A Plan for the Middle East
Posted by Frank van Steenbergen March 08, 2016 Months after an airstrike on the village Hajar Aukaish in April, villagers … Continued
Frank van Steenbergen & Femke van Woesik Language matters a lot. It is not only the words themselves but who controls their usage, who decides how to communicate, and whether to do this on equal terms. This control shapes the conversation, often leading to an uneven playing field where some voices are amplified while others are silenced. Those who steer language influence how ideas are framed and perceived, making certain concepts seem universally accepted or unavoidable. Nearly 30 years ago, Robert Chambers, in his work ‘Whose Reality Counts?’ highlighted this power dynamic and his insights remain powerful today. He argued that language plays a crucial role in shaping development outcomes. He contends that those in positions of power often dictate the terms and concepts used in development discourse. Imposed standards, such as "income poverty" or "employment," frequently fail to capture the complex realities on the ground. Chambers emphasized that this control over language often leads to policies that miss the… Continued
Posted by Frank van Steenbergen March 08, 2016 Months after an airstrike on the village Hajar Aukaish in April, villagers … Continued
Posted by Kebede Manjur Gebru, Frank van Steenbergen, and Eyasu Yazew Hagos February 29, 2016 There is so much wisdom that goes … Continued
Contribution from Lambert K Smedema, Arnhem, the Netherlands (lambertsmedema@hotmail.com)February, 2016 Salinization hazards of arid zone irrigation: a casual review … Continued
Posted by Karim NawazJanuary 25, 2016 Miss Bakhtawar Mallah is a 19 year old girl from the fishing community … Continued
Posted by Letty Fajardo and Frank van SteenbergenDecember 30, 2015 As the New Year starts it is good to reflect … Continued
Posted by Frank van Steenbergen and Manoranjan Mondal December 13, 2015 In the 1960’s and 1970’s a large part … Continued
Posted by Nardos MasreshaDecember 8, 2015 As women are a central strategy of the Ethiopia Climate Innovation Center (ECIC), the … Continued
Posted by Marta Agujetas Perez November 25, 2015 This year’s rainy season in Ethiopia made a very timid appearance in … Continued
Posted by Frank van SteenbergenNovember 16, 2015 Of all bridges, arched stone bridges are among the most special. Standing on … Continued
Posted by Frank van Steenbergen and Sukru Esin November 02, 2015 It is an amazing place with a history of … Continued
Posted by Frank van SteenbergenNovember 2, 2015“It is a big shame… one’s eldest daughter having to defecate in the field”. … Continued
Posted by Francesco SambalinoOctober 27, 2015 Moray lays in the “valle Sagrado” of Peru. The valley hosts some of the … Continued
Posted by Frank van SteenbergenOctober 14, 2015 A big debate is going on in Bangladesh around ‘maladaptation.’ A paper[1] that … Continued
Posted by Frank van SteenbergenSeptember 10, 2015 (Postcard from Zagoria in Greece from the double spring of Avragonia) Groundwater … Continued
Posted by Madiha Al-Junaid (with inputs from Brett Scott) September 10, 2015 Summer, the season of generous skies which is … Continued
by Madiha al-JunaidAugust 11, 2015 In a previous blog, a gardener was observed watering the plants at the airport area, … Continued
By Frank van SteenbergenJuly 16, 2015 Picture 1: Pond, Yimwaar, Kenya Are things getting better in the world? You wonder … Continued
Among other basic needs, access to safe drinking water and sanitation together are vital for people to achieve their full … Continued
By Madiha Al-Junaid (edited by Brett Scot)July 9, 2015 As if it was not enough for Yemen to live through … Continued
By Abraham Mehari Haile, Eyasu Yazew Hagos and Frank van SteenbergenJuly 2, 2015 Picture 1: Bench terraces (Own image) … Continued