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A global thirst: water, power and the poor
Yesterday I was talking with a university professor, originally from Germany, who is soon to retire. A wise man who has taught architecture for many years and has witnessed changes to the teaching of architecture and its motto, from one of technological development to one of money making. In regards to the last he said: " if you study architecture to make money, then forget it! Go and study information technology instead" and if you want to tackle real issues, then forget it again and study things like water treatment and water management - these were more or less his words.
Today I found this article, which puts this conversation in perspective.
A global thirst: water, power and the poor
Mike Muller
10 - 11 - 2006
Today I found this article, which puts this conversation in perspective.
A global thirst: water, power and the poor
Mike Muller
10 - 11 - 2006
continue reading: openDemocracyThe United Nations Human Development Report is a vital resource. But the currently fashionable language of human rights and decentralisation can be an obstacle to development, says Mike Muller.
The 2006 edition of the United Nations Human Development Report, launched on 9 November 2006, focuses on power and scarcity and the challenge of addressing the world's so-called water crisis. But it is not obvious that it addresses some of the key obstacles to improving the situation. Indeed, it may even be aggravating some of the problems.
Water practitioners are always glad to get some attention, which usually comes only with flood, drought and cholera, or when a community empties its toilet buckets in the mayor's parlour. But sometimes we are so pathetically grateful to be noticed that we are not critical enough of the politicians and development mandarins who have such an influence on our work. ....
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