Anna Miller, a communications and marketing writer for GW’s Medical Center, wrote about the panel I organized on Haiti in her article “A Nation in Crisis: Learning from the Past and Preparing for the Future.'”
Miller posted her story as a comment on a previous post, but I wanted to add it here as a full post for those who missed it before.
A Nation in Crisis: Learning from the Past and Preparing for the Future
Panelists Discuss “Risk, Suffering and Response: The Haiti Earthquake Crisis of 2010”
By Anna Miller
“Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.” This factoid, cited among prime-time reporters and casual conversers alike, may be true or false. But, at a panel discussion hosted at The George Washington University (GW) Elliott School of International Affairs, Jan. 25, one thing became clear: the liberal use of this phrase only exacerbates the country’s already plentiful problems.
“Having uttered [this phrase], one need not examine the causes and context of poverty in Haiti,” said panelist Dr. Drexel Woodson, associate professor of Applied Research in Anthropology at the University of Arizona. “One can also easily—but falsely—assume that poverty somehow explains corruption, illness, incompetence, ignorance, miseducation, violence and much else.”
The four other panelists—whose expertise varied and whose relationships to Haiti ranged widely—agreed. The recent earthquake, they asserted, has engendered a denigrating caricature of the Haitian population, which, in reality, is “compassionate, resilient and genius,” according to panelist Kyrah Malika Daniels, junior curator, National Museum of American History. And, in order to respond appropriately to the current crisis, a careful evaluation of the nation’s history and culture is vital.
“The Damage was Done:” Haiti’s Turbulent History
Since achieving independence in 1804, Haiti has been paying for its freedom—literally. Indebted to foreign nations for loans and reliant on others for humanitarian aid, the nation has yet to enjoy real independence. “When you start in the red, how do you gain voice?” asked Ms. Daniels, whose mother is Haitian. “How was Haiti supposed to begin a life, begin a history, without a voice and with very little material property?”
Panelist Dr. Robert Maguire, Randolph Jennings Senior Fellow, United States Institute for Peace, agreed that “the damage was done in Haiti much before the quake.” Dr. Maguire, who has traveled to Haiti an estimated 150 times, pointed to “misinformed and erroneous development policies and programs” that ignored the rural existence of Haitians, forcing the population to unnaturally concentrate to Port-au-Prince. This migration, said Dr. Maguire, worsened Haiti’s poverty, widened its distribution of wealth and enhanced its dysfunction.
“Haitians use [the French word for insecurity] to describe the cycles of political violence, crime and economic deterioration that have plagued the nation as it attempts to consolidate its democracy,” said panelist Dr. Erica James, associate professor of Anthropology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. James, who critiqued interventions of Haiti’s past, warned against a repetition of the responses that gave rise to the nation’s insecurity.
Picking up the Pieces: Haiti’s Short-term Recovery
The fact that Haiti needs help after the Jan. 12 earthquake is unquestionable; how to help, however, is often miscalculated. According to the panelists, altruistic instincts must be monitored: “Rushing to the site of emergency is a very destructive and irrational thing to do; people who do that end up becoming secondary victims. Instead, we want to capitalize on people’s good intentions and use them effectively,” said Dr. Julia Frank, associate clinical professor of Psychiatry at the GW Medical Center.
Dr. Woodson concurred: “Haitians need temporary shelter, medicine, medical supplies, treatment for psychological and physical trauma, food, water and clothing. What they don’t need is U.S. Americans flocking to Haiti to help—if those U.S. Americans do not have specific skills.”
In addition, noted Ms. Daniels, Haitians would benefit greatly from a hastened method by which doctors and supplies can travel to the suffering areas. “A really strong infrastructure needs to be put in place in terms of arrivals, treatment, recovery, rescue and sustenance,” she reported. “Doctors are stranded at airports because there is no way to get to the cities where they are needed the most.”
“A Marathon, Not a Sprint:” Haiti’s Long-term Recovery
All panelists maintained that a focus on Haiti’s long-term recovery is essential. Because psychological needs can only be met after basic physical needs are addressed, Dr. Frank was particularly supportive of this perspective. “This is a marathon, not a sprint,” she said. “Now, we need to focus on our Haitian community here. The need for our services in Haiti will be later—long after the cameras have left.”
Dr. Frank, who supported an approach to psychological treatment that neither pathologizes nor normalizes the victims, endorsed “culturally aligned” mental health care that considers the social context of the affected persons. As echoed by Ms. Daniels and Dr. Woodson, a thorough understanding of and respect for Haitians’ values, and particularly their spirituality, is critical for successful treatment.
Finally, the panelists urged responders to view the crises in Haiti as an opportunity. Through thoughtful responses that consider the nation’s history and culture, Haiti can—and will—come out on top. “We have, in a sense, a silver lining coming out of a deep, dark cloud,” concluded Dr. Maguire. “We have a historic opportunity to rebalance Haiti, and, if that is neglected, we are going to pay the price.”
About the Panel
This panel, entitled, “Risk, Suffering and Response: The Haiti Earthquake Crisis of 2010,” was moderated by Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs Barbara Miller of The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs. The event was co-sponsored by the Culture in Global Affairs Program, the International Development Studies Program in the Elliott School of International Affairs and the Department of Global Health in the School of Public Health and Health Services.
Click here to watch a recording of the panel.
anthropologyworks 