Change & continuity in global development

A report published recently by the Brookings Institution entitled "Global development disrupted: Findings from a survey of 93 leaders" (by George Ingram and Kristin M. Lord, March 2019) "reveals a global development sector in transition and perhaps even turmoil." This post will look at how the report uses three specific terms - culture, language, and …

“They” – a 1971 perspective on othering

As a sophomore at Willowbrook High School in 1971, I penned a short piece entitled “They” for the holiday edition of the school’s newspaper, The Skyline. It is republished below with 3 minor copyedits (!). There is a lot I’d word differently if I were to write this today – after lots more education and life experience. Such …

Assimilation – in the 21st century?

What does "assimilation" (in its socio-cultural sense) really mean in an age of globalization, easy digital communication, international integration, migration, and recently in the wake of recrudescent nationalisms? On a vary basic level, we know that assimilation refers to a process by which individuals of a more or less distinct group (perhaps indigenous, immigrant, or …