Articles (peer reviewed) by Kathryn Barber
Higher Education, 2020
Drawing on a review of international higher education (IHE) policies, priorities, and literature ... more Drawing on a review of international higher education (IHE) policies, priorities, and literature from the USA, Canada, Australia, and the UK over the course of a 16-year period (2000–2016), this article identifies a strong scholarly and policy preoccupation with the urgency of the global knowledge economy and cognate discourses of ‘Asia
Pacific century’, an emerging economic and geopolitical configuration that is considered threatening to the historic and ideological Western superiority in IHE relations. As such, the export commodification and transnationalization of higher education of the last decade is conceptualized as Western responses to an increasingly Asia-driven global
economic order. This, we suggest, is an analytical lens which approaches time—as in knowledge economic time—and space—as in the West and Asia—in rather absolute,
contained, and hierarchized terms, overlooking how both theWest’s coming to terms with postcolonial Asia, and the postcolonial Asian states’ desire for Western knowledge and modernity re-cast broader transnational inequities established by colonial practices. In contrast, the concept of ‘spacetime entanglement’ is proposed to develop a necessary analysis as well as a critique of the transnationalization of capitalist colonial relations via
discourses and practices of contemporary IHE.
Journal of Urban Technology , 2019
This paper examines how Wellbeing Toronto (WT)—a free, open data, GIS tool that allows users to m... more This paper examines how Wellbeing Toronto (WT)—a free, open data, GIS tool that allows users to map information has evolved into an extensive data repository with robust data analysis capabilities. Explored is the progress of open data scholarship in relation to municipal government and civic participation. Based on this, the authors note the following: (1) as open data becomes increasingly prevalent, a more varied understanding of the organization and structure of municipal government may emerge. (2) There is a need for measures of civic engagement to move beyond data co-production towards an organization-based interactive approach.
Canadian Ethnic Studies , 2018
Faith-based and other civil society organizations, along with more ad-hoc groups of Canadians, ha... more Faith-based and other civil society organizations, along with more ad-hoc groups of Canadians, have
sustained a continuous program of private refugee sponsorship in Canada for 40 years. The Syrian
refugee exodus inspired thousands of Canadians with little or no prior experience to also take up
refugee sponsorship. Little is known about private sponsors, their characteristics and experiences,
and the impact of sponsorship on them. This article undertakes two tasks. First, it sketches the
contours of a large, interdisciplinary project investigating the phenomenon of private refugee sponsorship
from the perspective of Canadian sponsors of Syrians, including both long-term and new
sponsors. The project asks how the project of welcoming refugees remakes the citizenship of
Canadians. Second, the article presents original data selected from a survey of over 500 sponsors
of recently arrived Syrians. We conclude with future directions for research and analysis.
Agriculture & Food Security , Nov 2012
"Background
Agricultural biotechnology public-private partnerships (PPPs) have been recognized a... more "Background
Agricultural biotechnology public-private partnerships (PPPs) have been recognized as having great potential in improving agricultural productivity and increasing food production in sub-Saharan Africa. However, there is much public skepticism about the use of GM (genetically modified) crops and suspicion about private sector involvement in agbiotech projects. This case study sought to understand the role of trust in the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton in Burkina Faso project by exploring practices and challenges associated with trust-building, and determining what makes these practices effective from the perspective of multiple stakeholders.
Methods
We conducted semi-structured, face-to-face interviews to obtain stakeholders’ understanding of trust in general as well as in the context of agbiotech PPPs. Relevant documents and articles were analyzed to generate descriptions of how trust was operationalized in this evolving agbiotech PPP. Data was analyzed based on emergent themes to create a comprehensive narrative on how trust is understood and built among the partners and with the community.
Results
We derived four key lessons from our findings. First, strong collaboration between research, industry and farmers greatly contributes to both the success of, and fostering of trust in, the partnership. Second, this case study also revealed the important, though often unrecognized, role of researchers as players in the communication strategy of the project. Third, effective and comprehensive communication takes into account issues such as illiteracy and diversity. Fourth, follow-up at the field level and the need for a multifaceted communications strategy is important for helping push the project forward.
Conclusions
Burkina Faso’s well-established and effective cotton selling system laid the foundation for the implementation of the Bt cotton project – particularly, the strong dialogue and the receptivity to collaboration. Interviewees reported that establishing and maintaining trust among partners, researchers and the community in Burkina Faso greatly contributed to the success of the PPP. By addressing challenges to building trust and engaging in trust-building practices early on, improvements in the effectiveness of agbiotech PPPs are likely."
Nature Biotechnology , Jan 2012
Despite the technical knowledge available for improving food security in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)... more Despite the technical knowledge available for improving food security in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), only three African countries (South Africa, Egypt and Burkina Faso) have commercialized biotech crops to date1. An important step toward improving agbiotech development and genetically modified (GM) crop adoption is to understand the factors that affect the transition of new agbiotech products from the product development stage, through commercialization to the hands of farmers and ultimate consumption by the population. As part of a broader study on a social audit preparation for the Water Efficient Maize for Africa Project, we conducted 91 interviews with agbiotech stakeholders from a diverse range of groups within five SSA countries (Supplementary Methods). Analysis of the recordings of these interviews revealed four recurring factors that appear to influence agbiotech development in SSA: communication, culture and religion, capacity building and commercialization (Fig. 1). We expand in more detail on these factors below.
Technical reports and conference presentations by Kathryn Barber
Based on privileged access to Canadian government tax and immigration data, this report profiles ... more Based on privileged access to Canadian government tax and immigration data, this report profiles the French-language minority community in Ontario.
This process review aims to provide the Humanitarian Coordinator and donors with assurances that ... more This process review aims to provide the Humanitarian Coordinator and donors with assurances that the Somalia Common Humanitarian Fund (CHF) was structured to be able to deliver against is objectives.
ALNAP (Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance in Humanitarian Action), 2012
"The report appraises how well the system performed between 2010-2012. During this time we saw ma... more "The report appraises how well the system performed between 2010-2012. During this time we saw major international emergencies such as Haiti, Pakistan and Somalia which
changed the growing demands on the humanitarian system and expectations of what can be achieved. There are now more actors, especially NGOs, in the system; more money available;
more technological innovation; increased individual giving; and evidence that elements of the reform process (including clusters, the CERF and pooled funding) have improved the timeliness of the response in many instances. Agencies are getting humanitarian aid to people in very difficult operating conditions."
Book Reviews by Kathryn Barber
Review of Justin Gest's book "The New Minority: White working class politics in an age of immigra... more Review of Justin Gest's book "The New Minority: White working class politics in an age of immigration and inequality"
Papers by Kathryn Barber
Refuge: Canada's Journal on Refugees
Refuge: Canada's Journal on Refugees
Higher Education , 2020
Drawing on a review of international higher education (IHE) policies, priorities, and literature ... more Drawing on a review of international higher education (IHE) policies, priorities, and literature from USA, Canada, Australia and UK over the course of a 16-year period (2000-2016), this article identifies a strong scholarly and policy preoccupation with the urgency of the global knowledge economy and cognate discourses of ‘Asia Pacific century’, an emerging economic and geopolitical configuration that is considered threatening to the historic and ideological Western superiority in IHE relations. As such, the export commodification and transnationalization of higher education of the last decade is conceptualized as Western responses to an increasingly Asia driven global economic order. This, we suggest, is an analytical lens which approaches time – as in knowledge economic time – and space - as in the West and Asia – in rather absolute, contained and hierarchized terms, overlooking how both the West’s coming to terms with postcolonial Asia, and the postcolonial Asian states’ desire for Western knowledge and modernity re-cast broader transnational inequities established by colonial practices. In contrast, the concept of ‘spacetime entanglement’ is proposed to develop a necessary analysis as well as a critique of the transnationalization of capitalist colonial relations via discourses and practices of contemporary IHE.
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Articles (peer reviewed) by Kathryn Barber
Pacific century’, an emerging economic and geopolitical configuration that is considered threatening to the historic and ideological Western superiority in IHE relations. As such, the export commodification and transnationalization of higher education of the last decade is conceptualized as Western responses to an increasingly Asia-driven global
economic order. This, we suggest, is an analytical lens which approaches time—as in knowledge economic time—and space—as in the West and Asia—in rather absolute,
contained, and hierarchized terms, overlooking how both theWest’s coming to terms with postcolonial Asia, and the postcolonial Asian states’ desire for Western knowledge and modernity re-cast broader transnational inequities established by colonial practices. In contrast, the concept of ‘spacetime entanglement’ is proposed to develop a necessary analysis as well as a critique of the transnationalization of capitalist colonial relations via
discourses and practices of contemporary IHE.
sustained a continuous program of private refugee sponsorship in Canada for 40 years. The Syrian
refugee exodus inspired thousands of Canadians with little or no prior experience to also take up
refugee sponsorship. Little is known about private sponsors, their characteristics and experiences,
and the impact of sponsorship on them. This article undertakes two tasks. First, it sketches the
contours of a large, interdisciplinary project investigating the phenomenon of private refugee sponsorship
from the perspective of Canadian sponsors of Syrians, including both long-term and new
sponsors. The project asks how the project of welcoming refugees remakes the citizenship of
Canadians. Second, the article presents original data selected from a survey of over 500 sponsors
of recently arrived Syrians. We conclude with future directions for research and analysis.
Agricultural biotechnology public-private partnerships (PPPs) have been recognized as having great potential in improving agricultural productivity and increasing food production in sub-Saharan Africa. However, there is much public skepticism about the use of GM (genetically modified) crops and suspicion about private sector involvement in agbiotech projects. This case study sought to understand the role of trust in the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton in Burkina Faso project by exploring practices and challenges associated with trust-building, and determining what makes these practices effective from the perspective of multiple stakeholders.
Methods
We conducted semi-structured, face-to-face interviews to obtain stakeholders’ understanding of trust in general as well as in the context of agbiotech PPPs. Relevant documents and articles were analyzed to generate descriptions of how trust was operationalized in this evolving agbiotech PPP. Data was analyzed based on emergent themes to create a comprehensive narrative on how trust is understood and built among the partners and with the community.
Results
We derived four key lessons from our findings. First, strong collaboration between research, industry and farmers greatly contributes to both the success of, and fostering of trust in, the partnership. Second, this case study also revealed the important, though often unrecognized, role of researchers as players in the communication strategy of the project. Third, effective and comprehensive communication takes into account issues such as illiteracy and diversity. Fourth, follow-up at the field level and the need for a multifaceted communications strategy is important for helping push the project forward.
Conclusions
Burkina Faso’s well-established and effective cotton selling system laid the foundation for the implementation of the Bt cotton project – particularly, the strong dialogue and the receptivity to collaboration. Interviewees reported that establishing and maintaining trust among partners, researchers and the community in Burkina Faso greatly contributed to the success of the PPP. By addressing challenges to building trust and engaging in trust-building practices early on, improvements in the effectiveness of agbiotech PPPs are likely."
Technical reports and conference presentations by Kathryn Barber
changed the growing demands on the humanitarian system and expectations of what can be achieved. There are now more actors, especially NGOs, in the system; more money available;
more technological innovation; increased individual giving; and evidence that elements of the reform process (including clusters, the CERF and pooled funding) have improved the timeliness of the response in many instances. Agencies are getting humanitarian aid to people in very difficult operating conditions."
Book Reviews by Kathryn Barber
Papers by Kathryn Barber
Pacific century’, an emerging economic and geopolitical configuration that is considered threatening to the historic and ideological Western superiority in IHE relations. As such, the export commodification and transnationalization of higher education of the last decade is conceptualized as Western responses to an increasingly Asia-driven global
economic order. This, we suggest, is an analytical lens which approaches time—as in knowledge economic time—and space—as in the West and Asia—in rather absolute,
contained, and hierarchized terms, overlooking how both theWest’s coming to terms with postcolonial Asia, and the postcolonial Asian states’ desire for Western knowledge and modernity re-cast broader transnational inequities established by colonial practices. In contrast, the concept of ‘spacetime entanglement’ is proposed to develop a necessary analysis as well as a critique of the transnationalization of capitalist colonial relations via
discourses and practices of contemporary IHE.
sustained a continuous program of private refugee sponsorship in Canada for 40 years. The Syrian
refugee exodus inspired thousands of Canadians with little or no prior experience to also take up
refugee sponsorship. Little is known about private sponsors, their characteristics and experiences,
and the impact of sponsorship on them. This article undertakes two tasks. First, it sketches the
contours of a large, interdisciplinary project investigating the phenomenon of private refugee sponsorship
from the perspective of Canadian sponsors of Syrians, including both long-term and new
sponsors. The project asks how the project of welcoming refugees remakes the citizenship of
Canadians. Second, the article presents original data selected from a survey of over 500 sponsors
of recently arrived Syrians. We conclude with future directions for research and analysis.
Agricultural biotechnology public-private partnerships (PPPs) have been recognized as having great potential in improving agricultural productivity and increasing food production in sub-Saharan Africa. However, there is much public skepticism about the use of GM (genetically modified) crops and suspicion about private sector involvement in agbiotech projects. This case study sought to understand the role of trust in the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton in Burkina Faso project by exploring practices and challenges associated with trust-building, and determining what makes these practices effective from the perspective of multiple stakeholders.
Methods
We conducted semi-structured, face-to-face interviews to obtain stakeholders’ understanding of trust in general as well as in the context of agbiotech PPPs. Relevant documents and articles were analyzed to generate descriptions of how trust was operationalized in this evolving agbiotech PPP. Data was analyzed based on emergent themes to create a comprehensive narrative on how trust is understood and built among the partners and with the community.
Results
We derived four key lessons from our findings. First, strong collaboration between research, industry and farmers greatly contributes to both the success of, and fostering of trust in, the partnership. Second, this case study also revealed the important, though often unrecognized, role of researchers as players in the communication strategy of the project. Third, effective and comprehensive communication takes into account issues such as illiteracy and diversity. Fourth, follow-up at the field level and the need for a multifaceted communications strategy is important for helping push the project forward.
Conclusions
Burkina Faso’s well-established and effective cotton selling system laid the foundation for the implementation of the Bt cotton project – particularly, the strong dialogue and the receptivity to collaboration. Interviewees reported that establishing and maintaining trust among partners, researchers and the community in Burkina Faso greatly contributed to the success of the PPP. By addressing challenges to building trust and engaging in trust-building practices early on, improvements in the effectiveness of agbiotech PPPs are likely."
changed the growing demands on the humanitarian system and expectations of what can be achieved. There are now more actors, especially NGOs, in the system; more money available;
more technological innovation; increased individual giving; and evidence that elements of the reform process (including clusters, the CERF and pooled funding) have improved the timeliness of the response in many instances. Agencies are getting humanitarian aid to people in very difficult operating conditions."