I was born in a small village full of indigenous Tharu people in Nepal in the year the Nepali Civil War began, 1996. Even though my parents were low-income immigrants from the hilly region, because of existing precedence, we belonged to the upper social strata. Contrary to my parents’ lives, I grew up having enough…
Sustainability: a buzz-word that excites environmentalist and corporate CEO alike has reached a pivotal point in its history. In recent times, this term has impressed itself upon social consciousness in a variety of different ways. At times it has brought about monumental change for the good, and at others, it stood as a symbol for…
From the moment I declared my second major in gender and women’s studies and started to share this information with family, friends, and strangers, I have been haunted by a single question in an astounding array of manifestations: “So… what do you do with that?” My responses have ranged anywhere from a detailed, in-depth explanation…
“The idea of citizen participation is a little like eating spinach: no one is against it in principle because it is good for you.” (Arnstein 1969, p. 216) Photo from 2jdominic at eatthismuch.com Arnstein’s analogy from her 1969 seminal work on citizen participation brings to mind a vibrant visual of a steaming bowl of spinach. …
