Interdisciplinary Journal of Partnership Studies

Global Solutions for International Development Partnerships: Beyond Insider/Outsider Binaries

Anne Namatsi Lutomia

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

Julia Bello-Bravo

Michigan State University

Barry R Pittendrigh

Michigan State University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24926/ijps.v5i3.1459

Keywords: International development, Insider/Outsider, International partnerships, Africa

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Abstract

In recent years, information and communication technologies for development (ICT4D) approaches have facilitated international development work, but still more effective ICT4D deployments are needed. This article examines how one ICT4D initiative, Scientific Animations without Borders (SAWBO), works with partners in Africa not only to transcend problematic insider / outsider binaries that impact solution delivery but also to implement inter-organizational collaborations on research and mission-critical knowledge-transfer goals that effectively reach the widest diversity of target populations.

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Author Biographies

Anne Namatsi Lutomia, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

Anne Namatsi Lutomia is a doctoral candidate at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign in the department of Education Policy, Organization and Leadership-division of Human Resource Development. Her current research looks at North-South scientific collaboration, specifically on how scientists in the US collaborate with those in Benin. Her research interest spans leadership development, adult learning, mobile learning, labor mobility and gender issues. She is also a recipient of the Maria Pia Gratton International Award.

Julia Bello-Bravo, Michigan State University

Julia Bello-Bravo is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Food Sciences and Human Nutrition at Michigan State University and a co-founder and co-director of Scientific Animations Without Borders (SAWBO). After receiving a law degree from the University Complutense in Madrid (Spain) and a PhD from Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN), Dr. Bello-Bravo worked at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Center for African Studies as an Assistant Director while also pursuing her own extramurally funded research projects/program, including SAWBO.  Dr. Bello-Bravo’s research interests lie at the intersection of effective communication and education, specializing in informal education and communication strategies to reach low- or non-literate learners in developing and developed countries. Areas of research include identifying, developing, and deploying scalable strategies for effective educational knowledge transfer and solution uptake to the approximately 800 million low- and non-literate learners globally.

Barry R Pittendrigh, Michigan State University

Dr. Pittendrigh’s program spans the areas of structural and functional genomics of insect toxicology, population genetics of pest populations, international development, integrated pest management, and high throughput delivery systems for outreach/extension. He works on a diversity of insect systems including Drosophila, human lice (he directed the body louse genome sequencing/annotation project), and pest species of cowpea. Prior to becoming an MSU Foundation Professor (2016-present), he held the C.W. Kerns, C.L. Metcalf and W.P. Flint Endowed Chair in Insect Toxicology position (2008-2016) at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign). He is also the co-founder and co-director of Scientific Animations Without Borders. Dr. Pittendrigh has taught a diversity of courses ranging from host plant resistance, to introductory genetics, pesticide toxicology, and international development.