Institute for African Development
Global Studies Gateway Series: The Myth of Economic Development
October 13, 2020
12:00 pm
Ndongo Samba Sylla, Research and Programme Manager for the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation
Dr. Ndongo Samba Sylla will present a lecture articulated on what Celso Furtado, the late Brazilian economist, called the ‘myth of economic development ’. He is a Senegalese development economist, interested in Fair Trade, labour markets, social movements, democratic theory, and monetary sovereignty. Coauthor of the forthcoming "Africa's Last Colonial Currency: the CFA franc story", Dr. Sylla will defend the view that the Covid-19 pandemic could be seized as an opportunity to break from the dominant economic paradigm in Africa in favor of alternative models more equalitarian and more sustainable in their outcomes.
This lecture will be integrated into the "Global Studies Gateway" (GOVT 2274), which takes a thematic and interdisciplinary approach to major questions of our time, including health, development, migrations, security, technology, inequality, and innovation.
Additional Information
Program
Einaudi Center for International Studies
Institute for African Development
African Cultural Heritage: Indigenous Knowledge Systems and the Strategies of Managing Diseases during Pandemics
LADISLAUS M. SEMALI Professor, Department of Learning and Performance Systems, Penn State University Thursday, October 15, 2020 @ 3:00pm
The presentation will not only discuss what constitutes indigenous knowledge but how it can be used in times of crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Register at https://cornell.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAkf-Gurz0sHd0WqGZGgl4wpxWqT8nq7oRe
Additional Information
Global Challenges to Democracy: Perspectives from Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America
October 2, 2020
11:00 am
Over the past decade, democracy has been in retreat in a large number of countries in different regions, at least partially reversing the wave of democratization that swept across much of the world in the late 20th century. This webinar explores patterns of "democratic backsliding" in different world regions and their implications for democratic rule and its political resiliency in the face of autocratic challenges.
Panel: Valerie Bunce, Tom Pepinsky, Rachel Riedl, and Kenneth Roberts
Co-sponsored by the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies, Latin American Studies Program, Institute for African Development, Institute for European Studies, and Southeast Asia Program.
Please register through the following link:
https://cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_PWKFidVjSgy3Pwxf7xmmXg
Additional Information
Program
Einaudi Center for International Studies
Latin American and Caribbean Studies
Southeast Asia Program
Institute for African Development
Institute for European Studies
Einaudi Director Launches Podcast Season
Check Out Ufahamu Africa Season 5
Ufahamu Africa is a podcast about life and politics on the African continent, cohosted by Rachel Beatty Riedl. A new episode of Ufahamu Africa is available each Saturday wherever you listen to podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and SoundCloud.
“Ufahamu” is a Kiswahili word that translates to “understanding” or “consciousness” in English. Every Saturday, a new episode seeks to expand collective understanding of Africa through in-depth interviews with diverse thinkers and innovators who are deeply ingrained in the life, culture, and politics of the continent. Weekly episodes also feature news highlights and overviews of what Rachel and Kim are reading and learning.
Additional Information
Laidlaw Leadership and Research Program
Details
The Laidlaw Leadership and Research Program for undergraduates promotes ethical leadership and international research around the world—starting with the passionate leaders and learners found on campuses like Cornell.
With generous support for your leadership development, a summer abroad putting your skills into action, and research, this two-year cohort program for emerging leaders lays out a path for you to invest your skills, knowledge, and experience to make global change. Learn more about the program and its global reach on the Laidlaw Foundation website.
The Program
Research
Build your research skills on an internationally focused research project with the support of a faculty mentor and/or an experienced research team during your first summer. We'll help you find a project and a faculty mentor or you may propose your own.
Leadership Training
Learn about your unique leadership strengths, further develop your skills through critical reflection, and explore how to be an ethical and values-driven leader. You'll receive an Oxford certificate in ethical leadership at the end of the program.
Leadership-in-Action
Work internationally on a hands-on, community-based project. You can develop your own leadership-in-action project, or we'll help you identify an international organization to work with. You'll learn from real-world leaders enacting change in their communities.
Networking
Connect with like-minded scholars who are passionate about Laidlaw's shared values—ethical leadership, global perspective, and research with a real-world impact. The international network of Laidlaw scholars extends beyond Cornell.
Faculty Fellows
Our Laidlaw faculty fellows support and mentor scholars throughout the experience. Meet our faculty fellows: Beth Lyon, clinical professor of law in the Cornell Law School, and Johannes Haushofer, professor of economics in the Brooks School of Public Policy.
Award
Summer 1: Up to $3,900 stipend while you conduct full-time research in Ithaca.
Summer 2: Up to $3,900 stipend for living expenses during your leadership-in-action experience, plus up to $1,950 stipend for international travel expenses.
Eligibility
First- and second-year students from any college or major may apply. You should have a strong academic background and must be able to commit to full participation in the program. U.S. citizenship is not required.
In order to be eligible for program funding, scholars must commit to all components of the program. Expectations are outlined below. If you have any questions about what full commitment to the program entails, please contact us at laidlaw.scholars@cornell.edu
Scholar Stories
Meet Our Current Laidlaw Scholars
How to Apply
Apply by January 6, 2027 using the link below. Students who are selected to become Laidlaw scholars are notified by March 1.
Documents to Submit with Your Application
- Statement of Interest (2 page maximum, upload as PDF)
- Research Application (apply to 3 faculty-proposed projects or submit an independent proposal)
- Resume/CV (2 page maximum, upload as PDF)
- At least one reference who can submit a letter of recommendation
Important Dates
- October: Applications open
- January: Applications due
- February: Applicant interviews
- March: Decisions announced
As a part of the next cohort of Laidlaw scholars, you'll be active in the program from March 2027 to March 2029.
Questions? Join us for an upcoming information session, meet the current Scholars at the International Research Showcase, or contact our Laidlaw coordinator.
Additional Information
Funding Type
- Scholarship
Role
- Student
Program
The Secret to Revitalizing Urban Downtowns
Large populations and high median incomes would seem necessary for pedestrian malls to survive, but they’re not always a prerequisite for success, according to the study, coauthored by Institute for African Development Professor Stephan Schmidt.
Additional Information
Africa’s Industrialization Prospects: Structural Transformation, Covid-19 Impact and the Debate on Sustainability
October 1, 2020
3:00 pm
Issues in African Development Special Topic Seminar Series (CRP 4770/6770) - Fall 2020 Theme: Environment, Sustainability and Health Challenges in Africa: Managing Human-Nature Interactions. Issues in African Development Seminar Series examines critical concerns in contemporary Africa using a different theme each semester. The seminars provide a forum for participants to explore alternative perspectives and exchange ideas. They are also a focal activity for students and faculty interested in African development. In addition, prepares students for higher level courses on African economic, social and political development. The presentations are designed for students who are interested in development, Africa’s place in global studies, want to know about the peoples, cultures and societies that call Africa home, and explore development theories and alternate viewpoints on development.
Additional Information
Program
Einaudi Center for International Studies
Institute for African Development
Institute for African Development Special Topic Seminar Series: Politicized Finance in the Black Americas
September 24, 2020
3:00 pm
Issues in African Development Special Topic Seminar Series (CRP 4770/6770) - Fall 2020 Theme: Environment, Sustainability and Health Challenges in Africa: Managing Human-Nature Interactions. Issues in African Development Seminar Series examines critical concerns in contemporary Africa using a different theme each semester. The seminars provide a forum for participants to explore alternative perspectives and exchange ideas. They are also a focal activity for students and faculty interested in African development. In addition, prepares students for higher level courses on African economic, social and political development. The presentations are designed for students who are interested in development, Africa’s place in global studies, want to know about the peoples, cultures and societies that call Africa home, and explore development theories and alternate viewpoints on development.
Additional Information
Program
Einaudi Center for International Studies
Institute for African Development
Edward Mabaya
Senior Research Associate
Ed Mabaya is a scholar and a development practitioner with more than two decades of experience working on development, agribusiness value chains and food security issues with a regional focus on Sub-Saharan Africa. He is a Senior Research Associate in the Department of Global Development where his teaching, research and outreach work focuses on economic development in Africa.
Additional Information
Program
Role
- Faculty
- IAD Core Faculty
- IAD Advisory Council
Contact
Email: em37@cornell.edu
Phone: (607) 280-0264
Institute for African Development Special Topic Seminar Series: Contested Landscape in Northern Tanzania
September 17, 2020
3:00 pm
Issues in African Development Seminar Series examines critical concerns in contemporary Africa using a different theme each semester. The seminars provide a forum for participants to explore alternative perspectives and exchange ideas. They are also a focal activity for students and faculty interested in African development. In addition, prepares students for higher level courses on African economic, social and political development. The presentations are designed for students who are interested in development, Africa’s place in global studies, want to know about the peoples, cultures and societies that call Africa home, and explore development theories and alternate viewpoints on development. Registration link: https://cornell.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwqdOyoqT0pG9QC0pd0ChnnelzXjM…
Additional Information
Program
Einaudi Center for International Studies
Institute for African Development