"School is necessary to produce the habits and expectations of the managed consumer society." -Ivan lllich

Global Village School

Peacemakers

Author: Mary Kate Considine

Lesson 1: Peacemakers

"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."

John F. Kennedy, March 12, 1962

As Earth enters the new century, we, as Earthlings, must understand the tenuous hold we have on our fragile environment and the need to work together as one people to preserve it. We must understand that we are citizens of Earth and our need is to preserve and protect the only environment we have. Alfred Nobel, the inventor of Dynamite, realized how destructive war and violence could be for generations succeeding any outbreaks. Violence and its consequences are found in loss of life, destruction of environment and ecology, and loss of cultural awareness and history. Many organizations have been formed in the name of peace, Amnesty International, The Conflict Resolution Program from the Carter Center, the Gandhi Institute, and of course the Nobel Foundation to name a few.

The Peacemakers is a semester history course designed to study famous peacemakers from around the world and what formed their lives, their goals, and their contributions to our world. We will study the individuals, the conflicts, and the impact of their contributions.

    1. What is your definition of a peacemaker?

    2. How many "peacemakers" can you name?  

    3. What kind of difference have they made in the world? What are they known for?

    4. Can you name someone in your own experience or life who has acted as a peacemaker? Why was he or she a peacemaker to you? Please give a detailed answer.

    5. Choose one of the peacemakers you named above and write a few paragraphs about that person. You can get information through the Internet or any of your resources at home. Be sure to identify the resources you use.

    6. Take a ride on the Internet and identify 5 different organizations formed for the purpose of peace. Give their name and their purpose; their country of origin; how long they have been in existence; and if they are achieving their goals. (Describe your first organization here and the others in numbers 7 through 10.)

    7. Describe organization #2.

    8. Describe organization #3.

    9. Describe organization #4.

    10. Describe organization #5.

Comments to your Teacher:

Lesson 3: Doctors Without Borders

The Hippocratic Oath

Have you ever heard of the Hippocratic Oath? It dates back to Hippocrates, a Greek physician who lived from 460 to 377 B.C. The oath is a set of ethics for physicians to live their professional and private lives. Many universities and medical schools have their new doctors recite an updated form of the oath when they earn their medical degree. So often in today’s society of soaring medical costs, you will hear people say that the Hippocratic Oath is a thing of the past, or that doctors no longer live up to the oath and money is their only concern. Take a minute to read the original Hippocratic Oath.

THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH

I swear by Apollo the healer, by Aesculapius, by Health and all the powers of healing, and call to witness all the gods and goddesses that I may keep this Oath and Promise to the best of my ability and judgment.

I will pay the same respect to my master in the Science as to my parents and share my life with him and pay all my debts to him. I will regard his sons as my brothers and teach them the Science, if they desire to learn it, without fee or contract. I will hand on precepts, lectures, and all other learning to my sons, to those of my master and to those pupils duly apprenticed and sworn, and to none other.

I will use my power to help the sick to the best of my ability and judgment; I will abstain from harming or wrongdoing any man by it.

I will not give a fatal draught to anyone if I am asked, nor will I suggest any such thing. Neither will I give a woman means to procure an abortion.

I will be chaste and religious in my life and in my practice.

I will not cut, even for the stone, but I will leave such procedures to the practitioners of that craft.

Whenever I go into a house, I will go to help the sick and never with the intention of doing harm or injury. I will not abuse my position to indulge in sexual contacts with the bodies of women or of men, whether they be freemen or slaves.

Whatever I see or hear, professionally or privately, which ought not to be divulged, I will keep secret and tell no one.

If, therefore, I observe this Oath and do not violate it, may I prosper both in my life and in my profession, earning good repute among all men for all time. If I transgress and forswear this Oath, may my lot be otherwise.

From HIPPOCRATIC WRITINGS, translated by J. Chadwick and W.N. Mann, Penguin Books, 1950.

    1. List three things that you found surprising about the Hippocratic Oath.

    2. Can you think of three things in the oath that you think are important for doctors to abide by today?

Doctors Without Borders

The 1999 winner of the Nobel Peace prize is an organization called "Doctors Without Borders." Go to the Nobel site and read their press release about the group: http://www.nobel.se/peace/laureates/1999/msf-or.html

    3. What is the fundamental principle that Doctors Without Borders adheres to?

    4. In what way is Doctors Without Borders outspoken?

Doctors Without Borders has a terrific web site. It gives a history of their organization as well as detailing their involvement in current global crises. Take a look at the organization’s history first: http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/about/history.shtml

    5. From which country did Doctors Without Borders originate?

    6. How old is the organization?

    7. Why did they say there was a need for a group like them?

    8. Where was the first conflict that the organization became involved with?

    9. What country did they go to for their first war-related mission?

    10. Do you see any continents that the organization has not been to?

    11. MAIN ASSIGNMENT

Browse through the listings of countries and conflicts in which Doctors Without Borders have helped. They are listed in chronological order under History. Return to their main page; they list the countries and conflicts that they are currently active in. Choose one of the conflicts that MSF has been involved in. You might need to do some extra web searching to answer the following questions for that conflict:

a. What country does the conflict take place in?
b. Is the conflict a natural disaster or the result of political or human strife?
c. When did this take place?
d. Who was involved?
e. Why did MSF see a need for their services there?
f. What did MSF do when they got there?
g. Is MSF still there?
h. Did MSF have to speak out publicly in order to make people aware of the problems?

CONCLUSIONS:
What do you think is MSF’s greatest achievement? Write a few sentences giving your impressions of the group as peacemakers.

Comments to your Teacher:

Primary text: Our Economic System: An Introduction to Economics, by Clairece Feagin. Published by Educational Design, Inc., 1993

 Supplementary text: Rethinking Globalization: Teaching for Justice in an Unjust World, edited by Bill Bigelow and Bob Peterson. Published by Rethinking Schools, 2002

The course also includes various audio, video, or text websites. Because the nature of the Internet is fluid, sites may disappear from time to time. Accordingly, please contact your teacher if a link does not work for you.

The purpose of this course is to give students a firm grounding in the theory and structure of U.S. Economics while challenging assumptions and introducing different perspectives. The overarching philosophy is that "common sense" and unknowns keep us from making new connections and approaching problems from creative angles. While the course is organized into lessons with a definite focus, you will find that the same issues will be examined from different angles throughout - this is a reflection of the way economics spins a vast web of considerations that branch out and link back to each other. This class attempts to provide examples of voices from across the spectrum, but there is a limit to what we can cover in a semester. Accordingly, there is a definite emphasis on progressive perspectives, particularly since we believe they are heard less often. We encourage you to expand your inquiries in all areas of life whenever possible. While we will explore economics on many levels, the confines of the course dictate a focus on American capitalism with an emphasis on a very important topic in our times: globalization. We will discuss the actions of the U.S. government as well as business and consumer culture in relation to domestic and foreign economies. In particular we will examine the concepts of ethics and responsibility in an economic system. Simply put, it is the idea that economic systems greatly affect the social fabric of life - and we should be aware of and act on the consequences. It is also important to note at the start that economic systems are arbitrary - life could be imagined in a different way. Diamonds and gold are only worth something because we say so.

In general each lesson represents one week's worth of work, so you should be sending completed lessons to your teacher at the end of each week. If this becomes a problem at any point please let your teacher know. She or he would be glad to work out alterations with you as needed. Most lessons include reading assignments from the primary text, several supplementary resources, and optional (extra-credit) assignments. Each lesson begins and ends with a quote that is relevant to the subject matter or the overall themes of the course. You will find a section at the end of the course entitled, "Going Further," which lists a few resources that may be of interest to the student who wants to learn more about various topics covered in this class. This section will also prove helpful in terms of the semester and final projects. Feel free to disagree with the assumptions various questions might make. For example, if you're asked to explain why x encourages unemployment, and you think x doesn't encourage unemployment, say so - just be sure to explain why. Along those same lines, if you a have an idea that could make a topic or assignment more interesting to you, please inform your instructor. Good luck and enjoy. A small portion of this course is adapted from the sustainable economics curriculum created by the University of Minnesota's Human Rights Resource Center. We thank them for their kind permission.

Beginning in this lesson our primary focus will be on the globalization book. We will look at a variety of topics - from moving factories overseas, to the role of international institutions in the global economy.

Reading assignment: pp. 35-49 and p. 54 in Rethinking Globalization

1. Having only one or two export crops might cause some problems for a country. What might those be?

 2. How might the attack on Asia's craftspeople affect Asia's development?

 3. What problems might artificial colonial boundaries cause?

 4. Colonialists used military might to keep leaders who were not chosen by the people in power. What problems might this cause after the countries become independent?

 5. Why do you think the Spanish colonialists burned the books of the Mayans? What effect do you think it had on the Mayan people?

 6. What might have occurred had the Spanish viewed the Mayans as equals and tried to learn to read their language and respect their culture?

 7. How did colonialism in Africa and Asia distort the development of those societies?

 8. How do you think some people in the U.S. have justified taking over other people's societies? How do such practices match up with the U.S.' stated commitment to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?

 9. Lists the ways in which the Pink Cheeks transformed Kikuyu culture.

 10. Why didn't the Kikuyu attack and drive out the Pink Cheeks?

 11. What is Kincaid angry about?

 12. Do you think her anger justified? Why or why not?

 Optional assignment: Assume the role of a white British person and write a reply to Kincaid's essay. This can be a defense of colonialism or a letter of support explaining what you will do to try to make sure that the wrongs are not continued. The assignment should be at least one page in length.

 Reading assignment: pp. 64-67 in Rethinking Globalization

 13. Parenti says that most of the Third World is not underdeveloped but overexploited. What does he mean?

14. Think about the terms underdevelopment and developing. What might the terms imply?

 Viewing assignment: Free Range Graphics and click on "Conflict Diamonds."

 15. Is the trade in conflict diamonds an example of the Third World being overexploited? Why or why not?

 "The missionaries said to the companies, 'We have civilized them.... So for a percentage, we can stop the killing and control them." - Moi, Huaorani leader
 
 

There are a number of different ways to interpret or represent the meaning of any word. In the globalization debate, fundamentally different views of the meaning of a commodity are often at work. In one view, a commodity is just a product, a potential item of global trade, which must be judged solely in terms of price and quality. A different view maintains that commodities should be regarded as bundles of social and ecological relationships - that it is crucial to ask how something is produced, under what conditions, by whom, with what effects on the environment, and with what effects on the societies where it is produced and marketed. Keep these definitions in mind when examining globalization debate.

Reading assignment: pp. 95, pp. 98-99 in Rethinking Globalization

 1. Briefly summarize the arguments for and against an organization like the World Trade Organization

 2. Follow the directions at the top of p. 98.

 3. Make a list of at least five principles that you believe should govern trade between different nations, and write a brief explanation explaining their importance.

 Reading assignment: pp. 100-102 in Rethinking Globalization

 4. In your own words, summarize the benefits of the WTO according to the WTO

 5. In point #2, the WTO uses the word "constructively" three times to describe how its system allows disputes to be resolved. What is meant by this term - what is being constructed?

 6. Point #3 contrasts a system based on rules with one based on power. Can systems be based on both? Think about the rules that you have to follow - are any of these based on some people having more power than others?

 7. In point #4 the WTO claims that its system leads to lower prices for all goods. Can you think of any groups who might be hurt by lower prices? What might the relationship between lower prices and the wages of workers in capitalist economies be?

 8. What claims does the WTO make about benefiting farmers, workers, and the environment?

 9. Are there any arguments that you found to be particularly persuasive or weak? Explain.

 Reading assignment: pp. 103-107 in Rethinking Globalization

 10. Briefly describe the kinds of authority the WTO has.

 11. Evaluate the points made in the arguments against the WTO article. What are its strengths and weaknesses? Do you agree or disagree with the overall message? Explain.

 Reading assignment: Rethinking Schools

 12. Do the results of these cases support or contradict the claims made by the WTO? How many decisions were corporate friendly? Consumer friendly? Worker friendly? Explain.

 Reading assignment: http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=78&row=1

 13. How does Stiglitz describe the Assistance Strategy country investigations? What does his description imply about the motivations behind the process?

 14. Summarize steps one and two of the plan (as given by Stiglitz) typically given to countries.

 15. Summarize steps three and four of the plan.

 16. Describe how the IMF, WTO, and World Bank are tied together.

 17. Explain why the title "World Bank," is technically inaccurate.

 "To attract companies like yours, we have felled mountains, razed jungles, filled swamps, moved rivers, relocated towns, and in their place built power plants, dams, roads all to make it easier for you to do business here." -Philippine government ad that ran in Fortune magazine in the early 1970s.

Primary text: A Delicate Balance (2nd edition), by Paul C. Light, published by Worth Publishers, 1999.

 The purpose of this course is to give students a firm grounding in the history and structure of U.S. government while challenging assumptions and introducing different perspectives. The overarching philosophy is that "common sense" and unknowns can keep us from making new connections and approaching problems from creative angles. This class attempts to provide examples of voices from across the spectrum, but there is a limit to what we can cover in a semester. Accordingly, there is a definite emphasis on progressive perspectives, particularly since we believe they are heard less often. While we will explore government on many levels, the confines of the course dictate a federal focus.

 In general each lesson represents one week's worth of work, so you should be sending completed lessons to your teacher at the end of each week. If this becomes a problem at any point please let your teacher know. She or he would be glad to work out alterations with you as needed. Most lessons include reading assignments from the primary text, several supplementary resources, and optional (extra-credit) assignments. Each lesson begins with a quote that is relevant to the subject matter or the overall themes of the course and ends with a "Going Further," section which lists a few resources that may be of interest to the student who wants to learn more about a topic. This section will also prove helpful in terms of the semester and final projects.

Feel free to disagree with the assumptions embedded in the course questions. For example, if you're asked why x is more democratic than y, and you think y is actually more democratic, say so - just be sure to explain why. Along those same lines, if you a have an idea that could make a topic or assignment more interesting to you, please inform your instructor. Good luck and enjoy.

American government can be described as a continuing balancing act. There is, of course, the theoretical balance of powers between the executive, judicial, and legislative branches. In regards to the people this equilibrium is supposed weigh the democratic concept of majority rule against the concepts of equality, freedom, liberty, and other ideals derived from the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. Equality in particular demands that minority rights be respected and protected. For the federal government the scales require a balance between a government large and strong enough to protect against threats and provide services but small and weak enough to prevent it form becoming an overbearing instrument of tyranny.

 Many of the prominent framers (some sources call them founders or fathers) of the United States had very definite ideas about the nature of people and democracy and those theories shaped the construction of the founding documents. We will be evaluating the assumptions they made and the goals they set out to accomplish throughout this course, as well as exploring paths the framers never thought of - or chose not to go down.

Reading assignment: pp. 1-24, A Delicate Balance

 What is Government?

1. Explain the relationship between government and politics.

 2. Sketch an outline of your ideal government in words. What are its purposes, duties, and restrictions? In particular, compare and contrast your imagined government with your perceptions of the way the U.S. government works. Please write at least four paragraphs.

 The Concept of Human Nature

 James Madison once said, "You must first enable the government to control the governed, and in the next place, oblige the government to control itself."

Madison also thought that direct democracies were, "spectacles of turbulence and contention."

 Alexander Hamilton said that the public was subject to, "every sudden breeze of passion, or to every transient impulse."

 John Adams believed that, "The proposition that [the people] are the best keepers of their liberties is not true. They are the worst conceivable; they are no keepers at all. They can neither act, judge, think, nor will."

 The above is a small sampling of many statements made by the most influential framers of the U.S. These men believed that a rare few (like themselves) could set aside their interests for the good of the country, and that such people should run for public office. This stands in contrast to many modern conceptions of what democracy might mean in America. Indeed, it is even dissimilar to a statement made by Abraham Lincoln less than 100 years later when he said the U.S. practiced, "government of the people, by the people, and for the people."

 3. What do you think of the concept of human nature? If it exists is this nature inherent or can it be changed in time?

 4. Where do you think the framers might have gotten their ideas about human nature from? Do you agree with their position? Explain.

 5. Is the notion of equality expressed in the Declaration compatible with the framer's view of human nature?

 Take a moment to refresh your memory of the "Can the People Govern," section found on pp. 4-6.

 6. Today's elected officials believe that most Americans are uninformed and should not have a direct voice in the production of public policy. What effect might this have on interactions between people and their representatives? Specifically, how might it impact the way politicians serve their constituents?

Optional reading: The Onion This is a satire found in the Onion. You may write a one page analysis of this site for extra credit.

The Faces of Democracy

 7. Explain the differences between Direct and Representative Democracies.

 8. State and local governments sometimes utilize referendums or initiatives to allow voters to act directly on their government. Would this be a good idea on the federal level? What issues would you like to see on a national referendum or initiative? Explain.

 9. Our system is primarily based on a winner takes all philosophy - in elections the candidate who gets the most votes (even if it's not a majority of all the votes cast) wins. What advantages and disadvantages might come about from adopting a proportional voting system in which every party wins a share of seats (say, in the House) based on the percentage of votes it receives?

 10. Paul C. Light writes that, "representative democracy may be the only choice in a country as large and diverse as America even if they could be brought together in one place, 270 million Americans would create a mosh pit covering 70 square miles." Would it be necessary for Americans to be in the same physical space to participate in direct democracy on the federal level? Why or why not?

Going Further: *Philosophy and Social Hope, Richard Rorty - an introduction to an alternative way of conceptualizing government and the world. *http://classics.mit.edu/Browse/ - the Internet Classics Archive includes a number of Greco-Roman and a few Eastern authors that have been influential in the sphere of governance and society. *http://www.reformamericainc.org/ - ideas to reform democracy in America.
 
 

In this lesson we will begin investigating the interaction between media outlets and the political process, a topic which will crop up now and again throughout this course. In the spirit of exploring different perspectives, you will be exposed to a variety of news sources, a number of which are not read by mainstream America.

 Webster's dictionary defines objectivity as "existing as an object or fact, independent of the mind; real, without bias or prejudice." Taking a fair or balanced approach could be interpreted to mean something a little different - perhaps presenting a variety/diversity of perspectives for evaluation without assuming there is one right answer. In a sense, objectivity could be seen as referencing Truth, while being fair might be more about dialogue and perspectives.

1. Does it make sense to you that people can be objective (i.e. somehow get outside of their own mind and beliefs to a place where facts stand alone without bias or prejudice)? If so, where do these facts come from? State an objective fact (if you can).

2. Should the media (or people in general) try to be fair/balanced or objective? Do you see any important differences between the idea of being fair and the concept of being objective? Explain.

 Reading assignment: pp.154-157 (stop at "The Muckraking Era"), pp.160 (begin with "The Electronic Revolution") - 191 in A Delicate Balance, and FAIR

 3. The author suggests, "Whether a story was true or false, most of the Founders believed that the press should be on the government's side." Does this surprise you? What do you think the media's proper role is?

 4. Briefly describe the three dangers of media concentration outlined in your reading. The author says that "it is still too early to tell how the current era of media mergers will affect news quality." Do you agree? Why or why not?

 5. Do you think that the country would be better served by the existence of more not-for-profit news outlets? Explain.

 6. With the creation of the FCC in 1933, Congress defined the airwaves (TV and radio) as public property, akin to highways or parks. Given this fact, why do you think most media outlets are owned by large corporations instead of citizen's collectives or communities?

7. Do you think that the fairness doctrine was a good idea? Explain.

 8. According to your reading, where do most Americans get their political news? What is your primary source of news, political or otherwise?

 9. The average length of time given to a candidate during a typical TV news story is around eight seconds. Can you learn anything worthwhile about a candidate's policy or a campaign in general in eight seconds? Given the fact that the airwaves are public property, should TV and radio news outlets be required to spend more time on political and social issues?

 10. Your book suggests that media coverage is most likely to affect public opinion, "among poorly informed viewers, who lack the information and predisposition to form opinions on their own." What do you think of this statement? What does it mean to form an opinion on your own?

 11. Your book states that, "the public has few sources of absolutely pure information," because most is, "increasingly crowded with carefully crafted political messages and advertising. What is absolutely pure information and where does it come from?

 Listening assignment: NPR, click on "All Things Considered audio"

12. What is the usual suspect phenomenon? Should we be concerned about it? Why or why not?

 Listening assignment: Mark Floegel,listen to "But is it news?"

13. Did you know about the events Mr. Floegel described (if so, where did you hear it)? Do you think this kind of information is important to know? Explain.

 14. While there was much coverage of the Palestinians who were celebrating September 11th in the streets, there was very little in the news about the one million Palestinian students who observed a minute of silence in a show of support for the American victims. Do you think that the Palestinian student story deserved coverage? Why or why not?

Semester Service Project: You may complete this project in the form of .html pages, written/typed essay, recorded speech, video presentation, or a combination of well-integrated mediums. The project requires that you focus on a political issue or event of importance to you and produce a creation that is part analysis of history, part volunteer/community service activity, and part present day study. Use the following guidelines to structure your project, but feel free to expand on them if you have the time or interest.
Why is this issue important to you? Include some background information on your topic and examples of the way in which various branches of government have addressed the issue. Include "popular culture," sources like literature, music, magazines, or other references that are related to your topic. Interview (using email, audio or video tape, face-to-face) at least two individuals or organizations that address the topic in a political way (you can use someone you're volunteering with for one interview). Please ask each individual at least five different questions of your choosing related to their objectives and political strategies. Each person should have a different view of the subject matter. Include a bit of analysis (did they answer your questions directly? did it make sense?) of their answers.

This project should be composed of at least 2,700 words (feel free to enhance it with images or sounds) and it is due by the end of the course, though I would suggest completing it around lesson fourteen or fifteen so that you can devote adequate time to the end of the semester project. You must volunteer at least 10 hours to the organization of your choice. Please remember to include all of your references in a bibliography, including contact information for the organization.

 Going Further: *http://www.fcc.gov/ - Federal Communications Commission site. *http://www.fair.org/activism/fcc-factsheet.html - more about public ownership of the airwaves and the FCC. *http://www.democraticmedia.org/- center for digital democracy. *http://www.corpwatch.org - corporate watchdogs. *http://www.altpress.org/ - clearinghouse of progressive views on the net. *http://www.cjr.org/owners/ - a guide to who owns which media outlets. http://www.democraticmedia.org/ - Citizens for digital democracy.