Does anyone know of any "woke" MPA programs?

[N0MudN0L0tus]

Hey everyone. I'm looking into MPA programs to apply to this year or next year and I'm desperately hoping to find programs that are critical of the aid/development machine and that don't flinch around topics such as slavery, colonialism, the racial wealth divide, capitalism and neoliberalism, etc. This post greatly resonates with how I feel about the field of international development, both academically and professionally. I was pursuing a PhD in a humanities field but have gotten so tired about just talking, writing, and teaching about these topics. I'm ready for a degree that will equip me with the actual skills and background I need to have more of an impact. That's where (I'm hoping) the MPA comes into play.

I'm of the solidarity mindset: "nothing about us without us"; working "for" and "with" as opposed to "on" or "about" communities; global economic and social justice as opposed to decontextualized aid, charity/philanthropy, and consulting. The idea of making a living by telling people in "developing" countries what to do is a huge turn-off. I'm hoping to find meaningful work where my role can be that of a well-trained and well-connected ally, leveraging resources and my sphere of influence, and working directly with vulnerable, marginalized, oppressed, and exploited communities, to reach the goals that they themselves wish to see come to fruition. I also want to avoid the whole Global North/Western/white savior narrative. Is genuine Global North/Global South solidarity even possible, despite being so fraught?

A relevant piece of personal context: while I grew up in the U.S., my family immigrated from Latin America (I was actually born there myself), so I can relate to feeling a profound human connection to these topics beyond the statistics and policy memo bullet points. Also, I pass as white (I look unmistakably Western European) and am very conscious of the privilege this gives me.

I would love your advice on which grad programs to consider. I'm looking at some of the usual suspects: Princeton, Harvard, Columbia, Georgetown, Tufts, Johns Hopkins, the LSE, Sciences Po, etc. I was pleasantly surprised by the MA in ID at the University of Sheffield, as it seems to approach development from a wider spectrum of perspectives, but it's a one-year program and isn't specifically an MPA program, even if it does have a lot of overlap. The LSE has a really awesome MSc in Empires, Colonialism, and Globalisation, but it's more of an academic MA. However, it seems like MPA students can take some of their electives through that program, which is an exciting possibility to me! Harvard's MPA-ID program doesn't necessarily give me major woke vibes, but they do offer a cool course called "Getting Things Done" that focuses on participatory development that actually benefits those whom it purports to serve.

Do you think that being overtly critical of development in my application (like in the Statement of Purpose) is too risky, or worth a shot? I can't tell whether I should "play along" with the mainstream development framework just enough to get accepted, and then seek alternatives to it once I'm in. Or, instead, whether I should be bold and true to my values, but risk alienating most programs from considering me. I'd love some feedback from like-minded folks who care about social justice, especially if you're also pursuing an MPA or a similar degree, or, have been there, done that, and feel similarly disillusioned with the field of ID. Thank you for reading, friends.

[ZebraFinch]

I think it could be challenging to criticize the field, while not having much experience in said field, and not be seen as someone who doesn't understand what they're saying because they've been the person outside looking in, if that makes sense. If you're taking a very critical approach, then imo there should be professional experiences in your life that add weight to your criticisms. Perhaps taking a stance more of questioning, curiosity, and wanting to learn different approaches, rather than "this all sucks and here's why", in your SOP would be more beneficial. I read your other post and that's my impression.

[N0MudN0L0tus]

You make very fair points, ZebraFinch. Thank you for commenting. I could frame it in a way that draws out the positives of the approaches I'd like to pursue, while emphasizing that I'm eager to learn from as wide a variety of perspectives and approaches as possible. I'm sure that I could accomplish that without necessarily having to downplay or hide my values. But you're right about not being so negative and critical without the experience to back it up.

Do you, or does anyone else, happen to know of any programs that present a greater variety of development frameworks and paradigms? Thank you again for your advice and guidance.

[N0MudN0L0tus]

13 hours ago, ZebraFinch said:

I think it could be challenging to criticize the field, while not having much experience in said field, and not be seen as someone who doesn't understand what they're saying because they've been the person outside looking in, if that makes sense. If you're taking a very critical approach, then imo there should be professional experiences in your life that add weight to your criticisms.

Although, to be fair, a common criticism that graduate students who speak up about the problems with the aid/development status quo is that "they don't have enough experience." Here's how the author I quoted earlier responded to this common criticism levied at her while she was studying in the SIPA program. ZebraFinch, your point is well taken that I shouldn't go in, metaphorical guns blazing as it were, when I don't concretely have experience to back up my critiques. And yet, the issues are nonetheless systemic, and observable, and not above critique. I may not be an MPA student just yet, like the author of that post was, but I actually do have enough scholarly and personal knowledge about the problems with NGOs and the aid industry to hold my own in a discussion with people in the policy realm. The "you don't have enough experience" angle is partly reasonable, but also partly a silencing tactic, depending on who says it and to whom. I sense that you were coming at it from the former angle, but more often than not, the latter is the rule rather than the exception.

[Sigaba]

3 hours ago, N0MudN0L0tus said:

Although, to be fair, a common criticism that graduate students who speak up about the problems with the aid/development status quo is that "they don't have enough experience." Here's how the author I quoted earlier responded to this common criticism levied at her while she was studying in the SIPA program. ZebraFinch, your point is well taken that I shouldn't go in, metaphorical guns blazing as it were, when I don't concretely have experience to back up my critiques. And yet, the issues are nonetheless systemic, and observable, and not above critique. I may not be an MPA student just yet, like the author of that post was, but I actually do have enough scholarly and personal knowledge about the problems with NGOs and the aid industry to hold my own in a discussion with people in the policy realm. The "you don't have enough experience" angle is partly reasonable, but also partly a silencing tactic, depending on who says it and to whom. I sense that you were coming at it from the former angle, but more often than not, the latter is the rule rather than the exception.

As written, your posts indicate to me that your mind is already made up on a number of issues and that experience will sharpen long-held viewpoints. Moreover, you're setting the standard by which you will accept differing viewpoints.

Questions. How will you make the case successfully that a program, even one that shares your views, would benefit from a student who already has it all figured out. Agreeing that water is wet in and of itself does little to help those who are drowning or dying of thirst. How will you convince people that, after staking out a position on principle, that you're willing to do the necessary horse trading to get people what they need?

[N0MudN0L0tus]

8 minutes ago, Sigaba said:

As written, your posts indicate to me that your mind is already made up on a number of issues and that experience will sharpen long-held viewpoints. Moreover, you're setting the standard by which you will accept differing viewpoints.

Questions. How will you make the case successfully that a program, even one that shares your views, would benefit from a student who already has it all figured out. Agreeing that water is wet in and of itself does little to help those who are drowning or dying of thirst. How will you convince people that, after staking out a position on principle, that you're willing to do the necessary horse trading to get people what they need?

Thank you Sigaba. By no means do I "have it all figured out". I'm sincerely looking for advice on how to most effectively convey that I'm seeking to explore alternative frameworks and paradigms to development. The main weakness I can intuit is that I haven't sufficiently engaged with the prevailing frameworks and approaches specifically as an MPA student or professionally in the fields of development and policy. I'm not saying that I refuse to engage with orthodox development theories. Of course not. That would be impossible even if I wanted to. I'm just wondering what the most strategic way would be to approach this issue in my applications so that I don't alienate committees but also don't put my values on the back burner for the sake of not rocking the boat. There has to be some middle ground that will allow me to stand apart from the folks who are primarily looking to go into, say, development consulting. There just has to be...

[ZebraFinch]

4 hours ago, N0MudN0L0tus said:

Although, to be fair, a common criticism that graduate students who speak up about the problems with the aid/development status quo is that "they don't have enough experience." Here's how the author I quoted earlier responded to this common criticism levied at her while she was studying in the SIPA program. ZebraFinch, your point is well taken that I shouldn't go in, metaphorical guns blazing as it were, when I don't concretely have experience to back up my critiques. And yet, the issues are nonetheless systemic, and observable, and not above critique. I may not be an MPA student just yet, like the author of that post was, but I actually do have enough scholarly and personal knowledge about the problems with NGOs and the aid industry to hold my own in a discussion with people in the policy realm. The "you don't have enough experience" angle is partly reasonable, but also partly a silencing tactic, depending on who says it and to whom. I sense that you were coming at it from the former angle, but more often than not, the latter is the rule rather than the exception.

Gently, you'll just have to be very persuasive that you understand what you're critiquing.  You're not "holding a discussion", you're asking to be admitted into a cohort of professionals and possibly get funded. The "hoop" to jump through is higher.

I'm writing all this as a person who took a similar approach in fellowship/grad apps some years ago and today cringe when I remember what I wrote.

[N0MudN0L0tus]

1 minute ago, ZebraFinch said:

Gently, you'll just have to be very persuasive that you understand what you're critiquing.  You're not "holding a discussion", you're asking to be admitted into a cohort of professionals and possibly get funded. The "hoop" to jump through is higher.

I'm writing all this as a person who took a similar approach in fellowship/grad apps some years ago and today cringe when I remember what I wrote.

Thanks ZebraFinch. I really appreciate your advice. I'm leaning in the direction of taking a year to acquire more relevant experience and to strengthen my candidacy overall. If I do go that route, I will certainly use that time to think this through very carefully before I actually apply to MPA programs. These topics are far too delicate and fraught to approach them in any which way. Your point is well taken indeed. Thank you.

[maddie92]

@N0MudN0L0tus I'm also in the process of applying to MPA ID programs for next Fall, and I'm planning to criticize the development sector in my personal statement. I don't have much work experience in the field, but from the experience that I do have, I have seen that development people, including the big donors (USAID, DFID) are critical and cognizant of the issues in the way we do development.  And I think that that's actually very healthy for the sector. Like you said, we can't be prescriptive in how we attempt to help individual communities and those affected by foreign aid need to be implicated as partners in the process. These aren't particularly new or controversial topics in the development sector. Now my primary experience is with USAID so I can't speak for other donors, but these issues that you are mentioning are acknowledged and efforts are being made. USAID has instituted Local Works  and the Learning Lab which attempt to address and find solutions to these issues. Now, I'm not saying that the aid sector has it all figured out, and there is still a lot that needs to be done before we can say that aid is truly inclusive and responsive to local needs. My point is that these issues that you're raising are widely acknowledged, accepted, and not particularly controversial. This isn't the international development equivalent of the 2nd Amendment or Pro Life/Pro Choice debates, if you know what I mean. If you haven't read Easterly's White Man's Burden and Time to Listen by Mary Anderson and Dayna Brown, I'd highly recommend. 

My two cents in this discussion is that you shouldn't be afraid to point out the challenges and failures of international development. Just don't go in with "guns blazing", and don't preach (being too preachy in a way also undermines your argument of needing to be more collaborative with beneficiaries). Be constructive in your criticism. Acknowledge those issues and then talk about how the program to which you're applying will give you the needed skills to go into the development space to address those issues. From my understanding, these schools, especially the more professionally oriented ones like SIPA, want to know how you plan to use your degree and how their program will help you achieve those goals, so be constructive and practical rather than ranting to them about all the terrible flaws of the development sector.  

Edited October 28, 2018 by maddie92

[ExponentialDecay]

I think Attiah's critiques of the development industry are exceptional because they speak to laymen concerns without annoying professionals (occasional outliers considered). I know few other people who can toe this line. I would be deeply surprised if an applicant with no development experience could.

Regarding SOP. Naivete exists on a spectrum, and OP's level of naivete is certainly at home among the average policy program applicant. They are, however, applying to some ambitious programs (I do wonder whether they've carefully read program requirements before making this selection). Funded programs (and funded spots at unfunded programs) will expect to see more nuanced criticism than what OP is producing. The reality is, everyone in development is disillusioned about development. There are seasoned scholars (Pritchett, Rodrik, Duflo, Deaton) who have made their careers critiquing development along the axes OP suggests. When we say it's not new, we mean if OP's mother wrote this personal statement, it would not be new. And there's nothing wrong with mentioning some of these issues - as Attiah notes, many of them are unresolved - and OP is probably smart and can probably learn a lot in a short time, but it matters how they write this. Applicants who seem like they'll need to break down defensive attitudes and cover a 50 year gap before they're up to speed with everyone else in the program don't get funded much.

Regarding going into development work with this attitude. A lot of people get disillusioned with development when they realize that problems in the development industry didn't arise because everyone is too stupid to have had ideas like community-based development, the weaknesses of the top down approach, and unequal power relationships. That it takes more than a woke white lady showing up with a scathing and innovative critique. As OP is partial to "nothing about us without us", they should consider that the development community has the features of any other community. Just like corruption in India didn't arise because Indians are inherently immoral and Liberia isn't a fragile state because black people are by nature criminals and can't govern themselves, the development industry isn't fucked up because development professionals are evil and dumb. Development is what it is because of inequalities that are systemically ingrained and backed by powerful stakeholders, and because social engineering is a very young field where we still don't really know what we're doing and don't have a good idea of how we could know more (but at least we've moved away from Nazism, so that's a plus). A big reason, I think, for reactions like J's is that people in development think about these issues all the time and, ime, thinking about it doesn't do shit. So they resent being told to do something that a) they already do, b) doesn't work. In practice, development models are less about thinking fancy thoughts and more about delivery. The reason international financial institutions and development consultancies etc exist is because they can deliver funding and expertise for development. If OP can operationalize a more equitable model, that would be a huge innovation. Yapping about how this and that isn't right? Nah.

Another thing I want to say is about this:

I was pursuing a PhD in a humanities field but have gotten so tired about just talking, writing, and teaching about these topics.

Especially if OP is averse to more interventionist approaches (such as conditional loans), they should be prepared that, as an educated outsider, they will be pretty much limited to "just" talking, writing and teaching about these topics. Their audience wouldn't be college kids, but OP should think about whether that's acceptable for them.