A few months ago, I blogged about the state of the homeless report, which revealed that homelessness and poverty in New York City have made little response to the mayor’s under-funded, scattered plans and programs to “end homelessness” in New York City. In fact, in 2007, the city saw an influx of children and families entering into the homeless population than the previous year, greatly debunking the theory that the 5-year “end poverty” plan by Mayor Bloomberg is working its magic.

I just recently came across a new headline that read “37 Million Live in Poverty in the U.S.,” a headline I found shocking given our country’s sometimes-shameless flaunting of hyper-indulgence and over-the-top assets.

New York City plays a big role in that number. The poverty rate remained at a steady 18.5% for 2007, down slightly from 2006, but it’s speculated that the slight decrease has no correlation to Bloomberg’s plan.

Interestingly, Joel Berg, the Executive Director of the NYC Coalition for the Homeless, touches on the larger and more obscure issue of inequality that serves as the derivative (or at least part of it) for homelessness and poverty:

“Because our political leaders continue to grant massive tax cuts for the ultra rich while refusing to adequately raise the minimum wage, our state now has more inequality of income than Sri Lanka or Mexico.”

A very fascinating fact, indeed. In New York, you’re either a big fish (or a medium-sized one trying to stay afloat, like the majority of us) or you’re no fish at all.

Anthropology Today is published monthly in the UK; there’s an article in the (August 2008) periodical in which Canadian anthropologists David Scheffel writes about his experiences in Slovakia. In his reflection on ethnic micro politics in Eastern Europe the irony of his narrative ‘brings to light’ the fact that the micro politics of Slovakia is much like that of Hispaniola and the black/white or African/European politics of the two countries –Haiti and La Republica Dominica- attempting to survive ‘under one roof’.

Although the author never contrasts or compares his experiences to the black/white skin color politics that can be seen all over the world, he does in fact bring to the forefront the skin color politics of Slovakia and his own experiences trying to be a ‘middle man’ and bridge a gap that is more than 200 years old. He also brings to light the irony that there is concern voiced by the European watch councils that state on paper that they will not tolerate apartheid, yet living in Slovakia he claims to have seen the money from the EU used to enable segregation to displace Romani (gypsies) residents who are seen to affect tourism negatively. It causes a reader to wonder about the size of the segregation and if the members of the European councils realize it exists, or even if they want to know that it exists and the relationship between it and allocated money.

Extraction: ‘In spite of expressions of concern voiced by pan-European watchdogs and national governments, municipal administrations in both Slovakia and the Czech Republic have managed –at times using funding provided by the EU- to entrench a residential segregation favoured by the ‘white’ establishment and resembling a type of apartheid not seen here since the Jewish ghettos were dismantled ….Romani residents have been displaced in an attempt to attract foreign investments, tourists and local elites.’ (Paragraph 3 pp23)

Although the writer refers to the apartheid as ‘insidious ethnic cleansing’, though unacceptable, I don’t think ethnic cleansing is the right term to describe the movement occurring in Slovakia; since there is no account in his narrative that there is genocide or physical harm with intent to kill to prevent a culturally different group from assimilating or existing, to call it such is to minimalize the events historically that have been connected to the ideology aforementioned as ‘ethnic cleansing’ (-after all ethnic cleansing was a real movement based around genocide, whereas segregation is not necessarily always based around such, nor results in physical destruction of an entire group, nation, state and practice system related to specific peoples).

The point is, besides wrongful use of terminology, that to state it as such without any connection to destruction of a set of people is to promote false information, because the usage of words causes inference to be made and changes the understanding of the relationships and the effects that are currently taking place. For example, if your friend Paul is visually impaired, you would never run down a street yelling ‘o my GOD Paul is blind, Paul is blind!!!’, because the effect on the social psyche and their –the people’s- understanding of Paul’s situation to his environment changes, and thus their response changes. Such is the case when you publish papers in international periodicals and you don’t choose your words carefully, you promote a picture that you may not necessarily want to promote.

Regardless of the author’s personal viewpoint, and my own, the main fact is that there is a real problem with skin color in world, and clearly in Slovakia, where the author informs us that ‘the problems they face (i.e. gypsies/Romanis) … is the uncompromising determination of most of the ‘whites’ to defend the racial homogeneity of their village, with pitchforks and shotguns if need be (Paragraph 5 pp23)’. In a village where everyone has bigger issues than skin color –poverty-, this adventurous anthropologist manages to get stuck in the middle of a racial and class war.

After Habitat for Humanity did their ‘duty’ and built needed houses the Romani’s saw it as an opportunity to move up in class status, and the ‘elite’ saw it as a chance to make sure that the area stayed ‘homogenous’. However, this anthropologist having to work with both groups felt strong inclinations to assist the Romani’s who had taken care of his property for years while he did what ever he set out to do (not clear from the article, though I suspect it’s to investigate hidden micro politics in Slovakia). After dividing the property in half and believing that the two parties would be satisfied as people often say only in the moment, he returned to find the two parties quarrelling about ‘every conceivable detail, from access to the common well, to damaged to fruit trees and toddlers defecating on the wrong side of the property line; the underlying cause was the perceived elevation of the caretaker’s family above their proper station… (paragraph 4 pp24)’.

So like most Anthropologists, he becomes a participant in the lives of those observed, shares their lived experiences and decides to engage in solving a historical and ideological based problem. He informs his reader that despite his best efforts to help those in need acquire a better life he finds no acceptable solution that would engage identity upliftment and self growth. Obviously he doesn’t state is in my words, but you get the point when he states ‘…I was about to acquire a second village property –this time quite openly on behalf of another family eager to escape the ghetto. On the eve of the transfer day, the owner called and rescinded the agreement without any sensible explanation. Later I learned that unnamed members of the ‘white’ establishment had threatened her with symbolic expulsion (including the destruction of her parents` gave) unless she sold the property to another interested party which had just appeared in the form of the mayor…; when the external politics has come to an end, the internal politics continues as those that have acquired a new life are titled ‘cigani’ which is the local term for the Romani’s on the ‘whiter’ side of economics, and are shunned by their ‘own’. The author also refers to them as ‘black whites’ since this is the titled the Romanis outside of their sphere has given them. They now carry a double stigma of marginality (due to obtaining property) ironically much like the children of cross-cultural groups in homogenous territories.

In any event the author states that there is a bigger point than micro politics and shady exchanges of money to keep the ‘right people’ in and the ‘wrong people’ out, and his ‘vignette of action anthropology gone awry needs to be placed in the context of the proverbial ‘bigger picture’ and that bigger picture is “ ‘…that integration is a complex process that, as every immigrant knows, requires a receptive host society. No anti-discrimination programme designed by NGOs and EU bureaucrats can compensate for the absence of neighbourliness and old-fashioned social solidarity” (last paragraph p24). To that –the latter- I must say ‘ya!!!’.

Although the article brings to light micro politics and skin color in Slovakia the problem of anti-discriminatory politics without receptivity goes beyond skin color (thus NGO assimilation efforts may need a bigger bulldozer), for even the HIV infected and affected know this plight -that anti-discriminatory promotive efforts fail without a receptive host-; they are –those associated with HIV- at times neither the ‘accepted’ in the support groups designed for the infected (i.e. “outsiders not welcomed”), nor seen as ‘acceptable’ by the general population who continues to fear, see or behave as if the affected were contagious, leaving the middle man striving to belong to a part of two worlds where both groups feel they don’t fit in.

For those reading about poverty and micro politics for the first time, you may be wondering why so much fight over once empty land besides the skin color and homogeneity issue; the fight is not necessarily about the land versus the chance for peace and quiet, a better constructed house, safe water for your family, proper refuse disposal (which affects health and crop growth) and as the author notes reliable electricity.

Happy reading!!!

XOXO

Reference:

Scheffel David, ‘narrative: ethnic micro politics in Eastern Europe’ IN Anthropology Today, August 2008, Vol 24 no. 4 pp23-25

Description: A question about possibilities, HIV, poverty, abuse of women, presumptions and the interconnectedness between reality and ideology.  Where do our actions meet the textbooks on a psycho, social, behavioral, physical and legal level?

There’s a world of news about women in slavery still.  I don’t think I can write about anything you haven’t heard and I see no humour in the subject matter at the moment, so this commentary may be a bit dry!  Iraqi, Mexican, Nigerian, Indian, no matter the culture, the story seems to be the same.  Women being violated of a chance to live! I do not mean ‘to exist’, but to live in the purest and semi-idealistic sense of the word. What does it mean to live?  For some women, it’s just the chance to see another day.  For women in

As the Americans and Chinese continue to dominate in Beijing this summer, I can’t help but wonder about all the other athletes from countries like Iran, Iraq, Namibia, and Egypt that seems to be vastly overshadowed by the endorsement-happy super athletes of the U.S.A. and China.

There is no doubt that these athletes are absolutely amazing and all-deserving of their stacks of medals, but it’s prompted me to think about the real nature of a hero, and the hundreds of athletes competing at this year’s games that are heroes in much more than their Olympic sport.

Take the 12 Peruvian athletes competing in Beijing this year. Lack of financial assets, appropriate training facilities, and even adequate nutrition has severely road blocked the country from providing their athletes the support they need to shine at the Olympics. The country has only won four medals in its history, a fact that may be partially attributed to the malnutrition and poverty that has shadowed Peruvian Olympic athletes, and citizens, for decades.

Then there are athletes like Najemeh Abtin from Iran, an archery competitor; and Olga Ajiderskaya from Kazakhastan, a handball champion. Their sports are less glamorous than gymnastics and swimming, yes, but let that not undermine the recognition they deserve.

The games this year seem centered on Phelps and his quest at world domination in the pool, and the rivalry between China and the U.S. in the gym. I’ve been a bit disappointed that there’s been so much hyped emphasis on a handful of brilliant athletes, and that the focus has not been more diversified. I was hoping this year’s games would provide an opportunity to highlight world issues like poverty and malnutrition, but it seems China and the United States have been more interested in using the attention to publicly nurture their own growing relationship.

I silently applaud the athletes that have been less than fortunate on their journey to Beijing this year. War, poverty, and malnutrition have not stopped them. For that, they deserve gold.

A recent article I wrote on Globalhood, and Global Potential in particular, has been published on Caribbean News Net, a news and media resource for the Caribbean. Click here to read the full article.

I just ran across a very inspiring article about the impending election in November. Seems that the number of projected homeless people voting this year is quite impressive. As home foreclosures and a “hung over” economy (in the words of George W.) press on, more and more Americans are being forced to live on the streets and in homeless shelters. Driving the force of homeless voters are the victims of foreclosures, who seem to have the most incentive to vote. Micheal Stoops, the executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, says:

“Low income and homeless people are more energized than I have ever seen before. There’s a lot of interest in voting because of what’s happening in this country.”

So far, the favorite seems to be Obama, who has vowed to aid the more than 35 million people living below the poverty line by raising the minimum wage and offering tax breaks. Until November, victims of the mortgage crisis can at least find some hope in the Hope for Homeowner’s Act, which was just recently passed by Congress. For more info on the Act, click here.

Please join Global Vote, an online democratic voting forum that engages people in the discussion and involvement in global issues, for a fundraising party on Wednesday, July 30th at 7 p.m. at the Galway Hooker Pub. The private party, which will feature drink specials and prizes, will take place on the second floor. Suggested donation is $20. Galway Hooker is located on 36th St. @ 5th Ave.

Besides raising funds for its programs, Global Vote is hosting this get together to celebrate the launch of their new web site www.theglobalvote.org Remember to vote! And hope to see you on the 30th.

I felt the need to comment on a short piece sent to me by Esther Eshiet regarding the current state of communication on HIV and AIDS in various parts of Africa. In reviewing an article written by PlusNews on June 18^th 2008 in Johannesburg South Africa the article provides support for a very import and noticeable fact, first that HIV is spoken about negatively by the people in Africa and second [has quoted Felicity Horne statement] that “ ‘language can neither be separated from our thoughts and feelings, nor from the social context in which it is used… words and images create different conceptual realities of the phenomenon”’.

The author informs us that billions of dollars have been spent on communication strategies, yet local insight into the ‘disease’ and views of it on the street remains negative; (Paragraph 1). Apart from the information given that ‘HIV is often spoken about as a thief”, among other terms such as ‘landmines’ ‘sickness of this generation’ and ‘little bug’ (mini dictionary from IRIN/PlusNews), the most important take home message that I felt the author wanted us to know was that organizations in Zimbabwe (and most likely other developing countries and nations) “argue that the slang used to describe the virus –which is almost uniformly negative- reinforces the stigma and fatalism that has proved so difficult to erase over the past 25 years of advocacy” (paragraph 8). [The author states that] Felicity Horne (a academic who studies ‘AIDS and language’) recognizes that while communities tried to break the silence of this ‘disease’ informal or slang terms for the epidemic were proliferating and were beginning to construct a response (undoubtedly negative) to the pandemic.

My response

There is very little doubt that communication efforts in much of Africa has failed and that negative views still perpetuate the air like a foul smelling odor that cannot be displaced.

Without a doubt obviously the latter (slang and negative stigma) continues to hinder attempts to successfully encourage people to get tested, support self education, participate in media efforts to show that people can live with the disease, and other efforts to reduce the incidence of spread and possible violence against those infected and affected. (This author understands and has witnessed this in other countries;) However as pro-health as this author is, as a social scientist I spend my time asking a lot of questions and looking at the not so obvious. I also understand that most things that people fear, slang is and will be continually used to describe, so I ask ‘why should we expect that HIV will be addressed any differently’ (other than negatively).

To address a state of existing and ‘disease’ any differently is to ‘neutralize’ it. If it is neutralized is ceases to be a ‘sickness’ or ‘disease’. Do not misconstrue what I am saying. I am not supporting slang, negative connotations of HIV or any ‘disease’, or that it should be ‘neutralized’. I am bringing to your attention the important question. “Why should there be an expectation that HIV is going to be addressed differently (because of improved ‘communication’), when to do so is to neutralize ‘it’ and make an assumption that society wants to see the state of existence as ‘normal’; assuming such is a big presumption.

I fail to understand why people would assume that foreign investment in “improved (Western influenced) communication” brings “understanding” and thus diminishes fear. There is of course the assumption that there wasn’t “understanding” prior to another change in communication strategies for the so-called ‘billion dollar investment’ above. There are four styles of learning, and three major forms of communication. There is one organ responsible for fear, the mind. It seems to me a lot of assumptions were made when billions of dollars were invested in communication strategies; a lot of assumptions are made that ‘understanding HIV’ -something you only see the results of and not the process in action- should make one less afraid, and further assumptions are made that people don’t ‘understand’ and that is why they are perpetuating the negative. [We know that misunderstanding creates fear, but communication doesn’t always eliminate fear; if it did would not most people welcome death (painful or painless) after conversations with the ‘bringer’ of death?] In simple sincerity reversing the format of the question I ask, “If communication eliminated all fears wouldn’t most people accept the possibility of death, if they heard a whisper that “it” was ready for them?”

Original Article Titled: AFRICA: Mind your language - a short guide to HIV/AIDS slang (posted 6/18/08 IRIN PlusNews -Global HIV/AIDS news and analysis)

Globalhood organization Global Potential is currently in the Dominican Republic with its 10 selected students and GP leaders and mentors. Check out their blog , which documents their journey, challenges, and accomplishments. The blog is a forum for students and their mentors to post their progress and share with us their exciting journey to changing the world!

A recent Partners in Health article (click here to see the full article) outlines yet another derailed foreign aid program, this time in Haiti. Seems the Inter-American Development Bank allocated more than $50 million 10 years ago to bring clean water, the most basic of human needs, to the country. Now, a decade later, the public-water system remains even less productive than it was before, and, despite millions of dollars in aid, clean water has reached even less people than it did before the aid. In fact, since 1990, the number of people without access to drinkable water has increased by 7 percent.  

What exactly is going on here? For one, Partners in Health claims that the U.S. government was more concerned with the political relations and stability of the country for its own hegemonic purposes more than it was concerned with getting people access to clean water. Evidence from the IBD shows specifically that officials used the funds to attempt to overthrow then-president Aristide.

The focus on crumbling Haiti’s then-government largely out-shined the fact that Haitians were literally dying from lack of clean water. The country is also still gasping for air from the enormous debt it has incurred since its founding.

This reminds me of a blog I wrote a few weeks ago on the state of various African countries and the similar situation of corrupt government. Despite the fact that more than a billion dollars has been funneled across the continent in the past handful of years, the economical status of its people has done anything but improve.

Surely there is a better way. We must stop shelling out billions of dollars that so often winds up in the hands of those who need it least, with no system of accountability when the funds miss their intention by a long shot.

What shall be the solution?