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How to tackle disinformation – the single biggest challenge of public administration?
~ Sabith Khan, PhD Imagine being in a once in a century pandemic. And miraculously, a group of scientists discovers a vaccine that actually works, all in a matter of months. Then, the vaccine starts to roll out. But there is one problem: a good segment of the population refuses to take it. This imaginary…
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How can public servants help promote equity and justice?
With the recent protests against the killing of George Floyd, the focus is back on a segment of the population that is at the heart of this issue: the public servant. The police force is part of the machinery that has been, is, and will be a part of our daily lives, whether we like…
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Habits of the Heart featured in top 40 blogs on philanthropy
I am happy to announce that this blog, Habits of the Heart, which focuses on philanthropy and public policy is featured as one of the top 40 blogs on philanthropy on https://blog.feedspot.com/philanthropy_blogs/ While this is a privilege and honor, I would like to hear from you, the reader, what topics you’d like to read more…
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Insights into refugee resettlement in Germany
Last week, I was in Munich, attending a conference organized by the Institut fur Politisch Bildung, a German think-tank and Virginia Tech (my alma mater). The three day visit was overwhelmingly positive, except for a visit to the Dachau Concentration camp, which left me drained, emotionally. Regardless, here is a quick synopsis of some of…
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Two Americans in Ecuador
While the American political apparatus is busy withdrawing itself from the world, I met two incredible Americans who have not only spent their energies, but also their time trying to make Ecuador a better place. Just last week I was in Quito, the country’s capital to visit Sun Mountain, an organization founded by Scott Solberg, an…
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Is there a ‘rational’ way to Discuss Immigration Reform?
America is a country that equally loves and hates immigration. With public opinion on this issue being divided, it does not look Americans will reach a consensus on what is good for the country, anytime soon. If history is any indicator, then this question has not been settled in the last three hundred years. So,…
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Can democracy take root in the Arab world?
As Syria burns, Iraq implodes and Tunisia and Libya struggle to democratize, one question remains central to framing discussions of participatory governance – Is democracy possible in the ‘Muslim world’? Is democracy an ‘internal wound,’ that has been left to fester for too long, within the Arab/Muslim world, as Moroccan scholar Fatima Mernissi argues? She…
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Hyper-patriotism in the heart of Manhattan: My visit to the 9/11 memorial
I visited the National September 11 Museum, more out of curiosity, rather than any sense of wanting to know more about the tragedy that struck the U.S. on September 11, 2001. While most of us know the facts – enough to know the bad guys, the heroism of the people involved and the reactions from…
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Can the ‘Golden Age of Philanthropy’ Transform America?
As I visited Indianapolis last week to attend the ARNOVA Young Leaders Forum, I met some of the people from Lilly School of Philanthropy, the world’s first school of philanthropy. While the two day meeting was meant as a professional development opportunity, it also served as a way for the young leaders – most of…
