Americas Program
The major strategic focus of the Americas Program now is to develop real networks of collaborators or partners in each of our issue areas. Laura Carlsen spent time in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay this summer establishing these links with writers. There will be an essay in each issue of Americas UPDATER explaining our perspective on one of our five issue areas, and links to 20 relevant organizations with their perspectives. Other forms of collaboration include the exchange of materials, collaboration in distribution, possible shared writing projects, translations, formation of a Latin American speakers bureau, etc. Within this, we have also made some strides in including more indigenous people and women as writers.
Our issue areas remain economic integration, biodiversity and sustainable development, U.S. foreign policy in Latin America, immigration, and access to information and communication rights. Translations into Spanish have increased and as more funds become available, Portuguese is being added.
The Americas Program was also a co-sponsor of a Mexico City 72-hour course on immigration with the Instituto Mora on International Relations and the North America Studies Center at the university. Other involvements included a presentation on conflict and natural resources at the Conferencia de las Americas, Panamá; a presentation at the alternative forum on NAFTA at the Hong Kong WTO; and participation about agricultural and farmers' issues at several meetings in Mexico. Carlsen recently returned from Italy where she spoke about regionalism and global rules at the Mani Tese Globalization Conference. With immigration issues and the Mexican elections in the news, Carlsen conducted around 50 interviews, and spoke on many radio broadcasts.
Foreign Policy In Focus
Through its 10-year history, FPIF has created an impressive network of progressive scholars, policy analysts, and activists. With John Feffer now on board as the co-director, his views of how to improve the program are reflected by building new features into the program.
If you had been receiving the e-zine, Progressive Response bi-monthly, it is now called World Beat to emphasize its global coverage (and is sent out weekly). Recent World Beat issues have been devoted to Africa, nation-building, the U.S.-ROK summit, and the broadened description of human security.
In order to build a larger and more loyal audience, six new columnists have been lined up with an eye toward diversity of approach and liveliness of voice. These include: Laura Carlsen of the IRC and Emira Woods, the Co-Director of FPIF from our partner, the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS); Conn Hallinan, an award-winning FPIF contributor for several years; Michael Klare, author and professor on world security issues; Walden Bello and Frida Berrigan, writers on issues of global economy and military security.
Three times a year, FPIF will focus on a topic or question that warrants in-depth examination. The first will be on the growing global influence of China. This will roll out in early December.
Several new departments have been added, with Fiesta one of the new highlights. Fiesta explores the intersection between culture and foreign policy. It is designed to attract a new audience to FPIF, those who, while interested in global issues, would perhaps not gravitate to a "foreign policy" site. The Youth and Activism feature will involve younger contributors and target a younger, 20-something audience, looking at such issues as the draft and global campaigns on campus. War and Peace is dedicated to big-picture security pieces, while On the Hill is to be a blog on how Congress is tracking foreign policy.
Feffer recently gave a presentation on Korea to military personnel and was impressed with the scope and acuity of the seminar participants. He relates that he was encouraged by what he heard, in that they consistently challenged the indiscriminate use of force, argued for an expanded State Department role in resolving conflicts, and were interested in non-military ways that the Pentagon could address problems such as poverty.
Feffer has been available for many interviews, broadcasts, and live presentations, especially drawing upon his insights about Korea.
Right Web
Right Web has also made some additions to its program that are reflected on its website. "Behind the News" features reportorial pieces providing background to issues covered by the program, mainly issues related to rightist foreign policy initiatives, but also more specifically to issues tied to the "global war on terror," including for example official threat assessments and legislation related to the treatment of detainees. Principal contributors to this new section include Jim Lobe of the Inter Press Service as well as several of his colleagues at IPS.
The center column is now used uniquely to promote feature pieces produced exclusively for Right Web by a passel of regular writers that the program has successfully enlisted in recent months. New writers include Leon Hadar of the Cato Institute, a specialist on neoconservatism and Middle East issues; John Isaacs of the Council for a Livable World, who blends his expertise as an observer of Capitol Hill with a look at how groups and organizations of the "right web" interact with and promote the work of congressional leaders; and Bill Berkowitz, a widely published writer who specializes in all aspects of the U.S. right wing. Tom Barry has also been a consistent and dependable contributor to the new-look Right Web, providing us with a continual stream of new analyses and profiles.
Right Web also publishes a weekly email news service that promotes new material produced by the program, including on average two new articles/analyses, 3-4 new or updated profiles, and-when available-letters to the editor.
Global Good Neighbor (GGN)
Our newest program continues to lag behind the schedule we anticipated, but lack of adequate funding to hire a devoted staff person has slowed this down. However, as we review what has been accomplished to advance the ideas of GGN, we are moving forward.
In July we had a very successful strategy meeting for GGN. Almost all of the 20 non-IRC staff participants were enthusiastic about GGN's potential. While most participants promised to incorporate GGN into their own work, the most concrete commitment was the formation of a GGN Launch Committee. Members are: Steve Cobble, Institute for Policy Studies; Marie Dennis, Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers; Alison Giffen, Open Society Institute; Julia Greenberg, American Jewish World Service; Peggy Huppert, Iowans for Sensible Priorities; Tony Kireopoulos, National Council of Churches; Susan Shaer, Women's Action for New Direction; and Geoff Thale, Washington Office on Latin America.
By Thanksgiving, a series of Public Service Announcements (PSAs) were distributed across the country for use by local radio stations. Thanks for providing the means to do this goes to the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, and to Connect US. And, thanks also to the S. R. Mott Charitable Foundation, which provided the funding for a flash video by Matt Wuerker-on the politics of fear and hope-that will be featured on the GGN website.
Barry and Chellee Chase-Saiz, the IRC Webmaster, have redesigned the website primarily pointing out suggested citizen actions, including the ability to download the PSAs for you to distribute locally.
A poll by Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) incorporated the GGN language and, not surprisingly, found that the American public overwhelming expressed support for the concept.
Recently, two half hour programs by Voices of Our World focused on GGN, featuring two of the Pocantico session participants, Huppert and Kireopoulos. It is still posted for downloading on sites such as Public Radio Exchange and Pacifica's Audioport. That show will even be broadcast on shortwave radio via Radio For Peace International.
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