INTERCULTURAL TRAVEL
The following organizations and publications will help you go deeper into a culture when you travel, stepping off the main highway and really experiencing the local ways of living:
SERVAS
U.S. SERVAS Committee, Inc.
11 John Street
New York, NY, 10038
SERVAS is a non-profit, non-governmental, international, interfaith cooperative network of travelers and hosts established in 1948 to help build world peace, good will and understanding by providing opportunities for deeper, more personal contacts among people of diverse cultures and backgrounds. SERVAS travelers are invited to share life in the home and in the community, normally staying 2 nights with the host without charge. For information on becoming a SERVAS host or traveler, write to the above address.
VOLUNTEERS FOR PEACE, INC.
"INTERNATIONAL WORKCAMPS".
Tiffany Road
Belmont, VT 05730
802/259-2759.
VFP is a non-profit membership corporation that, since 1981, has been coordinating International Workcamps in the USA and abroad. Work camps are an inexpensive way to travel and a very effective way people can promote international goodwill. For a US$60-$75 registration fee, you can promote international friendship in 36 foreign or an American community for 2-3 weeks. Many volunteers register for multiple workcamps in the same or different countries and spend several months abroad. 90% of all workcamps occur June through September. Membership is $10/yr.
TRANSITIONS ABROAD
Box 344
Amherst, MA 01004.
413/256-0373
This is an independent resource guide to living, learning, employment, adventure, and speciality travel abroad. Edited by overseas opportunities specialists, it emphasizes practical, usable information in timely and informative articles and first-hand reports. Subscription: USA $15/5 issues, $28/10 issues. Outside US $20/5 issues.
ALTERNATIVES IN TRAVEL
Co-op America
2100 M St., N.W., Suite 310
Washington, D.C., 20063
Co-op America has put together a package of information on socially responsible tourism. The kit includes brochures, listings and articles on the impact of tourism. Send $5 for the kit.
ORGANIZATIONS & PUBLICATIONS
SAHABAT ALAM MALAYSIA (SAM)
(FRIENDS OF THE EARTH)
37 Lorong Birch
Penang, West Malaysia
Tel: 376930
SAM is an environmental organization campaigning against the deterioration of the Malaysian and Asia-Pacific region environment. Excellent work much in need of support. Subscription rate for their newsletter is for a minimum of 2 years: US$24 (airmail) or US$20 (surface mail). Please send cash by registered mail because of excessive bank charges to cash foreign checks (see further explanation in Books Received).
ECOFORUM
A JOURNAL OF THE ENVIRONMENT LIAISON CENTRE
P.O. Box 72461
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: 24770
ECOFORUM is published bi-monthly as a "community meeting place" where NGOs from around the world can share information and strategies. It also acts as a window on the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The journal is published in English, French and Spanish. Subscription: US$25/yr.
KENGO NEWS, KENYA ENERGY NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
Karuna Road, P.O. Box 48197
Nairobi, Kenya
KENGO NEWS is for voluntary organizations active in community development, tree-planting and renewable energy activities in Kenya. Subscription: US$5/yr. or equivalent currency.
FOOD FIRST NEWS
INSTITUTE FOR FOOD & DEVELOPMENT POLICY
1885 Mission St.
San Francisco, CA 94103-3584
415/ 864-8555
A non-profit quarterly dedicated to investigating the causes of hunger in a world of plenty. Thorough documentation on the effects of demands from overdeveloped countries on relatively powerless countries and their cultures. Founded in 1975 by Francis Moore Lappe and Joseph Collins. Subscription/membership: $25-$99 /yr. includes FOOD FIRST NEWS, plus a 25% discount on all publications for one year.
CULTURAL SURVIVAL QUARTERLY
Cultural Survival Inc.
11 Divinity Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02138
A non-profit project designed to help indigenous peoples survive, both physically and culturally, the rapid changes which contact with expanding industrial societies brings. They publish a very informative magazine entitled Cultural Survival Quarterly. They also sponsor numerous projects, including work with the Kalahari "Bushmen" and indigenous peoples throughout Latin America and Asia. Cultural Survival offers a slide show for sale or rent, and opportunities for you to get involved in assisting human rights and self-determination for ethnic minorities. A dense, rich collection of articles and news about indigenous cultures and the issues facing them today. Sensitive, relevant anthropological work. Membership is $20/yr.
ACTION FOR CHILDREN
A PUBLICATION OF THE NGO COMMITTEE ON UNICEF.
DIPA A1-D, 866 UN Plaza
New York, NY, 10017.
Available in English, French and Spanish.
OVERSEAS PLACEMENT CENTER
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, Iowa, 50614-0390
Overseas Teachers Recruiting Fair is held annually with representatives form 90 or more overseas schools, generally with 2 year placements available to teachers. Write for more information.
NATIVE SELF-SUFFICIENCY
Seventh Generation Fund
PO Box 10
Forestville, CA 95436
A non-profit public foundation designed to provide technical and financial assistance to Indian groups who are working to re-establish tribal sovereignty. It provides information on appropriate tools and technologies and other means of promoting self-reliance in native communities. Subscriptions: individual $7/yr.; institutions and foreign $16/yr.
TRANSNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES
Case Postale 161
1211 Geneve 16, Switzerland
This is an independent international journal of world concerns. It aims to provide political analysis of the major trends at work in the world society and to make policy suggestions so that common interests may be more easily found. TP assumes that we are now moving into the Planetary Age with its ethic of reverence for all life, and away from an international system based exclusively on the nation-state, thus the deeper currents are trans-national. Subscriptions: US$10/yr, ( 3 issues)
TRANET
TRANSNATIONAL NETWORK FOR APPROPRIATE/ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
Box 567
Rangley, ME 04970
207/864-2252
A quarterly newsletter – directory of, by and for people who are participating in transformation – people who are changing their world by changing their own lives – people who are adopting alternative technologies. Membership/subscription: Individual $30: Library $50; Organization $150.
THE INSTITUTE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS
4750 Sheridan Rd.
Chicago, IL 60640 USA
With offices in 34 countries, ICA volunteers assist Human Development Projects with "the desire to release the creativity of people that allows them to help shape their own destiny." ICA is extremely well organized, and has built their philosophy and techniques upon experiences with successful work in a "hopeless" Chicago slum. All members live simply, with people of many nations, in poverty-stricken areas all over the world.
THE APROVECHO INSTITUTE
80574 Hazelton Rd.
Cottage Grove, Oregon 97424
503/942-9434
Aprovecho means "I make best use of" in Spanish. Aprovecho offers professional services in improved stoves, production and processing of solid fuels, agroforestry, technical writing and illustration, manuals and visual aids, trainings, program design and evaluation.
(The following three market Third World crafts and other goods, emphasizing the provision of a fair price for the producer.)
AID TO ARTISANS, 80 Mountain Spring Road, Farmington, Connecticut, 06032 USA. Tel. (203) 677-1649
PUEBLO TO PEOPLE, 5218 Chenevert #1016, Houston, Texas 77004 USA. Tel. (713) 523-1197
TRAIDCRAFT EXCHANGE, Kingsway, Gateshead, NE11 ONE, England. Tel. 091 487 3191
BOOKS RECEIVED
BLUEPRINT FOR A GREEN PLANET, YOUR PRACTICAL GUIDE TO RESTORING THE WORLD’S ENVIRONMENT, by John Seymour and Herbert Girardet (New York: Prentice Hall Press, 1987, 192 pages, $25.95) Beautifully illustrated, well researched, easily accessible and geared toward the lay reader.
FIRST LIGHT, SOJOURNS WITH PEOPLE OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES, THE SIERRA MADRE, THE HIMALAYAS, AND OTHER REMOTE PLACES, photographs and text by Ethan Hubbard (Chelsea Green Publishing Company, Chelsea, Vermont 05038, 1986, 200 pages, 120 black & white photographs, $29.95). This book is a rich collection both in photographs and text of Ethan’s experiences living with indigenous people.
INTRODUCING THE WORLD, A GUIDE TO DEVELOPING INTERNATIONAL AND GLOBAL AWARENESS PROGRAMS, by Student & Teacher Participants with Reford-McCandless International and Canadian Institute of International Affairs. Order this Handbook from: The Publications Secretary, The Canadian Institute of International Affairs, 15 King’s College Circle, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 2V9. 1985. 174 pages, 81/2" by 11" $25.00
MY NAME IS TODAY, AN ILLUSTRATED DISCUSSION OF CHILD HEALTH, SOCIETY AND POVERTY IN LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, by David Morley & Hermione Lovel. Macmillan Publishers Ltd., London. TALC, P.O. Box 49, St. Albans, Herts. ALI 4AX, United Kingdom. 1986. Cost: Pound3. This book is a teaching aid in hopes of raising the standards of health care worldwide. It is hoped that it will encourge more research into the socio-epidemiology of childhood and enable more groups to discover just how monetary and other resources are being used.
AN ANNOTATED GUIDE TO GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT, CAPACITY BUILDING FOR EFFECTIVE SOCIAL CHANGE, by Guy Gran. Available from Resources for Development and Democracy, 17119 Old Baltimore Road, Olney, Maryland 20832. 1987. 154 pages $7.95 + $1.00 postage/handling. This interdisciplinary, world bibliography offers: 1) an introductory comment on criteria; development as growth, equity, institutional effectiveness and sustainability. 2) annotations on the best c490 theoretical, practical, topical and regional works; synopsis and importance of each. 3) the best c250 reference works on topics and regions, briefly annotated. 4) the best c250 journals. 5) the most useful computor data bases for reference work. 6) author and country indexes. A real gem of a resource not only on development, but on many aspects of social thought and cultural dynamics.
GANDHI TODAY, A REPORT ON MAHATMA GANDHI’S SUCCESSORS, by Mark Shepard. Simple Productions, 12 East 15th St. #3, Arcata, CA 95521. 1987. 146 pages Hard cover $20.00, paperback available in Oct. $9.95. Mark Shepard traveled to India in 1979 in quest of Gandhi’s legacy , spending 5 months visiting and living with Gandhians, learning about their projects, ideas and lives. This is the result of what he learned of the continuing impact of Gandhi and his living philosophy. It is an inspiring book of hopeful idealism based in the living experience of those carrying on Gandhi’s ideals.
GLOBAL CONFLICT, THE DOMESTIC SOURCES OF INTERNATIONAL CRISIS, by John W. Burton. Published by Wheatsheaf Books LTD., Sussex, England. available from Center for International Development, University of Maryland, College Park 20742,1984, 194 pages. A fascinating analysis of how internal politics affects international relations.
STATE OF THE WORLD – 1987, A WORLD WATCH INSTITUTE REPORT ON PROGRESS TOWARD A SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY. Project Director, Lester R. Brown. Worldwatch Institute, 1776 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. Tel: (202)452-1999. $9.95. 268 pages. Human activities are driving many natural systems beyond critical thresholds of stability, posing serious economic consequences and direct threats to the Earth’s future habitability, according to this well documented and timely report. If you are serious about keeping up with the state of the world, keep up with this series of World Watch books.
VILLAGES, by Richard Critchfield. Anchor Press/Doubleday, Garden City, New York. 1983. $10.95. 388 pages. Richard Critchfield has reported on village life in the Third World for nearly a quarter century, during the 1970s as a regular contributor to The Economist of London and other papers. He has been a consultant on villages to the Agency for International Development under both the Carter and Reagan administrations, and has received awards from numerous foundations.
"A tour de force…probably the best available account of the ways in which the unrepresented majority of our species lives." (New York Times Book Review)
SHEDDING SILENCE, A NEW COLLECTION OF POETRY AND PROSE, by Janice Mirikitani. Celestial Arts, Box 7123, Berkeley, CA 94707. 1987. $8.95, paperback, $14.95, Hardback. 166 pages. SHEDDING SILENCE is a collection of poetry and prose addressing political and human rights issues including the horrors of the Vietnam War, nuclear proliferation, prejudice against minorities, and the enslavement of women and the poor. One of the dominant themes throughout is the danger of passivity whether towards the internment experience which silenced her own family and other Nisei (second generation Japanese Americans) for four decades, or the negative stereotypes perpetuated by ignorance and racism against Asian Americans and other new refugees.
BEING PEACE, by Thich Nhat Hanh. Parallax Press, P.O. Box 7355, Berkeley, CA 94707. Tel: (415)525-0101. $8.50. 115 pages. BEING PEACE is an exquisite meditation on being peace in order to make peace, by world renowned Vietnamese Zen master and peace activist. A book for everyone concerned about the state of the world and the quality of our lives. Filled with practical suggestions how to create a more peaceful world "right in the moment we are alive."
Two important books published by Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) (Friends of the Earth Malaysia), 37, Lorong Birch, 10250 Penang, Malaysia follow. When sending payment, please send CASH and REGISTER the letter and enclose it in a thick envelope or wrap in a layer of paper so that it will not get lost in the mail. They prefer cash because the banks in Malaysia levy a very high commission and service charge on overseas/foreign checks. In fact, any overseas checks less than US$12 cannot be sent because the bank commission is more than US$12. Sahabat Alam Malaysia is a small 3rd world group that cannot afford to lose even one dollar to the bank as commission.
1) THE BHOPAL TRAGEDY, ONE YEAR AFTER. 1986. 235 pages Airmail: (North America, Africa & Europe): US$16; (Asia): US$12. Seamail: (For all countries): US$8 This book reflects a very urgent problem in most Third World countries – that Third World nations in a hurry to industrialize, welcome many multinational firms that put profits before human lives. This report contains reports, interviews, actions taken by various organizations on the Bhopal disaster, legal documents and photos.
2) FOREST, RESOURCES CRISIS IN THE THIRD WORLD, 1987. 516 pages. Airmail (Asia & Pacific) US$25; (Everywhere else) US$33; Seamail (all countries) US$18. Nowhere will forest destruction take place at a more frightening pace than the Asia-Pacific region. You could be a contributing factor in the destruction of tropical forests merely by eating your next hamburger! FOREST RESOURCES exposes the role played by the World Bank and other international agencies in creating the present escalation of human misery and forest destruction in the third world. This book is the proceedings of the conference organized by SAM. The conference ended with the formation of the World Rainforest Network.
AFRICA IN CRISIS, THE CAUSES, THE CURES OF ENVIRONMENTAL BANKRUPTCY, by Lloyd Timberlake, (New Society Publishers, 4722 Baltimore Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19143,1986, 232 pages, $9.95). In its British edition, AFRICA IN CRISIS was awarded the $10,000 World Media Award for "Best Book" dealing with hunger issues. It is a study of the issues around drought triggering famines. However, it argues that drought was caused through unsound agricultural development, and environmental policies; ignoring the role of women as the key to food production, family health and nutrition; increased military conflict and militarism; apartheid (which relegates increasing large population segments to increasingly marginal agricultural lands), and bankrupt foreign aid policies. These have all contributed to the crisis which is then conveniently thought of as "an Act of God." AFRICA IN CRISIS also suggests new strategies already being employed which could reduce and eventually eliminate Africa’s vulnerability to famine.
