How has free primary education affected the education system in Kenya? How has it benefited the country and what challenges does the policy face?
Considering the way in which Chavez took control of Venezuela and the methods used by his opposition to overthrow him as described by Casey, do you believe that if the end is basic human and civil rights, do the ends always justify the means? A study done by Venezuelan psychologist Ana Gabriela Guedez in 2014 found that most Venezuelans view human rights to be indivisible. Given your understanding of Venezuela as it is today and a foreigner’s perspective, do you believe that human rights can become a reality for the people of Venezuela in the near future? Why or why not?
Do you think that nuclear power represents an alternative electricity source that should be pursued or encouraged for developing nations? How does nuclear power compare to the other methods of generating electricity more commonly used in the developing world?
Dayo Olopade’s “Commercial Map” challenges the application of the western economic model to the African economy. She stresses that in order to jumpstart development in African countries, we must change our standard and provide commercial solutions that cater to it. Of her proposed ideas, from “impact lending” to diaspora bonds, which do you think would be most effective? Pulling from previous literature we’ve read on the African economy (Moyo, Sachs, etc), do you believe Olopade has a better understanding of African commerce?
Also, Olopade uses the term kanju many times in her writing. For those who are confused:
In Yuroba, a language of Nigeria, kanju literally means “to rush or to make haste”; in English, we might say it is to “hustle,” “strive,” “know how,” or “make do.” There are some existing terms that get close to my meaning. Jua kali (which means “harsh sun” in Swahili) refers to the resourceful labor in Kenya’s informal sector. “…Political scientist Joel Migdal calls kanju logic “strategies of survival – blueprints for action and belief in a world that hovers on the brink of a Hobbesian state of nature.”
As MFIs grow, governments have increased the call for regulations. Do you think using regulations is the correct approach? As MFIs have to increasingly choose between protecting the poor customers and having a larger social impact, which is the more appropriate choice in your opinion? Is it ok to focus less on the extreme poor and female borrowers to create relative financial security for the moderately poor? Should the four different types of MFIs be treated differently under government regulations and if so how?
Based on the study of Community Health Workers (CHWs) by Haines, et al., do you think CHWs are a promising way to improve maternal health and infant mortality rates in the developing world? In what settings do you think CHWs will be most effective? What do you think will be the main challenges facing CHWs? How do you suggest that these challenges could be overcome?
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?
Al Jazeera NYT: Middle East
