International Program
The Kirwan Institute has developed an internationally oriented program to complement and expand our current focus on the United States. The overall objective of this project is to work in the cross-cutting field of marginalized groups and effective participation. In the first phase of this program, we want to assess mechanisms that can empower marginalized groups to influence political action at local, regional, national and international levels and to gain equitable access to jobs, education, health care, security and other basic services. In this context, we also need to explore strategies to manage and mitigate conflicts over language, religion, culture, ethnicity, and race. We are addressing the challenging question of how to successfully build inclusive, culturally diverse societies.
In developing the international program, we seek to combine scholarly research with the input of affected groups and the practical experience of grassroots organizations. As the program gains momentum, we will build on existing research related to the consequences of racial hierarchy in Brazil and South Africa (see john powell, “Transformative Action: A Strategy for Ending Racial Hierarchy and Achieving True Democracy” in Beyond Racism: Race and Inequality in Brazil, South Africa, and the United States, 2001).
To prepare an effective plan for the development and implementation of our international program, we are focusing on prevailing issues, but we will also develop a long-term vision for this work. We have started to collect information on relevant governmental and non-governmental institutions, major projects and programs, important convenings, conferences, and events at the domestic and international levels. We are also conducting interviews and exploring avenues of collaboration that will enrich the program. In the second phase of the project, we intend to make the outputs of our investigation available to policy and decision makers and we will identify existing analytical and practical gaps that need to be addressed.
For more information regarding the Institute’s international program, or if you have suggestions, further questions, or an interest in collaboration, please contact: Lidija Knuth lknuth@gmail.com and Kumar Udayakumar at drspudayakumar@yahoo.com.
