Comments for Kenan Summer Fellows

Comment on A letter to a friend by Amy Hepburn

Amy Hepburn — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 02:32:51 +0000

You write beautifully David – I can’t wait to see your finished project…

Comment on Interview with an Open Source Advocate by Lou

Lou — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 13:31:28 +0000

Hi John,

Thanks for this thought-provoking post. I read the Economist piece you link, and it helped clarify for me some of the ways open-source might be linked to Christian values. I noted a couple of things:
1) The connection between Christianity and open-source is clearly contested in the article, particularly by Eric Raymond, in his equation of proprietary software and its “truths from above” with the authority and order of the Church. He, in fact, sees authoritarianism as a positive feature of at least some Christian sects. What do you think about this?
2) Larry Wall’s and Don Parris’s views seem much more aligned with your thinking. I see, in particular, a link between their comments and your post on July 12 in which you discuss the “cultural hegemony” of the dominant GUIs.

What do you think is the role of order and authority in Christian ethics?
Why is creativity important, in your view? In the article, Larry Wall says that God expects us to create and to help others create, and then goes on to say he is “sneakily helping people understand what a bit more about the sort of people God likes.” What is the purpose of creativity?

Looking forward to talking with you about these issues and more!

Lou

Comment on Gaining access: a reflection on the research proccess by sadhnagupta

sadhnagupta — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 18:44:46 +0000

Hi Admay,
Sorry for such a delayed response, but your comment is very thought-provoking, as usual. I think back to our readings from ILGH often, during this research project and during others I have done at Duke.
I can’t honestly say that I even know how I feel about social science research and if it is really beneficial to the people who participate in it. I think it is important and that it helps create awareness and understanding, especially for the researcher. Yet, I am always so disillusioned and dismayed to see such little translation of research and followup. I am guilty of this myself…I feel like the academic world pushes researchers/students to get information and publish it, and then move on the next topic or group of people.
Although I was frustrated with this particular individual, I do think he had a pretty valid point.
At the same time, I think that research can be important for a group even if it doesn’t bring concrete improvements for them. I think people were willing to give their time and share their stories with me because they want people to know what they have gone through and they want people in the US to be aware of what their life circumstances have been.
I have always wondered what my obligations are after interviewing people. Although I have learned quickly not to promise anything, I often feel like I am in debt to them and should be doing something to address the concerns they have shared to me.
I would love to talk with you about this more during the year sometime!
Sadhna

Comment on In Search of a Superhero by "Admay"

"Admay" — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 01:12:28 +0000

I listened with new ears to Phoebe Judge’s account of real life “super hero,” Thanatos in Vancouver on account of your original post. This is a juxtaposition most worthy of our mutual reflection:
http://thestory.org/archive/the_story_081412_full.mp3/view

A Hollywood action photographer, Peter Tangen, did portraits of these guys to be found at:
http://www.reallifesuperheroes.com/index_bak.php/heroes/

The Story is broken into 4 parts today: parts 2 and 3 are described this way:

SUPERHEROES
Thanatos is the Greek god of death, and a man bearing his name roams the streets of Vancouver in a mask. His mission is to help people, and Phoebe Judge listens to what drives him to be a real-life superhero.

CAPTURING REAL-LIFE HEROES
Peter Tangen, an action movie photographer in Hollywood, turned his attention to the many real life superheroes in our midst. See his gallery here.

What do you notice as you hear these stories? What do you re-contextualize? Could you try out this “theater”? What seems appealing (if anything!) about that idea? What seems appalling (if anything)?

Comment on Gaining access: a reflection on the research proccess by Admay

Admay — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 20:43:16 +0000

Sadhna,

as I was reading your blog I couldn’t help but think about one of the readings we did in ILGH about the poor view research subjects (or their doctors) have of research that doesn’t come with very immediate and concrete benefits for the subjects. Calain!

I can’t quite get a fix on what you think about that question–here and now in *your* refugee research context–from your posting. You obviously had to back off with the family who clearly was saying no, but, if you had it to do again and didn’t have your insider person with you, might there be a new way of arguing the case for research? What if you explained that research isn’t viewed as credible if it comes with more than de minimis material incentives? do you think this guy actually wanted valid research done on the Bhutan community?

what do you think the other people–who have allowed you to interview them–have said to themselves about why it was worth their time and energy to do?

So nice to imagine you and your Dad working together.
Lucky Dad.

Looking forward to hearing more…

Comment on In Search of a Superhero by Admay

Admay — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 17:39:24 +0000

Lovely way to conclude this 2nd post. From the writing point of view, it definitely “leans the reader forward” to your next installment. So…when you’re not confining your vision to “broad daylight,” what do you learn? How do you make sense of what you learn in the tenebrae and interstices of the way people talk with you? In your job this summer, the interstices matter so much. And the tenebrae have very likely been quite present for those to whom you listen.

I found myself wondering how you would respond to the quotations that Ken Banks peppers throughout the website URL I have tagged above. Here it is again: http://www.kiwanja.net/vision.htm

It sounds to me that like you, Banks understands the difficulties of doing development (or refugee/human rights) work well, and, in the knowledge of the interstices and tenebrae, relies on his values to find the way forward positively.

What do you make of his superimposition of values on an image and his sprinkling of quotations/epigraphs and images on Kiwanja.net? See:
http://www.kiwanja.net/values.htm
Could you imagine an image on which you could superimpose values that have felt sturdy for you this summer?

Leaning forward to the next installment…

Comment on Family’s Effect On Hope by Claire Wagner

Claire Wagner — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 22:54:48 +0000

Rosie. I’m a friend of your uncle Charles (Barney?). He works for my husband, Greg. I have been so moved by all of your blog entries. I just want to thank you for writing and for opening a window into this world of extremes – with exploitation, poverty, and sickness on one end, and hope, family unity, and endurance on the other. Today’s entry is especially hard. I think the only time I have seen a complete lack of hope is in the eyes of some homeless people and the eyes of a friend who was dying of ALS. Anyway, I know your presence will make a difference in ways that are yet to be revealed. Best of luck with your work.

Comment on Final Reflection: An Open Mind by Lou

Lou — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 12:06:45 +0000

Mark,
It’s been fun following your experience. Thanks for being so open about the ways your ideas have been challenged in the process of doing your research. Looking forward to seeing the final paper!
Lou

Comment on One year later, South Sudan: A Personal Note by Nyuol Tong

Nyuol Tong — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 18:06:40 +0000

Thank you, Sandhna! Things are improving in South Sudan, slowly but surely, and the world needs to be a little patient. That’s not to say we shouldn’t point out the challenges, and there are enormous challenges facing South Sudan… Bollywood is BIG in Africa and South Sudan.

Comment on Vulnerability and the inability of refugees to plan for their future by Christina Kaufmann

Christina Kaufmann — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 16:10:01 +0000

Western Michigan, particularly Grand Haven and Holland, has quite a few Bhutanese refugees. If you ever needwould ever like to make contact with some of these individuals in order to conduct ethnographic research of your own, let me know.