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On being mentored by the inimitable Akumal Ramachander
One of my mentors, someone who had a substantial impact on my life and career passed away a few weeks ago, in Bangalore, India. Akumal Ramachander was a public intellectual, an art promoter and one of the most well-read and educated people I have met. He was persistent, fearless and inimitable. There are mentors who…
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Leadership in local government – What does it mean?
Leadership at the local government level doesnt get much attention. Often, we read about and discuss national or state level decision making. However, as we know, or should know, leadership at the local government is extremely crucial and can make the difference between a great city and a mediocre one. I am lucky to know…
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Separating myths from realities about undocumented migrants
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Travel, conversations and learning – How being part of conversations can shape your educational/ professional future
We often think of travel as movement. Physical movement to see people, places or attend events. But have you ever considered travel as a conversation? A conversation to enter a new space, a new way of thinking and new way of experiencing life? This is what I realized during my recent trips with my students.…
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What is Development – And why does it matter?
I am teaching a course during the summer term, which I have titled “Understanding development,” a class I developed over the past year or so. This is my second time teaching it and during each class, I try to challenge students about a conception of “development” they have, whether it is local or global. …
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What is cultural humility
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Do Sanctions work? : What have we learnt from past actions
I recall coming across this question in grad school, almost 12 years ago. The professor who taught a course on the UN and its role in development posed this question to all of us. The class, consisted of about 20 or so young, idealistic students from around the world with varying understandings of sanctions –…
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How the US Congress can make friends and help people
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How to make a political statement by learning Spanish
We are living in interesting times. Times when xenophobia, racism, and suspicion of the ‘other’ are going mainstream, at least at the level of political rhetoric. While one can excuse this as the misguided logic leading up to the primaries, one cannot ignore the amount of confusion this is causing- both domestically and across the…
