Last week I gave a seminar for the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center. There were about 50 teachers in attendence – most of whom do genocide education in Chicago’s schools. Illinois is one of just four states in the U.S. that is mandated to do genocide education – but – that mandate comes unfunded. […]
Archives for May 2009
Noise-making vs. Policy asks
May 19, 2009 by Leave a Comment
In today’s posts, both Marc Gustafson and Esther Sprague point to the evolution of activism on Darfur from being focused on generating noise (what Gustafson terms “awareness campaigns”) to calling for specific policies (what Gustafson calls “advocacy campaigns”). Certainly when it comes to the SDC I see this transition as a struggle which played out […]
Questions for the advocacy community: Q2 – Marc Gustafson
May 19, 2009 by 2 Comments
Q2: Is citizen advocacy at its most effective when it generates maximum “noise” on an issue , or do citizen advocates need to attach particular policy prescriptions to the noise they make? Marc Gustafson: There can be no framework for measuring the efficacy of advocacy groups. Some are successful because they bring awareness to typically […]
Questions for the advocacy community: Q2 – Esther Sprague
May 19, 2009 by 1 Comment
Q2: Is citizen advocacy at its most effective when it generates maximum “noise” on an issue , or do citizen advocates need to attach particular policy prescriptions to the noise they make? Esther Sprague: I became a Darfur activist because a friend of mine, Mamer Kuer Ajak, was concerned about reports he was hearing concerning […]
Perceptions from outside the U.S. #4: Ethiopia
May 18, 2009 by 1 Comment
I am Mekdes Mezgebu. I am now working with the UNDP in Addis Ababa, Is there an advocacy movement for Darfur in Ethiopia? To my knowledge, there are no advocacy movements for Darfur in Ethiopia. While neighboring and very close to Ethiopia in a lot of other respects, often times, Darfur does not attract a […]
Abu Garda comes to the ICC
May 18, 2009 by Leave a Comment
I sat in the gallery to watch his appearance – more poised and relaxed than any defendant I have seen in the ICC dock. The hearing itself was the usual formalities that go with a first appearance. The suspect gives his name, date of birth (he’s 46) and profession (“political commander”). The Judge – in […]
Questions for the Advocacy Community – Part II
May 18, 2009 by Leave a Comment
Hi everyone A series of interesting posts are coming up this week from Ruth Messinger, Nasredeen Abdulbari, Esther Sprague, Marc Gustafson, Erin Mazursky, Eric Reeves, Alex de Waal, John Norris and Jill Savitt on the question of whether citizen advocacy at its most effective when it generates maximum “noise” on an issue , or whether […]
Questions for the advocacy community: Q2 – Nasredeen Abdulbari :الضجة مقابل السياسة السؤال رقم 2
May 18, 2009 by 1 Comment
Q2: Is citizen advocacy at its most effective when it generates maximum “noise” on an issue , or do citizen advocates need to attach particular policy prescriptions to the noise they make? Nasredeen Abdulbari: Politicians are usually pretty overwhelmed with their political activities and work, and rarely do they find time to lay down concrete […]
Questions for the advocacy community: Q2 – Ruth Messinger et al
May 18, 2009 by 1 Comment
Q2: Is citizen advocacy at its most effective when it generates maximum “noise” on an issue , or do citizen advocates need to attach particular policy prescriptions to the noise they make? Ruth Messinger, President, American Jewish World Service (AJWS); Ian Schwab, Senior Associate and National Grassroots Organizer at AJWS; and Leah Kaplan Robins, Senior […]
Questions for the advocacy community: Q2 – Erin Mazursky
Q2: Is citizen advocacy at its most effective when it generates maximum “noise” on an issue , or do citizen advocates need to attach particular policy prescriptions to the noise they make? Erin Mazursky: In April 2006, 75,000 people assembled on the Washington Mall calling for “peace in Darfur.” The message was simple, and perhaps […]