- Kelsey Brown on Letters to Freshmen: The High School Sweetheart: "I believe what she meant was that if you are consumed by your relation..."
- missed the point on Letters to Freshmen: The High School Sweetheart: "I think my name says it..."
- in a relationship on Letters to Freshmen: The High School Sweetheart: "why can't someone feel satisfied with their relationship and be happy ..."
- Jillian on Pimp My Campus: "oooh, new walkway! so excited to see it when I get back!!..."
- Jillian on Summer Stories Series: "how do we submit? just by comment?..."
The Forum Launches India Bureau
I’m way ahead on credits, so I’m taking this semester off and working for a nonprofit in India. Why India? It’s cheap, the people there speak English, and the food’s good. As a parting gift, my editor gave me a jar of corn whiskey and told me to write once a week. If you had any doubts about whether writers at the Forum are well-compensated, put them to rest. Maybe if I work hard on my posts, she’ll spring for a handle of Popov when I get back.
Like most young people, I’m full of good intentions about helping to lift people out of poverty and put them on the path to economic prosperity. Unlike most young people, I’m cynical about the ability of foreign aid to help poor people; while charities have the best intentions in the world, many of them don’t actually measure whether the money they spend is making a meaningful difference. Furthermore, if aid groups work through the local government and aid makes up a significant percentage of GDP, aid may actively harm countries, by providing an incentive for local government officials to stay in power, to keep the faucet of aid flowing into their pockets. Many people are trying to fundraise to give money to Haitians, but the best thing we can do for Haitians right now has nothing to do with giving them money.
Figuring out what works in foreign aid and what doesn’t was named by a group of economists as the most exciting thing going in economics these days. The NGO I’m working for, Seva Mandir, conducts randomized experiments in northwest India to figure out what’s working in external aid, and what isn’t. They work with a whole bunch of cool economists all around the world, including Esther Duflo, who recently won a MacArthur Genius grant.
I have three goals for the trip. The first is to be more useful to Seva Mandir than the cash value of my plane ticket to and from India. The second is to say “I’m game” for any proposed activity, spicy dish or 3AM jaunt. This rule is extremely useful as it makes decision making very easy; just say yes to everything. The third is to learn how to cook. I will be able to make a mean curry by the time I fly home. I am also being very careful to avoid dog bites and to avoid making any judgments about the people I meet, for example, for going to a traditional healer to cure a disease rather than seeking modern medical treatment.
Right now I am in the New Delhi airport and visibility is about 20 feet. That didn’t stop the cab driver from speeding along at about 40 miles per hour. My cab driver was using the other cars’ horns like sonar, so he could tell where they were without having to look over his shoulder. I’m on my way to Udaipur, which was the location for the James Bond movie Octopussy. I am excited to meet the staff and begin work.
More posts by Kevin »
Kevin Burke
Kevin likes riding his bike south in Claremont, and dislikes riding his bike north in Claremont.
Recent
14 Comments
2010-01-31
19:24:35
hi kburke. how's india? ill send you some popov if they don't have it. i know it is your favorite.
2010-02-01
02:00:48
A few other good economists to also read on this question are Bill Easterly and Dambisa Moyo.
2010-02-01
10:04:39
Skipped ahead to tell you how much I am enjoying the inclusion of the Octopussy photo. Make it back to campus so I can give you a big hug.
Now going to actually read your post...
2010-02-01
10:07:40
I didn't realize Octopussy was filmed on location!!! That's very exciting.
Good luck this semester! I hope the work you do is very rewarding.
2010-02-01
16:38:10
I'm so proud of you Kevin. . . such important work. And to think I knew you when you only ate rolls for Thanksgiving dinner! Be safe.
2010-02-01
17:47:56
Hey Kevin,
Love your thoughts on true aid vs. money. You're doing a great thing!
I think I missed you in the film Jumanji, but I knew you when you were a budding professional soccer player! Keep me posted on your adventures!
Make good choices...
2010-02-01
19:54:59
I'm sure you know this but our team came out on top Sunday... it was a nail bitter until the 5th quarter when we could throw a press on them. Post game oreos have never tasted so good.
Hope you're doing well, missing the breakfast club. Good article, can I get an international dear a mitch question?
2010-02-02
09:43:58
Atta kid Kev! Good post. Make sure to live the Shantaram lifestyle buddy.
2010-02-10
09:02:42
[...] humble correspondent wasn’t in India for more than a 48 hours when he acquired pinkeye. I was itchy, watery, and contagious for about [...]
2010-02-16
20:25:48
[...] My first article is up at CMC Forum. [...]
2010-02-21
02:14:15
Ciao!
Aid poorness situations worldwide for free! All U have to do is complete surveys, or play free games at the help poverty site, and their supporters will straightaway send money to organisations whose single goal iz to help poverty situations statewide! This iz a fresh thought and it seems to work, cause you won't have to pay to assist, but funds will still be sent to the poor.
Thanks for showing this!
2010-02-25
11:01:51
[...] of motorcycles and monkeys while I’ve been in Udaipur (read about why I’m in India here), so I present to you my best practices guide to Indian [...]
2010-02-26
08:23:15
Kev you are the best
2010-03-21
17:53:50
[...] invited me to her wedding three provinces away, I thought about saying no, but then I remembered my “I’m game” rule, and changed my mind. The wedding is in Mukteshwar, which sounds like the name of an Al Qaeda [...]