The emergence of sectarianism in the Middle East is a modern historical problem. That was the message of Dr. Ussama Makdisi, Professor of History from Rice University, in his October 2 lecture at the LBJ School. Only by evaluating sectarianism as a complex historical development, Makdisi argues, can we hope to move beyond repeated failed […]
Category: LBJ School
Creating change is a hard, slow process. Creating organizational change may be even harder as it involves people, attitudes, and the work environment. Early planning for my summer internship with Peace Corps Senegal had me slotted to analyze the organization’s current Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation (MRE) practices and processes. This was to be a two […]
Expectation management is an important skill both personally and professionally. When we do not actively work to manage our own expectations and those of our clients, communities, and supervisors, we often set ourselves up for failure. Despite this, it does not seem to be a subject that is widely written on or discussed. It is […]
Coming from out of state hearing the UT alma mater “The Eyes of Texas” was a little unsettling. Really, the Eyes of Texas are upon you, you cannot get away… To be honest, prior to hearing (and, yes, singing) the song, I thought about Walker, Texas Ranger. Turns out that whether it’s Chuck Norris or […]
From the barren Sahel desert of northern Senegal to the lush forests of Kedougou in the south, about 250 Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) are integrating into villages and working on health, economic, and agricultural development projects. One of the largest branches globally, Peace Corps Senegal is a model program in Africa. Throughout the past year, […]
Is it a frontier space, a buffer area, a window into the east… or west, a tinderbox, or something else entirely? Since last November, more people have joined the conversation on how to understand Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Like any region, it cannot be simply summarized. Understanding the various threads of the CEE tapestry […]
While Mongolia has made considerable progress on key gender-related indicators under the Millennium Development Goals,[1] significant gender disparities remain in labor markets and the business sector. Women are underrepresented in the country’s high-growth industries, in managerial positions, and have limited participation in formal entrepreneurial activities. From a cultural perspective, women are also still viewed as […]
Welcome to the Texas Capitol
The opinions herein reflect those of the author and in no way represent those of the Legislative Budget Board of Texas. If you haven’t been to the Capitol yet, I urge you to visit. Built from 1882-1888 out of Texas pink[1] granite, it was the tallest building in America at the time. It loomed over […]
This summer the Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law is thrilled to be funding seven Crook Fellows, who will be interning at non-profit organizations devoted to development work all over the globe. The fellows will be blogging about their experiences in the field over the next few months, so be sure to […]
April 8-10, 2014 marked some of the best and most important days in my time as a student at the LBJ School. I am extremely proud that our school had a significant role in the creation and implementation of the Civil Rights Summit, marking the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Civil Rights Act. […]