Can males ever be fully excluded from the microcredit process? Is this an effective mechanism of promoting female empowerment?

Given the political and economic problems outlined by the Ffrench in his article, and reflecting on past conversations about the viability of microfinance as a development tool, how effective to you think that MIDA can be in eradicating poverty in Jamaica? Do you believe MIDA should continue as a program, why or why not? If so, what reforms do you think are necessary for its sustainability and effectiveness?

Based on Taşpınar’s assessment of the role of Islam in Turkish politics and in forming Turkey’s cultural identity, do you believe Islamization positively affects Turkey’s economic and democratic development? How important is EU membership to its overall development moving forward?

How do members of the informal sector contribute to the formal sector? Is the relationship efficient/valuable?

Given the nature of the Fair Trade business model, including the advantages and the disadvantages put forth in the article on Fair Trade practices, does the fair trade business model seem like it can and will be successful at helping economies of developing nations? Are there ways in which you would alter it to make it more effective? Think about it from both the perspective of the real business owners trying to help while still maintaining their business and profits, and from the perspective of the farm owners from developing nations.