Friday, February 27th, 2009
In late 2007, an Icelandic teenager named Vífill Atlason created a minor international incident when he phoned the White House, told the operator he was the president of Iceland, and managed to set up an appointment to speak with George W. Bush. When the White House figured out what was going on, Atlason was taken away by Icelandic police and questioned for several hours, then told that he would be placed on an American no-fly list. No conversation took place. I, on the other hand, managed to make a lunch date with President Olafur Ragnar Grímsson not long after I arrived in Iceland, simply by bumping into him at an art exhibit and asking.
Read more of this riveting cultural/political piece from Harper’s
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Friday, February 27th, 2009
Opening with a personal anecdote from his experience on the USA Olympic basketball team playing against the Soviet Union, former Senator Bill Bradley provides his thoughts on the past, present, and future of Russia.
Watch Bill Bradley’s assessment of U.S. – Russian relations
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Sunday, February 1st, 2009
Friedman brings a fresh outlook to the crises of destabilizing climate change and rising competition for energy—both of which could poison our world if we do not act quickly and collectively. His argument speaks to all of us who are concerned about the state of America in the global future.
Friedman proposes that an ambitious national strategy—which he calls “Geo-Greenism”—is not only what we need to save the planet from overheating; it is what we need to make America healthier, richer, more innovative, more productive, and more secure.
Enjoy an hour with Tom
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Monday, January 19th, 2009
You are to write, rehearse and offer a perfect performance of a political poem in “slam style”.
1. Watch some poetry slam performances. Simply enter “poetry slam” and/or “def poetry jam” into the YouTube browser.
A former colleague turned me on to Taylor Mali. Take a few moments to watch What Teachers Make and Speak with Conviction.
I also respect the following examples by: Alicia Keys, Lauryn Hill and Shane Koyczan
2. Choose a theme and/or a country from our course.
3. Write and revise. Aim for a 3-5 minute piece.
4. Practice, practice, practice. Find your voice, then perfect it.
5. Stand and deliver in class. Speak with passion, conviction and diction. We want to hear you loud and clear. We will have a 90 minute political poetry slam. This is a healthy competition. We will vote on the winners. Prizes will be alloted.
This is the last hurrah for us. Let’s do it right.
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Monday, January 19th, 2009
Are capitalism and environmentalism incongruous paradigms?
Post a 750 word essay (one page, single-spaced) which begins with a specific, complex and refutable thesis.
Then read responses of your classmates (at least 3 of them). Then leave an incisive 1 paragraph comment on 3 essays. Commenting is not optional.
Come to class ready for healthy debate.
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Sunday, January 18th, 2009
Journalist James Fallows explores China’s recent rise to power and what it means for the US in his new book of essays, Postcards Tomorrow Square.
A National Correspondent for The Atlantic Monthly, Fallows has been reporting on the economic and political transformation taking place in China since 2006.
Listen to this interview with Fallows
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Saturday, July 12th, 2008
Check out these five “dispatches” from the former USSR. The fifth dispatch focuses on Uzbekistan.
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Thursday, May 1st, 2008
“The Plan is for the United States to rule the world. The overt theme is unilateralism, but it is ultimately a story of domination. It calls for the United States to maintain its overwhelming military superiority and prevent new rivals from rising up to challenge it on the world stage. It calls for dominion over friends and enemies alike. It says not that the United States must be more powerful, or most powerful, but that it must be absolutely powerful.”
Dick Cheney’s Song of America: Drafting a Plan for Global Dominance
Response to Song of America
Socratic Dialogue Questions for class session in response to the reading
Primary Sources: Excerpts from Various Drafts of the DPG from NY Times (1992)
A List of US Military Involvements 1945-2005
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Wednesday, May 23rd, 2007
Hugo Chavez is an enigma. He is either glorified or vilified; few seem to demonstrate a well-balanced view of him. Love him or hate him, Chavez has captured international headlines. Learn more about Chavez by reading the articles below and writing a 1.5-2 page, single-spaced response which addresses the following questions:
-what does Chavez believe? What are the strengths and weaknesses of his political belief system?
-what are the goals of Chavez (both domestically and in terms of foreign policy) and how does he plan to accomplish them?
-how is the world responding to the Chavez enigma? How should the world respond to Chavez?
-Is Chavez a great political leader? Why or why not?
In Search of Hugo Chavez
Interview with Chavez
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