Repaso: Guatemala’s war years; The MBA Oath; Dakota prison letters; working poor in Latin America; religion vs. science
1. Photos from Guatemala’s war years
Last week I mentioned that in Guatemala, the court would be deciding whether former dictator Rios Montt would be charged with crimes of genocide. Last Thursday he was formally charged, and he’s now under house arrest. Here is a photo essay from the New York Times’ Lens blog with some historical perspective.
2. The MBA Oath
We’ve all heard of the Hippocratic Oath - an ethical pledge for medical professionals “to do no harm.” In December I wrote about a similar oath for those working among the poor. Here now is an oath for business school grads, developed by Max Anderson and his classmates at Harvard Business School. It’s an idea whose time has come.
3. Dakota prisoner letters
Minnesota Public Radio has a segment about letters that have emerged from “concentration camps” in Minnesota where members of the Dakota tribe were held 150 years ago. This is a painful story for everyone to face up to, but for Clifford Canku, a Dakota elder who teaches at North Dakota State, the story needs to be told. (HT Richard Twiss)
4. The working class in Latin America
Sara Miller Llana writes for the Christian Science Monitor about how life is changing for the working class in urban Latin America, the region where the gap between the richest and the poorest is most stark in the whole world. While I don’t think that life for rural indigenous people has improved enough for the issue to be pushed aside, I do appreciate this broadening of the focus:
For two decades, social movements in Latin America have centered on indigenous rights. Today the indigenous have earned new political representation, and open mistreatment will draw complaints. Yet daily life across Latin America is replete with symbols of stubborn class inequality that go unchallenged, such as condominium buildings that have separate elevators for domestic workers.
5. Religion, science and naturalism
NPR’s Weekend Edition interviewed Christian philosopher Alvin Plantinga about the common ground between religion and science, saying the real disparity is between religion and naturalism.
Repaso is intended as a thought-provoking compilation of news and commentary from the past week related to the intersections of faith, development, justice and peace. As always, I welcome your thoughts on any of the links and ideas in this roundup!
[Photo credit: Jean-Marie Simon via New York Times]
Repaso: The future of aid; US military in Latin America; GOP & Hispanics; 100 best employers; faith-work issues; and Accord Network videos
1. The future of aid
Reuters AlertNet has a really cool multimedia feature running right now with stories, videos, polls, infographics and more exploring the future of humanitarian aid. I could spend hours exploring everything there.
2. New US military bases in Latin America
The Just the Facts blog (focused on Latin America and US foreign policy toward the region) has a Google Map showing all the new military bases the US built in Latin America in 2009-10, paid for with money from the counternarcotics budget. Seeking to curb the drug trade may be necessary, but given the region’s history (and US military involvement behind the scenes and otherwise), this is something worth keeping an eye on.
3. The GOP and the Hispanic vote
Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida and current brother of W, has an op-ed in the Washington Post, encouraging Republicans to consider how they might earn the Hispanic vote - something none of the GOP front-runners seem particularly interested in doing:
[W]e need to think of immigration reform as an economic issue, not just a border security issue. Numerous polls show that Hispanics agree with Republicans on the necessity of a secure border and enforceable and fair immigration laws to reduce illegal immigration and strengthen legal immigration. Hispanics recognize that Democrats have failed to deliver on immigration reform, having chosen to spend their political capital on other priorities. Republicans should reengage on this issue and reframe it.
4. 100 best companies to work for
Yesterday I went to hear Christopher J.H. Wright speak on the topic of “Saints in the Marketplace.” In a nutshell, he emphasized the fact that God created work, that he audits it, governs it, and redeems it. I’ll post full thoughts on the talk next week, but in the meantime, here are some great examples from Fortune of businesses that create great places to work. When thinking Christianly about business, this certainly isn’t the only indicator to look at, but it's one worth highlighting and affirming for sure.
5. Faith-work distortions and possibilities
Lukas Naugle, who I recently met over a cup of coffee here in Phoenix to discuss business and the common good, has an essay in Comment about the integration of faith and business, and some of the common pitfalls of those trying to connect the two. It’s a great read, and a hugely important topic, specifically taking a look at two books on the subject.
[I]t can be tricky for an average businessperson to figure out how he or she should do business for the glory of God and the common good. Folks who run into this problem exist in many places—I have met them over coffee, investment pitches, and at conferences. Of course, there are some very positive stories and examples out there, but those who haven't gained a full-orbed view of the integration of faith and business are still the majority, and they come in various shapes and sizes. Here are some of the faith-work Frankenstein's monsters I've met.
6. Accord Network’s forum videos now online
The Accord Network, serving Christian groups working in the fields of relief and development, has posted videos from a number of the presentations at its Developing Excellence Forum, held last November in Baltimore. Main session speakers include Scott Todd (Compassion International, 58: Campaign), Peter Greer (HOPE International), and Tony Hall (former US ambassador). Additionally, videos from the Transformational Development Summit, sponsored by my friends at Eastern University, include Bryant Myers (Fuller Seminary, World Vision International), Stephan Baumann (World Relief), and others. It’s a wealth of good stuff.
Repaso is intended as a thought-provoking compilation of news and commentary from the past week related to the intersections of faith, development, justice and peace. As always, I welcome your thoughts on any of the links and ideas in this roundup!
[Photo credit: cnrc.navy.mil]
Repaso: Free2Work, ethical travel, faithful city planning, Paul Simon on God, Native relocation
1. The story behind the bar code
I’m really encouraged to see this - Free2Work, an app that lets you connect the dots a bit and see where the product you’re considering buying came from. Seems like a win for those of us who want to support businesses that contribute to the well-being of their workers, and perhaps steer clear of the less ethical brands:
Be a conscious consumer! Learn how your favorite brands relate to trafficking and other labor abuses. Free2Work provides consumers with information on forced and child labor for the brands and products they love. Free2Work grades companies on a scale of "A" to "F" based on their efforts to prevent and to address forced and child labor.
2. Ethical travel destinations for 2012
Speaking of ethics, the Polis blog highlights a new report from Ethical Traveler, listing the ten most ethical travel destinations, “based on their recent record of protecting the environment, promoting social welfare and human rights, and creating a sustainable tourism industry.” The list may surprise you; six of the ten are in Latin America and the Caribbean.
3. God’s (unexpected?) plan for cities
Here’s another interesting one from the Polis blog: a podcast on the “undeniable” connections between faith and city planning and why those preparing for careers as city planners ought to study religion:
Faith-based groups rebuild areas after disasters, they develop affordable housing plans, and they help the poor. Additionally, social movements that have profoundly changed society, like the civil rights movement, were guided by faith. Yet planning education generally does not deal with faith... Should the study of faith traditions and values be part of a planning education?
4. Paul Simon on God (by way of John Stott)
Kim Lawton, managing editor of Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, recently interviewed Paul Simon. The video is available here. In a related piece for Christianity Today, Lawton says Simon was deeply impacted by the late John Stott, who he realized was different from the stereotypes of Christians he had known. He said:
I was interested in speaking to the John Stotts of the world and other evangelicals because my instinct was that the animosity is not as deep as being depicted in the media, and anecdotally speaking, I have found that that's the truth.
5. The legacy of Native relocation
NPR, as part of its series on Native American issues, has a new story on a little known bit of American history, and its legacy, this time in Los Angeles:
Los Angeles County is home to the largest urban American Indian population — more than 160,000. In 1952, the federal government created the Urban Relocation Program, which encouraged American Indians to move off reservations and into cities such as Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles. They were lured by the hope of a better life, but for many, that promise was not realized. "The boarding schools, relocation — I mean, everything that historically happened to American Indians — continues to impact them today," Carrie Johnson says. Johnson is part of an effort to help those living with the consequences of the relocation program and build a new future for today's urban American Indian youth.
Repaso is intended as a thought-provoking compilation of news and commentary from the past week related to the intersections of faith, development, justice and peace. As always, I welcome your thoughts on any of the links and ideas in this roundup!
[Photo credit: Barcelona aerial, Aldas Kirvaitis via Flickr]
Featured Writing
Recent Posts
- Thoughts on Teju Cole’s “Open City”
- Not one square inch!
- Weekend Video: The Voice of Justice
- Repaso: Guatemala’s war years; The MBA Oath; Dakota prison letters; working poor in Latin America; religion vs. science
- Sustainability in the Valley of the Sun