Archive for the 'AP Post AP Seminar' Category
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
Posted in AP Post AP Seminar, USH: Cold War, World Civ-Cold War in West | No Comments »
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
Posted in AP Post AP Seminar | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 23rd, 2007
Write a careful appraisal of the article by Bill Buckner, J.D. Post a 1.5-2 page, single-spaced response which addresses the following questions:
-what is Buckner’s thesis? What does he conclude?
-what evidence does Buckner use to prove his thesis? Does he use ample evidence? Does he use proper evidence? In what ways does he demonstrate bias?
-what are the strengths and weaknesses of his argument? On what points to you concur or disagree?
The Historical and Contemporary Threat of Pan-Islam
The Struggle Within Islam
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Tuesday, May 22nd, 2007
Use evidence from all three articles to write a formal 1-2 page single-spaced essay that explores the extent to which China is a threat to the West (and, in particular to the U.S.). Your primary focus is to demonstrate a mastery of of the content of all three articles.
China: Threat or Peaceful Rise?
Revving Up the China Threat
A Chinese Perspective from People’s Daily Online
Power Point: Is China a Threat to the West?
Posted in AP China, AP Post AP Seminar, World Civ-Modern Global Dilemmas, World Civ-Post Cold War | No Comments »
Friday, April 27th, 2007
You should not read too much into the EU. Despite its state-like attributes, it is far from being a state, since it lacks the monopoly over the legitimate use of force in its territory that most political scientists argue makes a state a state. What’s more, the shift toward a more united Europe is not occurring at an even or steady pace. It has evolved in a series of fits and starts in which bursts of growth have been followed by longer periods of doubt and criticism. That holds whether you focus on the EU’s broadening (adding new members) or deepening (adding new powers). Similarly, the organization is more “advanced” in some policy areas than others. Thus, the EU itself has the authority to make and enforce much economic policy over the wishes of the member states, including virtually everything involving international trade and, now, monetary matters. Such supranational powers are nowhere near as well developed in other policy areas, including the adoption of broad new policy initiatives, There, as we will see in more detail below, the member states continue to hold most of the power.
Read the article here and please be prepared to discuss the reading in class. Taking notes and creating discussion questions would be appreciated. It’s your final assignment.
Posted in AP Post AP Seminar, World Civ-Modern Global Dilemmas | No Comments »
Friday, April 13th, 2007
To dismiss the terrorists as insane is to delude ourselves. Bin Laden and his fellow fanatics are products of failed societies that breed their anger. America needs a plan that will not only defeat terror but reform the Arab world
To the question “Why do the terrorists hate us?” Americans could be pardoned for answering, “Why should we care?” The immediate reaction to the murder of 5,000 innocents is anger, not analysis. Yet anger will not be enough to get us through what is sure to be a long struggle. For that we will need answers. The ones we have heard so far have been comforting but familiar. We stand for freedom and they hate it. We are rich and they envy us. We are strong and they resent this. All of which is true. But there are billions of poor and weak and oppressed people around the world. They don’t turn planes into bombs. They don’t blow themselves up to kill thousands of civilians. If envy were the cause of terrorism, Beverly Hills, Fifth Avenue and Mayfair would have become morgues long ago. There is something stronger at work here than deprivation and jealousy. Something that can move men to kill but also to die.
Read the rest of the Zakaria piece here and respond to these questions
Posted in AP Post AP Seminar, World Civ-Middle East, World Civ-Modern Global Dilemmas | No Comments »
Thursday, October 12th, 2006
Used to innumerable discourses on the differences between the West and the East, one is not prepared to recognize two facts.
First, although Europe and China have been slowly elaborating two distinct civilizations, they cannot be absolutely separated. Having in common long maturations over millennia, the two old worlds have developed affinities and, despite all the exotic representations, the two edges of Eurasia are closer than they seem.
Second, one should not reduce the West to the US: that country, which from a colony has been rising to the rank of global hyperpower in only 230 years…
It is precisely based on their affinities that Europe and China have to build a partnership that goes beyond ever-varying trade, scientific or even political interests. In other words, by placing culture as the keystone of their relationship, the two Eurasian civilizations would enter a really stable and meaningful cooperation having over time global constructive impact.
Read Symphony of Civilizations
Responses to Symphony
Posted in AP China, AP Post AP Seminar, World Civ-Post Cold War | No Comments »
Monday, October 9th, 2006
Before most Americans had heard of the Taliban, Pakistani journalist Ahmed Rashid wrote a book about them. After the Sept. 11 attacks, it became a best-seller. Rashid’s recent reporting for English-language newspapers involves Islamist militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Listen Here
Posted in AP Iran, AP Post AP Seminar, World Civ-Middle East | No Comments »
Monday, October 9th, 2006
Conservative thinker Michael Ledeen holds the Freedom Chair at the American Enterprise Institute, but prefers the term “democratic revolutionary” to “neoconservative.” He discusses the current and future U.S. policy toward Iran, arguing that the United States should encourage change from within the country, rather than launching an all-out attack.
Listen Here
Posted in AP Iran, AP Post AP Seminar, World Civ-Middle East | No Comments »
Sunday, October 8th, 2006
Thomas Friedman is the foreign affairs columnist for The New York Times. He has been awarded three Pulitzer Prizes for international reporting and commentary, and has written several books including The Lexus and the Olive Tree and, most recently, The World is Flat: A Brief History of the 21st Century.
Below is a link to an interview with Friedman from The Harvard International Review. Hmmm…
Read here
Posted in AP Post AP Seminar, World Civ-Modern Global Dilemmas | No Comments »