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Andreas_Rebmann

Miriam Ticktin is an associate professor of Anthropology at The New School for Social Research and Co-Director of Zolberg Institute for Migration and Mobility. her main areas of interest include immigration and politics that interact with universal humanitarinism. Her work is related to some of the topics we cover, such as at-risk groups and mobility post-disaster, as well as current potential new health stresses on the world due to politics and immigration.

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Andreas_Rebmann

This study looks at the connection between structural violence (social arrangements that put individuals and populations in harms way) to the spread of HIV/AIDs in America and abroad. Instead of looking at HIV/AIDs as a disease that is spread due to an individual’s lifestyle and decisions, it approaches the disease as something that aggregates disproportionately in impoverished communities. This same methodology is applied to the prevalence of pediatric aids in Rwanda, looking at which mothers have access to the appropriate healthcare equipment and why.

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Andreas_Rebmann

The bibliography heavily references articles discussing humanitarian aid, suggesting the priorities of the authors towards that field. It also includes many articles about health services in developing countries and the mistreatment of health workers, which is what they are struggling to research. 

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Andreas_Rebmann

-          The article describes Dr. Astaneh-Asl, a Berkeley Professor sent by the ASCE to investigate and determine the structural causes of the collapse of the World Trade Center, and his search for answers. When he arrived in NYC, he finds his evidence he was hoping to investigate, the 310,000 tons of debris, had been sent by the city to be scrapped and recycled.

-          The article goes on to explain the challenges faced by the three organizations presiding over the investigation, FEMA, ASCE and NIST, not being permitted access to documentation, records, or witness testimonies. From these problems arose inter-agency conflict and dischord, as the three failed to work together cohesively with clear goals and purpose. There was a clear lack of leadership, made apparent when Rep. Anthony Weiner asked “Whoever is in charge of this investigation, please raise your hand,” which was met with three people claiming leadership.

-          Knowles goes on to state that these problems and conflicts in the wake of the attack were not unique to the World Trade Center attack. He goes through a number of national tragedies, comparing and contrasting the investigation process of each, explaining the hurdles faced by investigators. This drives home how, over centuries, this is a reoccurring issue.