Discussion

1. What is the significance of the Nobel Peace Prize?

2. What is Professor Muhammad Yunus known for? What new venture has he just started? What has been the reaction to this in Bangladesh?

3. What is the current political situation in Bangladesh? What is a regime? What does it mean to say that politicians "have been detained by the new regime?"

4. What does it mean to "sully" one's image? What is it about politics than can sully a person's image?

5. Why did Professor Yunus have a problem with "teaching elegant theories of economics" in Bangladesh in the 1970's?

6. Why did the Grameen Bank make most of its loans to women? What did the women do with the money?

7. Does it surprise you that borrowing small amounts of money would have such a positive effect--allowing millions of poor families to escape poverty?

8. What is Professor Yunus's dream? Do you think it is achievable? Why or why not?