The John Templeton Foundation hosts a superb online conversation between eight prominent scholars and leaders on the wisdom of Checkbook Development. Featured essayists include Bill Easterly, Iqbal Quadir and (to Templeton’s credit) even some African writers and leaders—James Shikwati and Donald Kaberuka.

In an age when the ‘development debate’ is usually construed as a intellectual battle between three middle-aged white men (Sachs, Easterly and Collier), it is positively refreshing to see four of Templeton’s eight discussants are non-white non-Westerners. As for the voices of women and youth, well… better luck next time.< ?xml:namespace prefix = o />