I have made my fair share of faux-pas when it comes to addressing people, in an academic setting. So, based on over a decade of experience living, working and surviving American academia, here are a few tips for you, to navigate this complicated landscape. I’ll just focus on the seemingly innocuous topic of how to… Continue reading What is the best way to address your professor/ colleague in an academic setting?
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Barter is alive and well in Oaxaca, Mexico
How are artisans and craftspeople in Mexico surviving the pandemic? Here is a discovery that I made, based on one interview in Oaxaca, Mexico. I know that for a scientifically reliable insight, a sample size of one is not considered reliable. However, indulge me, as I share one remarkable insight into how artisans and crafts… Continue reading Barter is alive and well in Oaxaca, Mexico
Why are most Afghans who are fleeing, going to neighboring countries?
Did you know that a majority of the refugees from the Middle East live in the region? Lebanon & Jordan host millions of people who have fled war, conflict or other disasters. There are an estimated 1.5 million Syrians in Lebanon, for example. In Pakistan, the story is similar : about three million Afghans reside… Continue reading Why are most Afghans who are fleeing, going to neighboring countries?
How the Italian army fooled us all during WWII
“You can’t do too well if you are creative or very imaginative, in Washington DC,” said the senior member of a Congressional staff who I was meeting in the nation’s capital. This was a few years ago, when I had just finished my Master’s degree and was managing a small nonprofit. I was the… Continue reading How the Italian army fooled us all during WWII
The world is doomed as a result of climate change – what will we do about it?
On a recent trip that I took recently, I turned on the screen on the airplane and watched Before the Flood, a well-made documentary, narrated by Leonardo Di Caprio. The documentary is a summary of what we already know : We are screwed. From a climate-change perspective, we are already well past the stage… Continue reading The world is doomed as a result of climate change – what will we do about it?
How should you manage a crisis?
Lessons from crisis management & communication campaigns – Part 1 I just heard from a colleague that entire malls are being shut down and people are stocking up food and supplies, in California. The Coronavirus scare is getting real as the State of California has declared an emergency. For sure, this seems to be a… Continue reading How should you manage a crisis?
Innovations in money transfer and remittances
The past few weeks have been filled with conferences. I was in Mexico City for a conference organized by CEMLA on remittances in Latin America and a meeting there lead me to another conference in Miami, this time the IMTC conference. Founded by Hugo Cuevas Mohr, the IMTC conferences are where practitioners, bankers and technology… Continue reading Innovations in money transfer and remittances
Do we need whistleblowers?
The recent scandal with Ukraine and Mr.Trump is one of the dozens of ethical (and legal) scandals that we have seen. Scandal after scandal, it seems like the word scandal is losing its steam. However, this one has a new twist : there is a whistleblower involved. The American legacy of whistleblowing goes far back,… Continue reading Do we need whistleblowers?
Honesty, hardwork and the academic life
New York Times published this article recently that talked about writing companies offering essays, academic papers and the like, as services to American college students. I have seen examples of this in my own classroom, though have been handicapped in proving that this work is completely written by someone else. This goes to the heart… Continue reading Honesty, hardwork and the academic life
Race to lead
I received a report in my mailbox today titled ‘Race to lead’ which deals with the issue of challenges that leaders of color face, in the nonprofit sector, in the U.S. Many of the issues highlighted in the report are quite familiar to me : lack of funding, board of directors not taking you seriously.… Continue reading Race to lead
