomics attacked Blattman with such viciousness; have a bit of class, will ya?). Emphasis are mine. My favorite discovery of past weeks are Yale’s open courses, for video or podcast. Right now I’m about a third of my way through Steven Smith’s Introduction to political philosophy and Ian Shapiro’s Moral Foundations of Politics. Highly, highly recommended. …hard to understand what the political theorists were writing about. What use was revisiting 2000-year-old tomes?…They tackle the […]

“If we’re not progressive, who will be?” — Friend “It is not my responsibility to compromise. That is the politicians’ jobs.” — Raj Patel Although it’s been a few years since I heard these two quotes, they have always stayed with me. I completely agree with the sentiments –  society has and always will need people who are progressive. By definition, societal progress cannot happen if we’re always conservative*. History has shown us that humans are not willing to remain […]

Nitatoka Hong Kong katika baada ya siku mbili. Ninasikitika kwa sababu nitaacha nyuma familia yangu. Lakini mimi siwezi kusubiri mpaka nitafika Dar. Nimefurahi sana ninaweza kuishi mjini huu tena. Ninapenda sana. Na ninafikiri kazi yangu ni kusisimua sana! I’m sure I just made a ton of mistakes in that paragraph (the way I used kusisimua is wrong, I’m sure). But I’m learning! It’s also exciting to be picking up Kiswahili again. I love learning new languages. Especially one as useful […]

With my departure date coming close, my excitement level for my new job and new life is rising exponentially. Before I get too excited, I should write down some goals for the next year or two to keep myself focused. It’s also an interesting way to keep track of how I’ve changed when I look back in the future. I’ll start with the big goals and move down to the more specific ones. I’ll keep it simple so I wouldn’t […]

I’m returning to Tanzania! To work with a really innovative (mm, even that over-used term doesn’t encompass the feeling. Cool, is probably the word) organization. Really lucky. Even though the position isn’t glamourous, with lots of backstage, nitty-gritty work, I can learn so much. Currently I’m reading everything I can get my hands on about the projects I’ll be involved with. Getting more and excited. More once I arrive and actually start work.

A thought-provoking article: What if I told you that the way to change the world was not to be bold, resolute, brilliant, or even compassionate? What if I told you that the way to change the world was to be sad? It sounds so improbable. When we think of those who have taught us the most about meaningful change, we think of people who are very, very brave, say, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, the Dalai Lama. Unwavering. Deep. Devoted […]