Author Archive

A development data revolution needs to go beyond the geeks and bean-counters

Guardian: One buzz phrase the high-level panel's report on the post-2015 objectives has added to the development lexicon is "data revolution". Expect every report with numbers in it published over the next couple of years to be sold as part of this so-called revolution. But as with all big new ideas, especially revolutions, the appropriate response is one of optimism balanced with a dose of caution. The history of development is littered with big ideas that have failed to live up to their billing. Will...

The joys of online activism

Guardian: There are many worrying trends in this modern era of globalisation, most notably the ease with which companies can operate and banks move money around, apparently outside any democratic parameters set by nations or an international community struggling to catch up with a rapidly liberalising context. But I have never been part of the "anti-globalisation" movement because there are so many positive aspects to globalisation. The most important are those related to the incredible improvements in communication...