Commentary

Letter From Under Secretary Keith Krach to the Governing Boards of American Universities

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Letter , , , , , , , ,

What a surprise. Here we have Keith Krach, one of Trump's .01% political appointees, lackeys, and cheerleaders grinding an anti-China ax. I'm going to go out on a limb here and predict that this 18 August 2020 letter will end up being so much pissing in the wind. I'm thinking trash folder, recycle bin, or … Continue reading Letter From Under Secretary Keith Krach to the Governing Boards of American Universities

Look Up!

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Keeping it in the family. A graphic illustration of Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD). “I feel tremendous guilt,” admitted Chamath Palihapitiya, former Vice President of User Growth at Facebook, to an audience of Stanford students. He was responding to a question about his involvement in exploiting consumer behavior. “The short-term, dopamine-driven feedback loops that we have … Continue reading Look Up!

Working for The Man

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , , , , , , , , ,

NOTE: And on a lighter note... (Just kidding!) This post has absolutely nothing to do with international education or Viet Nam. It's about just one of the many things that's wrong with the US economy, meaning the entire society - back in the day and now more than ever. The following vignettes were learning experiences … Continue reading Working for The Man

VinUniversity as the Crown Jewel of Vinhomes Ocean Park

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , ,

This is an ad for Vinhomes Ocean Park, a new development on the outskirts of Hanoi. (0% interest until 30 March 2022; 35-year mortgage!) Note that VinUniversity is featured as the centerpiece of this new community, an example of doing well (profit) and doing good (community service). This has played out pretty much as I … Continue reading VinUniversity as the Crown Jewel of Vinhomes Ocean Park

“We Will Defeat COVID-19 Again.”

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , , ,

Photo by MAA This is the spirit of Viet Nam and its people. Until the third week of July, there had been no cases of community transmission since 16 April and 0 coronavirus-related deaths. Here's the latest: Total confirmed cases: 847 Active cases: 433 Recovered: 399 Deaths: 15 The government reacted quickly to the new … Continue reading “We Will Defeat COVID-19 Again.”

Racism in China (& Viet Nam) the Result of “Naivety & Ignorance”

Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary , , , , ,

Photo: Alex Leung I was inspired by the story of Jasmine Cochran, a young African-American woman who has been teaching teaching English literature and language since 2016 to students aged 14 to 16 in China, where she lives with her husband and two children. It was serendipity that I came across a BBC profile of … Continue reading Racism in China (& Viet Nam) the Result of “Naivety & Ignorance”

Promoting Study in the USA in Trying Times

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Hot off the digital press, here is my latest essay. I kick it off with one of my favorite quotes from Senator Fulbright about international educational exchange: There is nothing obscure about the objectives of educational exchange. Its purpose is to acquaint Americans with the world as it is and to acquaint students and scholars … Continue reading Promoting Study in the USA in Trying Times

Malignant Narcissists Aren’t Limited to the White House

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Duty To Warn, Twitter Imagine — if you can — not having a conscience, none at all, no feelings of guilt or remorse no matter what you do, no limiting sense of concern for the well-being of strangers, friends, or even family members. Imagine no struggles with shame, not a single one in your whole … Continue reading Malignant Narcissists Aren’t Limited to the White House

To the USA, With Hope

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Love is stronger than hate. Getty Images / ipopba From my peaceful and COVID-free perch in Hanoi, I've been thinking a lot about my colleagues in the US who have devoted their careers to working with international students, including many from Viet Nam. Like many fellow citizens, their current stress levels are stratospheric because they … Continue reading To the USA, With Hope

“We Are More Than Your Paycheck: The Dehumanization of International Students in the United States”

Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary , , , , ,

Photo by Katie Moum on Unsplash Here's some (more) recommended reading for anyone interested in the current situation of international students in the US. The authors are Santiago Castiello-Gutiérrez and Xiaojie Li, both Ph.D. students at the University of Arizona’s Center for the Study of Higher Education. This excerpt may whet your appetite to read the article in … Continue reading “We Are More Than Your Paycheck: The Dehumanization of International Students in the United States”