Comments on: A talk at the World Bank, and the meeting I almost (accidently) crashed http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2007/04/25/a-talk-at-the-world-bank-and-the-meeting-i-almost-accidently-crashed/ EthanZ's musings on Africa, media and international development Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:45:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: El Oso, El Moreno, and El Abogado » Blog Archive » The Social Impact of Social Media http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2007/04/25/a-talk-at-the-world-bank-and-the-meeting-i-almost-accidently-crashed/comment-page-1/#comment-333060 El Oso, El Moreno, and El Abogado » Blog Archive » The Social Impact of Social Media Thu, 07 Jun 2007 21:55:55 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=1402#comment-333060 [...] Venezuelan blogger and friend Iria Puyosa struggled with that same question: Una pregunta que me ha acompañado durante todas mis incursiones en medios (masivos, alternativos, comunitarios o ciudadanos): ¿Tiene sentido práctico un proyecto de comunicación para el desarrollo en un contexto de pobreza crítica? ¿Acaso no es más urgente atender necesidades básicas de saneamiento ambiental, recolección de basura, suministro de agua potable, cloacas, cuidado pre-natal, vacunación, medicina preventiva, nutrición, control de la delincuencia? ¿Cómo justificar invertir en radios comunitarias o en acceso a internet cuando no se pueden cubrir necesidades básicas? Sólo se justifica está inversión si entendemos que la pobreza y la exclusión no sólo tienen una dimensión económica, no sólo se miden en acceso a bienes y servicios, sino que la pobreza y la exclusión también tienen una dimensión cultural, que se mide en acceso a información y conocimiento, en capacidad para poner a circular nuevas ideas y para participar en la toma de decisiones sobre asuntos públicos. A question that has accompanied me throughout all of my incursions into media (big, alternative, community, or citizen): Does a communication project make practical sense for development in a context of major poverty? Is it not perhaps more urgent to attend to basic necessities like environmental sanitization, garbage collection, potable water provision, sewers, prenatal care, vaccinations, preventive medicine, nutrition, and delinquency control? How to justify investing in community radio or Internet access when basic necessities cannot be covered? Such an investment is only justified if we understand that poverty and exclusion do not only have an economic dimension, do not only implicate access to goods and services, but that poverty and exclusion also have a cultural dimension, which involves access to information and knowledge and the capacity to circulate new ideas and participate in the decision making process in civic life. [...] [...] Venezuelan blogger and friend Iria Puyosa struggled with that same question: Una pregunta que me ha acompañado durante todas mis incursiones en medios (masivos, alternativos, comunitarios o ciudadanos): ¿Tiene sentido práctico un proyecto de comunicación para el desarrollo en un contexto de pobreza crítica? ¿Acaso no es más urgente atender necesidades básicas de saneamiento ambiental, recolección de basura, suministro de agua potable, cloacas, cuidado pre-natal, vacunación, medicina preventiva, nutrición, control de la delincuencia? ¿Cómo justificar invertir en radios comunitarias o en acceso a internet cuando no se pueden cubrir necesidades básicas? Sólo se justifica está inversión si entendemos que la pobreza y la exclusión no sólo tienen una dimensión económica, no sólo se miden en acceso a bienes y servicios, sino que la pobreza y la exclusión también tienen una dimensión cultural, que se mide en acceso a información y conocimiento, en capacidad para poner a circular nuevas ideas y para participar en la toma de decisiones sobre asuntos públicos. A question that has accompanied me throughout all of my incursions into media (big, alternative, community, or citizen): Does a communication project make practical sense for development in a context of major poverty? Is it not perhaps more urgent to attend to basic necessities like environmental sanitization, garbage collection, potable water provision, sewers, prenatal care, vaccinations, preventive medicine, nutrition, and delinquency control? How to justify investing in community radio or Internet access when basic necessities cannot be covered? Such an investment is only justified if we understand that poverty and exclusion do not only have an economic dimension, do not only implicate access to goods and services, but that poverty and exclusion also have a cultural dimension, which involves access to information and knowledge and the capacity to circulate new ideas and participate in the decision making process in civic life. [...]

]]> By: Alberto http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2007/04/25/a-talk-at-the-world-bank-and-the-meeting-i-almost-accidently-crashed/comment-page-1/#comment-241796 Alberto Sun, 06 May 2007 15:56:50 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=1402#comment-241796 Ethan Yesterday, Amartya Sen at the Oxford Union, talking about the success of the IT industry in India, gave his contribution to our understanding of why the subcontinent fared so well. As well as those reasons you've already mentioned - aducation, Nehru's government vision, economies of scale, etc. - he added a last, more cultural reasons: Indians give huge importance to the knowledge and understanding of mathematics. He quoted an ancient legend about an Indian mathematician, who persuaded his daughter to devote more effort to the study of the subject, on the grounds that it would enhance her conversation skills at dinner parties. The story might not be true, but it did make us smile. Ethan

Yesterday, Amartya Sen at the Oxford Union, talking about the success of the IT industry in India, gave his contribution to our understanding of why the subcontinent fared so well. As well as those reasons you’ve already mentioned – aducation, Nehru’s government vision, economies of scale, etc. – he added a last, more cultural reasons: Indians give huge importance to the knowledge and understanding of mathematics. He quoted an ancient legend about an Indian mathematician, who persuaded his daughter to devote more effort to the study of the subject, on the grounds that it would enhance her conversation skills at dinner parties.

The story might not be true, but it did make us smile.

]]> By: James Governor’s Monkchips » links for 2007-05-03 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2007/04/25/a-talk-at-the-world-bank-and-the-meeting-i-almost-accidently-crashed/comment-page-1/#comment-238167 James Governor’s Monkchips » links for 2007-05-03 Thu, 03 May 2007 23:26:22 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=1402#comment-238167 [...] …My heart’s in Accra » A talk at the World Bank, and the meeting I almost (accidently) crashed Mokyr’s basic thesis is that increased connectivity in the 18th century - through scientific journals, postal mail, the advent of the encyclopedia and other reference works - is an increased connection between two different types of knowledge, “propos (tags: India knowledge) [...] [...] …My heart’s in Accra » A talk at the World Bank, and the meeting I almost (accidently) crashed Mokyr’s basic thesis is that increased connectivity in the 18th century – through scientific journals, postal mail, the advent of the encyclopedia and other reference works – is an increased connection between two different types of knowledge, “propos (tags: India knowledge) [...]

]]> By: Ethan http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2007/04/25/a-talk-at-the-world-bank-and-the-meeting-i-almost-accidently-crashed/comment-page-1/#comment-233675 Ethan Mon, 30 Apr 2007 13:47:36 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=1402#comment-233675 Sp glad to know you're reading the blog, Jean-Claude. We missed you in New York... Mokyr was fascinating - wish I'd had several hours more to talk with him, and hope to meet with him again soon. Sp glad to know you’re reading the blog, Jean-Claude. We missed you in New York… Mokyr was fascinating – wish I’d had several hours more to talk with him, and hope to meet with him again soon.

]]> By: Jean-Claude Guédon http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2007/04/25/a-talk-at-the-world-bank-and-the-meeting-i-almost-accidently-crashed/comment-page-1/#comment-233576 Jean-Claude Guédon Mon, 30 Apr 2007 12:00:34 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=1402#comment-233576 Ethan, Thanks for pointing me in the direction of Mokyr. As a historian of science and tech, I find his thesis intriiguing and will investigate further. Warm regards, jc Ethan,

Thanks for pointing me in the direction of Mokyr. As a historian of science and tech, I find his thesis intriiguing and will investigate further.

Warm regards,

jc

]]> By: Rich http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2007/04/25/a-talk-at-the-world-bank-and-the-meeting-i-almost-accidently-crashed/comment-page-1/#comment-230662 Rich Sat, 28 Apr 2007 11:10:14 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=1402#comment-230662 I'm sorry that I missed this event. However, you may be interested in another event on open source and open stanards that the World Bank is holding next Wednesday. Here is the link if you are... www.worldbank.org/edevelopment I’m sorry that I missed this event. However, you may be interested in another event on open source and open stanards that the World Bank is holding next Wednesday. Here is the link if you are…

http://www.worldbank.org/edevelopment

]]> By: Mary http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2007/04/25/a-talk-at-the-world-bank-and-the-meeting-i-almost-accidently-crashed/comment-page-1/#comment-227670 Mary Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:05:46 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=1402#comment-227670 "oh, that board meeting"... nice to know it was well-catered “oh, that board meeting”… nice to know it was well-catered

]]> By: AKMA http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2007/04/25/a-talk-at-the-world-bank-and-the-meeting-i-almost-accidently-crashed/comment-page-1/#comment-227637 AKMA Thu, 26 Apr 2007 14:34:45 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=1402#comment-227637 If it's any comfort, Ethan, I can't think of anyone I'd rather have at the World Bank demanding Wolfowitz's resignation. Thanks for the effort. . . . If it’s any comfort, Ethan, I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have at the World Bank demanding Wolfowitz’s resignation. Thanks for the effort. . . .

]]> By: Koranteng Ofosu-Amaah http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2007/04/25/a-talk-at-the-world-bank-and-the-meeting-i-almost-accidently-crashed/comment-page-1/#comment-227619 Koranteng Ofosu-Amaah Thu, 26 Apr 2007 14:15:08 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=1402#comment-227619 On the secret sauce behind the Indian rise, a couple of recent pieces from the Indian Economy blog seem relevant: - <a href="http://indianeconomy.org/2007/04/21/indian-it-industry/" rel="nofollow">Indian IT industry</a> - <a href="http://indianeconomy.org/2007/04/19/the-culture-of-risk/" rel="nofollow">the culture of risk</a> On the secret sauce behind the Indian rise, a couple of recent pieces from the Indian Economy blog seem relevant:
- Indian IT industry
- the culture of risk

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