Regional Residentials Expose Students to Community Development Successes
The Class of 2017 just wrapped up regional residential experiences in Nepal, West Virginia, and Ethiopia. Regional residentials are an important component of the Future Generations degree program because they give students the opportunity to meet face to face and explore things that are happening in their regions. Here are some summaries from each of the residentials by people who were on them.
Nepal“We visited 7 organizations related to the program outcomes and course objectives for this term. Above all, we learned that success comes through proper planning, community participation, and stakeholder partnerships. Students gained knowledge related to program outcomes, community mobilization, and sustainable development.” Nawang Gurung, Himalaya Regional Academic Director
West Virginia
“The term II residential for the Appalachian cohort was filled with innovative organizations, creative community involvement, and grand examples of partnerships, evidence gathering, and community organization. These shining examples, amid West Virginia’s economic collapse in the coal industry, are proving communities are willing to bind together and work for a common good even if that means finding healthier, more sustainable ways of living and working. These examples stretched across a wide spectrum of organizations and places from community gardens and farmers’ markets in Lewisburg to health groups and church assemblies in Williamson and Charleston. Though they varied in application and focus they were all working towards the same goal – harnessing and expanding human energy in a way that would spark and continue community change beneficial to people, the environment, and the economy. I am glad to see such innovation and drive alive and well in my home state, but I am happier to know that I am able to apply the same skillset I observed in these communities to my own.” Ashley Akers, Class of 2017
Ethiopia
“After the great residential program in Ethiopia am just back to the office. This program was very special to me for it exposed us to unique experiences with a selection of relevant institutions and communities. All of us were so active to attend, tirelessly asking questions, and compiling our new learning around the clock. We covered a huge distance during the field visits but it was a learning process all along. With this, I like to express my appreciation to fellow students and I like to say thank you very much for the Graduate School management and faculty for giving us this opportunity. A thank you should also go to all institutions who hosted us and gave us their time generously. But most importantly, I love to recognize Firew Kefyalew [East Africa Regional Academic Director] for his special effort and attention for the great success of the program.” Zerihun Damenu, Class of 2017
Graduate School Kicks off New Year-Long Applied Research Webinar Series
Future Generations Graduate School kicked off its monthly webinar series with a strong faculty showing and invaluable perspectives from alumni. The discussion set the tone for webinars to follow. From now on, they’ll be divided into two parts:
- A Theoretical Discussion on topics such as why to do applied research in the first place; pros, cons, and options for publishing applied community-based research; and the ins and outs of developing strong research questions. This portion of the webinar will include expert perspectives, guest speakers, and optional background and resource materials.
- A Presentation of either an active research project or an idea for a future research project by a member of the team – faculty, alumni, or current student. Presenters will have the opportunity to receive feedback, constructive criticism, and encouragement from peers and mentors alike.
The purpose of the webinar series is to discuss research-related topics, learn new skills, and provide peer review and encouragement from members of the global team. It is an institution-wide effort to raise the profile of the Graduate School’s applied research, and to encourage further collaboration and capacity among the Global Network of students, alumni, and faculty. Applied research has been an integral part of the master’s degree curriculum and part of the work of Future Generations since the original research that informed its creation. This year in particular, the Graduate School is focused on scaling up and strengthening its educational offerings as well as the scholarship and practice generated by the institution.
These webinars will continue on the second Tuesday of each month through at least May 2017. The next webinar will take place on October 11, 2016. All feedback and ideas for how to make the series more relevant, effective, and meaningful are welcomed. Please send Meike Schleiff, Director of Research, an email!
Majoring in Life: The Career of Future Generations Professor of Natural History Robert Fleming
“How can you major in life? How can you major in the beauty of the world? You have to choose a major to get a degree, but those were the things I wanted to study. . . My interests are in the beauty and diversity of nature, and having my Ph.D. in zoology was a stepping stone that gave me access to different areas of the world.”
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| Trinidad Motmot |
Dr. Robert L. Fleming, Future Generations Professor of Natural History, strayed from a conventional academic career in 1966. After three years of teaching biology at a high school in India, he decided he would make the entire world his classroom. “It’s confining to spend so much time in the classroom teaching and in making and grading tests and keeping people in line,” Dr. Fleming explained. In 1970, he founded a sole proprietorship, Nature Himalayas, which would bring the eager students he sought directly to him over the next four decades. Through Nature Himalayas, Dr. Fleming has organized and led hundreds of outings around the world, which have allowed him to simultaneously teach and research the natural history and rich cultural heritage of places like Borneo, Indonesia, South Africa, Australia, and more.
Dr. Fleming has contributed an array of publications to the fields of natural history and conservation. He has published nearly a dozen Occasional Papers with Future Generations Graduate School, highlighting applied research and community-based approaches to social development, health, nature conservation, and more. He has also co-authored two influential books on the natural history of the Himalayan region. The first of these is Across the Tibetan Plateau, in which Dr. Fleming, along with Dorje Tsering and Liu Wulin, documents and celebrates wildlife, ecosystems and conservation efforts seen in the mountainous area. The book, with exquisite photographs capturing Tibet’s fauna and landscapes, has sold particularly well in its Chinese edition since its publication in 2007. Another wide-reaching publication, Birds of Nepal, was the region’s first modern ornithological field guide. Dr. Fleming co-authored and illustrated Birds of Nepal with his father, Robert L. Fleming Sr., and Royal Nepal Academy Director Lain Singh Bangdel. This field guide has been an invaluable contribution to the subsequent generation of Nepalese scientists, and all three of the manual’s published editions have sold out.
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| White-Necked Jacobin Hummingbird |
When reflecting on how his association with Future Generations Graduate School has influenced his career, Dr. Fleming notes how it inspired a significant change in perspective in regards to conservation efforts. “Back in the ‘50s and ‘60s, we [conservationists] were exclusionary, believing that national parks should not have people living there,” Dr. Fleming recalled. “Future Generations really opened my eyes to see how that system doesn’t work. . . ‘no-man, no-go’ areas like Yellowstone National Park don’t work.” Fleming and Future Generations support an alternative model to conservation which relies on citizens in the management of park systems and encourages collaboration and shared responsibility between government agencies and private landowners. In the United States, this model is best exemplified in the Adirondack State Park of New York, a six-million-acre system of which half the land is privately owned and which serves as the place of work and residence for hundreds of thousands of people; such a model encourages park growth while cutting operational costs down to a 1/3 of the national park model.
Another successful example of conservation efforts integrated with existing human communities can be seen in the Himalayan Mountains of Tibet, China, which has been a focal point in Dr. Fleming’s research career. That is the Qomolangma (Mount Everest) National Nature Preserve, which was established in 1989 and, within a little over a decade, succeeded in doubling wildlife populations, reducing deforestation by 2/3, and protecting water supplies of local villages while at the same time expanding access to health care and education.Dr. Fleming, though a self-proclaimed generalist, specializes in the Himalayan mountain system and is working on a longer monograph that, once completed, will highlight our need to think about how the entire planet is connected as one great biosphere.
The Peacebuilding Experience and Applied Research Possibilities in Somaliland
When Future Generations Graduate School Professor Firew Kefyalew was asked by a colleague to recommend a possible site for continued peacebuilding action research, his mind trailed to the Horn of Africa region (Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Somalia). This is a region he thought he knew well, for it has not been free from war and conflict for at least the last forty years. Currently, Somalia is the most affected country, plagued by a terrorist group call itself Al-Shabaab (meaning youth/youngsters).
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| Banner in Hargeisa showing former presidents of Somaliland. |
Somalia is unique because it has a peaceful “country” within it – the Republic of Somaliland. Somaliland declared its separation from the greater Republic of Somalia in 1991, but it does not have international recognition as a separate country. Taking advantage of Somaliland’s peacebuilding efforts of the last two decades, and the presence of a Future Generations student in the republic, Kefyalew made a 3.5 day trip to Hargeisa, Somaliland’s capital. “I have to admit that my knowledge of Somaliland, though a close neighbor to my country Ethiopia, was inadequate before this visit,” Kefyalew said. “What we often hear in Ethiopia is about Somalia, which has been stateless for a long time, and is now deeply troubled by Al-Shabaab. We do not hear about Somaliland – the self-declared state.
Kefyalew’s visit to Hargeisa was immensely informative and successful in terms of attaining the objective he had: learning from the ground about research needs in relation to peacebuilding by taking Somaliland as a case study. Thanks to Abdishakur Hassan-Kayd (Class of 2017), Kefyalew was able to meet with fifteen senior government officials, civil society/community leaders, and academics during his short visit. He is now exploring the possibility of coming up with a research agenda that is applicable to Somalia in particular, and the Horn of Africa in general.
“I found it insightful to learn about Somaliland’s hybrid approach to governance, which is the co-functioning of a clan-based structure represented by the House of Elders of the various clans of the country, and the formal government structure consisting of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. One other thing that caught my eye was a row of portraits of ex-presidents of this young nation. This is in stark contrast to what is commonplace elsewhere in Africa where incumbents almost always condemn their predecessors. Somalilanders’ choice to honor those who have served their ‘country’ regardless of their party affiliation is exemplary!”
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| Professor Kefyalew (L) and Abdishakur Hassan-Kayd (2017) |
The enthusiasm and resolve of the youth (fifteen to thirty years of age), which make up 70% of Somaliland’s population, to build a peaceful Somaliland against a backdrop of radicalized youth groups in the rest of Somalia is also noteworthy. The high value these youth place on education, and the respect for traditional systems and elders that seem biblical are some of the observations Kefyalew noted with admiration. He plans to systematically explore his observations further, and look at how they can be beneficial to the region and the rest of Africa.
An often-heard sociopolitical rhetoric in present-day Africa is about the role of the youth in the development of the continent. This emanates from the fact that over 40% of Africa’s population is within the youth age range. Paradoxically, Africa seems to have included participation in war and conflict among the developmental tasks of the youth. Somaliland’s efforts, and the spirit that surrounds their youth, defies this trend.
Following on this exploratory listening visit to Somaliland, Future Generations is now working hard to hone in on research questions and collaborations that build on its institutional strengths and history. Graduate School faculty are excited about the possibilities and look forward to sharing more information soon.
Researchers Find Encouraging Changes in Mt. Everest’s Gama Valley
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| Yak relax in the setting sun with Mt. Everest in the background. |
From late May to early June, Future Generations Graduate School faculty conducted a research expedition into Mt. Everest’s Gama Valley. The team, led by Dr. Daniel Taylor, were following up on conservation efforts that began with the establishment of the Qomolangma National Nature Preserve (QNNP) nearly thirty years ago. The team found that those efforts have continued to expand in the intervening years. As of today, eighteen nature preserves have been established throughout Tibet, which collectively protect over 54% of the autonomous region. Within the QNNP, the team discovered that many wildlife species appear to be rebounding in strong numbers with sightings of Tibetan gazelle, musk deer, tahr (wild goat), and numerous bird species. They also found many signs of snow leopard.
Located at the base of Mt. Everest’s Hidden (eastern) face, the Gama Valley is one of seven core zones of the QNNP. Established in 1989 by the People’s Republic of China within the Tibet Autonomous Region, the QNNP represents one of the first nature preserves in the world to be placed under the direct stewardship of local people in partnership with government. Since 1993, Future Generations has worked in partnership with the Chinese government to provide technical guidance, financial support, and capacity building to the Tibetan people to sustain the QNNP.
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| The Researchers in front of a map displaying Gama Valley trekking routes. |
In accordance with the QNNP’s master plan, official trekking packages are now being offered in partnership between park authorities and local guides ensuring that good and equitable pricing practices are being adhered to. Designated trekking routes have been created with fixed camping sites, lowering the environmental damage, while maximizing the economic opportunities for local communities. Chinese tourists are now visiting the QNNP by the thousands each year. The park’s simultaneous mandates to preserve natural beauty and create economic opportunity are introducing new challenges for local communities such as trash collection and logistics management. Despite these challenges, the team was excited to find that both flora and fauna are increasing. Now back on North Mountain, the researchers are developing responses to the problems caused by overuse.