Missionaries, Mercenaries and Misfits is a book that will make us re-imagine our world and our place in it, and force us to reconsider the value of "development" and what it really means to the people of Africa. All the contributors to this anthology approach the notion of development through their own worldviews and experiences: many are convinced that it is time to declare the death of development as an idea, as an ideology, and as an industry. The essays in this book come from various writers, most of whom are either based in East Africa, or are part of its diaspora, or who have worked, often as developmentalists in their own way, within Africa. Consequently, this extremely accessible collection does not attempt the grand sweep, raging aimlessly against the development machine with general complaints that fail to hit their mark. Rather, it is a focused peep into international, regional and local attempts to develop Africa, thereby exposing the reader to a much-needed African perspective on the development industry and why it has failed so miserably in lifting millions of people out of poverty.
In 1986, Mogadishu, Somalia, was the safest capital in Africa. The people were nomads and their world view was different than that of Westerners. Somalia was an isolated and unique place. It was partitioned by the colonial powers of England, Italy and France. This partition remains a sore spot with Somalis. Many pan-Somalists want to unify Southern Somalia, Somaliland in the north, Djibouti, northeastern Kenya and the Ogaden region of Ethiopia. Mogadishu was where we were introduced to the Third World and where our adventure began. Mogadishu was peaceful, so we didn't worry about crime and the usual petty thievery of most African cities. Our biggest concerns centered on not getting sick, how to beat the heat and where to get a good meal. We learned to cope in an alien environment, and it was exciting. The motto of Papua New Guinea was "Expect the Unexpected." Beauty and danger existed in a strange harmony like nowhere else. The rugged terrain was punctuated by rushing rivers and plunging ravines. Some of the tribes remained isolated and primitive. Offshore, the waters of the Pacific Ocean varied in beautiful shades of green and aquamarine. There were many idyllic places to visit, but Port Moresby, the capital, was one of the most dangerous places on earth. Building houses in a squatter settlement among rascals, thieves and tribal wars was exciting, scary and fulfilling. The lessons learned in Port Moresby were helpful in our return to East Africa. A return to Somalia in 1994 was vastly different than our introduction to Somalia in the previous decade. A civil war had broken out, and Somalia was in chaos. Much of the time on a project site in southern Somalia was filled with routine relief work, but an ominous feeling always filled the air. The quiet could easily be broken and a crisis could quickly arise at any moment. This was necessarily a time of negotiating with clan leaders and dealing with clan militia. In addition, living in Nairobi, Kenya and working with street kids and dealing with the dangers they faced was an occupation in itself. The authors, Russell and Patricia, had different experiences and individually they participated in different events. Furthermore, when they experienced the same thing, they often viewed it differently. As a result this story is told in two voices. Author Bio: Russell Wolford was born in Ohio and graduated from Ohio State University. He worked as a government bureaucrat in pre-war Somalia, a project director building low cost houses in the South Pacific and a country director managing a relief project in war-torn Somalia. He founded a refugee resettlement organization in Ohio during the time of a large influx of refugees from East Africa. He has been in the middle of some tumultuous events and offers honest, first-hand accounts. Patricia Wolford was born in China to a Foreign Service family. She lived in many places and was familiar with the comfortable lifestyle of embassy personnel. She graduated from UCLA. After marrying Russell and joining him on Third World adventures, she showed that she was a rebel and willing to do the hard work necessary to help the downtrodden and to be an advocate for the underdog. She raised a family, helped juvenile delinquents in a Port Moresby slum and fed street children in Nairobi, Kenya. Her heart for the needy truly shows in her narratives. keywords: Religion, Missionaries, Mercenaries, Christian, Somalia, Civil War, Africa, Kenya, Genocide, Missionary
Gabriel Mathis, a twenty-three-year-old aspiring fantasy writer and reluctant Russophile, travels to Ukraine to teach English and meets the love of his life: an international arms dealer very much out of his league. Simon—a former Special Forces medic, torn over a warped sense of duty and a child he did not want—returns to the US to pursue his dream of becoming a mixed martial artist. After spending his adolescence defending his bisexuality, Michael makes his mark in New York’s fashion industry while nursing resentment for a community that never accepted him. Farria traces the lives of brothers Michael and Gabriel and their friend Simon from adolescence to their mid-twenties, through Oklahoma, Afghanistan, New York, Somalia, Ukraine, and New Orleans. Revolutions of All Colors is a brash, funny, and honest look at the evolution of characters we don’t often see—black nerds and veterans bucking their community’s rigid parameters of permissible expression while reconciling love of their country with the injustice of it. At its core, this is a novel about the uniquely American dilemma of chiseling out an identity in a country still struggling to define itself.
“Introduces us to the darker side of the Asian elephant. It is more of a thriller than a straightforward travel book . . . insightful and sensitive.” —Literary Review On India’s northeast frontier, a killer elephant is on the rampage, stalking Assam’s paddy fields and murdering dozens of farmers. Local forestry officials, powerless to stop the elephant, call in one of India’s last licensed elephant hunters and issue a warrant for the rogue’s destruction. Reading about the ensuing hunt in a Delhi newspaper, journalist Tarquin Hall flies to Assam to investigate. To the Elephant Graveyard is the compelling account of the search for a killer elephant in the northeast corner of India, and a vivid portrait of the Khasi tribe, who live intimately with the elephants. Though it seems a world of peaceful coexistence between man and beast, Hall begins to see that the elephants are suffering, having lost their natural habitat to the destruction of the forests and modernization. Hungry, confused, and with little forest left to hide in, herds of elephants are slowly adapting to domestication, but many are resolute and furious. Often spellbinding with excitement, like “a page-turning detective tale” (Publishers Weekly), To the Elephant Graveyard is also intimate and moving, as Hall magnificently takes us on a journey to a place whose ancient ways are fast disappearing with the ever-shrinking forest. “Hall is to be congratulated on writing a book that promises humor and adventure, and delivers both.” —The Spectator “Travel writing that wonderfully hits on all cylinders.” —Booklist “A wonderful book that should become a classic.” —Daily Mail
Mary-Anne has moved on, grown since the disastrous and passionate days of the Haiti earthquake response. Now, with World Aid Corps, based in Dolo Ado, Ethiopia, she struggles to balance life, love, and career following the opening of yet another new refugee camp at Bur Amina. Will the heart-wrenching plight of an endless supply of refugees stretch her to the breaking point? Or will she rise beyond the challenges? And what will become of Jean-Philippe? Will prolonged separation cause their hearts to grow fonder? Or will she find comfort in the arms of the mysterious, brooding Jonathon Langstrom? Will she take a job at HQ? Or will she continue to answer the humanitarian call from a dusty refugee camp on the border of Somalia? In the end, just how close will Mary-Anne come to crossing the lines from missionary to mercenary, and from mystic to misfit?
In Australia, a ‘tribe’ of white, middle-class, progressive professionals is actively working to improve the lives of Indigenous people. This book explores what happens when well-meaning people, supported by the state, attempt to help without harming. ‘White anti-racists’ find themselves trapped by endless ambiguities, contradictions, and double binds — a microcosm of the broader dilemmas of postcolonial societies. These dilemmas are fueled by tension between the twin desires of equality and difference: to make Indigenous people statistically the same as non-Indigenous people (to 'close the gap') while simultaneously maintaining their ‘cultural’ distinctiveness. This tension lies at the heart of failed development efforts in Indigenous communities, ethnic minority populations and the global South. This book explains why doing good is so hard, and how it could be done differently.
In a global context, understanding and engaging with Indigenous Peoples and understanding their contemporary values is becoming increasingly relevant. This book offers a major insight into Australian Indigenous Peoples’ perspectives on the built environment. Enriched with thoughtful Indigenous voices from across Australia, echoed with several pre-eminent non-Indigenous practitioner voices, the book discusses the value of Indigenous Knowledge Systems in the Australian built environment and landscapes. It provides their perspective of wanting to share, of wanting to be heard, and of wishing to journey into our future landscapes and environments sympathetically and sustainably; of wanting to mutually share this journey respectfully to the betterment of humanity and these landscapes. A major resource for all academics, students and practitioners in the built environment sector, internationally, and not just in Australia, the book embodies issues confronting Indigenous Peoples and their communities, and their concerns about the future of their custodial landscapes. The book’s national significance has already been identified by the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) through its inclusion in their ‘Connection to Country: Case Studies’.
Accompanied by Turkey, his little 'hunting' dog, Derek Pugh founded several outstation schools in the most remote parts of Arnhem Land and gained a rare insight into a traditional way of life which has been witnessed by only a few outsiders. By turns reflective, tragic and hilarious, Turn Left at the Devil Tree is a memoir of a visiting teacher among the Indigenous people and wildlife of the Top End of Australia. It is also a history - revealing some little known and disturbing events that were sanctioned from the highest levels of government. Life there was "frustrating at times, but always a challenge and Derek has recorded his experiences beautifully in this delightful book". Ted Egan AO
Current and historical examples in the labour movement worldwide have helped to debunk the myth that workers cannot run production. This volume uses geographically and historically diverse examples to analyse the challenges and questions that alternative forms of work present to those involved.
