PDP8 - "The True History of the Conquest of New Spain"

Author Bio: Bernal Díaz del Castillo lived from 1492-1581. He was a soldier who traveled to Central America with Hernán Cortés. This was the conquest of the Aztecs. Bernal Díaz explored Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula before he accompanied Cortés on his expedition. After the conquest of the Aztecs in Mexico, Díaz traveled to Honduras then settled down in what is now known as Guatemala. He wrote his accounts of the conquest of the Aztecs many years after it actually happened in order to give a more accurate account instead of some of the others that he says are “inaccurate accounts”.

Date/Context: During this time, Hernán Cortés was on a campaign of the Americas. The Spanish were launching many expeditions around this time including that of Christopher Colombus. Hernán Cortés was a Spanish Conquistador who was known for overthrowing the Aztec Empire and becoming governor of New Spain. After this victory, he continued on to Honduras then back to Spain. The Spanish were able to conquer much of the Americas during this time period.

Summary: The first-hand account by Bernal Díaz when he went to Tenochtitlan shows more of a descriptive account of what the city was like rather than the other accounts that focused on war, destruction, and bloodshed. Bernal Díaz traveled with the leader of the expedition, Hernán Cortés, which allowed him to go on a tour of the city along with the chiefs. He is most amazed by the market in the main plaza. He is in awe because of the size of the market and the variety of merchandise that can be bought there. He is also impressed by the organization of such a large market. Next they climbed to the top of the temple of Uichilobos where they saw the large amount of blood left from the sacrifices performed there. However, from the top of the temple they could see everything around the city including the other towns, roads, the lake, and many other things. Then Cortés asked Montezuma if they could see their gods. Montezuma continued to lead the men into a a small tower room where there were statues of two gods with blood all over from sacrifices. Cortés insulted their gods by telling Montezuma that they were not gods, they were evil things. He then asked if he could put a cross on top of the tower. Due to this insult, Montezuma and the priest became hostile which impelled the men to leave.

Key Quotation: “Lord Montezuma, I do not understand how such a great prince and wise man as yourself can have failed to come to the conclusion that these idols of yours are not gods, but evil things–devils is the term for them.” -Hernán Cortés

SJS 7- The Development of Subsistence System Models for Island Southeast Asia and Near Oceania: The Nature and Role of Arboiculture and Arboreal-Based Economies

Source:

Latinis, D. Kyle. "The Development Of Subsistence System Models For Island Southeast Asia And Near Oceania: The..." World Archaeology 32.1 (2000): 41. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 22 May 2016.

Author Credentials:

Kyle Latinis is qualified to have written about this topic due to the time he spent studying at the National University of Singapore, which is where he received his PhD in Southeast Asian Studies (culture, history).  Before that he studied at the University of Hawal'I at Manoa as a doctor of philosophy.  Also, in his experience he has done research at the University of Cambodia where he was the director of the institute for research and advanced studies. Latinis' past experiences help to illustrate why he is qualified to have written about this subject matter, including his time researching and studying in Southeast Asia. In summary, Latinis is qualified to research and reflect upon the people and cultures of Southeast Asia.

Summary:

Latinis discusses the increased usage of the word arboriculture in Southeast Asia and Pacific archaeology. In his discussion he defines what an arboreal-based economies and arboriculture are, and then goes on to discuss the important characteristics of an arboreal-based economy based on results found from research in Maluku. Latinis then presents a development model of the economies and their emergence in Southeast Asia and near Oceania as a broad occurrence, then comparing this to the available archeological and nutritional data, the latter relating to the evolutionary ecology of the arboreal-based subsistence economies. Latinis then finishes by discussing the Austronesian interaction within the region especially since it is important to ascertain whether or not the Austronesians brought arboriculture to the region, then adopting elements of the arboreal-based economies that existed in the region prior to their arrival. In summary, Latinis talks about the history of the arboreal-based economies and the important implications for understanding many different issues that are included in it.

Analysis:

Latinis discusses this topic in a way that requires the reader to have an excess of background knowledge on the subject of this paper. Latinis presents his analysis and information in a thoughtful and mentally provocative way as it gives the reader something to think about, whilst giving detailed information on the subject, and using examples from his own experience in Southeast Asia. Although, Latinis does have a slight tendency to add a bit of bias to what he is writing about due to the perspective he has acquired on the regions of Southeast Asia. That perspective growing out of the more prosperous areas such as Singapore where he studied. Aside from a slight amount of bias, Latinis is a reliable source due to his background knowledge on the subject, his experience in the field, and all the research he has done on the subject. 

GDDS #1: "The Rise of ISIS" and "Future of Kurdistan"

The Kurd's yearn for an independent state is weakened by the Peshmerga fighting against ISIS; however, since the Kurds have made the most progress against ISIS, the western support of the Kurds can lead to a positive, global change concerning an independent Kurdistan which can then lead to the dissolution of ISIS.

GDDS #6 - "Cuba and the U.S." and "Korean Choices"

The normalization of relations between the United States and Cuba could serve as a template for the introduction of North Korea into the global economy, and places more pressure upon them to do so, as another communist regimes parttakes in capitalists economic relations and takes steps towards a more modern democratic government.

GDDS Essay topic 5- "Climate Geopolitics in the context of International Migration" Thesis

The global climate change crisis is an immediate issue because the resulting population displacement, storm damage, and international conflict will heavily strain the global economy.

GDDS #5 - "Climate Geopolitics" and "International Migration"

A variety of evidence demonstrates that climate change and international migration are connected in several ways, as climate change exacerbates the migration crisis, and it will cause mass migration from threatened countries, but these problems and risks of a climate or environmental refugee crisis make the issue of solving climate change a high priority.

GDDS #5- "Climate Geopolitics" and "International Migration"

Climate geopolitics and international migration are in direct relation to one another, with climate change being a greater cause of the migration; climate change has caused the global environment to change drastically in recent years, which could potentially lead to the crumbling of governments and economies causing even more people to migrate from their native country, due to unrest or other reasons.

GDDS2 - "Shifting Alliances" & "The Rise of ISIS"

Through the use of counterproductive tactics and strategies on both sides, both the rebels and current governments in the middle-east are perpetuating the very chaos, influences and instability they both seek to eliminate.

GDDS4: The UN in terms of Climate Geopolitics

At a time where climate change tops the list of global concerns, it is imperative that the United Nations take the lead in orchestrating international environmental policies, regulations, and cooperative discussions related to the world-wide issue of climate change.

GDDS #4- "The UN's post 2015 development agenda and leadership" and "Climate Geopolitics"

The UN should play an important role on the issue of climate change in the world however the SDGs that have been used do not focus enough on the problem; as a result of climate change, many other areas of their Sustainable Development Goals are being affected.

GDDS2 - "The Rise of ISIS" and "Shifting Alliances in the Middle East"

Middle Eastern regional powers are hesitant to form a coalition to defeat ISIS due to historic and contemporary political animosities, the threat of terrorism, and ISIS’s vehement intolerance of other interpretations of Islam. 

GDDS #6 - "Korean Choices" and "Cuba and the U.S"

  The similarities between the situations in Cuba and North Korea are evident as both countries were historically shown animosity from the American public and government, and moreover, they both heavily relied on the political, economic, and militaristic support of the USSR, yet the situations differ as it is manifest that modern Cuba is willing to work with the United United States while "modern" North Korea certainly is not.

GDDS #5 - "Climate Geopolitics" and "International Migration"

Climate change is slowly becoming a major reason for migration, the rising sea levels and overall temperature change will force citizens away from their home country, leaving countries such as America, to find a way to tackle the upcoming problem of the extreme amount of migrants faced with environmental issues.

GDDS #6- "Cuba and the U.S" and "Korean Choices"

The controversy between North and South Korea is similar to the controversy between the U.S and Cuba in that North Korea and Cuba had similar foreign policies towards South Korea and the United States, but differs because North Korea wants to remain as an autarkic nation with nuclear weaponry, while Cuba is opening up to the global economy without having nuclear weapons.  

GDDS #7: "The Rise of Isis" and "International Migration"

ISIS can take advantage of the migrant crisis by spreading their ideology through appeal to fleeing migrants, social media, and self-radicalization, and can use the radicalized refugees to enter western states and preform attacks without detection.

GDDS #7-"The Rise of Isis" & "International Migration"

Mass migration out of the Middle East, precipitated by the Islamic State in 2014, threatens the security of Europe by taking advantage of its porous borders, lax resources, and the internal debate between right wing parties and their more liberal opponents.

GDDS #10: "Korean Choices" and "Shifting Alliances in the Middle East"

The recent affairs inflicted upon the Middle East reveal that regime security in these two distant regions, the Koreas and Middle East, will begin to diminish with a complete transformation of the government with support from indigenous civilians and military, resulting in a unified Korea and stronger relation with the United Nations.

GDDS #1: "The Rise of ISIS" and "The Future of Kurdistan"

Based on the positive effects that the Peshmerga has produced for Kurdistan, including their efforts in stopping ISIS, this paramount group presents a beneficial impact that will aid in achieving the Kurds goal of independence and will eventually cause the West to align with Kurdistan due to the power required to defeat ISIS.

GDDS #8- "The Future of Kurdistan" and "Korean Choices"

South Korea's interest in the Kurdish struggle for independence is driven largely by the economic benefits that such an alliance can provide, and the opportunity to broaden foreign relations to include Kurdistan as a political asset; coupled with the direct correlation between the current Kurdish struggle and Korea's path to independence, thus making South Korea a model for future Kurdish policies and decisions.

GDDS #6 - Cuba and the U.S. and Korean Choices

The increasing normalization between the U.S and Cuba could eventually prove to North Korea and South Korea that change can happen, and so the actions of the U.S and Cuba can better the relationship between North and South Korea, show the similarities and differences between these countries, and indicate the a change can be for the better.

GDDS #2: ISIS and the Middle East

ISIS poses as both a threat and an ally to other Arab countries through the use of fear and extortion; threatening violence against other nations unless the safety of their country is bought and paid for frightens the Arabs and causes them to refrain from a coalition.  

GDDS #6 - Cuba and Korean Choices

It will be much more difficult for South Korea to restore its relations with North Korea than for the United States’ to heal its relations with Cuba because of North Korea having a much larger weapon threat than Cuba, is much more closed off and secretive than Cuba, and has a much darker past with South Korea than America did with Cuba.

SJS7-Friendship of Norodom Sihanouk and Zhou Enlai

Source: 

Jeldres, Julio. "A Personal Reflection on Norodom Sihanouk and Zhou Enlai: An Extraordinary Friendship on the Fringes of the Cold War." Cross-Currents: East Asian History and Culture Review 4 (2012): 52-64. Directory of Open Access Journals. Web. 18 May 2016.

Author Credentials: 

Julio Jeldres is qualified to write about this subject because he served as the private secretary to Norodom Sihanouk during 1980s. This gave Jeldres primary knowledge on the private life of Sihanouk. This close relationship with Sihanouk makes Jeldres susceptible to holding a positive bias towards him. In addition, Jeldres taught at Monash University in the Department of History and Philosophy. This proves that Jeldres is knowledgeable on historical affairs and is qualified to reflect on them. 

Summary:

Jeldres argues that the friendship of Norodom Sihanouk and Zhou Enlai was surprising but also genuine. To begin, Jeldres provides examples of how close Sihanouk and Enlai’s friendship was. He explains that Enlai was extremely respectful of Sihanouk’s father’s death and that Enlai allowed Sihanouk to reside in Beijing as a privileged guest from 1970 to 1975. In addition, Jeldres examines cultural context of the unexpected nature of the friendship. Due to Sihanouk being a Buddhist king and Enlai being the prime minister of a communist state, it seems that these two would not get along. Moreover, Jeldres continues to explain that despite differences Sihanouk believed the friendship was genuine and they had mutual respect for each other’s cultures. Lastly, the article relates to our present and previous studies because it talks about the friend’s relationship during the Cultural Revolution in China and the Cambodian Civil War. To illustrate this, Jeldres discusses how during the Chinese Cultural Revolution their friendship nearly terminated because the Chinese embassy in Phnom Penh was usurped by Red Guard supporters who promoted Maoism in Cambodia.

Analysis: 

Jeldres writes in an informative, yet narrative style that allows his viewpoint to be presented in an efficient and interesting way. Jeldres supports his argument that the friendship was genuine through many examples. As Jeldres discusses their friendship throughout different time periods he tells of kind gestures that each did. For example, when Sihanouk was exiled from Cambodia, Enlai treated him with utmost respect. In addition, Jeldres is personally reflecting on the relationship between Sihanouk and Enlai. This makes his separation of fact and opinion poor. Overall, the article is his opinion on the relationship; however, he does include facts about the historical context in the article. It can be hard to decipher between the fact and opinion because they often flawlessly run together and the historical facts normally support an opinion. Lastly, Jeldres is a reliable source. Being the private secretary to Sihanouk makes him more than qualified to reflect on the relationship between Sihanouk and Enlai. However, due to this close relationship with Sihanouk, it is possible that Jeldres only portrays Sihanouk in a positive light. 

GDDS #1 - "The Future of Kurdistan" and "The Rise of ISIS"

In the argument on whether Kurdistan should become an independent state one must consider how the Kurds are a key player in the war against ISIS, the advantages they could gain if Kurdistan were to become independent, and the possible issues that could arise from their independence.

GDDS #5 - Climate Geopolitics and International Migration

Climate Geopolitics and International Migration Thesis

   

  Climate geopolitics in the context of international migration has three acting components that drive migration are natural disasters, sea level rise, and human influence/disasters. 

GDDS #5 - International Migration and Climate Change

The Issue of Climate Change in Relation to International Migration Thesis 

     In addition to wars, famine, and poverty, climate change must be added to the list of reasons for migration; which prompts the government systems of the world to attempt to find a way to adjust the issue of climate change for the better. 

SJS 7: Sri Lanka's Lingering State of War

Sources:  Thiranagama, Sharika. “Sri Lanka’s Lingering State of War.” Current History Apr. 2014: 163-65. Print.

Author Credentials: Sharika Thiranagama is an assistant professor of anthropology at Stanford University, so the board of admissions allowed her to teach because they believe she is educated enough on the subject, and she is also the author of In My Mother's House: Civil War in Sri Lanka, published in 2011. She has experience on learning about the state of Sri Lanka, and the capability to teach others about the events. 

Summary: Sri Lanka has had devastating wars in the past which have nearly ruined it's nation, and although progress is being made, they are far from success. There is still conflict because the LTTE is still prominent. The LTTE is a group of Tamil minorities that joined and killed others because of inequality, which we learned about in a case study during the South Asia unit. The LTTE believed they had disadvantages because they were a Hindu minority group, so they used violence to reveal their anger towards other Sri Lanka citizens. Now, people are buried all over the country. These large graves continue to haunt Sri Lankans, shaping contemporary issues through past and future violent breakouts. The security system has a hard time controlling the LTTE, because their violent tactics are sometimes too powerful. The economy also struggles at times because the ethnic group uses a lot of the country's money for weaponry, and other money goes towards the burial of the mass amounts of bodies. Also, some in Sri Lanka believe that the previous violence almost gives them more of a reason to act out now. The past has not been completely resolved, so some tend to believe that makes violence in the contemporary world okay. The article states; "Sri Lanka is postwar, but not post-conflict." This connects to the socio-historical events we have learned about, and how all actions in history influence modern life and how that country chooses to socially interact now that they know the history behind the troubles in their nation. 

Analysis: I believe the author makes a strong argument. She does a great job of pulling out the facts and emphasizing things we have already learned in the class, such as the basics of the LTTE and the government's efforts to stop them. She includes dates and numbers recorded from official historians to prove her information is factual. She then explains why she includes that particular information in her article, and why it is important to the main topic. She provides great evidence, using statistics from the events along with potential conflicts that can arise due to their current position, and her reasons make sense and all connect through several central ideas. She also very clearly shows a difference between fact and opinion: she states facts, then later explains why her what her opinion is and how her opinion is supported by the information given prior. She is reliable because of her high credentials, her neatly written work, and her great use of an explanation. 

SJS7: The Khmer Rouge: A Dubious Role in Cambodia’s Future

Source:
Karsh, Jason. “The Khmer Rouge: A Dubious Role in Cambodia’s Future.” Harvard International: 34-36. Print.

Summary:
The text opens by saying how the United Nations are trying to limit the influence of the Khmer Rouge. The first task the UN is trying to accomplish is the way to minimize the Khmer Rouge's representation on the Council. The text then goes on to talk about how the Khmer Rouge devastated Cambodia. The Khmer Rouge's main goal was to rid Cambodians of western ideals, however in 1978 the Vietnam forces pushed the Khmer Rouge out of power. The Khmer Rouge's horrifying legacy still remains in Cambodia and hurts Cambodia as a whole. Cambodia now is doing worst than Cambodia before the Khmer Rouge tried to take over. Although these terrible memories still haunt people today, the Vietnamese government is doing everything they can to restore order in Vietnam. Khmer Rouge was not totally defeated as it was pushed back to Thailand because the Khmer Rouge partnered with other rebel organizations and tried to win back some territory. China supported the Khmer Rouge because the Soviets started to support the Vietnamese government. The United States also was involved in the war and they supported the side against the Khmer Rouge. The UN feels that the Khmer Rouge is too powerful so the UN decided to put a interim government in place until they figure things out. Many people consider the Khmer Rouge today very different from back then, however this is no the case.


Analysis:
The main idea of this article was to express to the reader how bad the Khmer Rouge treated the people of Cambodia, and also to tell some of the steps that are being taken to limit the power of the Khmer Rouge today. This article is important because it just shows that the things the Khmer Rouge did were really horrible and that the war in Cambodia should not ignored. The text relates back to what we are studying because in class we watched a film about what actually happened in Cambodia. Not only did we want watch the film but we also talked about the cruelty of the Khmer Rouge and what it was like to live in Cambodia during that time. The article is credible because some of the points it brought point were accurate with what we discussed in class and what we saw in the movie.

PDP7: Aguinaldo's Case Against the United States

Author Bio: The author found it unwise to include his signature, but he was an authorized personal representative of Aguinaldo.
Date/Context: The excerpts were from September 1899. This was the time where imperialism was at its peak. During this period the Philippines were given to the United States in the Treaty of Paris from Spain. The conflict of independence resulted in the The Philippine-American War. This war sets the tone for "Aguinaldo's Case Against the United States."
Summary: The article starts out by stating that most of the American nation does not understand the conflicts occurring in the Philippines, and if they did know they would want the war to end. It also includes how other civilized nations believe America is a laughing stock due to it's civilized government in America, but forceful government in the Philippines. The Filipinos express the ignorance of the Americans for thinking the Filipinos were simple minded, or eager to learn any knowledge the Americans threw at them. The Filipinos believe they can govern themselves, and are constantly frustrated when America says they cannot. The hypocrisy of America is clear; America wanted independence from the English when they had the opportunity but now will not allow the same for the Filipinos. The Filipinos were even ready to be governed by America, to allow for a better life, and be protected, but America did not keep it's promises. America continues to deceive itself into thinking all they need to do is place military troops and into the Philippines to keep it from fighting back. The Philippine Islands will never be conquered by force alone. The conclusion to the article states that America should have won the Philippine people over and then lead them a certain way instead of trying to force them into something they did not want so quickly. They believe the Philippines are for the Filipinos.
Key Quote: "You must begin by conquering the hearts of the Philippine people. Be absolutely just, and you can lead them with a silken cord where chains of steel will not drag them."

PDP7 - The White Man's Burden

Author Bio:
     Rudyard Kipling was a British pet who authored many renowned works during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In addition to poetry, he was well known to author works including: short stories, children's literature, science fiction, and novels. In 1907, at the age of 41, he earned the Noble Prize of Literature. This is clear evidence that his works were renowned and were to be taken completely seriously. With this in mind, he was called "a prophet of British imperialism", by George Orwell, who noticed his undeniable biases. Most prominently, people have claimed that his political works tend to be more Eurocentric via the support the conquering of people's that aren't of European descent. In essence, his view of imperialism is favorable and seems to have a "racist" point of view on non-white cultures. Nonetheless, his mastery of literature and composition allows his works to be analyzed in many different perspectives, thus leaving this particular poem up for interpretation.
Date/Context:  
    The poem was originally published in 1899, during the height of the era of Imperialism. In retrospect, the era of imperialism constituted of western countries partaking in a "land-grab" with the rest of the world. In particular, Southeast Asia was split up between the Dutch, British, French, German, Portuguese, and perhaps, arguably the Americans. Justifications for imperialism, for the most part, included the reform to turn all uncivilized countries into models of western countries, which were all civilized according to themselves. Yet, during this era, the imperialists just believed that they were simply genetically superior to their counterparts in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. It was thought to be most undeniable when Southeastern Asia and Oceania was considered, as these areas were some of the most isolated in human history. Furthermore, it wasn't too uncommon for everyone in the west to believe in the justifications for imperialism. Therefore, it was arguably inevitable. In retrospect, this poem certainly describes the mood of westerners best at the time, as it continuously uses extremely biased and racist rhetoric to describe "better" civilization being brought to the inferiors.
Summary:
   The poem is broken down into seven stanzas, where each stanza contains four lines. Hence, the poem contains a mere twenty eight-lines, and readers are limited content wise. Nevertheless, every single lines has a tangible meaning which could in addition interpreted in various different ways. Moreover, repetition of the phrase "The white mans burden," is used in every single stanza. The first few stanzas in essence describe that the white man is responsible in making those who aren't white civilized, and to do so in a swift manner via the means of conquering the native peoples. Racism is extremely manifest and evident throughout the poem. For instance, Kipling calls those who are being taken over "ungrateful" for not appreciating how manifest civilization is being brought over to them by the white man. Yet, besides the evident racism and Eurocentrism, Kipling does offer warnings to those who partake in the actions of imperialism. In retrospect, he reiterates that without any patience, the people will not acquiesce to the imperialists. In essence, besides the evident racism and repetition of phrases throughout the poem, it is vividly clear that Kipling was on the side of the imperialists with the publication of this poem.
Key Quote: 
"Your new-caught, sullen peoples, Half-devil and half-child." This quotation from the poem truly exemplifies the xenophobia and racism that was evident throughout the poem. 

PDP7: "Selected Writings"

PDP7: “Selected Writings”

Author Bio: Ho Chi Minh was the president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and is also the author of the Vietnamese Declaration of Independence. He was born into poverty, but his father was a scholar which enabled him to receive an education and eventually move onto becoming a school teacher. He traveled to France as a cook for a ship and gained an interest in politics and organized Vietnamese ex-patriots. Along with these ex-patriots, Ho Chi Minh organized other Indochinese revolutionary parties in China and Europe. After World War II, he moved his organization into Hanoi and issued the Vietnamese Declaration of Independence. After issuing the declaration, he fought for the final liberation of Vietnam but died before the country reached that point.

Date/context: The culmination of these writings and speeches from Ho Chi Minh take place after World War II and also after the French had colonized Vietnam. Although the French would not leave the country until 1954, Ho Chi Minh had lived in the country for all of his life under the French colony. This means that he was able to write about how it affected people and what happened on a first hand account like he does in one section of this document. This also means that Ho Chi Minh was promoting independence around the time and in doing so was able to write these documents and speeches.  

Summary: The first section is on Ho Chi Minh declaring that the Provisional Government of the new Viet Nam are breaking off all relations of a colonial character with France. This meant that all treaties would be canceled and that all privileges that the French had in Vietnam would be annulled. The French colonized Vietnam and deprived the people living their of the majority of their rights. The French would react quickly with violence to prevent uprisings and would destroy the economy of the country by taking the goods that were produced their. They created many unjust taxation methods and made the majority of the population extremely poor. When the Japanese invaded Indochina, the French allowed them to enter the country and were eventually defeated by the Japanese. The Japanese surrendered the allies of Vietnam and gave the opportunity for the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam to gain power in the country. This gave the people of Vietnam to declare their separation from the French officially. The second section is on the victory that the country had against America but also how the country needs to continue to fight for their freedom. Ho Chi Minh explains that the country has had a great victory because the United States was forced to stop bombing the territory of the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam.Ho Chi Minh praises his fellow countryman and fighters for the efforts that they had put in and how it has led to the United States stopping the shelling. He is uniting the people over the victory and then uses this in the second part of the section to encourage the people to continue their determination to win and then achieve a peaceful national reunification. South Vietnam still had many American and satellite troops inside of the region and the people would have to continue fighting to get the troops out of the country. Ho Chi Minh states a list of things that he wants to accomplish in order to have genuine peace in independence and freedom. America would have to put an end to the war and aggression towards Vietnam and also remove all the troops that were in the country. Vietnam would then have to reunite the North and South zones and be free from foreign intervention.

Key Quotation: “The entire Vietnamese people are determined to mobilize all their physical and mental strength, to sacrifice their lives and property in order to safeguard their freedom and independence.”

PDP 7- The Vietnamese Declaration of Independence

Author Bio: Ho Chi Minh was the founder of the French Communist Party in 1921, and the Vietnamese Communist Party in 1930. He was split between the ideas of communism and the ideas of democracy. Ho Chi Minh was also the leader of the Vietminh, which was the Vietnamese nationalist movement. He is a man that vouched for the independence of his country, and therefore wrote the Vietnamese Declaration of Independence.

Date/context: This document predates the Cold War, and was written right after the end of World War 2. The Vietnamese people have been colonized and mistreated for almost a century, and finally have the opportunity for freedom. With this opportunity, Ho Chi Minh has come to promote the reach for independence, and in doing so has written this document to be the Vietnamese Declaration of Independence.

Summary: Ho Chi Minh's speech starts out by saying that it is stated in the American and French constitutions that all men are born to rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. While this is stated in the constitution, the french have become hypocrites. They have been imperialistic, and have had Vietnam colonized for the past 80 years. They have enforced inhumane laws, and have caused the Vietnamese people to suffer. In 1940, the French gave Vietnam over to the Japanese, where the Vietnamese peoples' suffering doubled. Two million people died from starvation in one year. When the French were fully driven off by Japan, they massacred political prisoners in Yen Bai and Cao Bang. Once Japan was defeated by the Allies, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam was founded. This party has showed determination and courage, and therefore they are declaring themselves a free country of Vietnam.

Key Quotation: "Our people have broken the chains which for nearly a century have fettered them and have won independence for the Fatherland."

PDP7: "Speech to a Mass Rally at Schwedagon Pagoda"

Author bio: Aung San Suu Kyi was the leader of the National League for Democracy. Given that the government at that time was not a democracy, this creates a bias in her writing in order to influence the people more. She advocated for democratic and human rights in her speech. Her father was the prime minister of Burma which gives her a political filled background which helps her to form strong opinions based on her ideas. In 1988 she was placed under house arrest for making speeches similar to these ones. Aung San Suu Kyi is a reliable author because she was determined to create a democracy in Myanmar though resisting temptation to leave house arrest by fleeing the country, putting herself in conflict with the government, and winning a Nobel peace prize in 1991.

Date/context: This speech was delivered in 1988. Before this speech was given, Kyi had already experienced the sight of masses of students protesting and the killing of those same protestors by the government at that time, a government that violated human rights frequently. By giving this speech, Kyi had begun her campaign to defeat the government and bring in a new, democratic government. This speech and many others created a sense of nationalism in Myanmar. In 1990, two years later, the National League for Democracy took the majority rule in the government.

Summary: This speech is aimed at convincing people that a multi party democratic system of government is better. To start it gains the students trust and reminds them of their sacrifice by reminding them of the students that have died fighting for the cause. In the speech, Kyi then introduces herself to the audience to gain their trust further. She gives the audience the background of her life. During her background portion, she shows the severity of the issues in the country by saying that she wanted to stay away from politics, but the issues concerned the whole nation and they are taking place in a second independence struggle. The speech then goes on to say that without unity, the movement for a democracy will not succeed. Next, she states her opinions on several ideas concerning the military. She says that she does not want the military to be split apart. She emphasizes that the students hold the power for change becuase they have the strength and numbers to create change and they should continue to protest against the government. However, she says that there does not have to be a total reconstruction but rather a system that allows multiple parties to run and fair elections to be held. She ends her argument by saying that the current government is crumbling and it is time for a change.

Key quotation: "May the entire people be united and disciplined. May our people always do what is in complete accord with rightful principles. May the people be free from all harm. To conclude I would like to reiterate our emphatic demands and protests, namely that we have no desire at all for a referendum, that the one-party system should be dismantled, that a multi-party system of government should be established, and we call for free and fair elections to be arranged as quickly as possible. These are our demands."

Considering SE Asia: Cambodia

What are some of the similarities and differences between the rule of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia and the Kim dynasty in North Korea?  Be sure to give specific examples from class activities.

Considering SE Asia: East Timor

What do you predict will happen to East Timor?  Be sure to include details from the activity in your response.

Considering SE Asia: Homo florensiesis

How did the discovery of Homo florensiensis impact the understanding of human evolution?  Be sure to provide specific details from the activity in your response.

SJS 6: "Drop Your Weapons"

Source: Chenoweth, Erica, and Maria J. Stephan. “Drop Your Weapons.” Foreign Affairs July-Aug. 2014: 94-106. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 8 May 2016.

Author Credentials: Erica Chenoweth is an American political scientist and co-director of the Ph.D. program at Korbel School of International Studies. She is also the director of the program on terrorism and insurgency research. She is well known for the work she has put in on the topic of civil resistance. Maria J. Stephan works at the United States Institute of Peace, where she works on topics of civil resistance. She used to be lead foreign affairs officer at the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations.

Summary: Non-violent protesting has become the popular and most successful form of protest over the years. Ever since Mahatma Gandhi popularized civil disobedience, countries all around the world that feel they are oppressed have followed his lead. There is a twice as likely chance of success when the protesting is peaceful than violent. Successful civil disobedience has three key similarities between all protests. They all have the participation of the masses, they all produce regime defections, and they employ flexible tactics. Additionally, the larger and more diverse the campaign, the more likely the campaign would be successful. More recently, social media has come about in assisting with non-violent protesting. An example of recent non-violent protesting was in 2013 in Ukraine. Yanukovych, the leader of Ukraine ended up resigning due to the protests. Switching to violent protesting can sometimes lose support in a cause, just like in Syria.

Analysis: The main idea of this article is to prove to the reader how effective civil disobedience is, and explains why it should be used instead of violence. This article is important, because it uses statistics showing how non-violent protests have been more successful in history. Many examples are provided of times in history where civil disobedience was used and was successful, such as the example of Poland in the 1980's. It is also very important that the article explained the 3 similarities in all successful non-violent protests.

SJS 6: "India's Changing Political Fortunes"

Source:  Sen, Ronojoy. "India's Changing Political Fortunes." Current History: A Journal of Contemporary World Affairs 113.762 (2014): 131-36. Print. 

Author Credentials:  Ronojoy Sen has worked for leading Indian newspapers for over ten years. His degrees include a PhD in Political Science from the University of Chicago, an MA in International Studies from the University of South Carolina, and a BA in History from Presidency College in Calcutta, India. Dr. Sen is a senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore's Asia Research Institute and Institute of South Asian Studies. Ronojoy Sen is the author of Articles of Faith: Religion, Secularism, and the Indian Supreme Court, published by Oxford University Press. Now, he writes for The Times of India, The Straits Times and Today. In short, all of Ronojoy Sen's experience and credentials make him a very qualified individual for the writing of the article "India's Changing Political Fortunes." 

Summary:   The article "India's Changing Political Fortunes," by Ronojoy Sen, examines the political groups and trends involved in the April-May 2014 general elections in India. To begin, the article introduces the main parties involved in the election, and provides a short description: the Indian National Congress, which has been in government for much of India’s history as an independent state but is declining in popularity now; the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which seems to be in a better position than the Indian National Congress and is supporting Narenda Modi as its candidate for prime minister; the Common Man’s Party (Aam Aadmi Party, or AAP), which is a new party that originated in an anticorruption movement; and the strong regional or single-state parties that have added more unpredictability into India’s politics. The article then examines the Indian National Congress’ reasons for its decline in popularity. The most general reasons include many corruption scandals, high inflation, a slow economic growth rate, and a perception of a halt in policy in the national government. The Congress also has a lack of solid leadership. Rahul Gandhi, the nominee for prime ministerial candidate for the Congress, cannot compare to Modi, and failed to impress people with his reputation and public speaking. In India’s states, the Congress’ popularity is dropping. The larger states where the Congress did well in the 2009 elections, like Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan, are predicted to show poor support for the Congress in the upcoming election, so the Congress will be seeking to win over medium and smaller states. Meanwhile, the BJP has taken a risk in choosing Modi as their prime ministerial candidate, and has even suffered a split in its party as a result. Modi has three views associated with him: the first is that he is India’s best hope for political and economic change; the second is that he is focused on Hindu advancement and a religious bigot; the third is that he is too much of a divisive character to win a national character because of his reputation, especially as his city’s government failed to stop the murders of Muslims after a Hindu massacre in 2002. However, the BJP credits its success in the most recent state elections to Modi’s campaign. Next, the article discusses the regional parties. West Bengal’s Trinamool Congress and the ADMK are expected to do well, while other parties like the Samajwadi Party, are predicted to suffer. The last party is the AAP, led by Arvind Kejriwal. Its strategy is radically different from the others; in Delhi, it used an intensive door-to-door campaign to reach out for voters, it used social media, and it raised money from individual donors. It transitioned from anticorruption activism to having power, and this change was rough. The AAP may appeal to the middle- and lower- class people, but it does not have the organization to have an effective nationwide campaign. In conclusion, the BJP and Modi seem to be on the verge of success, while the AAP and especially the Indian National Congress will not, but the regional parties have not given up on a Third Front though; through all this, there is still little know of Modi and his vision for India for if he and the BJP come to power, though many Indians and people abroad see him as the cure for India’s stagnant economy and policies.

Analysis:  In his article “India’s Changing Political Fortunes,” Ronojoy Sen argues that India’s election would be a hard contest to call, especially with the introduction of the AAP, but certain broad trends can be observed. Dr. Sen provides detailed evidence to support this claim; he includes the election results of previous elections and the state elections to analyze which parties are rising or declining in popularity, and he includes statistics and the number of seats won in the previous and state elections. These statistics and results are facts, and he uses them to back up credible assumptions and other facts. There are not many opinions in the article, only predictions. Dr. Sen’s opinions are distinguished with key words such as “will be,” “expect,” and others. Lastly, Dr. Ronojoy Sen is a reliable source, as he has much experience and many strong credentials, and he is a senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore.

SJS 6- "Protecting Climate Refugees: The Case For A Global Protocol"

Article: Protecting Climate Refugees: The Case For A Global Protocol

Biermann, Frank, and Ingrid Boas. "Protecting Climate Refugees: The Case For A Global Protocol." Environment 50.6 (2008): 8-17. GreenFILE. Web. 5 May 2016.

Author Bio: Both Frank Biermann and Ingrid Boasare are college professors and climate scientists in the Netherlands. One bias that they could have is that they may feel that not all first world countries should be responsible for climate change refugees because Europe is already inundated with refugees from the Middle East. However, their views are completely contrary to this, eliminating the possibility of this bias. Another bias that they might have is that the Netherlands is a first world country, but not one of the top powers. A government such as that of America's may have a different viewpoint because America would be contributing a large amount of money to this fund.

Date/Context: This article is concerned with the current policies regarding climate change, along with future policies that would ensure the safety of people in coastal areas. Because of climate change, the sea level is expected to rise one to two inches in the next twenty years. This will cause mass destruction and displacement of people from these coastal and island areas. The article focuses mainly on ways to create future programs that will help countries to manage displaced persons.

Summary: This piece first discusses how climate change creates refugees, stating that a 1-2 inch sea level rise would endanger countries like Maldives and Tuvalu because it would greatly increase the severity of storms and floods. The piece then discusses a proposal at the Geneva Convention that suggested that climate refugees be groups with political refugees, but would remain under the jurisdiction of their own governments. This would create many problems because of the disputes that would occur between the rights of the host country and the person's home country. The article goes on to explore the idea of the UN Security Council handling this issue, but then proposes that a separate organization would be better suited. Lastly, the modification of the UN's definition of "refugee" is discussed, and how the inclusion of climate refugees would grant these people the same rights as other refugees. It also proposes that the UN create a list of all countries threatened by climate change, so that there would be a solid definition for climate refugees, as there is for political refugees.

Key Quotation: "The planning  for  a  climate  refugee  protocol and the related institutional settings can- not wait until 2050 when it might be too late for orderly and organized responses. It must begin now."

SJS6 Chasing Dreams and Dollars: India and the H-1B Visa

Source: Ghosh, Padmaparna. "Chasing Dreams and Dollars: India and the H-1B Visa." San

    Fransico Chronicle. N.p., 29 Apr. 2016. Web. 6 May 2016. <http://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/

    Chasing-dreams-and-dollars-India-and-the-H-1B-7382822.php>.

Author: Is a native Indian freelance writer.

Summary: The H-1B visa a temporary work visa reserved for skilled-technical workers and grad students to work within the U.S for a period of 3-6 years without citizenship or residency. The program has been running since 1990 and currently accepts over 75,000 new workers every year. Most of these workers are part of the entry level IT industry which is for the most part concentrated on the west coast. This system however is not without its side effects. The system itself is run as a lottery for all applicants who meet the minimum qualifications. This in many instances can result in applicants who may be more deserving of acceptance being denied based off the lottery. Other downsides include the criminal racketeering within the Indian outsourcing industry, discrimination of visa holding employees and anti-indian sentiment in the US under the banner of stolen jobs.

Analysis: This relates to our unit in the respect that it reflects upon the darker side of the economic globalization and flattening between the US and India. While many a time we only look at the tangible aspect that some Indians are earning better money and the US corporations get cheap labor. We fail to address the envy it causes amongst the rest of the Indian populations and the repercussions it has on them and the distaste it creates in America for foreign workers and effect that has on ethnic relations. So in the end the true power of this article does not lie in its’ inherent argument but rather in the reality that it shows how not very often do we ever fully see the whole picture of any situation.

PDP 6-Bhagavad Gita

Author Bio: There is no author of this document although this epic was ascribed to the Sage Ved Vyasa. The Bhagavad Gira, being a portion of the Mahabharata's Bhisma Parva, is also ascribed to him.

Date/Context: This famous work was put into writing around 200 B.C.E. Before that, it was proclaimed orally for many centuries. This was typically the case for many epics during this time period. The Gita is written in Sanskrit and has been translated into virtually every language. It was dated close to when recorded history began in India, and when the battle that became the Mahabarata supposedly occurred.

 Summary: The Bhagavad-Gita is a notorious work of the Hindu tradition. This epic is a a portion of a bigger epic called Mababbarata. To sum it up, this story is about two branches who are apart of one family, and are in constant conflict over competence. Through this conflict, Hindu Gods are intertwined to help break up this conflict. Arjuna is caught in the middle of this conflict and searches for help in this constant war with his own  fleshly desires. This passage offers a deep insight into Hindu beliefs regarding the soul and reflects India's caste system. He expresses his dilemma of how he doesn't understand why he has to shed his family's blood for a kingdom that he doesn't even want. From his perspective, killing his family outweighs any other sin. He puts down his weapons and tells Krishna that he refuses to fight, Krishna explains that he has to fight so he can restore his karma. Krishna begins by explaining the samsaric cycle of birth and death, This cycle allows one to work off their karma, and if one serves God, this leads to a dissolution of the soul, eventually achieving enlightenment. Three elements are presented throughout the God's advice. Krinsha says that one who achieves divine union with him in meditation will in the end, find freedom.

Key quotation: Have thy mind on Me, thy devotion toward Me, thy sacrifice to Me, do homage to Me. Thus guiding thyself, given over to Me, so to Me shalt thou come."

PDP 6- The Azamgarh Rebellion

Author Bio: The document, The Azamgarh Proclamation has no one author. The document was composed by a group of rebels who believed that if they were to write this proclamation that the king of India would have put together a protest to change the British rule in India. These rebels were against the British East India Company, and they later realized that the company was far more powerful then them and the proclamation would mean nothing to the company.

Date/Context: This proclamation was written in the late 18th century during the time in which the Mogul Empire fell. The proclamation was written to hope of improving their country after the difficult times the country, and writers of the document, were facing.

Summary: This document is about the creation of the Azamgarh Proclamation. This article was written by rebels who it was addressed to the British East India Company. The motivation for the proclamation was to bring together more Muslims and Hindus who were against the British business in India. The proclamation was calling for the Muslims and Hindus of all classes and castes to rise against the faithless English who has taken control of their land. The proclamation also stated that all non-native traders and merchants were to be subject to public treason and this practice would be dispelled immediately. The proclamation failed in further spreading the sepoy rebellion, however, it brought light to the acts of the British East India Company on the native Indian peoples.

Key Quotation: "Lastly, be it known to all, that whoever, out of the above-named classes, shall... still cling to the British government, all his estates shall be confiscated, and his property plundered, and he himself, with his whole family, shall be imprisioned, and ultimately put to death."