The SIDGS is a program at the University of Ottawa in international development. It attracts the largest number of students in the whole faculty of social sciences.
It is known for its contingent of English
Canadian hippies and
Franco Ontarians who
don't know what to do with their life but want to travel and want to get through university without learning anything too rough. In between two joints they learn to
hate the IMF and the World Bank and that participatory research methods is THE shit. After four years they also finally realise that international development is a load of crap, and they should study something else if they want a good job.
The profs in the SIDGS are an amalgation of academics and field practitioners, mostly all Marxist. Is it thought that there are two factions within the SIDGS Marxist group, a maoist
one led informally by an old development worker, and a Trotskyist
one led by an old sociology professor who is plotting to take over the SIDGS to turn it into a revolutionary
unit. When a large enough number of DVM alumni realise they can't get a job, they
will most likely join this organization to become the cannon
fodder of the revolution.
(In a School of International Development and Global Studies typical class discussion group)
Teacher's Assistant: So did anyone read the text for today?
Most students: No...
TA: Can someone who read it sum it up? (i.e. the TA doesn't understand shit about DVM either...)
One student: Yeah, it says the IMF f**ked all the development in Africa and they're full of shit.
TA: (
reading the text) Yes... yes you're right that's what it
said.
