Applied Knowledge
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The men and women in Southern Europe spent their childhoods in the last days of kings and empires. While still young, many
fought Fascist oppression and wars of national liberation. No two countries took the same path after the War, through communism,
into the transitions of the late 20th Century and on into today. Some nations sank into anarchy or civil war, others are in the house of
Europe.
Few people in the West appreciate the tenacity and dignity this generation has summoned not once, not twice, but three times and
more. The 20th Century sent repeated challenges and opportunities to the United States, but when Americans awoke on January 1,
2000, they still lived in a presidential democracy, guided by a Constitution and stable political institutions as we had 100 years
before.
What resources did men and women of the Balkans draw from to navigate their lives? What have they won in this era of
democratization? What has been lost? How can their stories inform their grandchildren’s lives, now overtaken with aspirations of a
modern consumer lifestyle? What can their stories tell us in the West about continuity, change, and choice? What values and
strengths carry over to improve and strengthen the societies now developing in each of their nations?
The first phase of this project explores the lives of citizens from Balkan nations and territories in post-Communist transition:
Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Kosovë, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro. The lessons of this generation will
be lost soon forever if they are not chronicled in a systematic way. This is a project of urgency.
I have already conducted, translated and transcribed 22 interviews from Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia. Read excerpts from
Living Libraries. If you are interested in learning more; or in supporting this effort, please connect with me.
fought Fascist oppression and wars of national liberation. No two countries took the same path after the War, through communism,
into the transitions of the late 20th Century and on into today. Some nations sank into anarchy or civil war, others are in the house of
Europe.
Few people in the West appreciate the tenacity and dignity this generation has summoned not once, not twice, but three times and
more. The 20th Century sent repeated challenges and opportunities to the United States, but when Americans awoke on January 1,
2000, they still lived in a presidential democracy, guided by a Constitution and stable political institutions as we had 100 years
before.
What resources did men and women of the Balkans draw from to navigate their lives? What have they won in this era of
democratization? What has been lost? How can their stories inform their grandchildren’s lives, now overtaken with aspirations of a
modern consumer lifestyle? What can their stories tell us in the West about continuity, change, and choice? What values and
strengths carry over to improve and strengthen the societies now developing in each of their nations?
The first phase of this project explores the lives of citizens from Balkan nations and territories in post-Communist transition:
Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Kosovë, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro. The lessons of this generation will
be lost soon forever if they are not chronicled in a systematic way. This is a project of urgency.
I have already conducted, translated and transcribed 22 interviews from Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia. Read excerpts from
Living Libraries. If you are interested in learning more; or in supporting this effort, please connect with me.
Every time an
elder dies, a
library is lost.
African proverb
elder dies, a
library is lost.
African proverb
Knowledge is power. We know that, but in these days of information overload, figuring out what is important and how to use it is a
challenge. If you’re working across cultural, linguistic and national boundaries, the problem is further compounded. How can we
take in the information we need and then evolve that into functional, powerful knowledge?
I believe that the most productive use of information is collaborative and iterative. This is the same sensibility that informs my work
in democracy and governance as well as economic growth. It is not enough to collect data. I can help generate and transform
information into presentations that enable audiences to build on progress or address challenges proactively.
In addition, elders represent a vast store of knowledge that many societies simply overlook—to our deficit. I began Living Libraries
nearly five years ago as a way to systematically collect stories, reflections, and lessons from seniors in rapidly changing countries
in the Balkans.
challenge. If you’re working across cultural, linguistic and national boundaries, the problem is further compounded. How can we
take in the information we need and then evolve that into functional, powerful knowledge?
I believe that the most productive use of information is collaborative and iterative. This is the same sensibility that informs my work
in democracy and governance as well as economic growth. It is not enough to collect data. I can help generate and transform
information into presentations that enable audiences to build on progress or address challenges proactively.
In addition, elders represent a vast store of knowledge that many societies simply overlook—to our deficit. I began Living Libraries
nearly five years ago as a way to systematically collect stories, reflections, and lessons from seniors in rapidly changing countries
in the Balkans.
Unlocking Knowledge
Collaborative Evaluations
Managers of projects, businesses, and NGOs share a common fate. Often they are so busy implementing their respective
initiative while at the same time answering to investors and donors, responding to colleagues, and guiding staff and serving
clients, that there is virtually no time for reflection and taking stock.
Even if regular reports are submitted, “progress” is often measured in flat statistics or snippets of text. Nuanced stories of change
go overlooked, denying donors, program staff, and beneficiaries the momentum and commitment that knowledge of these events
and impact would make.
A more holistic evaluation that speaks to both the head and the heart can generate functional knowledge in key ways:
It provides genuine, positive, and motivational stories;
It captures lessons learned and best practices;
It offers insights to fine-tune performance and excel even further and
It updates donors and investors of impact
I use rigorous research methods (literature review, interviews, focus groups and surveys) and combine those with global
experience in project management and an ability to listen deeply in order to generate assessments and findings.
initiative while at the same time answering to investors and donors, responding to colleagues, and guiding staff and serving
clients, that there is virtually no time for reflection and taking stock.
Even if regular reports are submitted, “progress” is often measured in flat statistics or snippets of text. Nuanced stories of change
go overlooked, denying donors, program staff, and beneficiaries the momentum and commitment that knowledge of these events
and impact would make.
A more holistic evaluation that speaks to both the head and the heart can generate functional knowledge in key ways:
It provides genuine, positive, and motivational stories;
It captures lessons learned and best practices;
It offers insights to fine-tune performance and excel even further and
It updates donors and investors of impact
I use rigorous research methods (literature review, interviews, focus groups and surveys) and combine those with global
experience in project management and an ability to listen deeply in order to generate assessments and findings.
Living Libraries
