I find it a bit odd that researchers at NASA are protesting over not getting the funding they want. Do they not realize that the world and particularly their own country is going through a deep recession?
My understanding of space research is fairly limited. One of the key goals of astronauts is to search out water on other planets. My question is, why are we trying to hunt out water when so many millions of people on our own planet don’t have access to safe, clean drinking water.
According to a UN research report published in 2004, 1.8 million people die every year from water borne diseases. Most of these deaths, especially in developing countries can be prevented, through access to a clean water supply amongst other things.
Multilateral organizations do very well in laying out the problems. Reports, statistics, and warnings of how grave the problem is, seems to be forte of these organizations. But, fixing problems generally requires innovative entrepreneurial drive.
Nonetheless, there is now a solution to the water problem in the world. Michael Pritchard, has created a system which he has named the LIFESAVER bottle. Essentially, it’s a water filtration system inside a bottle that can hold a liter of water.
He demonstrated the LIFESAVER bottle at a TED conference.
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/michael_pritchard_invents_a_water_filter.html
The real innovation in this product is the small spaces in the filtration system that keeps out much of the bacteria and viruses to keep the water clean. Each bottle is good for 6000 liters of water. Once the filter becomes dirty, the bottle automatically stops protecting the user.
For families, he’s come up with a Gerry can that can filter up to 20,000 liters. That, he says in enough for a family of four for about 5 years.
Now the important question is, how much does it cost? Unfortunately, as of yet, the LIFESAVER bottle is a fairly expensive product. The bottle today costs $150, which immediately puts one off. However, if we think about how long it lasts and the savings in terms of the health of people who normally don’t have access to clean water, it may be worth considering. A liter of clean water costs about 2.5 cents, which is cheap anywhere is the world.
Already, some aid agencies are working with lifesaver systems in Haiti. They have, so far, raised about 125,000 USD to help provide clean water to Haiti earthquake victims.
It will take 8 billion USD, according to Michael Pritchard, to provide clean water to half of the world that currently doesn’t have access to it. Admittedly so, that is no small amount. However, when spending trillions of dollars on bailing out failed bankers isn’t out of the question, then what is a few billion to provide clean water to the world.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Free your mind
An oft discussed topic by myself is that of the identity crisis which Pakistanis suffer from. I believe the root cause of this has been due to the colonial imprint of English being the superior language, and as Lord Mountbatten's recently de-classified letter reveals; in order to destroy a nation, undermine their educational system. This they succeeded in doing.
Today a discussion ensued, in regard to how to free our minds, to throw off the mental coil of enslavement -much demonstrated by ourselves(Pakistanis) aping the West. Evolution takes time, and this also applies to attainment of freedom. Freedom of the truest kind, that of the mind. According to the holy scripts the time frame required to attain this is 40 years, that too survival in the desert. The tribes of Israel were led by Moses to wander the Sinai for 40 years in order to attain that freedom. Survival of the truest kind.
That generation of Pakistanis whose minds are free are those that dare to wander back to the motherland. Only a free mind will embark on this. Recent discussions of a different genre of bloggers were unable to grasp this concept with the exception of a few. A free mind can free a people. Let the free lead us.
Today a discussion ensued, in regard to how to free our minds, to throw off the mental coil of enslavement -much demonstrated by ourselves(Pakistanis) aping the West. Evolution takes time, and this also applies to attainment of freedom. Freedom of the truest kind, that of the mind. According to the holy scripts the time frame required to attain this is 40 years, that too survival in the desert. The tribes of Israel were led by Moses to wander the Sinai for 40 years in order to attain that freedom. Survival of the truest kind.
That generation of Pakistanis whose minds are free are those that dare to wander back to the motherland. Only a free mind will embark on this. Recent discussions of a different genre of bloggers were unable to grasp this concept with the exception of a few. A free mind can free a people. Let the free lead us.
Friday, March 12, 2010
ISLAMOPHOBIA - The Clash of Identities within France by Aiysha Varraich
"...a society is not truly democratic if it imposes on some of its members, as the price for admission to equal protection and status, the requirement that they deny/hide a deeply felt identity." Elizabeth Kiss (pg 505, Rile Hayward, 2003)
Kiss' comment strikes at the heart of the situation taking place in today's France. There has been much media coverage of 'Islamisation' taking place, ranging from the denial of Muslim women's right of freedom of expression (the banning of wearing the burqa in public) to the latest row over a 'halal' menu in eight of 350 fast food restaurants over the country. The French Revolution crowned France the leader of democracy and liberty, all which seem to be diminishing in this clash of identities that the country finds itself in. In this essay I intend to explore this clash of identities by exploring the societal security dilemma faced by France by first exploring societal identity formation of France as a nation state in today's international political arena (Roe, 2006); followed by an exploration of the formation of the sub-identity of French Muslims, evaluating France's critical role in constructing the social identity and difference of the liminal French Muslims. Concluding with a discussion of France's national identity superseding its collective identity within the EU with respect to the transnational character nation-states are undergoing - in this case the existence of ideological identities such as Islam, within its borders.
Societal Security Dilemma in France - Identity formation in French community
First of all in order to explore the societal security dilemma France faces, it is essential to define what a society is. According to Roe societies are units constituted by a sense of collective identity: language, culture, traditions etc, i.e. through ethnicity. This is best represented by the nation-state today (Roe 2006). Societal security is endangered when a societal identity is threatened; in this case Islam is the threat to the French way of life: if society loses its identity, in theory the society will cease to exist. The only rival to the ethno-national identity is that of religion –it creates a ‘we’ over generations, is a form of self-identification as intense as nationalism. The reaction to a threatened societal identity would be to reinforce the societal identity, effectively strengthening the collective identity. The cultural nationalism is what would be strengthened –i.e. language, religion and history. This can be carried out through steps where culture becomes a security issue, therefore a priority of policy making. This line of argument has been criticized by scholars as treating “societal identity” as static, whereas society is a fluid concept which is constantly changing, effectively the identity is constantly changing. The criticism is valid in itself; however the evolution of an identity is still prone to the Heglian recognition relationship in which the creation/evolution of the “self” depends upon recognition by “other.”
French Muslims – “Self,” “other” or liminal?
The only rival of nationalism, as mentioned above, is the identity provided by religion, it is creates the ‘we’ through generations. French Muslims face a dilemma that has put them in a grey zone. The wealth of literature that exists on identity formation discusses extensively the Helgian concept of “self” and “other”, as clear separate ideas, black and white. The French Muslim however, falls into a grey zone, where the national identity exists parallel to that of the ‘rival’ of religion. This grey zone is best defined as liminal:
“…Entities that are neither here or there; they are betwixt and between the positions assigned and arranged by law, custom, convention, and ceremonial…They elude or slip through the network of classifications that normally locates states and positions in cultural space.”
The religious identity of the French Muslim is posing a threat to the national identity, i.e. the “Muslim” is the threat to the “French”. This most certainly is a paradoxical as well as ambivalent position for the French Muslim. Both identities exist in parallel, one threatening the other. The reasons put forth by Rumelili for this tension is “because being sites where self and other coexist, they subvert the boundaries of identity, and any clear distinction between self and other.” It is an extrapolation of the long drawn out conflict between the states of Greece and Turkey, found within the borders of one state.
According to Norton, liminal groups have a two-fold function in the constitution of national identities: firstly by being alike and other at once, they mirror the nations in their initial definition. Secondly, the similarity and “other-ness” creates a need to separate the national identity from this by highlighting differences. (Norton 1988.)
The Difference States Make
An interesting argument put forth by Clarissa Hayward in the essay “The Difference States Make: Democarcy, Identity and the American City” It explores the role that democratic states play in helping shape and reinforce social definitions of difference. In the present case France as a democratic state has the largest Muslim population in all of Europe, as well as the founding nation of democratic ideals such as liberty. The French societal identity is presently threatened by the French Muslim identity and is reinforcing it’s identity of a secular state by taking actions such as making it illegal for French Muslims to wear the burqa –curtailing a fundamental freedom of expression and belief. The difference that exists between the French Muslim’s dual identity as a community is being reinforced through legal mechanisms –effectively also altering the French identity of “bedrock of liberties.”
One way for France to deal with the social differences, as put forth by Hayward, would be to evolve from merely tolerating; “permitting, suffer, putting up with” the difference, and enable the democratic norm of political equality and inclusiveness through means that target the root of these differences being highlighted., the state take action that continues to foster the democratic norms of a community’s collective self-determination while respecting the rights of its other citizens.
In conclusion, the present situation in France is reflective of Greenhill’s conclusion that the nation-state still remains the main actor in the region, superseding the collective identity that the European Union provides. The case in point is reflective of liminal groups affecting the national identity of a state itself and how the state reacts, effectively further alienating the liminal group through measures that are meant to reinforce the identity of the “self.” The importance of this is that transnational identities have still not been catered for even in this globlised era that we find ourselves in, continuing a struggle for recognition for these liminial groups.
Kiss' comment strikes at the heart of the situation taking place in today's France. There has been much media coverage of 'Islamisation' taking place, ranging from the denial of Muslim women's right of freedom of expression (the banning of wearing the burqa in public) to the latest row over a 'halal' menu in eight of 350 fast food restaurants over the country. The French Revolution crowned France the leader of democracy and liberty, all which seem to be diminishing in this clash of identities that the country finds itself in. In this essay I intend to explore this clash of identities by exploring the societal security dilemma faced by France by first exploring societal identity formation of France as a nation state in today's international political arena (Roe, 2006); followed by an exploration of the formation of the sub-identity of French Muslims, evaluating France's critical role in constructing the social identity and difference of the liminal French Muslims. Concluding with a discussion of France's national identity superseding its collective identity within the EU with respect to the transnational character nation-states are undergoing - in this case the existence of ideological identities such as Islam, within its borders.
Societal Security Dilemma in France - Identity formation in French community
First of all in order to explore the societal security dilemma France faces, it is essential to define what a society is. According to Roe societies are units constituted by a sense of collective identity: language, culture, traditions etc, i.e. through ethnicity. This is best represented by the nation-state today (Roe 2006). Societal security is endangered when a societal identity is threatened; in this case Islam is the threat to the French way of life: if society loses its identity, in theory the society will cease to exist. The only rival to the ethno-national identity is that of religion –it creates a ‘we’ over generations, is a form of self-identification as intense as nationalism. The reaction to a threatened societal identity would be to reinforce the societal identity, effectively strengthening the collective identity. The cultural nationalism is what would be strengthened –i.e. language, religion and history. This can be carried out through steps where culture becomes a security issue, therefore a priority of policy making. This line of argument has been criticized by scholars as treating “societal identity” as static, whereas society is a fluid concept which is constantly changing, effectively the identity is constantly changing. The criticism is valid in itself; however the evolution of an identity is still prone to the Heglian recognition relationship in which the creation/evolution of the “self” depends upon recognition by “other.”
French Muslims – “Self,” “other” or liminal?
The only rival of nationalism, as mentioned above, is the identity provided by religion, it is creates the ‘we’ through generations. French Muslims face a dilemma that has put them in a grey zone. The wealth of literature that exists on identity formation discusses extensively the Helgian concept of “self” and “other”, as clear separate ideas, black and white. The French Muslim however, falls into a grey zone, where the national identity exists parallel to that of the ‘rival’ of religion. This grey zone is best defined as liminal:
“…Entities that are neither here or there; they are betwixt and between the positions assigned and arranged by law, custom, convention, and ceremonial…They elude or slip through the network of classifications that normally locates states and positions in cultural space.”
The religious identity of the French Muslim is posing a threat to the national identity, i.e. the “Muslim” is the threat to the “French”. This most certainly is a paradoxical as well as ambivalent position for the French Muslim. Both identities exist in parallel, one threatening the other. The reasons put forth by Rumelili for this tension is “because being sites where self and other coexist, they subvert the boundaries of identity, and any clear distinction between self and other.” It is an extrapolation of the long drawn out conflict between the states of Greece and Turkey, found within the borders of one state.
According to Norton, liminal groups have a two-fold function in the constitution of national identities: firstly by being alike and other at once, they mirror the nations in their initial definition. Secondly, the similarity and “other-ness” creates a need to separate the national identity from this by highlighting differences. (Norton 1988.)
The Difference States Make
An interesting argument put forth by Clarissa Hayward in the essay “The Difference States Make: Democarcy, Identity and the American City” It explores the role that democratic states play in helping shape and reinforce social definitions of difference. In the present case France as a democratic state has the largest Muslim population in all of Europe, as well as the founding nation of democratic ideals such as liberty. The French societal identity is presently threatened by the French Muslim identity and is reinforcing it’s identity of a secular state by taking actions such as making it illegal for French Muslims to wear the burqa –curtailing a fundamental freedom of expression and belief. The difference that exists between the French Muslim’s dual identity as a community is being reinforced through legal mechanisms –effectively also altering the French identity of “bedrock of liberties.”
One way for France to deal with the social differences, as put forth by Hayward, would be to evolve from merely tolerating; “permitting, suffer, putting up with” the difference, and enable the democratic norm of political equality and inclusiveness through means that target the root of these differences being highlighted., the state take action that continues to foster the democratic norms of a community’s collective self-determination while respecting the rights of its other citizens.
In conclusion, the present situation in France is reflective of Greenhill’s conclusion that the nation-state still remains the main actor in the region, superseding the collective identity that the European Union provides. The case in point is reflective of liminal groups affecting the national identity of a state itself and how the state reacts, effectively further alienating the liminal group through measures that are meant to reinforce the identity of the “self.” The importance of this is that transnational identities have still not been catered for even in this globlised era that we find ourselves in, continuing a struggle for recognition for these liminial groups.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Why Pangaea?
Pangaea is the name given to a supercontinent that existed on earth millions of years ago. In different phases, Pangaea broke off to form the current configuration of continents. Nonetheless, this blog is not a geography lesson but in fact it has been created to discuss the relevance of this concept today.
First of all, the many dimensions of this phenomenon allow us to be far ranging and creative with our discussion. The blog has been created to allow a positive outlet for discussion, to bring forth topics of interest ranging from politics to the arts and sciences.
Today, Pangaea or the “New Pangaea” can be examined under many lenses. It can be understood as the shrinking of borders and the global circulation of ideas, people and commodities. It can be witnessed through the technological advancements that make the world smaller and smaller. Furthermore, it can also be seen in the transnational awareness of cultures and societies. Therefore, such an open forum should give each contributor ample space to cultivate their ideas and thoughts.
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