During my research for my blog content concerning public health in the digital era, I came across with Angus Deaton’s book[1]. The Great Escape: Health, wealth and the origin of inequality is originally the title of a film about people fleeing from a war camp during World War II. The Nobel Prize-winning writer and economist uses this in the context of how humanity “escapes” from, among other things, poverty and premature death, and how it creates prosperity for itself.
Tag: #Representation
Stop filming us: a documentary film about white saviorism
STOP FILMING US: A documentary about white saviorism
The documentary film ‘Stop filming us’ was released earlier this year and is now being presented in several locations (such as the Human Rights Film Festival Berlin, the Africa museum, Congo in Harlem and several Dutch universities). In the film we see Dutch filmmaker Joris Postema in Goma (Democratic Republic of Congo), where he follows three young Congolese artists. They talk about their struggle and frustration with the western dominance and their city being portrayed as dangerous. Postema’s position as a western filmmaker is being questioned. The movie is intended to create a dialogue between the Congolese reality and the Western perspective. The question however then rises whether a western filmmaker can really give an honest and Congolese perspective. How do the Congolese feel about these white saviors? And are they actually doing something good when trying to do good? Is it even possible for a western filmmaker to leave the stereotypical and western thoughts behind?
Strengthening public awareness
Nowadays volunteering is becoming increasingly popular, which also involves projects in health care. The reasons behind volunteering are varied, from taking social responsibility, through gathering new competences till religious motivations. Similarly, the actual impact on local communities is mixed. It was explained earlier which factors we must consider if we wish to help. The lack of adequate knowledge, cultural sensitivity, and a comprehensive understanding of socio-economic characteristics of communities, unfortunately, can easily cause more harm than good. While avoiding economic harm, personal damage and diminishment of confidence should be the main precondition, volunteering in health care settings often requires medical diploma. In the meantime, there is an increasing focus on global health disparities, such as access to healthcare, health literacy, unaffordability of treatments, and ageing population.
Representations of poverty: Things to consider before posting on Social Media
If you are about to experience something completely new, far away from home, it is not strange that you want to share this with you family and friends; especially if it is overwhelming. These days, sharing photos is, as you know, easier than ever before. Endless apps and platforms enable your loved ones to see what you are up to wherever you are. This means that in theory, we should be able to better understand people and places far away. Digital ways of communicating does bring the opportunity to decrease the cultural distance and to connect with these faraway people and places, but it can also do the exact opposite if you are not aware of the traps.
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