People or Paper?

Here in Kigali I am finding myself questioning whether or not I am as principled a person in the flesh as I appear to be on paper. In my writing, as some of the material in these pages attests, I can make arguments for particular policy or governance changes that I believe will lead to a more equitable and sustainable world order. Researching and writing about the world in an effort to make it a better place is something that many consultants, researchers and activists do to earn a living. Someday soon I hope to count myself amongst their number. If I can establish a reputation for producing informed and honest scholarship and policy advice then I might be well on my way to a jet-setting career as a recognized development professional. As I enjoy the company of a truly selfless crowd of community development workers I wonder about this self-advancement drive of mine. Is it possible that at some point my careerist ambitions might interfere with or even trump the principles I hope to advance through my work? How can a drive to be considered 'successful' in academic and policy circles be squared with a quest to promote global justice? This past weekend my new friends taught me quite a few lessons that could help me to answer the latter question. I hope to impart these lessons, and some partial and contingent answers, later this week.

----

The above picture was taken close to the cotton dependent village of Mwamanongou, Meatu District, Shinyanga, Tanzania