Critical Human Resource Development

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Clearly, given the rationales advanced for Critical HRD, the hopes of its proponents have been concerned with transforming society and making it more democratic or emancipatory. Key to this has been that through education individuals become conscious of the oppression of or constrains on their lives and take action to change that for the better. It is clear that Critical HRD is qualitatively different from the concept of HRD. HRD focuses on the immediate, presenting details of a task or problem. Critical HRD involves an analysis of power and control and an examination of the taken-for-granted within which the issues are situated. The potential for Critical HRD derives from the tensions, contradictions, emotions and power dynamics that inevitably exist in managers’ lives. Critical HRD as a pedagogical approach emerges when these dynamics are treated centrally as a site of learning about managing and organizing.

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Green & Red Agricultural Revolution: Recipe for Sustainability?

Cuban Agriculture

There is more to Cuba than fabulous cigars, 1950s cars, cheap rum, and music so infectious that even a Norwegian bachelor farmer will get up and dance to it. It also happens to be a showcase for policy transformation from industrialized agriculture to a greener, sustainable agriculture. Cuba has transformed its agriculture from a low productivity, highly subsidized, high input system to one that is more productive and greener, while removing subsidies. Urban agriculture, land reform, market reforms, and a complete reorientation of the university system all feature prominently in the policy reforms. Yet these green transformations are far from neo-liberalist; as one Cuban official told me, “We are, after all, Red.”

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Developing Community Leaders/Activists (Pakistan)

Developing Community Leaders and Activists

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[T]he HRD section of SRSP ( Sarhad Rural Support Programme) was established in 1996 with the primary focus to design and implement institutional strengthening and capacity building training for community leaders, activists, extension workers and its staff. The section was aimed to;

• To improve the performance of SRSP staff and its community organization by maximizing the effectiveness and performance of the staff and community members, we are going to develop our knowledge and skills, our actions and standards, our motivation, incentives, attitudes and work environment. To develop the managerial and technical skills of community members.
• To design & implement the managerial and technical capacity building training of community members, identified by their respective community organizations.
• to equip SRSP staff with the sound conceptual understanding of the participatory development and other managerial skills;
• and lastly to provide training facilities to other government and non-government organizations, in the field of community organization and participatory development.

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Critical Thinking (Slide Show)

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)

Reorienting Education

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ESD is more than a knowledge base related to environment, economy, and society. It also addresses learning skills, perspectives, and values that guide and motivate people to seek sustainable livelihoods, participate in a democratic society, and live in a sustainable manner. ESD also involves studying local and, when appropriate, global issues. Therefore, these five (i.e., knowledge, skills, perspectives, values, and issues) must all be addressed in a formal curriculum that has been reoriented to address sustainability. Simply adding more to the curriculum will not be feasible in most schools; they already have a full curriculum. Deciding what to leave out – what does not contribute to sustainability or is obsolete – is an integral part of the reorienting process. Let’s look more closely at these five components of an education reoriented to address sustainability.

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