IEDP COLOMBIA

"The only perspective that we missed -- though we reached out to several organizations -- was that of indigenous communities; these communities are greatly effected by energy projects and energy access, but they have historically been left out of the discussion. When they were referenced by other stakeholders, it was often just to add that a given project might be delayed by the mandatory consent process that surrounds projects on certain lands, or the fact that some indigenous groups have learned how to 'game' the system to get money or public projects. In other words, they were often discussed as an obstacle rather than an integral part of Colombia for whom better services needed to be provided. This was one takeaway from face-to-face conversations with stakeholders that might have been missed by reading official documents on the subject." - Jackson M.

"I left Colombia ready to engage my hometown in the undertaking of localized SDGs. I personally believe that Colombia despite its history of internal conflict has made great strides to now be a middle-income country and we in the US could learn from them. I learned greatly from stakeholders taking us through their thinking and policy process, specifically ministry meetings. Research is important and also understanding different regions have unique issues that cannot also be mitigated by national policies. Overall, you need a collective impact model to ensure citizens are getting what they need." - J'Taime L.

"I really think that I was able to understand how policy creation and implementation works, especially in Colombia’s field of childhood nutrition. Given graduate school is a career shift for me, and I have no prior government/public experience, meeting with these different perspectives was very valuable for me. I appreciate the non-governmental organizations that we met with as well, as I think that was an important complement. To that end, I think that the largest takeaway from meeting stakeholders was that everything is political. Many classes in Ford focus on this (particularly Shobita’s PUBPOL 510), but I think we saw this very clearly. Whether it was certain issues gaining prominence from the First Lady’s directive to the choice of mortality due to malnutrition being a political choice because it is likely easier to address, the political aspects of everything was very apparent." - Jaclyn K.

" I found that with most of our stakeholders, there was a common theme of deep expertise in the work they were doing, and a clarity of mission/vision (either at the organizational or larger societal dilemma level). Insovivienda, Techo, the Ministry of Housing, etc. could all speak to how their work intersected with the SDG's and how their organization fit into the larger mission of addressing inadequate quantity or quality of housing in the country. The problem to be addressed has been a large hurdle to overcome, but I have been impressed with the alignment and awareness organizations seemed to have on how best they fit into addressing housing dilemmas in the country. " - Chadd

IEDP MOROCCO

Moroccan Excursions

Fez: Walking the streets of the Fez el-Bali (the medina or old city of Fez) feels like stepping into the past. Narrow winding alleys, lined with merchants of all kinds, twist and turn into a labyrinth. Without our guide Abderrahim who was born and raised in Fez el-Bali, I’m not sure we would’ve found our way out. But a part of me wished we never left. Within this maze are goods and foods of a dizzying selection, awe-inspiring sites, and a bustling community. From the beautiful leather working at the Chouara Tannery, unchanged since the 11^th century, to the oldest existing and continually operating university, the University of Al Quaraouiyine (founding in 859 AD by Fatima al-Fihri), Fez is a city that shows a person what it really means to have history.

The people of Fez el-Bali live in homes built in the 8^th and 9^th centuries, over 1,000 years ago. Those houses, also known as riads, are over twice as old as the United States of America. Yet they still stand, echoing with the sounds of families conversing over meals, and children playing in the alleys. To a public policy student focusing on the impending threat of climate change, this permanence is reassuring. It showcases the resilience of a strong community in the face of invading armies, changing dynasties, and a period of French “protection.” Our guide Abderrahim told us that the reason the French relocated the capital of Morocco from Fez to Rabat was the constant rebellion of the highly educated and politically active residents of Fez. Seeing how fully the people of Fez dedicate themselves to their trades or fields of study, it is easy to understand how they would have made life difficult for the French. I only hope that the global community can learn from this steadfast dedication and resiliency to push climate change into our history books. But even if we can’t, I am comforted to know that Fez el-Bali and its residents will continue to stand resolute in the face of whatever the future will bring.

IEDP Senegal

IEDP Senegal: Trip REFLECTIONS

March 14, 2018

It has been a little over a week since we arrived back in Ann Arbor after an incredible trip to Dakar. It was quite a shock to jump straight back into the classroom (and the cold Michigan climate!) after our week in West Africa, and we are all continuing to process and reflect on the experiences we had during our amazing, if exhausting, trip. More to come on those thoughts, and our final projects, soon, but for now, here are a few highlights of our travels!

"One of the best parts of the trip was interacting with our three translators. (French is the official language of Senegal, and Wolof is also widely-spoken. While we had a few French speakers in our group -- and learned a bit of Wolof in class -- about 70% of our meetings required translation.) Bachir, the translator who worked with my research group most frequently, not only translated interviews for us; he also served as an additional set of eyes and ears into Senegalese culture. Between helping us get around the city, communicating with our driver, sharing jokes over meals, taking us to a Senegalese grocery store, and explaining the things we saw around us (including a new stadium for wrestling, one of Senegal's most popular sports), Bachir was an invaluable asset to our team. He helped us learn about Senegal in a more informal manner, and by the end of the week, we were sad to part ways one final time."

Adventures

"We didn't have a lot of free time to explore during the week, which in some ways made me all the more appreciative of our little 'in-between' moments as a group. From an impromptu drumming session before our first interview, to a quick run across the highway to dip our toes in the ocean, to a lunchtime hunt for a special sandwich shop with our translator, these memories will really stay with me."

"The group trip to Goree [the slave-trading island off the coast of Dakar] was a really important experience for me. It was a bit surreal, and definitely very emotional, but it also inspired me in a certain way. It's difficult to fully articulate, but I think being in that place and reflecting on such a gruesome wrong in our history motivated me to fight even harder against injustices today."

"This was an early adventure, but I really enjoyed the group trip to the market that we took on our first day in Dakar. The bustle of activity, the colors and smells of the produce and spices at the stalls...it was an exciting and stimulating introduction to the city!"

Food

"Senegalese food is SO good! I am already collecting recipes and ingredients to try to recreate Yassa Chicken - my favorite Senegalese dish - for myself in Ann Arbor!"

"Food is typically my first introduction into a new space, and Senegalese cuisine was no different. After a mouthwatering visit to Detroit's Maty's African Cuisine, I was beyond excited to explore the rich flavors upon our arrival in Dakar. The pictures below barely do these dishes justice -- from the complex flavors, fresh ingredients, vibrant colors, and of course, the dedicated hands that that prepare and serve the food. If for some reason you can't book a one-way ticket to Dakar at this very moment, perhaps you can start at your local Senegalese restaurant to see exactly what I'm talking about. And of course, don't forget to order a tall cold glass of bouyé to wash all that yassa and maafe down!"

group excursion: A taste of Senegal

February 5, 2018

On February 3rd, IEDP student foodies went to Detroit for a Senegalese cultural excursion, and the theme was, of course, the amazing, authentic Senegalese food. We went to a restaurant called Maty's African Cuisine, named after the owner's wife, Maty. Set in the historic Old Redford neighborhood of Detroit, Maty's is a small but delicate place, decorated with warm orange colors and Senegalese ornaments (like cloths and carved gourds) and reminding us of a traditional Senegalese family. The friendly environment warmed everyone up on a snowy and windy day in Michigan.

After we had settled down and split into two tables, we immediately wanted to indulge ourselves with the plethora of food on the menu. However, unable to choose from all the mouth-watering food, we decided to let the owner choose for us. To start, we tried Baobab juice which melted in the mouth and lingered with a flavor reminiscent of a peach milkshake; we also tried the ginger juice, which came with a mild spicy flavor and refreshed our metabolisms; finally we had the sorrel juice, which flooded our mouths with a fruity citrus flavor similar to hibiscus.

Soon after came with the appetizers - Chicken and Tuna Fataya with special onion sauce. The combination of the spicy tuna, chicken, crispy Fataya and the hot onion sauce were so irresistible that the plates were swept away within a few minutes. Having such a pleasant experience, we had high expectation for the entrees, and Maty's did not let us down. Ten minutes after the appetizers, the main courses flooded in with huge portions for each dish, which meant everyone was well fed! To satisfy our curiosity, the owner served us a diversity of dishes - lamb Yassa, grilled whole chicken, marinated and grilled whole fish, chicken and beef kabob, plantains, yellow rice, couscous, and our favorite, onion sauce. Ever the considerate and hospitable hosts, the owners even prepared flavorful vegetarian food for us. With delicious food piled up and accompanied by the sight of downy snow outside, all of us quieted down and buried our head in the food.

At the end of our meal, the owner and the whole Maty’s crew even took time during the busiest hours to take a picture with us in front of the lovely wall decorations. Overwhelmed by their hospitality and the good food, IEDP foodies are ready for another visit to Maty’s when we return from Senegal.

Featured Response: re-framing our considerations of the unfamiliar

January 24, 2018

Each week, students write brief responses to assigned course readings. These responses help everyone to process and reflect on the high volume of important information conveyed in the short seven weeks leading up to the class trip to Dakar. Today's blog post highlights one particularly insightful response written by Olivia Lewis, MPP '18, reflecting on Western views of traditional Quranic schools in Senegal, or daaras. You can find Olivia's full response below, and can check out the readings related to it (and all readings from the IEDP Senegal course) on the full syllabus included on the IEDP 2018 homepage.

This week’s reading reminded me of Fatou-Seydi Sarr’s visit to class a couple weeks ago. Sarr, general secretary of the Senegalese Community Association in Detroit, compared colonial rule to a children’s toy, the kind where specific shapes fit into holes in a piece of wood. In this instance, French colonialism is a circular hole, while Islamic traditions, education, and culture are a square—the two just don’t fit together.

One aspect that I found particularly disturbing was on page 22 of Rudolph Ware’s The Longue Duree of Quran Schooling, Society, and State in Senegambia. He mentions people having to “define and debate meanings of Islam in an ever-changing world,” and that the “region was pacified by the French,” becoming the colony of Senegal. As I see it, France’s quest for power has blinded their sense for humanity and simply letting what already exists continue to exist as it is.

Our research group has already struggled with this as we approached our research question around the topic of Children’s Rights. We foolishly latched onto the topic of talibes, too focused on the notion that everything about begging and the reasons for this begging (to pay for school), were harmful to Senegalese children. But after reading Ware’s work and reflecting on our class discussions about the dangers of making assumptions, and putting our own intentions on another culture, we must broaden our research question and check our assumptions and biases at the door. If we don’t learn to recognize the bias in our own questions, we will be forcing our interviewees to give us answers that they think we want to hear, negating our work altogether. I now wonder what Senegal would be like today, had French colonialism never happened? Would these schools, or daaras, still exist? From the reading, I have gathered that they were instituted out of necessity and possibly remained in part to tradition and status.

What is even more disheartening, is the lengths the Frenchmen were willing to go to prevent the growth and continued existence of Islamic culture within the Senegalese education system. They never considered the importance of religious practice within education or the securing of a people’s heritage—that it could be good for the Senegalese people. Instead, the Frenchmen seemed to be exerting their power on a people rooted in fear.

This excerpt from page 27 and 28 in Ware’s piece solidifies my thoughts that the French did everything they could to maintain power for as long as possible.

“French officials sought to restrict the free practice of Islamic education through legal measures…The early decrees were proffered in the name of public good, and the social welfare of children. In reality, they were primarily efforts to circumscribe the Arabic language and Islamic culture to the benefit of French language and the social norms of Occidental modernity.”

By outlawing a religion in education, it makes me wonder what the Frenchmen were afraid of should Islamic traditions continue to be upheld in the Senegalese community? What is the benefit in having a native people follow the norms of another culture and neglect their own? What is the impact over decades of time, and how has it affected Senegalese people in what they consider to be an adequate education, livelihood and religious practice?

After reading Ware’s piece, I believe we need to alter our frame of questioning. We must consider the historical context of daaras and how they came to be, rather than continue to chastise them as negligent and inappropriate institutions.

Guest Lecture: Fatou-Seydi Sarr

January 12, 2018

For the last few months, we’ve all been reading more than we ever thought we’d know about Senegal. It’s easy to think of all this learning in purely theoretical terms, and to place our studies about a country that most of us have never been to in the same category in our minds as the places that we read about in novels. On January 10, however, we had the privilege of meeting a distinguished guest, Fatou-Seydi Sarr (Seydi for short). Among other titles, she is the General Secretary of the Senegalese Community Association in Detroit, and the founder of African Bureau for Immigration and Social Affairs. She is also a phenomenal dancer and teaches Afropop dance lessons in Detroit (and promised to teach us before we go!). When Seydi came to our class, she made Senegal feel real in a way that no readings from a book or a news article ever could. When she stood in front of the twenty of us her smile and her energy, she brought a breeze of her homeland with her and shared it with all of us.

We started off our studies on Senegal by reading how to not talk about Africa (see our syllabus for that reading list!). Since colonial times, Western writers have characterized places they have visited in Africa as places of violence, deviance, disease, dark magic, and exoticized spectacle. In these narratives, there is usually an implicit contrast with the Western writer herself confronting these phantasmagoriscapes: she is rational, well-meaning, innocent, and often a savior, to name a few. Before the class, part of our readings had included a general overview of Senegalese culture, history and politics. Her talk was about meeting a new country on its own terms and practicing cultural humility. As an example, much of our conversation with her centered on a very controversial topic: polygamy. Polygamy is practiced widely throughout the country, stemming from both indigenous and Islamic traditions. The conversation was tense yet respectful. She talked about how Western notions of feminism, delivered through educational systems and international organizations, imposed undue pressure and shame on Senegalese women who struggle to fit within the prescriptions of both their local society and the expectations of outsiders. And Seydi shared her own vision of how polygamy and feminism can walk hand in hand. Over the course of the conversation, we were all in awe of how our own assumptions could be so radically questioned in a way that in the end, wasn’t radical at all.

At the end of the night, Seydi left us with some parting advice about our trip to Senegal:

• Enjoy every moment you are there: the food, the heat, and most importantly the people that you meet.

• Enjoy the discomfort that comes with confronting new people and cultures and appreciate the humor that can come from such encounters. Appreciate the experiences you are going to have, and enjoy everyone that you meet for who they are, without judgement or preconceived notions.

• Take time to party in Dakar because it’s the best nightlife in West Africa.

Don’t worry Seydi, I think we’ve got that last one covered!

For more news and perspectives from Seydi, check out the articles below.

• 6 immigrants talk about the anxiety of living in Trump's America

• 2017 Women's March Speaker (Detroit)

• Fatou-Seydi Sarr travels halfway around the world to find African Dance in Detroit