Latest News
This section of the GDN-NA Web site will provide users with regularly-updated information on topics important to the substantive work and professional experience of development scholars and practitioners, including information about the Global Development Network and its North American hub.
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| Title | Date |
|---|---|
| Economist Makes Opening Inquiry into Global Finance Networks Supporting Terror | October 3, 2003 |
| In a newly-published study, Loretta Napoleoni combines extensive field research with economic theory to trace the ways terrorist organizations use formal and informal financial systems in support of their missions, and to suggest policy responses to disrupt terrorist finance networks. | |
| UBC Recruits for Endowed Chair for the Study of Democracy | October 1, 2003 |
| The University of British Columbia announces the creation of the Harold and Dorrie Merilees Chair for the Study of Democracy. The University plans to appoint the successful candidate with tenure, at the level of full Professor, resident in the Department of Political Science. | |
| University of Ottawa Offers Two Tenure-Track Appointments in International Development | September 26, 2003 |
| The University of Ottawa's Faculty of Social Sciences will accept applications for two tenure-track positions, preferably at the rank of Assistant Professor, in the University's Program in International Development and Globalization. Appointments will begin on 1 July 2004. The selected candidates must have training in one of the social-science disciplines, as well as an interest inteaching and research in the areas of international development and/or globalization. | |
| UT Mississauga Offers Visiting Appointment in IR | September 24, 2003 |
| The Department of Political Science, University of Toronto at Mississauga (UTM), invites applications for a stipendary appointment to teach the second half of POL208Y, "Introduction to International Relations", from January to April 2004. The successful applicant will hold a PhD when the appointment begins, and have demonstrated excellence in teaching. | |
| University of Guelph Offers Tenure-Track Appointment for Latin Americanist | September 24, 2003 |
| The Department of Political Science, University of Guelph, invites applications for a tenure-track position in the field of Comparative Politics. The Department expects to fill this position at the rank of Assistant Professor, and the appointment will commence 1 July 2004. The successful candidate will demonstrate knowledge of general theoretical issues in the sub-discipline, while also focusing on Latin America and relations among countries in the Americas. | |
| University of Western Ontario Offers Tenure-Track Appointment in IR | September 24, 2003 |
| The Department of Political Science at the University of Western Ontario invites applications for a tenure-track position in International Relations, to commence 1 July 2004. | |
| UNECA, The Economist Regard Growth in "Lion Cubs" Mozambique, Rwanda, Uganda with Guarded Optimism | August 28, 2003 |
| Though economic growth continues to lag when measured over the entire sub-Saharan region, some Arfican countires have turned-in strong performances in recent years, according to data compiled for the UN Economic Commission for Africa's 2003 report and featured recently in The Economist. Why have some African economies grown steadily, and what kinds of challenges complicate the long-term picture for strong performers like Mozambique, Rwanda, and Uganda? | |
| Mexico City's CIDE Offers Tenure-Track Appointment in IR | August 21, 2003 |
| The Department of International Studies at the Centro de Investigacion y Docencias Economicas (CIDE) invites applications for a tenurrable appointment in International Relations at the Assistant or Associate level. While plans indicate that the appointment would begin in August 2004, CIDE will accept applications to begin in January 2004. | |
| Concordia University Offers Junior Canada Research Chair in Comparative Public Policy | August 21, 2003 |
| Condordia University's Department of Political Science invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track position, at the rank of Assistant Professor. The appointment will begin in academic year 2004-05 or 2005-06, depending on applicants' prior commitments and their successful completion of the Canada Research Chairs nomination and approval process. | |
| Concordia University Offers Tenure-Track Appointment in Development | August 21, 2003 |
| Condordia University's Department of Political Science invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track position, at the rank of Assistant Professor, effective 1 July 2004, subject to budgetary approval. | |
| Dalhousie University Offers Tenure-Track Appointments in IR/IPE | August 19, 2003 |
| Dalhousie University's Department of Political Science invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track position, at the rank of Lecturer or Assistant Professor, effective 1 July 2004, subject to budgetary approval. | |
| University of Victoria Offers Tenure-Track Appointment in East Asian Politics | August 19, 2003 |
| The University of Victoria's Department of Political Science invites applications for a junior-level, tenure-track appointment in East Asian Politics, effective 1 July 2004. | |
| University of Winnipeg Offers Tenure-Track Appointments in Global Politics | July 23, 2003 |
| The University of Winnipeg's Department of Politics invites applications for two tenure-track appointments in Global Politics/International Relations at the rank of Assistant Professor, effective 1 July 2004, subject to budgetary approval. | |
| University of Waterloo Offers Tenure-Track Appointment in Comparative Politics | July 23, 2003 |
| The University of Waterloo's Department of Political Science invites applications for a tenure-track appointment at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor, effective 1 July 2004. | |
| Discussion Lists Focus Attention on Disability in Development | July 21, 2003 |
| As many as 15 to 20 percent of poor people living in poverty in developing countries have some kind of a disability. This population often makes up the poorest of the poor. People in this group have among the worst access in the world to an education, job-training opportunities, employment opportunities, political participation, and general community life. Nevertheless, many mainstream international development programs consistently exclude this population. Two mailing lists have become available to help users learn more about issues affecting people with disabilities in developing nations, and to promote knowledge sharing and cooperation among professionals working on these issues. | |
| US EPA Offers Paid Graduate Internship | July 18, 2003 |
| Through the Environmental Careers Organization, the US Environmental Protection Agency will offer a paid internship this Fall for graduate students. The successful candidate will work for EPA's Chief Statistician in the Office of Environmental Information, on a part-time basis during the academic year, then full-time through the Summer of 2004. | |
| UN Small-Arms Conference Links Firearm Violoence to Lagging Development | July 11, 2003 |
| Representatives of member states have convened at UN Headquarters for the first Biennial Meeting on Small Arms, where they have shared initial progress reports on the global plan agreed in 2001 to restrict illicit trade in firearms. Two reports civil-society organizations have timed the release of reports they prepared to coincide with the conference; both emphasize that the proliferation and misuse of small arms poses a major obstacle to development around the world. The third annual Small Arms Survey, subtitled "Development Denied," comes from the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva: Authors detail the small-arms problem's "direct burden resulting from threat to life, combined with the indirect burden of protection and avoidance, constitute a tax on the standard of living of communities." In their report, titled "Putting People First," analysts at the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue emphasize the "humanitarian toll from armed violence," complicating "health, humanitarian, human rights, development, and disarmament" efforts. An article from the UN Foundation's wire service contains additional coverage of the conference, and links to other materials. | |
| Edited Volume Explores Role of Institutions in Development of Americas | July 9, 2003 |
| How much does a country's socioeconomic development depend on the progress of democratic and civil-society institutions in that country? In a collection of essays published recently by the Inter-American Development Bank, authors contend that in some countries, poorly-functioning political institutions limit the effectiveness of technically sound economic policies. Adding their perspectives on Latin America's experience to a growing literature, the contributors to "Democracy in Deficit: Governance and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean" find that relatively low standards of living result more from shortcomings in the region's civic institutions processes than from poor economic management. "Democracy in Deficit" also includes chapters on institutional reform by the Brazilian scholar and former minister Luiz Carlos Bresser Pereira and Professor Guillermo O'Donnell of Notre Dame. In a recent working paper on a related note, Bill Easterly of the Center for Global Development finds that societies exhibiting high levels of income inequality tend to lack institutional and educational supports for development. For additional information on this subject, users might also consult the Center for Democracy and Development or the International Center for Human Rights and Democratic Development . | |
| Commonwealth Initiative Funds Travel, Fellowships to Promote Innovation in Development | June 30, 2003 |
| The Commonwealth Science Council has refocused its Travel Grants and Fellowships Program to advance innovation in socioeconomic development through local/indigenous knowledges, with the aim of improving the quality of life of poor people in the Commonwealth. | |
| Netherlands Development Minister Sets Priorities for Governing Coalition | June 27, 2003 |
| In a letter to the Netherlands' House of Representatives, Minister of Development Cooperation Agnes van Ardenne has committed the Government to maintaining official development assistance levels at 0.8 percent of GDP, paying special attention to Africa, and working towards the UN's Millennium Development Goals as the principal strategy toward achieving sustainable poverty reduction. | |
| Revision of Japan's ODA Policies Underway | June 27, 2003 |
| More than a decade after Japan's Cabinet approved a comprehensive policy to guide expenditures on development assistance, a Cabinet subcommittee has begun to revise the ODA Charter. The draft Charter revision addresses issues of policy focus, agency process, political support, and objectives for Japan's aid policy. Announcing the revision, the Cabinet cites four major changes in the policy environment surrounding development assistance. | |
| Aid Study by Alesina & Dollar Cited in "Monitor" Story on Aid Donors' Motivations | June 26, 2003 |
| In recent months, US President George W. Bush has directed greater attention towards outcomes in Africa, and policy analysts have increasingly focused on the effectiveness of development-assistance spending. Against this backdrop, a recent story in "The Christian Science Monitor" asks what motivates foreign-assistance spending: The news analysis turns to a well-known paper in the literature on development economics, which finds that donor states' political interests influence their aid decisions at least as much as recipient states' degree of need or resource efficiency. | |
| Special Meeting of World Economic Forum Tackles Stalemated Conflicts, Slack Economies | June 23, 2003 |
| Organizers of a special meeting of the World Economic Forum just completed in Jordan hope to inaugurate a new period of dialogue and cooperation in the Middle East, and to continue from spurring peacemaking and economic development in this region to enhancing political and economic solutions in similar crises elsewhere. Load the linked page to see a list of agenda items, accompanied by brief introductory descriptions for each session. | |
| IIIS Announces Conference -- "Politics and Information Systems: Technologies and Applications" | June 16, 2003 |
| The International Institute of Informatics and Systemics invites scholars and analysts to participate in their "Politics and Information Systems" conference, held 31 July - 2 August in Orlando, Florida: IIIS has organized this international conference jointly with the International Conference on Computer, Communication and Control Technologies. | |
| Human Security Report Links Development Issues with Conflict | June 13, 2003 |
| A commission of scholars and policymakers convened after the UN's Millennium Summit have completed their inquiry into a new paradigm for analyzing and resolving conflict. "Human Security Now: Protecting and Empowering People" highlights the connections between the prevalence of violent conflict in a society, and the threats experienced by the most marginalized people in that society. This report by the Commission on Human Security analyzes the potentially destabilizing effects of migration, weak governing institutions, corrupt and stagnant economies, poor public health, and underinvestment in health care and acquisition of skills. | |
| OAS Calls for Training Programs to Support with Travel Grants | June 7, 2003 |
| Each year, the Department of Scholarships and Training at the Organization of American States provides a limited number of grants to ducational institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean. These grants cover travel expenses for students in the region who enroll in the courses. The OAS has requested proposals from educational institutions interested in securing such grants. | |
| SmartGirl Technologies Offers Workshops on Demographic Analysis | April 18, 2003 |
| The Local Area Demographic Analysis (LADA) Workshop -- offered in several US cities through the year -- provides the skills required to retreive and analyze US Census data. | |
| Canadian Study of Parliament Group Announces Essay Competition | April 16, 2003 |
| Community college, undergraduate and graduate students in any discipline are invited to participate in a national essay competition sponsored by the Canadian Study of Parliament Group(CSPG) in celebration of its 25th anniversary. | |
| RAND Reports on Lessons Learned for International S&T Collaboration | April 10, 2003 |
| PDF file describes the results of an inquiry conducted by RAND for the US President's Office of Science and Technology Policy, seeking insights into improving the efficiency and effectiveness of government-sponsored international collaboration in science and technology. | |
| Getting Research into Practice and Policy | April 10, 2003 |
| The Getting Research into Policy and Practice (GRIPP) website is a resource produced by, and written for researchers in order to maximise the impact of their research on policy. It is believed that through the sharing of experiences and ideas from a range of projects and programmes, researchers will be able to achieve greater utilisation of their own research in the development of policies. The site is funded by UK Department for International Development (DFID), and managed by John Snow International (UK). | |
| USAID Administrator Comments on Millennium Challenge Account | January 9, 2003 |
| Press release and transcript of public comments on Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) by USAID Administrator Andrew Natsios, US Embassy London, 21 October 2002. | |
| Canadian Minister for Int'l. Cooperation Comments on New Policy Report | January 9, 2003 |
| Press release from Canadian International Development Agency, including comments by Minister Whelan. | |