Acknowledgements and dedications

There are many people that I need to acknowledge, for helping me – directly or morally – to write this thesis. First of all, in the Earlham College Faculty, my academic advisor Dr. Bob Johnstone for providing me with the firmness that I needed to succeed in Earlham College. Similarly, my senior seminar advisor Dr. B. Welling Hall, as she has been a great support throughout my career in Earlham, the various aspects of my Model United Nations experience, and particularly through the process of writing this thesis. Her constant support and direction were critical to my finishing this paper. I must also acknowledge Professors Annie Bandy, Karim Sagna, Kathy Taylor, Phyllis Boanes, Chuck Yates, Bob and Carol Hunter, as well as Director of Multi-Cultural affairs Shenita Piper, Dean Deb McNish, Rich Dornberger and Judy, the Runyan Center housekeeper, for all their active daily support in my time in Earlham, and during the completion of this thesis. I am indebted to you all.

Among my friends and peers, I must single out my dearest friends and Earlham 2004 classmates Sudha Sukumaran, Ishaq El-Husseini, Passant Adly, Curtis Gutter, Mike Ford, Marianne Moussa, Cody Reed, Pumla Pamla, Andrew Cornelius, Keya Taylor and Sophie Morvan, who some times took time off their own thesis work, to help me test my English, and the soundness of my ideas. You all hopefully know how grateful I feel to have you. I am also grateful to Sameer Khatiwada, Destiny Kibalama, Jacqueline Ero, Andy Bray, Angelique Owanga and all the Africans and other International students of Earlham, that allowed me to listen to their perspectives on the issue, in order to form a more informed one for myself. I also want to recognize particularly Cody for her allowing me to use part of her paper. There are so many friends and acquaintances on the Earlham campus, and recent alumni, that I would want to recognize and thank, but it might take a book, so I am going to stop there.

Last but not least, I want to acknowledge the members of my family that have helped me through this process. First and foremost, my mother Dr. Helene Mambu-ma-Disu, the WHO Representative in Cameroon, without whom I would not be on this earth, and without whom I would never have had so many opportunities that I have enjoyed, and that most children from my country have not. Through my mother, I met more people than many (and BIG people!), and I learned the values of tolerance, communication, the commonality between all humans, pride in my Congolese and African citizenship, but also the benefits of true World citizenship, that gave me the foundations for the worldview I have today, and that is reflected in this paper. I love you Mum, and mfiaukidi for everything. I also want to acknowledge my father, Col. Laurent L. Mamina of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who was in jail during most of time in college, because he has strongly held beliefs, and he happens to be very vocal about them, in a tight regime of government. His courage, his strength, his perseverance and his belief in hope for Congo and Africa despite his ordeal, were a great motivating factor. Tatu, I love you, Tuasikidila!

I want to acknowledge also my uncle Prof. Freddy Matungulu, who is a great source of inspiration and pride for me, but was also kind enough to share some of his inside knowledge with me, thus helping me write this paper, and I will be eternally grateful. I want to acknowledge my surrogate father, Dr. Jean-Marie Okwo, for all the support he has given me throughout my life, and during my time in the US. Daddy, I love you! Last but not least, I want to acknowledge my American Grand-parents, Dr John Short and Barbara Short for their constant support.
Along with all these wonderful people, I also want to dedicate this paper:
-To my siblings (biological and otherwise) Pauline, Ali, Dieudonné, Guy, Theo, Nicole, Carine, Chrystelle, Michelle, Janice, Junior and their families,
-To my dearest friends Achraf Abderrahim, Tú Nguyen, Abdelhamid El-Marouri, Njaka Rakotondrazafy, Adham Rishmawi, Evelyn Rockwell, Tanyel Cemal, Eric Bandy, and Yoshi Yazawa
-To all my 450 uncles, aunts, and cousins (biological and otherwise), in Congo, and around the World, particularly Dr. Mark Szczeniowski and his family, Dr Ebrahim M. Samba, and Pastor Thomas and Mrs. Rebecca Nlandu and their family, M. Simon and Mrs Theresa Konda and their family, and Modibo Doumbia.
-To the 2000 graduating class of the French School of Bamako (MALI), the Earlham College 2004 graduates, and the staff of the WHO offices of Bamako and Yaounde (CAMEROON).

All these people have helped to make me who I am today, and have provided me with a wealth of love, friendship and knowledge, for which I will be eternally grateful. Thank you.