Think globally act locally

When I returned from Botswana I hoped to use the information I learned on a ‘glocal’ level. During the month of September there will be a drive for liquid nutrient at Wayne State University in Detroit ( i.e. Boost and Ensure). This nutrient will be shipped to Botswana and South Africa through Fighing AIDS with Nurition (www.fightingaids.org) . Please join me in the fight against HIV/AIDS to attenuate the effects of HIV. There is much we can all do . WE KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO, NOW LETS ACT!!!

African Democracy Project: Botswana

Dumaleng!

I cannot believe that I am already back from Botswana. It was a wonderful trip that would not have been possible without the help of numerous people. Everyday, I immersed myself into the country as a person seeking truth. Truth is not the story of one person. It is the experiences of many. My job as a researcher is to understand those experiences. There is no way in which I could have had the level of understanding of the Tswana people had I not gone to Botswana.  Above all else, What surprises me the most is the revelations I had about Americans in Botswana…go figure?

Our course started off with the age-old question, What is Democracy? Well of course if you’re a student living in the United States you MUST know what the meaning of ‘Democracy’ is. I mean after all you live in the country with the best Democratic government in the whole world.  Yet,  students and teachers alike could not derive a legitimate definition. In that very instant we were subconsciously seeking for its meaning.

In Botswana the people are atimate about securing a proper education for their children. Parents will go any length to ensure that their child has the uniform required to attend school. The ability to send a child to school is a right that the population has collectively desired. Democracy exists here.

HIV has blown the kiss of death to many of the citizens of the country. Instead of hiding the issue, the government exposed it in efforts to combat the spread of HIV. Through government collaboration virtually every individual has accessed to ARV who is in need of it. Democracy exists here.

Never in my life have I gone to another country and drank tap water. The water was so clean that I could not resist my usual tap water intake (water bottles are so bad for you and they are a waste of petroleum!!!). The joy I felt that I had not fell ill from tap water is a bitter-sweet notion. I ‘risked’ drinking tap water, what about the rest of the people who actually live there. The steady supply of clean drinking water is a right of the people. Democracy exists here.

210 billion tons of coal lie underneath the country. Even so, the government has enlisted engineers to develop alternative energy technologies. The concept of green architecture is revolutionary. Building a structure that works with mother nature to harness its power efficiently serves the environment and people. When the structure was not built to be green there are modifications that can be made. This adjustments promote the quality of life and breed economic opportunity in communities. Democracy exists here.

Making our rounds of the day my peer and I winded up in the opposition party’s office. The party leader spoke passionately about the state of his country. He venomously despised the way the government conducted it self. The details of misconduct left an impression of what I thought of government in Botswana. Nevertheless, the ability to be critical of the government is essential if the possibility of change can occur. Democracy exists here.

Reflecting on the question that was posed on the meaning of Democracy. I still can not derive an answer.

This is what I do know: I was given the opportunity to go explore a country and understand people. In the environment I saw children going to school. Organizations provide health care services. Drank water that did not make me sick. Solar power lit up homes while citizens questioned the intentions of officials. I will never be able to give you the definition of Democracy. The question, I decided, is irrelevant. The question of what it can do is found in the daily lives of the people it looks to protect.

Energy: A Different Approach

Delvedibbers,

In a city that was built on the automobile industry it is unimaginable to think of a future without driving. The necessary evil of filling up at the gas station has become routine. Every week, we gear up in our petroleum armor in an effort to numb ourselves from the sharp dagger of the Petroleum Kings. Under their rule we subject ourselves to forfeiting an exorbitant fee for a ‘modern day necessity’. As we retreat to our homes we find that the majesties have once again corned us. The gas bill has arrived. We sit down, open a plastic water bottle only to discover that they are still present. Yet, as creatures of habit we continue to subject ourselves to their seemingly endless rain of terror.

If we believe in the freedom that we are entitled to then why are we under the control of big business that diverts our dollar to our gas tanks? The answer may lie in the way in which alternative resources are presented. The use of Ethanol and Solar energies are greatly publicized. It comes as no surprise that people doubt a future fueled on corn and the sun (which as Michiganders we don’t see too much).  In my personal opinion the literature that has been presented through the mass media has belittled the utilization of alternative fuels. In the manner that the media presents alternative fuels it is still believed to be a distant reality. This of all reasons is why exploring alternative energy sources is difficult to fathom.

In the reading, Renewables in Africa-Meeting the Energy Needs of the Poor by Stephen Karekzi who acknowledges the potential of ‘renewable energy’ as a means to of addressing the energy needs of Africa’s poor. Through the reading he addresses renewables that can be produced on numerous different scales. The captivating element of the this reading lies in the mere truth that alliterative fuels are readily available. The use of the alternative energy depends on how well they are received by government and locals.

I particularly was interested in the Wind Energy Potentials. Considering that there is absurdly toxic amount of blight in Detroit, I think it would serve the city well to take lots that are far from residential areas to use them for ‘green technologies’. The possiblility of using Wind to power a city would not only reduce electrical cost but it would divert the use of natural gas. Realistically I understand there are a number of opposition forces to using Wind Energy in the city. Some concerns have revolved around the noise that wind turbines generate. It would be wonderful to see the first generation of fuel efficient buildings within the city.

The majority of the population of the greater metropolitan area can not contextualize that future generations will not have the choice to burn the primary fuels of today. Also, I think that there is a great disrespect that many people hold for the environment in general.

 

In Participatory Conservation? Community-Based Natural Resource Management in Botswana, the author addresses how local natural resource management is efficient in dispensing resources. Applying a similar model to Detroit, it would be wonderful in some way locals could have a direct stake in resource management as well. By doing this, we would feel more obliged to use our resources better. For instance, I would propose a community based recycling project in which neighborhoods were awarded for their recycling efforts. This project would not only increase community involvement but also may make people conscious of the amount of waste that goes on a around them. Once the recyclables were collected I think they should be reciprocated in some fashion that people know their efforts are directly affecting them.

 

-Paula

 

The Invitation of Innovation.

Delvedibbers,

On Sunday morning, I was inclined to take a trip to Detroit One Coney. As I drove down the streets of Woodward, I became noticeably agitated. When asked why I was irritated, I replied, “For heaven sakes, the last time I saw this much trash on the street I was in a third world country”.  Isn’t it a funny little thing that an aesthetically unappealing environment can breed strong negative energy? Furthermore, the trash in the streets leads myself to draw the axiomatic conclusion that the disposed items were no longer usable. I beg the question, what if American ingenuity could harness the ‘disposables’ to the full extent. What would an efficient society where producers worked with consumers to maximize efficiency in the sense of reducing waste look like?

Surely I have everyone on board with this notion. However, what does this actually mean? Do we need to dispel a lifestyle that is fueled by mass production?

Ok, wait, stop!

Now this is where we enter into the spider web that traps the ingenuity that lies at the core of an ‘efficient society’.  We as producers and consumers need to reorient our minds. It was Albert Einstein, intuitively stated, “ We cannot solve today’s problems using the mindset that created them.” I am no Einstein, but I think it’s quite comical that we as a society build things to throw them away.

In Natural Capitalism by Paul Hawken, the author opens the book addressing a shift in paradigm that surrounds our consumerist society. He invites the reader to explore the possibility of a ‘Service and Flow Economy’. No longer would industries primary concern be the selling of products, but instead, motion for the creation of durable products via a service based industry. Many would argue that this shift would put an industry out of business. This however is combated by the emphasis on service. In a sense, he promotes a lease system where the consumer pays a fee for the use of the product. The company is liable for ensuring that the product is running smoothly. Furthermore, once the product is no longer usable it is the manufacturers who take back the parts and use it to create a better system.

By exploring the ‘Service and Flow Economy’, we as society would take a first step to eliminate waste. The paramount benefit would be the reintroduction of the creative spirit. The ability to be challenged, to take old, recycle and mold to create a better product summons innovation thus unimaginable because it as yet to be tested.

To apply the ‘Service and Flow Economy’ to our nook of the world could have various implications. I do not wish to explore what this could mean in the context of ‘The Big Three’. As far as I am concerned, addressing this issue focuses on regressive thought that has manifested itself in the evident blight that as succumbed the city. I’m inviting developers to take buildings that have withstood the test of time (even though its occupants did not) to explore the alterative uses.  These alternative uses could invite entrepreneurs and artists to occupy the space and enhance the community. When population flow increases, so does commerce.

If we, Detroiters, collectively believe our city can still do what no place has ever done an attempt to beautify it is in order. I propose the increase of community gardens. The investment of a community garden has stakeholders, the residents. These holders recognize that they have ownership in their community. As a result they are more likely to maintain it. The community as a whole unites for a common interest. This commonality creates a forum where discussion can take place and ideas are exchanged.

Tyree Guyton turned the heads of the world when he took action to save The Heidelberg Neighborhood. He was able to take a neighborhood whose streets where grounds for criminal activity and transfer it to a place that awes the world. He did not start with police, not even funding, just the spirit of innovation. He took old, molded and transformed to make better.

 

Dare to dream…..

 

As always I like to leave with a few statements to tickle the mind of my readers.

1)   Where as our spirit as innovators gone?

2)   When we beautify our communities what does that say about ourselves?

3)   Who says change comes with huge budget?

 

-Paula

 

One Treatment Fits All*

Delvedibbers,

HIV/AIDS does not discriminate across the globe in terms of who is infected.  However, it is clearly evident that the solution is not standard. In a world that is built off of standards such as time, pay rate, living conditions, etc; how do we dispel the ‘One Treatment fits all’ myth?

Over the last few weeks we have explored the issues of: gender disparity, sexuality, age, gender through the lens of HIV/AIDS. The complexity of the issue raises the topic of varying treatment and prevention from region to region.  With this in mind, us native Detroiters should act to understand the dynamic culture that exists in Detroit.

There is a lack of understanding that exists between the biomedical and the social sphere in Detroit. Namely, there is a segregation of health care providers from the receivers. To me, the health care providers want to be the voice of authority when they do not understand the people that they are catering to. This however comes as no surprise considering the standardization of the medical world….

Anyways….I say we shake things up a bit.  Did Thomas Edison continue to create the same light bulb when it did not work?  Then why do we continue to address HIV/AIDS with the same manner, when frankly it’s flopping. HELLOOOOOO?!??!

I start out addressing the reading, Performance as Intravention: Ballroom Culture and the Politics of HIV/AIDS in Detroit by Marlon M. Bailey. The author addresses how INTRAvention is more affective than INTERvention in ‘high-risk communities’.  The idea of intravention utilizes trusted sources as educators. When one’s information is via a trusted source they are more likely to act on the knowledge provided. Conversely, a third party (in this case health provider) is less likely to reach its target audience because they have yet to form the vital intimate relationship.

Through ‘House Ball Culture’, intimate relationships formed. These relationships affectively reduce the transmission of HIV/AIDS in LGBTQ communities.  When examining the structure of the ‘House Ball Culture’ one is able to recognize a family unit. To clarify, there is what is seen as a mother, father and sibling relationship. These relationships are vehicles for spreading information.

Furthermore, the current treatment of HIV/AIDS fails to account for the stigmatism that exists. It is widely believed that transmission can only occur via intravenous drug use and having sexual relations with the same gender. Both of these routes of transmission are widely looked down upon. As a result many youth and adults alike are less likely to pursue HIV testing when provided in a public sphere.

Not only are members of The LGBTQ community less likely to be HIV testing but they are less likely to have received a comprehensive preventative education that caters to them. Living in a society that is fueled by heterosexuality many education centers give little recognition to STDs outside of Male-Female contact.

Lastly, I take particular interest in women’s rights; It is astonishing to note that 73% of infected women in Michigan are African American. I ask the general population to closely examine the relation between economic independency and transmission.

As always I raise possible solutions to the reduction of HIV transmission

1)   Educators should be a part of the community they serve

2)   Educators should recognize the needs of the population they serve

3)   Women need to establish economic independency through education.

4)   Basic understanding of the relations of dynamic LBGTQ community that exists throughout Detroit.

With all the talk of HIV/AIDS it’s easy to get lost in the discussion of disease. However, we should never forget that the focus is not on preventing death, but living life.  To have quality of life is a trait that unites all of humanity regardless of HIV status.

-Paula

[Sex]uality, Gender and HIV/AIDS

Delvedibbers,

This week we continue to investigate HIV in the context of gender and sexuality. In previous weeks varying methodologies to reducing the rates of transmission were discussed. This week we are looking at HIV/AIDS through the lens of gender and sexuality.

Before I share my commentary on the issue. I think it’s important to make the distinction between the physical act of sex and the cultural significance that composes sexuality. Sexuality has a cultural implication that expresses ones idea of ownership of their body. Furthermore, I begin the discussion with the position that a sense of sexuality empowers the individual. This sense of sexuality is typically deemed as a right of passage into adulthood. However, what happens a sense of sexuality is dismissed?

In, Endangered Youth? Youth, gender and sexualities in urban Botswana by Cathy McIlwaine and Kavita Datta the co-authors explore sexuality and HIV/AIDS with a center focus on youth. In this article they note, “Nearly half of all new cases of HIV/AIDS worldwide occur among people between the ages of 15-24 years “(p. 483-484.) The authors later to comment that even though youth are sexually active their opinions are completely negated when it comes to the issue of HIV/AIDS. In Botswana there appears to be a strong significance on age when it comes to valuing opinion. This also may be the reason why the specific talk of sex to urban youth is non-existent. Sex is seen as an ‘adult act’ therefore not openly discussed. However, as HIV infection rates indicated, youth are engaging in intercourse. The question then becomes how do you address it?

From my understanding, traditionally a grandmother would be the educator of sex. When a female was entering into an age where she would be eligible for marriage she was granted the knowledge of sex. Over the course of several years the practice of instruction has been lost. Even more troubling, youth understand the dangers associated with sex but have never been educated about the particular matter itself.  Society holds that sex is restricted to adults. Many articles even argue that because of this youth are more likely to have sex to bridge the gap between youth and adulthood.  With this being addressed, I do not agree with sexual promiscuity. I am making this statement to argue that a sense of sexuality has been limited.

I argue, that if youth were taught to take ownership over their own bodies they would be less inclined to engage in risky sexual behaviors. The idea of developing a sense of sexuality may make many youth inclined to have less partners. I reason that the sense of sexuality has been stripped from sex. This could be another reason why the rates of HIV infection have increased. Furthermore, youth could be pressured into having sex at a younger age because it is sense as a ‘womanly’ or ‘manly’ practiced. The enticement of becoming an adult is driving many youth to make haphazard decisions.

With this in mind I think the issue of gender needs to be addressed. The role of gender plays a grand part in the discussion of sex and thus potential transmission of HIV.  The issue of gender is anything but limited to female oppression.  For instance, many boys are pushed to be sexually active by not only their peers but also male adult figures.  As relayed in various articles the fear of anyone questioning their sexual orientation is a driving force to acquire multiple sexual partners. On the other side of the spectrum, women are expected to have sexual innocence. Women may be less inclined to practice safe sex because sexual knowledge threatens their ‘innocent image’.

Lastly, I would briefly like to address the issue of sexual orientation and the treatment of HIV. In Botswana, Homosexuality is criminalized.  Unlike HIV/AIDS in the United States that is often associated with homosexuality, HIV/AIDS is seen as a heterosexual disease. Therefore I would reason that many are unaware that HIV can be transmitted from Man to Man or Women to Women. Particularly, troubling is the idea that homosexual relations are not recognized therefore men or women engage have intercourse then spread it to their opposite sex partner. Their extramarital affairs are dismissed because this is not scene as sex in the classic sense. For those who do identify as homosexual they could be denied or blackmailed if seeking treatment in a clinical setting.

While in Botswana I would like to understand the law that governs health care in Botswana. In the United States, health care centers must abide by HIPAA (The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) that places stringent rules on discussing patient information.

Keeping the ideas discussed above in mind. I would like to continue to address the following issues:

1)   How financial (in)security affects rates of HIV transmission

2)   The laws that affect the treatment of a marginalized groups.

 

-Paula

 

HIV/AIDS: a follow up

Delvedibbers,

This week we continue to investigate the issue of HIV/AIDS in Botswana. Last week we examined the matter through the eyes of Unity Dow and Max Essex.  Their novel, Saturday is For Funerals, conceptualized the issue to give a basic understanding of HIV/AIDS. Also, we briefly looked at the issue of circumcision as a means of prophylactic treatment.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed The Essex/Dow piece there are a few criticisms to be made. Many issues were left under addressed or for the most part over looked in the text. Specifically, The book fails to mention that Dow, a native to Botswana, received westernized education. To her credit she does not dismiss the cultural significance of traditional healers. However, the novel does no thoroughly discuss the perception of biochemical therapy as related to HIV/AIDS in Botswana. Furthermore, the literary work does not stress various issues that have a tremendous impact on HIV/AIDS. These issues include: the issue of gender as related to sexuality and economic status. Also, the issue of modernization and how traditional values are overlooked by Western practices.

As the weeks go by my understanding of HIV/AIDS has evolved. Last week, I walked away from the readings with the idea that the remedy for transmission of the virus is education solely. I scrap the notion on the basis that my previous understanding was vastly simplistic. In reality, I was not able to deepen my understanding without the epiphany that HIV/AIDS has no universal cure due to social pressures that can perpetuate transmission. Instead of approaching the issue with a Western mindset it was imperative to establish culture competency so I could evaluate the issue in a broader context.

The issue of gender has long played a role in many societies where the male is considered dominant.  We can no longer address the HIV/AIDS if we do not take into account gender relations. For instance, The ABC campaign (A=Abstinence, B= Be Faithful, C= Condomise) assumes that both individuals have equal power. This may not be the case where men refuse to use condoms. . Author Suzette Heald, attempts to examine the use of condoms in Abstain or Die: The Development of HIV/AIDS Policy in Botswana. She raises the issue that condoms are largely a creation of recreational sex whose roots lay in western culture. Furthermore, she argues that ‘procreational sex’ and fertility are intrinsic aspects of Botswana’s culture. While, I do not agree that sex in Botswana is limited to emphasis on procreation this argument begins to raise other factors surrounding the transmission of HIV.

Western medicine overlooks alternative reasoning for disease.  An issue that is addressed in many of this week’s readings was the notion of ‘otherness’. ‘Otherness’ is a term used to describe alternative approaches to western thought. This term has a negative connotation associated to it. For example, many people in Botswana may not believe in that HIV, a virus, causes AIDS.  Furthermore, they may allude to the idea that AIDS is a myth.  This disbelief stems from cultural beliefs and taboos that give alternative reasoning to the ailments of HIV.  For instance, explanations include having intercourse with a woman who is menstruating or sexual relations with a widower. While that may seem ridiculous to many, these reasoning’s help people understand AIDS in a way that makes sense to them.

Furthermore, as mentioned in “Women Have No Tribe”: Connecting Carework, Gender, and Migration in an Era of HIV/AIDS in Botswana by Rebecca L. Upton, solutions to HIV transmission/prevention dismisses women. This struck me as ironic considering women are left to be the caretakers of the sick or orphaned children. Furthermore, some natives may go as far as to blame women for the cause of the disease. Not only does the female have no say in preventive or therapeutic remedies, she holds the blame.

As we continue to explore the issue of HIV/AIDS I will continue to give possible solutions and raise questions.  The issues raised will continue to morph as my knowledge on the subject matter increases.

Keep in mind:

1)   It is imperative that natives are involved in devising HIV/AIDS prevention strategies

2)   For any solution, issues related to gender must be considered

3) In my opinion, there cannot continue to be a finite barrier between spiritualism and the HIV infection.

To elaborate, the practices of medicine employed focus on the biomedical aspect while grossly under minding the role of spiritualism in healing. As a future physician, I raise the question of where (and if )  spiritualism and biomedicine can establish a symbiotic relation. I notion along that this pathway  the treatment of HIV/AIDS in Botswana can be revolutionized.

Paula

Let’s Talk About It: HIV/AIDS

“HIV is a stealth type of killer. It sneaks in through events of human bonding: conjugation and childbirth. Events that should be sacred and wonderful, not seeds of death. (Dow, Essex. Preface.)”

Saturday Is For Funerals

 

Delvedibbers,

Welcome to week two of the journey from Detroit to Botswana. This week our track leads us to explore HIV/AIDS. According to UNAIDS 33.3 million people are living with HIV.   So Let’s Talk About it!

Our discussion for this week revolves around Saturday is For Funerals by Unity Down and Max Essex.  The book gave me a deeper understanding of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which leads to autoimmune disease (AIDS).  For all you book loving science junkies out there this book is a definite reader! The book couples science and the stories of people who are affected by HIV in Botswana.

Coming from the perspective of a western student I had to readjust my thinking to imagine a society in which every person you know is in some way, shape or form affected by HIV. One could make the argument that those infected with HIV most certainly are not the only ones to bear the burden of the virus’ destructive path.  HIV is what I like to call a ‘opportunistic home wrecker’.  Once the virus creeps in through the utmost sacred human interactions it allows for death to waltz in dismantling families and dreams.

It’s impossible not to have empathy towards HIV’s youngest victims, those who acquire HIV from their mothers.  I thought of the young students I have whose experience they will never know. These children will never walk their first steps, read their first books or even have the opportunity to fulfill their dreams without proper therapy. These children have committed no crime yet their right to childhood is gone. I found myself thinking the same thing over and over again, “This isn’t right. This isn’t fair. No one deserves this”.

Throughout the book there were numerous instances where individuals would not mention AIDS as a cause of death even though it was evident. Its hard to imagine choosing to ignore an issue whose eye’s are staring right into yours.  But also, as an outsider I have to recognize how scared an on looker must be. Even nurses and doctors would use code words to allude to AIDS as a cause of death but never confirm it. The story of Disana, the fearless man who was buried in China due to an ignorance of AIDS, illustrated the experience that is common to all humanity: fear of the unknown.

All the negativity aside there is hope.

In light of this concept there is hope for HIV patients.  In the early eighties when HIV was first recognized clinically it was deemed a death threat that had a potent stigma attached to it.  However, twenty years later through research, pharmaceutical companies have made great strides in reducing the viral load (VL.) to optimize the immune system.  For instance, Magic Johnson the former point guard for the greatest basketball team in the world (The L.A. Lakers) was infected with the virus in the early nineties. Now, he is 51 still living a healthy vibrant life.

Prior to reading the book my Essex and Dow my knowledge of treatment for HIV/ADIS was modest. For instance, my mind has never entertained the idea that infants can be prevented from acquiring HIV. Further more, highly active retroviral treatments make it possible for patients to lead fulfilling healthy lives.  The cost of the treatment is not comparable to the productivity of those inflicted.

In regards to HIV/AIDS and Botswana, the government is working for the people to ensure their health. Due to the fact that leaders have openly addressed AIDS, there has been a decrease in infection rates. . The government recognized the needs of its people and devised a plan through revolutionary partnerships. This my friends is Democracy in action!

As I move onto my own career in medicine I need to bring the question up: what is my generation going to do about HIV/AIDS?

So far there is no vaccine or pill. My generation is going to have to tackle this one (along with sustainability).  Controlling infection lies in our hands. What are we going to do about it? I am a science kind of gal who firmly upholds the notion that research is indispensable. However, prevention is the safest bet for reducing rate of infection.

Prevention is crucial when there doubt about a therapy.

There have been findings that suggest that neonatal circumcision reduces HIV/AIDS infection rates. However, in article published by the SAMJ Forum the authors (Sidler, Smith and Rode) argue that there is a discrepancy in major findings. Even more shocking they insinuate that certain peer-reviewed journals have largely ignored contrary evidence. Furthermore, it has been suggested that the published articles have misguided health care providers. The health care providers relay this information to their patients who may engage in risky sexual behavior that results in an increase in rates of HIV infection. Woahhhhhh, talk about the effects of media!

So what method can we trust?

I vote for prevention through education! As a future health care provider I have a right to whine about western medicine that constantly pushes for the anecdote in terms of pills. I say we stop focusing on pills and vaccines until we have a government that fulfils the calls of its people: EDUCATE TO IRRADICATE!

Later DelveDibbers,

Paula

P.S.  Milestone in the journey to Botswana occurred. I took my vaccines like a champ…well until I saw the price that is!  😀

 

Welcome to delvedibs! Week 1

Hello World!  The quest for knowledge begins!

For the first week of class the readings gave us (the students) a generalized background on Africa that called us to critically think of Democracy. I was absolutely ecstatic to get a broader knowledge base of not only the country of Botswana but also an over view of Africa as well.  While in a pre-course interview last week I was asked about my knowledge of Africa. As I gave my reply, I recognized that my familiarity of the subject matter was quite limited.  My exposure to African Studies was through my family, at younger years and due to a slight obsession with National Geographic.  This epiphany made me realize that I had taken the whole continent of Africa and slapped three labels on it: Egypt, AIDS epidemic and paleontology.  Yet, those reasons were the first stepping-stones in filling out the application for the journey to Botswana.

The readings for this week were a combination of political, cultural and philosophical readings.  On Democracy by Robert Dahl explored what it is to have a democratic government.  He begins with the origins of Democracy in Greece and works his way to the modern era. As a reader, I noticed that he was extremely apprehensive to give a finite definition of “democracy”. He instead takes the route of defining five criteria that should be a part of a government that is considered democratic. Finally, at the end he surprises the reader with a twist. The author in a bold move scraps the notion of realistically obtaining a government who employs such criteria. Dahl goes on to state,“ why should we believe that democracy is desirable…why should we believe in something that…looks rather preposterous? (Dahl p. 23).

At this point you have to stop to reflect the criteria that he puts forth throughout the article. The author writes purposefully using several chapters to explore the criterion of a democratic nation. By doing so, the reader subconsciously loses their footing on what they had previously established as a concrete understanding of democracy. After all, there seems to be a well-established doctrine that has been etched into the brains of students in the United States.  The doctrine upholds the perception that our nation encompasses the model example of a democratic institution. Or Do we?  I can say with conviction that as a nation we firmly do not up hold at least three of the criteria. Only a minute number of people are able to say that they are affective participants in government. These few people are the agents of change whose political agenda is put forth due to their perception of need or by a lobbyist desires.

Shifting gears towards Botswana, Kenneth Good uses the terminology ‘elite democracy’ to explore the fallacy of a true Democracy in Botswana. As a previously alluded to in the Dahl article only a select number of people hold a stake in government. The concept of an ‘elite democracy’ brought me to question if political ideology is limited to a philosophical debate. If so, why would a young country such as Botswana want that particular form of government?  Throughout the Good article he has a sinister view of a country alluding to an idea that Botswana is yet another country that is ruled by predetermined officials after dispute of its past president’s.

Upon reflecting on all the readings (for length sake the majority I did not discuss) I had to re-evaluate why we categorize government in the first place. Shouldn’t we be more concerned with the governance instead of the necessity to categorize? Furthermore, when we do categorize are we more inclined to use the stamps of ‘good’ and ‘bad’.  Regardless of what Kenneth Good thinks of Botswana ‘s political affairs the on looking world as much that they can learn from Botswana. Over the past few decades the economy of this nation has increased dramatically despite a battle with an HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Lastly, I was intrigued by how tradition and modern day culture are receiving one another in Botswana.  The indigenous population, The Bushmen, reside in Central Kalahari Game Reserve. The people in the land have been drove by a modernizing world (sound familiar?).  In my personal opinion, the implication is that tradition cannot continue to exist in a modernizing world. The government wants to get rid of tradition in hopes of becoming like the western world. What further struck me is the means by which the government is forcing these Bushmen to adopt westernize living using tactics such as withholding water. I was deeply distraught considering water is essential to living. If the people did not move they would die for tradition.

As I continue to explore Democracy as related to Botswana it is impossible not to think of my own country. Over the next few weeks the issues of health care and sustainability will be discussed with political forces as the backdrop. I will need to critically evaluate how these forces shape the issues in question.

Until next week!

-Paula