Guest post by Anna Applefield
Global Pulse 2010 is a 3-day on-line “global conversation” on a variety of topics pertaining to development, including entrepreneurship, global health, education, and the comparative advantages of global or local approaches. It is hosted by the U.S. Agency for International Development and led by experts in their respective fields. Its aim is to take the “pulse” of the world by posing questions and allowing participants to comment, respond to each other, and generate a conversation.
It’s not too late for you to join the conversation: it continues through March 31. Go to the forum’s website. Choose a subject or issue and then select a more focused discussion. Each focused discussion begins with a question that is posed by an expert. Individuals can comment on the response and then start a thread of conversation. The cumulative effect is an array of simultaneous conversations on any one topic.
People participating in the various conversations appear to come from diverse backgrounds, both professionally and regionally. For example, in a thread about of “global citizenship” vs. national citizenship, I read posts from university students, small business owners, and NGO and government employees representing Egypt, Morocco, Australia, Belgium, Jordan, and the United States. While the individual comments themselves are interesting, it is even more impressive to see extremely varied perspectives come together in a cohesive discussion.
Join in!
Anna Applefield earned her BA from Skidmore College and is currently pursuing her MA in International Development Studies at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University.
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