Friday, June 1, 2007

FDOTROML

Or as my friend DK likes to call it, "the first day of the rest of my life." It went well! I'm all signed up and paid up for my space at the writers' studio now and have a key. There are a ton of cute-looking restaurants nearby, and I had lunch at a place that billed itself as a "French-Malaysian bistro." I had seafood udon: well-made, but a little bland.

Today I focused on updating my dissertation outline to incorporate the most recent round of feedback from colleagues. It's been tremendously helpful to parse through their comments and pull out the questions I'm not addressing or things I need to investigate further. I'm keeping running lists of both - which keep growing! But I'm also crossing things off the list, as I find that many of the questions have a common root.

For example, understanding the local-level dynamics of financial and political corruption (thank you, Robert Bates) involving the police is one such common root underlying several questions and comments I got. Under what circumstances and to what ends do local politicians take advantage of the presence of local police to corrupt them for their own ends?

That's one of two main things on my plate right now: the other is to learn more about the role of the police in managing local conflict in the Colombian countryside between 1958-66. Thanks to the comments I've been processing, I realized it's an episode I need to give more attention.

So the two main things on my plate are a good mix of the theoretical and the empirical. Looking forward to a relaxing weekend and to starting up again on Monday!
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3 comments:

I Cappi said...

We congratulate you on the journey that you have taken. 'To complete a one thousand miles trip, it all it takes is the first step”.

"To complete a 100 pages dissertation, the first step is the first page". We are looking forward to your progress as you travel through the unknown and acquire new knowledge and discover that all along they were inside you.

Our perceptions of Colombia and Latin America that sometimes we consider fundamental truths, will change as your journey unravels and is completed.

We are grateful that you are taking us with you in the journey.

June 1, 2007 at 2:47 PM
Christa said...

Chris -

You have offically left the airport and are in the air. I wish you a facinating journey full of life lessons and great discovery.

Let me know how I can support you. I know your many gifts... so let me know when you forget them.

June 2, 2007 at 11:38 AM
I Cappi said...

GOLPE DE ESTADO (COUP D'ETAT)

Dear Son:

After deeply consideration and analysis of the present circumstances, given that I have enjoyed so much the assignment, and given that you are in Colombia, where this kind of event is “normal”, I have decided to give “UN GOLPE DE MONITOR” (Coup de monitor) and name my self, MONITOR VITALICIO POR VIDA.

Don’t worry Son, I am just kidding, you are not stuck with me, as your Mother is making me write. You can tell that I have been already deposed before I started my life assignment. In any case, thank you for the great opportunity of being so involved in your great work and progress this week. I have these comments:

1. My memories tell me that when I was growing up in Colombia, “los Departamentos” (States) were not as many as today and they were labeled by their political affiliation. For example, Antioquia was Conservadora and Caldas, where I was born, was liberal. The voting tradition of each state determined that labeling.
2. Therefore, I suggest that a Conservador administration would favor Antioquia and vice versa.
3. The army, not the police, was more neutral to the different towns since the soldiers and officers were a mix from all over the country; not the police that was locally recruited, in those days.
4. This week you worked a total of 29.5 hours and wrote two pages. Of course, you didn’t account for the time when you are traveling or just being involved with the work, outside the libraries, buildings, etc.

I am looking forward to continue appreciate your progress, from my deposed state, with love and pride.

And Mother, who has been my faithful companion as we travel with you in your dissertation trip, and, especially this week, since she want make sure I don’t embarrass you with my comments, is “beaming right now” and send her love.

Love you very much, Daddy

October 21, 2007 at 5:52 PM

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