In the following post, I will discuss my meeting with Professor Scott Freeman who has studied international aid, international development, and environmental anthropology. His regional focus is in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Last year I studied International Aid in Haiti with the AU Alternative Break Program and this year I will be leading the program focusing on the intersection of public health and international aid.
Professor Freeman was able to recommend some reading including “Uses of Haiti” and “Aids and Accusation” both written by Dr. Paul Farmer. We discussed how Haiti is often nicknamed the “Land of 10,000 NGOs.” After discussing my interests and a little background, Professor Freeman visualized my interests with the following triple venn diagram;
Visualizing my interests in this form may be helpful in preliminary research.
Professor Freeman then urged me to discuss my time in Haiti. To find something that puzzled me. I told the story of when my group and I crossed a river as we were traveling. In this river, people were bathing, washing their clothes and children were playing. Simultaneously, my group and I took off our shoes and socks, carefully crossed the river, dried off with towels and then continued our journey. On the way back, we did the same but this time children ran up to us and held our hands as we crossed. I have been critical of this moment because I question “who am I to enter a community as an observer.” I felt as though there were cultural barriers. As I told this to Professor Freeman, he challenged me to think about poverty and culture.Why do we use “cultural barriers” as another term for poverty? Why did I think like this?
Lastly, Professor Freeman introduced the term “liberation theology” to me. Liberation theology uses religion to aid the poor through involvement in politics. (1) It is a concept that justifies tending to the poor.
With all of these notes, I have more to think about and unpack.
- The Editors of Encylopedia Britannica. “Liberation Theology,” Encylopedia Britannica, May.20.2011, https://www.britannica.com/topic/liberation-theology (Sept. 30. 2017)