I have been meaning to _disclose_ on the forum for some time but
every time I have 5 minutes to write something I just think 'nah...
do it tomorrow'!! (How many of us feel the same with various parts of
this job?!) This (I think) is partly due to laziness but (more importantly)
also down to a _fear_ of disclosure..... what do I say (particularly to an
audience of critical geographers)? will any _jokes_ I make fall
horribly flat (and how do you tell on email?)
So, in search of inspiration I had a flick through some of last
year's disclosures and was heart-warmed to read the comments by Pam
Shurmer-Smith and Moya Kneafsey about being female, academic, (and in
mine and Moya's cases, new/young academics), and basically being
terrified of putting fingers to keyboard and pressing the 'send'
key!! I am not the only one!! And I should say now... I don't
support a football team or a rugby team (although I have seen 'The
Whites' a couple of times, but it's too cold to go now!!) Maybe we
could start a thread about music (and geography) instead? Every new
discloser must name their favourite CD?...
Anyway, down to the academic bit. I suppose I would define myself
as a development geographer although quite what that means I have
never been too sure. I am currently finishing my PhD (Power, participation
and _development_ on Mount Kilimanjaro: the non-governmental sector and
the state in Tanzania, at the University of Liverpool) while embarking on my
first position as a lecturer in the Department of Geography, University of
Wales, Swansea. Briefly, the PhD critically examines the role of NGOs at the
local and national scale in Tanzania and shows how the international discourse
of development associated with NGOs is appropriated by various
groups/individuals in order to gain access to power and resources. I
trace the implications of this for the local state, the national
state, local NGOs (mostly women's groups) and international NGOs.
I have more recently become interested in the socio-cultural construction
of _development_ in Africa and the UK, and the ways in which Africa is
represented in the UK. This is a newer area for me and I am in the
throes of looking for similar work, although I am familiar with the
work of Escobar/Said. If anyone knows of any work by geographers
(or others) on representations of Africa (or even of the _developing
world_), or has any comments on any of the above, please feel free to
contact me, or even better, discuss it on the forum.
Phew, I'm glad I've got that over with!!
Claire
Claire C Mercer
Department of Geography
University of Wales, Swansea
Singleton Park
Swansea
SA2 8PP
Tel: 01792 295228 x4144
Fax: 01792 295955
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