The Watsonblogs project, hosted by the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University, provides an online space for Watson faculty and affiliates to post thoughts and analysis of international affairs. By hosting a group of bloggers under the Watsonblogs umbrella, it is our hope that we can create a critical mass of vibrant, cutting edge and thoughtful insights on contemporary global problems. If you have any suggestions about this initiative, please contact us at Watsonblogs@brown.edu.

Afghan action One of the early ways that the Obama administration set itself apart from its predecessor (and there were many) was in its re-conceptualization of the war in Afghanistan. Recognizing that the challenges presented by that conflict couldn't be neatly confined...
by Daniel Widome at March 12, 2010 06:38 PM -08:00 GMT

PB in the Pacific Some news from the Pacific: The organization Foundation of the Peoples of the South Pacific International (FSPI) has implemented 2 PB projects recently. One is called 'Making Resource Allocation Pro Poor and Participatory in the Pacific (funded by the ADB)...
by jlerner at March 8, 2010 06:56 PM -05:00 GMT

Reportback: International PB Conference in Berlin On January 21st and 22nd, Berlin hosted a coming-out party for participatory budgeting in Germany. After years of smaller seminars and local experiments in PB, around 200 politicians, public employees, practitioners, and scholars gathered for an International Conference on Participatory...
by jlerner at February 28, 2010 10:33 AM -05:00 GMT

New Google Group To replace the defunct participatory budgeting email list at topica.com, The Participatory Budgeting Project and the PB Facebook group are launching a new PB google group. The purpose of the group is to facilitate information exchange, discussion, and collaboration between...
by jlerner at February 26, 2010 10:27 AM -05:00 GMT

Dept. for Business, Innovation and Skills' poor use of research in THES article There is a good article in Times Higher Education Supplement this week: criticising some poor use of research by the UK's Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). I'm quoted saying that a report on 'future jobs' promoted by many...
by jon_mendel at February 10, 2010 10:27 PM +00:00 GMT

Peter Taylor's Generation Jihad: are we in a golden period of British security? I've just watched the first episode of Taylor's documentary Generation Jihad. Some interesting discussion of radicalisation, but I almost spilled my coffee when the programme started by stating that a small group of radicalised [Islamist] young men now constitute the...
by jon_mendel at February 9, 2010 10:37 PM +00:00 GMT

Visit to Golan Heights and Haifa A collection of clips from a recent peace-building visit by Pakistani-American professor Saleem H. Ali on prospects fpr using environmental issues and energy connectivity as a means of regional peace-building:...
by Saleem Ali at January 31, 2010 07:53 PM -05:00 GMT

Nonproliferation priorities In the year since Barack Obama's inauguration, observers of all stripes have attempted to measure his progress in office against his promise as a candidate. Invariably, a mixed impression emerges. On several prominent issues, such as Iraq and Afghanistan, Obama...
by Daniel Widome at January 29, 2010 06:15 PM -08:00 GMT

Indian Art, a Global Affair With galleries and museums showcasing the works of India’s brightest young stars and ancient treasures, Indian art is front and centre this month in London. In 2005 Indian art turned heads, as the market began to skyrocket and prices for...
by Clare DeBoer at January 26, 2010 05:10 AM -05:00 GMT

Jordan and Israel Ecological Cooperation A visit to the peace "island" between Jordan and Israel which Friends of the Earth -- Middle East is working on converting into an international peace park. Filmed by Saleem H. Ali (University of Vermont, editor of the MIT Press...
by Saleem Ali at January 13, 2010 10:19 AM -05:00 GMT

Nobel notions The October announcement that Barack Obama would receive the Nobel Peace Prize surprised many. The overwhelming sense was that however promising a figure Obama might be, he hadn't yet accomplished enough to join the ranks of Martin Luther King, Mother...
by Daniel Widome at December 31, 2009 12:24 AM -08:00 GMT

Urdu interview on Madrassa problem in Pakistan
by Saleem Ali at December 20, 2009 06:47 PM -05:00 GMT

Democracy for Christmas: Voting on Gifts for Baby Jesus In the UK city of Newcastle, children are using participatory budgeting to celebrate Christmas. To connect with the city's UDecide initiative, the Scotswood Play Centre added audience voting into this year's nativity play. As the play centre's manager described: “We...
by jlerner at December 18, 2009 12:34 PM -05:00 GMT

The Indian Century? 12/16/09: Radio Open Source host Chris Lydon, who spoke with authors Rana Dasgupta and Suketu Mehta while they were at Brown for the "New Indian Writing" literary festival, has written: Are we missing the point about "India Rising" and "India...
by Year of India at December 16, 2009 01:38 PM -05:00 GMT

Between Neighborhood Assemblies and Community Reps: PB in Chicago Participatory budgeting in Chicago's 49th Ward is off to a strong start, with the first phase of neighborhood assemblies now complete. At nine assemblies, hundreds of residents identified over 200 project ideas and selected over 80 people to carry the...
by jlerner at December 5, 2009 07:03 PM -05:00 GMT