Mary Robinson Lecture Reflection

Posted on by
Reply

Mary Robinson’s lecture earlier this semester was thoughtful, candid, and extremely appropriate for a college audience in my eyes. Having been an advocate for human’s rights all her life, I think her words resonated well with an audience of young adults who are trying desperately to make changes to the world around them. I really appreciated the humility she carried. I thought it was impressive for someone in such a lofty position to have remained so grounded in her principles. I have often heard people say that the qualities one needs to get elected to presidency are very different from the qualities one needs to actually be a good president. It always seems as though the candid, good-natured people can never make it to presidency because they are unwilling to compromise their values or be sycophant and sweet-talking. However, it seemed that Mary Robinson gained her prominent role in a very honorable way. She described travelling around the countryside, speaking to the common man and advocating for their issues. It was reassuring to know that genuine candidates could still rise to positions of power.

I also appreciated how she tied humility into her experiences with international affairs. I thought a real stand-out moment came when she shared the piece of wisdom from Eleanor Roosevelt who encouraged policy makers to use clear, simple language that everyone could understand. Far too often, our leaders use lofty, confusing language that just deceives the audience. Additionally, the idea she cited from Nelson Mandela who said that even Human Rights activists should never assume that they know more about a country than the people who actually live there. It is very easy for wealthier nations to feel that they know best, but history tells us that too much meddling can have disastrous effects. It is important for us to remember that we will never be an authority on a foreign land when we live thousands of miles away from their society.

Another major idea that she brought up in her lecture was the idea of a symbolic leadership. I liked the anecdote she told about setting the lamp on her window sill to represent the Irish natives who have left the country. She talked about how this symbol took on a life of its own and became so much more powerful and prominent than she could have ever imagined. This made me think about how symbols from our history can take on forms and take on a power that no one can ever really predict. Obviously, even though symbols can be really effective forms of positive advocacy, they can also develop very dark or unfavorable connotations from what they were intended to mean. For example, the swastika which was initially taken to mean a sacred force has now come to represent the utmost inhumanity and ethnocentricity. Even for Mary Robinson, this simple symbol earned her respect in the eyes of many but also angered a percentage of the Irish population. As students at PennState strive to become better leaders, consideration of the symbols we use to represent our cause is something very significant.

In general, I think Former President Robinson’s lecture brought up important ideas that were very applicable to a group of students trying to get more engaged in global affairs.

FOOOOOOD

Posted on by
1

This is a really stupid but surprisingly hilarious video that sums up Indian food better than I ever could:

This is probably a commonality between many of different cultures, but I have noticed that Indian culture really does revolve around food. In every Indian function I’ve ever been to, the free dinner provided afterwards is publicized as heavily as the event itself. When I actually visit my family in India, my day is pretty much set up like this: Breakfast, Fruits, Mid-morning chai and snacks, Lunch, Fruits, Afternoon chai and snacks, Dinner, Fruits and Sweets, and a cup of Ovaltine (a British chocolate milk drink) before bed. And if I asked to skip any one of those eating opportunities, my host’s eyebrows would furrow, the puppy dog eyes would come out, and he/she would practically start tearing up until I finally agreed to eat the food presented to me. The best part is that every meal is served on a banana leaf, everyone sits cross-legged in a circle on the floor, and there’s no need for utensils because everyone eats with their hands. Don’t knock it till you try it!

But, I’ll be the first to tell you that Indian food is the greatest stuff on Earth! My parents just left me with a fridge full of home-cooked goodies this weekend, and I could not be happier. One thing I’ve noticed about Indian food is that we really like going for extreme flavors. Our entrees are super spicy and our desserts are almost sickeningly sweet.

My personal favorite dish is dosa. It’s sort of like an Indian crepe. You grind a specific lentil to make the batter and then you spread it out into a very thin circle on a frying pan and fry it until it gets very crispy. A lot of times spices will be mixed into the batter or the dosa will be filled with potatoes. It’s then served with different types of sauces, some are soup-like and others are chutneys which are thicker sauces that can be made with coconut, mint, tomato, red pepper… the opportunities are endless.

dosa2 (1)

(here the dosa has been folded into a triangle and it looks like it’s probably stuffed with potatoes)
I love talking about food- expect more blog posts about this stuff!

Part of my Eurozone Issues Brief

Posted on by
1

Economic Consequences of a Greek/Cypriot Exit:
• Impact on Exiting Countries
In the advent of the infamous “Grexit,” Greece would be plunged further into economic recession. Economists predict a severe decline in the value of the new Greek currency which would be accompanied by rising unemployment. In response to this, the country would have to weather the deleterious effects of bank runs and a dramatic reduction in consumption. Without the support of the ECB and the availability of bailout payments, Greece’s sovereign debt would quickly overwhelm the country. Economists predict that the losses incurred by Greece would not to €14,300 per capita7.
• Widespread Impact
In comparison to the larger markets of Germany and Italy, Greece plays a minor role in the ECB. Regardless, speculation from to economic analysts suggests that a “Grexit” could cause a catastrophic domino effect that would eventually impact the entire global economy. The downward spiral that would ensue is seen as comparable to the Lehman Brothers bank failure of 2008 which caused world markets to fall and caused the value of the dollar to flounder8. A “Grexit” would likely cause investors in Spain, Portugal, and Italy to lose confidence in their financial institutions which may result in bank runs and bankruptcies in these member states. Interest rates would then escalate and this lasting result would impede not only other countries in Europe but also the U.S., China, India, Brazil and other major, developing economies who are major exporters to the euro-zone9. The next logical step would be for countries like Spain, Italy, and Portugal to secede from euro-zone which would only magnify losses. In the wake of such secessions, economic analysts from Citigroup suggest that the value of the euro could reduce all the way down to $1.01. History indicates that when a society is plunged into economic ruin, societal and political divisions quickly ensue. As harrowing as the statistics may be, the most disturbing impacts of a “Grexit” may not even be quantifiable.

Socio-Political Consequences of a Greek/ Cypriot Exit:
Now, in its fifth year of recession, Greece’s public debts have risen to 160% of its GDP and unemployment has risen to 27%10. Without work and without hope for the near future, many Greek citizens are desperately seeking a favorable alternative to their rather dismal reality. As a result, the population has fallen prey to the demagoguery of extremist parties. The radical leftist and anarchist party, the Syriza Coalition, has in the past few years become the second largest party in Greece holding 27% of the vote11. Although most of the Syriza officials have been accused of colluding with violent anarchists and although the party promises to enact radical changes such as income redistribution and a refusal of bailout payments, its promise of change continue to attract praise from the general population.
Another newer threat to the political climate of Greece is the Golden Dawn, an extreme, nationalist, Neo-Nazi party. The party’s approval has risen from 6.9% to 11.5% since it entered Parliament last June. The spike is generally associated with the harsh economic times being endured by the country. The party has been made infamous to the global eye by its fierce Anti-Semitism and refusal to serve anyone who is not ethnically Greek. In the recent past, it has derided the Greek government for holding Holocaust Remembrance Day arguing that the government is wrongfully colluding with American and Israeli Jews rather than serving the needs of the public12. For the Greek youth especially, who have only known volatile, unfavorable times in Greece, the fierce nationalism of the Golden Dawn Party is a warm alternative to the general pessimism and cynicism that characterizes the population. Through “national awakening” sessions that focus on Greek mythology, Greek history, and Christianity; the Golden Dawn brings citizens back to a time in which Greece was home to the greatest civilization on Earth. A “Grexit” would undoubtedly only make the harrowing economic situation worse. Additionally, the citizens of Greece would likely feel betrayed by the European Union which was supposed to be a unifying force in Europe. The ill-will harbored by Greek citizens would make them even more inclined to join in these nationalistic albeit racist and violent causes. If the Golden Dawn or the Syriza Coalition were to rise to power, Greece would quickly be alienated by the rest of the developing world and deep political rifts in Europe would undoubtedly ensue.
Recently, Cyprus spent a week uncertain of its fate. If a bailout program was not agreed upon, Cyprus would likely be forced to secede from the euro-zone. The damaging social effects experienced in Cyprus in that week alone would be indicative of the social impacts of a true secession. When the banks were closed a week ago, Cypriots lamented the closed restaurants, cafes, and markets which lined streets. Defeated citizens like photographer Patrick Baz were only left with defeated remarks such as “It may not be war, but you can put a country down without firing a single bullet.”13 Even the former finance minister, Takis Klerides, had this to say of the EU “We found out the hard way that it’s not a family […] It’s becoming a dictatorship.”14 Evidently, forcing member-states to leave the euro would harbor distrust of the EU as well as tarnish the morale and the way of life of the entire population. To avoid rehashing political schisms that the EU was put in place to mend, it is essential that all precautions are taken to avoid having to remove countries in crisis from the Euro-zone.

A Sensible Solution for Cyprus

Posted on by
Reply

Just this week, European officials worked into the early morning hours to erect a plan that would help the Cypriot economy rise from the dead. A lot of people find this new plan to be reasonable across the board, but because it requires both Cyprus and the rest of the EU to make compromises, no one feels entirely comfortable with the situation. The entire world agrees; however, that this plan is far better than its predecessor which was formulated just a week ago.

The older plan truly fed Cyprus to the sharks. The EU would offer a bail-out of €10 billion although €17 billion was required to save the country. Cyprus then decided it would raise another €8.5 billion by imposing a levy of 6.75% on all deposits under €100,000 and 9.9% on all deposits greater than €100,000. This would without doubt cause a run on banks which would only worsen the economic situation. Cyprus is dominated by its banking sector. The deregulation practiced by the country is a good motivating factor for a lot of wealthy Russians to keep deposits with Cypriot banks. So, last weeks plan quickly angered many very wealthy Russians and had to be bagged immediately.

The newer plan aims to prune down Cyprus’s giant banking sector, but does so without levying across the board taxes on bank deposits. Instead, there will be forced losses on deposits over $100,000 and Cyprus’s second largest bank, Laiki Bank, will be forced to close down. So although there will be major losses, Cyprus has seen great volatility recently and all major banks have been closed now for a week. Therefore, any amount of certainty is welcome to Cypriot citizens and businesses.

Additionally, Cyprus will receive its first bailout payment of €10 billion by early May. These bailout payments have angered wealthier nations like Germany because they do not feel that it is just for them to have to bailout the Cypriot banks which they argue to be “too big and too indulgent.” In Germany, a new Eurosceptic Party has been born whose sole agenda is to get rid of the euro because it puts the economic burden of failing nations into the hands of all Europeans.

The euro was once seen as the olive branch that could heal a continent torn apart by two wars and countless other political disagreements. Now, the euro-zone crisis has escalated into an issue that is causing divisions within many European countries.
I think the Germans have a decent point too. They have no control over how Cyprus handles there banking system. The EU can not step in and say you need to do “this, this, and this” to regulate your banking system more. Therefore, why should the entire EU be responsible for picking up the slack of a single nation when their banks fail? Do you think the EU should have the ability to control the budgets and banking regulations of its member states? Do you think every member state should be required to have their fiscal policy approved by the EU? What might be the complications of this?

Holy Cow!

Posted on by
Reply

Some of you may be aware of the stereotype that Indians worship cows. I’m not here to prove that wrong. Instead I’m here to offer explanation because I, too, am very fond of cows. Most Hindus, Jains, or Buddhists will admit to “worshipping cows,” but that means something very different to us than it does to the rest of the world. No, we don’t prostrate to these bovine creatures but we do respect them, in fact we respect them very dearly- we love them and that’s what we define to be worship.

I mean, the fact that humans drink cow’s milk is not a trivial concept… we’re the only species (other than baby cows of course) that does this. The only other individual who we take milk from is our mother, so in some ways the cow is also our mother. If you think about it for a little while, it sort of makes sense. But, don’t think about it for too long because realizing that you’re pouring cow’s breast milk into your cereal may make your Cheerios a little hard to swallow in the morning.

And on top of that, while most of us would turn our noses on cow urine or cow dung, both are staples for village life in India. I know from spending weeks in the village that my dad grew up in that cow dung is used for cooking fuel and building material a lot of the time. Also some of the ayurvedic (natural medicine) doctors use cow urine to treat all sorts of diseases, even liver and heart disease. My family has owned a rice mill in my dad’s village for several generations and we have a lot of cows at the mill. When I was just 5-years-old, I saw a cow give birth and then played with the new calf the next day. When you see how important cows have been to Indian society, it’s easier to understand why we respect them so dearly.

When I was in India, we would often feed the wandering cows fruits and fresh water as part of our day-to-day religious practices. A lot of Hindu temples also feature a goshala where cows are housed. So yes, it’s true, Hindus do believe in the “sacred cow,” but I personally think it’s honorable to show respect for a creature that has supplied so much bounty for humankind.

Background for my Issues Brief

Posted on by
Reply

I didn’t want to post my whole issues brief because I know the formatting would just get screwed up, but this is the “Background” section of my issues brief. Write now it’s simply informative so I have to work a little bit of persuasion into this section.

Protecting the Euro-zone

Background:
Only months ago, the European Union (EU) received Nobel Peace Prize primarily for pioneering the integration of Europe’s currency via the Euro and the European Central Bank (ECB)1. After enduring deleterious wars and deep ideological divisions, the continent has achieved a great peacemaking success with the development of the European Union. Now, however, countries like Greece and Cyprus have fallen into deep economic recessions with no sign of improvement in the near future. The economic volatility of these nations poses a challenge to the EU, but the longer the ECB waivers in its decisions, the more catastrophic the situation becomes
For the first time in 2010, the “no-bail out clause” delineated in the EU treaties had been overhauled to avoid the economic collapse Cypriot banks2. Now, this clause was once again violated to prevent complete economic collapse in Cyprus. Cyprus’ economy is characterized mainly by its bloated, over-extended banking sector. Many wealthy Russians choose to keep deposits in Cypriot banks because of the deregulation policies instituted by the country. However, in recent years, risky investments and growing debts have caused leading banks to fail and as a result Cyprus entered a crippling recession. The EU has forced the nation to downsize its swollen banking sector by imposing forced losses on deposits of over $100,000. Additionally, Cyprus’s largest bank, Laiki Bank, will be forced to close down. However, even with these mandates, Cyprus will require a giant bailout from the EU in order to reach economic stability. The first bailout payment of €100,000 will be issued in early May3.
These bailouts have drawn the ire of several European institutions. Members of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s council have encouraged the removal of nations with failing economies like Greece and Cyprus from the Euro. In fact, the possibility that Greece will be removed from the Euro-zone is so foreboding that it has been given the catchphrase “The Grexit.” Others, like the new Eurosceptic Party in Germany, have called to dissolve the euro altogether. However, at this point in time, only about 25% of the German population is unsupportive of the euro. (2)
Nations with failing economies such as Greece and Cyprus should continue to be on the Euro because citizens across Europe continue to support the euro, dissolving the euro in parts of the continent would cause widespread economic collapse, and keeping the euro as a unifying, peace-making force in Europe is important during volatile economic times. However, the EU should have the power to review and approve budget plans of its member states to avoid having to bailout nations that are characterized by imprudent economic practices and corrupt financial institutions.

 

Bollywood Movies: Bring on the Cheese

Posted on by
7

Bollywood… it’s the cheesiest! So, for those who don’t know, Bollywood is the Indian version of Hollywood, specifically it refers to movies made in the Indian language, Hindi. You can double check the Guiness Book of World Records for this one, but India makes the most movies each year out of every country and we’re ahead by a lot.

As to the quality of these movies… that’s another story. Every storyline is essentially the same. Boy falls in love with girl. Boy and girl have a dance sequence on either a large field or near like the Grand Canyon or something (this scene will involve either a sudden downpour of rain or the guy and girl popping out from behind a tree). Girl’s father (he has a giant mustache and is always frowning) doesn’t approve of boy. Girl is arranged to marry some other guy. On the day of the wedding, boy comes back, starts a fight with somebody, and wins his girl back.

As you can see, there is a true focus on realism in Bollywood movies. This is also apparent in their strict adherence to the laws of physics. Because I know every time I go to punch someone they go flying like a projectile to the opposite side of the lake we’re standing next to.

On that note… please watch this action scene clip. Please, please, please. Mute your computer and watch it in class when we’re blogging… you don’t need the sound.

What I just don’t understand is that the majority of people actually love these movies!! My friends say they require suspension of belief. They say that you don’t actually have to believe in these Bollywood fairytales to enjoy them. So, maybe it’s me, maybe I’m just too pragmatic for these kinds of stories, but if you like your movies to be realistic… stay far, far away from Bollywood!

Advocacy Paper and Project

Posted on by
Reply

I’m still not entirely sure what I want to do. I started out planning on discussing Euro-zone politics. I thought I could try making a claim for why failing nations like Greece or Cyprus should be kept on the Euro, but now I’m not so sure. I think it would be really difficult to turn that into a pathos-driven advocacy project. I may have to end up choosing two different topics for my paper and my project which I know was not the intent of the assignment.

Anyway, here are some articles I found for my paper on the Euro-zone crisis:

Euro or No, Economics of Everyday Greek Life is Eroding

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/19/business/global/economics-of-everyday-greek-life-is-eroding-euro-or-no.html?pagewanted=all

Just When You Thought it was Safe…

http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21573972-bailing-out-cyprus-was-always-going-be-tricky-it-didnt-have-be-just-when-you

Who killed the euro zone?

http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2011/11/euro-crisis-21

For my advocacy project, I though I might lay out the ground work for a grassroots project that I could even pursue in the future. What I’ve noticed this year especially is that global collaboration works best in the academic setting. My PI collaborates with scientists in Germany and Japan for his work and they basically drop all political and cultural differences to solve a problem together. I thought it would be interesting and worthwhile to start this type of collaboration early on. The program could be called something like “World Peace by the Books.” Students from all over the world could choose a problem whether it is an issue of policy, a scientific endeavor, or even a particularly involved mathematical problem. Then students could be grouped with other international students to work on this problem together and enter their solution into a contest. The internet would allow communication with ease since students could simply Skype one another, chat online, etc. This program would foster academic involvement and a mutual understanding of other cultures in the next generation.

Golden Dawn: Neo-Nazism Stirs Greece

Posted on by
3

I recently read an article about the Golden Dawn Party, a right-wing extremist party in Greece made infamous by its racist principles, Anti-Semitism, and fierce nationalism. In the recent past, they have condemned the government for allowing the Holocaust to be focused on so heavily in school and for recognizing a Holocaust Remembrance Day. It perceives these actions as indications that the Greek government is wrongfully colluding with Israeli and American Jews.

The frightening thing is that especially with the Greek economy in shambles, Golden Dawn is gaining support especially amongst high school students. This is probably because of their popular “national awakening” sessions being implemented in schools over the countries which teach Greek mythology, Greek history, and the Christian faith. However, the party is also characterized by violent demonstrations, racist language, military training of volunteers, and a refusal to serve anyone who is not Greek.

Overall, the party’s approval has risen from 6.9% to 11.5% since it entered Parliament last June. Most discount these trends as simply another byproduct of the economic downturn; however, I don’t think this fact makes the situation any less daunting. Due to the recession, the Greek government is clouded by a frenzy of other issues, one being the equally terrifying anarchist party, the Syriza coalition. So, no actions have been taken to combat the inundation of violent, hate-speech propaganda being issued by Golden Dawn.

Most financial experts predict that the economic downturn for Greece will not be over soon. So, do you think anything should be done to prevent the public from falling for these extremist regimes?

After already enduring about 5 years of economic recession, Greece’s public debts (debts owed to individuals and institutions within the country) have risen to over 160% of their GDP. Unemployment rates in Greece have been as high as 27% in recent months. The harrowing truth is that few economists are keeping positive projections for the future. Pressure from German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s council has the EU reconsidering the possibility of removing Greece from the Eurozone which many financial experts feel would only make the bad worse and send Greece spiraling further into its crippling recession.

At a time like this, it makes sense to me that the Greek population would adhere to parties that have overwhelming pride and nationalism even during volatile times. And the Golden Dawn party offers just that with their “national awakening” campaigns that bring people back to a time when Greece was home to the greatest civilization on Earth. The warmth and comfort provided by the alternative reality that Golden Dawn offers may overwhelm any misgivings citizens have about the party’s violent and racist practices.

Young citizens who have grown up in stark, unforgiving times are the most welcome to the loud and proud cause offered by Golden Dawn.

Should the global world make efforts to stop Greece from falling to a nefarious regime? How could this even be done? Or can we trust that the dark history of Nazism in Europe would not repeat itself in the modern era? Another question that I would like to pose is: Do you think that if Greece is kicked off the Euro this would induce hatred and distrust in its citizens that could escalate into something frightening? Or is the nature of European relations much more evolved and placid than it was in the 20th century?

The North vs. South Showdown: A Generally Friendly Rivalry

Posted on by
Reply

First of all, let it be known that South India is the best… and I’m definitely not biased by the fact that my entire extended family is from the Southernmost tip of India.

Regionalism in India is such a huge deal! I probably know what state every single one of my Indian friends originates from. I don’t even think I actually asked any of them… it’s something that just seems to come up after a while. When I talk to my parents about the new Indian friends I have made (yes… this is what I talk to my parents about), they always want to know the last name so they can figure out where that person’s family is from. And all Indians, even most of the ones who live here, have a world of pride for their specific state in India. It’s weird. All of us are crazy. But if asked, I will say without doubt that Tamil Nadu is the best out of them all.

So why do people care so much? It’s because honestly a lot depends on what region you are from. Different states in India have different languages, foods, traditions, family deities, castes, and art forms. When I struggle to have a conversation about Indian things with someone from North India it sounds something like this, “I like eating rice with…shoot what’s your word for that curry… well, we call it kara kuzhambu… Wait you know that thing they do in weddings… YOU GUYS DON’T DO THAT??… Oh! Yeah, you have that holiday this weekend… what’s that for again?”

A lot of people have the misconception that all Indian languages are generally the same just with slight dialect differences, but this is pretty far from the truth. North Indian languages have some similarities to each other and South Indian languages have some similarities to each other. But, that’s about it.

With all these regional differences, it makes sense why Indians have so much pride for their specific region of the country. And the next time you hear two of your Indian friends bickering about whether North or South India is better, you know to hightail it out of there to a avoid a long, ridiculous, and completely pointless squabble.