Coalition Politics

The Lib Dem and Conservative coalition government in the UK is entering it's last year.  What will they do?  Read these two articles and comment, relating to concepts in the course.

Un dia en la vida

When covering Mexico, we talked a lot about immigration, corruption and drug violence, so I would like to switch gears.  Read this multi-part article highlighting the lives of six very different Mexicans an answer the following questions.  What does this article highlight about economic inequality in Mexico?  Are there chances for economic mobility?  What does this say about the state of the Mexican economy?  What other COGOPO concepts does this article help to illustrate and how?

(Difficulty) Remembering Tiananmen Square in China

In mainland China, talk of what happened in Tiananmen Square is still taboo, but in Hong Kong, there is more freedom to remember the protests that were brutally stopped in 1989.  In fact, a museum in Hong Kong, the first of it's kind, has been opened to remember the protests at Tiananmen.  (additional sources: 2012 BBC article on surveillance and detainment of political activists marking the anniversary of the protests and timeline of the events surrounding it).  What key COGOPO concepts are illustrated here?

Iran under Rouhani

Go to this BBC website that focuses on life in Iran under Rouhani and pick an article.  In your post, briefly describe the article and answer the following questions (and any others you would like to answer).  How is life different in Iran under Rouhani?  Did much change as a consequence of his election?  Does his government (administration) have significant policy differences from Ahmadinejad?  What COGOPO concept(s) does your article help to illustrate and how?

Freeeeeeedoooom isn't free

In a few months, Scotland will be voting in a referendum on their independence from England.  There is much uncertainty, much of it economic, about what will happen if they vote to become independent.  Read (listen to) these two articles (1 and 2) about their prospects after independence.  What key COGOPO concepts do these stories cover?  What are some possible FRQ or MC questions they could ask about these concepts?  What do you think would happen (good and bad) if they became independent?

There's Waldo!

It is now being widely reported that the pro-Russian troops present in Ukraine, whose existence Putin has largely denied, are the same troops that were present in Georgia in 2008.  Check out these articles from CNN and BBC, look at the pictures and decide for yourself.  Is this enough proof to convince anyone that Putin is outright lying?  If it is actually the same special ops force, what are the implications for the legitimacy of Crimean (and Eastern Ukrainian) independence?  Are there any implications?  Will this change the attitudes of Russians or Ukrainians about the legitimacy of the pro-Russian protests popping up in Eastern Ukraine?  Will this change the reaction the international community has had to become more aggressive or will it really have no impact?   Thoughts, comments and discussion welcomed below!  Keep an eye on the blog for more posts to continue reviewing before the test (and boost that grade).

Let the Review Begin!

As we have covered most of the material in class and the AP exam is about a month away, it is time to review!  Go to the BBC news website for your region and find a recent article illustrating concepts that make up one of the following topics (these topics will be the guiding principle for the review booklets we are going to create):  

1. The Comparative Method (quantitative analysis, use of statistics,case studies, etc.)

2. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power (regime type, legitimacy, political ideology, etc.) 

3. Political and Economic Change (types of change, attitudes toward change, existing trends)

4. Citizens, Society and the State (citizen/state relationships, social movements, civil society)

5. Political Institutions (characteristics of different levels of government, executives, bureaucracies, legislatures, linkage institutions, parties, elections, etc.)

6.  Public Policy and Current Issues

Explain how this article helps to illustrate a core concept, characteristic or attitude that is important to understand the political system in your country.  This is a warm up for the review booklet your group will be preparing that covers all of these concepts.  It will then all be put together for review purposes before the AP test.

Unit 3 FRQs

There are details in the email I sent out today (Thursday) at 1 PM.

In Recovery - 20 years since the Rwandan genocide

After watching Hotel Rwanda and having learned about the nature of political violence, there are a number of concepts worth considering.  The first concept to examine is the role of international peacekeeping organizations when a human rights crisis like this happens.  Read this NPR article about one particular story of abandonment (similar to the story we see played out in Hotel Rwanda).  Should IGOs (like the UN, NATO, or the EU) bear responsibility when a sovereign nation is perpetrating these crimes against their own people?  Do they have a right or duty  to protect people in need, even if it means infringing upon a countries sovereignty?  What other recent events have we read about in class that help to illustrate this difficulty?

Also, after extreme acts of political violence like this are recognized, there is a process of healing and recovery that the nation must go through.  In Rwanda, women had, and continue to have, a prominent role in that recovery process.  In bringing these criminals to justice in a country with a weak state and justice system, this can sometimes be difficult.  Other countries, in this case France, can help (along with NGOs) pursue justice for the more than 800,000 victims.  What do these articles say about the role of NGOs, along with women, in the healing process after such an atrocity?  Here is an article from BBC about the UN's regret about their "shameful" mishandling of the Rwandan genocide.

I know this an extremely emotional and heavy subject matter, but it is important to understand the role of ethnicity, NGOs, and IGOs in recovering from, and hopefully preventing, political violence such as this.

Connecting to youth through music in Nigeria

Despite all the problems of violence, corruption and disorder we have covered in this class, the music scene in Nigeria is one of the most thriving in all of Africa.  This article is an uplifting and welcome departure from all of the negative news we have covered in a developing nation with so many of it's people in poverty.  Check it out!  You might become a fan!

Also, this is the first optional post for the 4th quarter.

Life and Debt

Clearly, this documentary shows the dark side (or biased side, depending how you look at it) of globalization.  Did this documentary change the way you view globalization?  Overall, is globalization a good or bad thing for the global economy?  Are very low wage jobs (like those provided at the free zones), better than no jobs at all?  Should self sufficiency be discouraged for economies that could potentially have difficulty competing on a global scale?  

This is the goal of the IMF according to their website:

"The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an organization of 188 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world."

If many of these results are not being achieved, should the debt incurred from these structural adjustment programs be forgiven?

These are not meant to be yes or no questions.  Please be sure to explain each of your answers. 

Globalization, Democratization and Political Violence

Find an article that illustrates concepts surrounding each of these ideas.  Give the link, briefly describe the article and focus on explaining how and why your article illustrates each of these concepts.

What do you think?

When studying Mexico, three related major issues always seem to be at the center of the discussion, immigration, drug trafficking and gang violence. Watch the following segment from BBC and read or listen to at least three articles about immigration from NPR.  Read/listen to one about violence (there is a good article about Juarez), one about immigration and another about the one you found most interesting.  Give a brief summary of the articles you read and then tell me what you think.  Some guiding questions you might consider are: Should deportees be allowed a chance to come back to the US?  What is the root of the violence that is so prevalent in many border towns?  How are these three issues related?  How can these major issues be solved?  How is the Mexican government trying to solve these issues?  What are the public attitudes in Mexico about these problems?  Are there any Mexicans that are sympathetic to the cartels for the stability they might provide?

Again, you need not answer all of these questions, I am looking to find out what you think about these issues.  Try and provide analysis of the problems as opposed to descriptions of the problems.  You should post three different posts (one for each of the articles you chose).

Crimussia?

It's official (as of about a week ago), Crimea has voted to secede from Ukraine and join Russia in a move largely criticized by the West as illegal, but there it does not seem that there is much that can be done about it.  Should military force be used to drive Russian forces out of Crimea?  Do you think the economic sanctions will have any bite and force Russia to withdraw their troops?  Does the election (which has largely been viewed as a legitimate reflection of the sentiment in Crimea) justify the secession of Crimea from Ukraine or is Russia illegal imposing on the sovereignty of a foreign nation?  Has Putin gone too far?  Is America (or the West) not doing enough to stop it?  So many questions to consider!! Go to the BBC Europe page (there are plenty of interesting articles on this crisis) to do a little more research and comment on the crisis below, using the questions above as guiding questions (or pose your own!).

Also, here is a link to an NPR Planet Money piece (audio only) that describes the process of imposing economic sanctions (asset freezes, black lists, it sounds like a House of Cards episode) that is very informative and interesting.  

Investigating Iran and Navigating Nigeria

Go to the BBC country profile for Iran and Nigeria and answer the following questions:
1.  What is the most interesting analysis you came across in the "Overview" section?  Why?
2.  Choose a fact from the "Facts" section that you think helps to explain a general theme that is prevalent in each of the countries.  Why did you choose this fact and why is it particularly illuminating?
3.  Identify and explain one similarity and one difference between the media in Iran and Nigeria.  How can these comparisons help to better understand the dynamics of each country's political systems?
4.  Compare and contrast the influence of religion and oil in these two countries.
5.  Comment on at least one of your classmates responses.

Gastrodiplomacy

Read this NPR article about a new trend in teaching international relations, teaching through FOOD!  Would you want to take a class like this? Do you think it detracts from the academic rigor involved in the study of international conflict?  Let me know what you think below!

Post-Persepolis questions (Spring Break edition)

What was your favorite part of the movie?  Why? (funniest, most poignant, most educational, etc.)  What is one thing you learned about life in Iran that you did not know before?

Gapminder fun

Go to Gapminder and play around with the Gapminder World application.  Identify a trend that you think is worth exploring or interesting that relates to one of the three countries left in the course (Iran, Nigeria, Mexico).  This can be any two variables you think are worth exploring the relationship.  They have a lot of data and you can definitely find some interesting correlations. After you have found the variables, briefly explain the relationship you found and why you wanted to look at that relationship.
 

Pre-Persepolis reading

We will be watching Persepolis in class on Wednesday and Friday this week and it will serve to give you a history lesson on the Iranian Revolution as well as a look into the role of women in Iranian civil society.  Before we watch it though, I wanted to give you all a more recent (and academic) analysis of the increasing role of women in Iranian society.  Read this article and answer the following questions.

1. Does this give you a different perspective on the role of women in Iran?  Does it modify any preconceived notions about the opportunities afforded to Iranian women?
2.  Does the less conservative President Rouhani provide a temporary opening for women to achieve certain social and political goals, or is this just a first step in a more permanent, long-term change?  What are some obstacles that women in Iran still face in achieving their goals?  Explain your reasoning.

Hans Rosling and the "developing world"

Hans Rosling is a doctor that utilizes the quantitative approach to global health and development in an entirely new and interesting way.  He founded the non-profit Gapminder and his first TED talk "The best stats you've ever seen" in 2006 is a great introduction to the data service and shows some misconceptions people have about the so-called "developing world."  This is one of the most informative, enlightening and entertaining TED talks out there about global issues.  Watch his latest TED talk here before you answer the questions below.

After watching both Rosling talks and reading chapter 9 in Oneil on LDCs and NICs, do you agree more with Rosling or Oneil about the categorization of countries into developing and developed?  Or do you think that what they say is similar?  Explain the similarities and differences you find in their arguments and point anything you agree or disagree with.  Let me know of any other links or info you think might be helpful to this discussion.

The Cold War - 2014 edition

The increasing involvement of the Russian military in Crimea, a pro-Russian region of Ukraine with strategic importance because of it's location on the Black Sea, has caused many to fear the renewal of Cold War tensions, uncertainty and brinkmanship.  Obviously this situation is different in that Russia is no longer the superpower it once was (although Putin likes to think they are), but it still bears striking similarities.  Russia has, in the last few days been playing a difficult diplomatic and military chess game.  They have brought in troops for "self-defense" of ethnic Russians and have since withdrawn, stating that military action would be  a 'last resort.'  Meanwhile, the US and EU have been in talks to draw up sanctions if Russia continues to involve themselves in what the West views as a legitimate overthrow of a corrupt Ukrainian government.  Putin disagrees, calling it an "unconstitutional coup."

What are your thoughts?  Read up here or really anywhere, as it is an international headline, and post any insights or comments that relate to what we have been learning in class.

Ai Wei Wei - "Never Sorry"

I hope you enjoyed the documentary and it gave you an inside look at the different methods and tools of the Chinese government in exercising authority over their citizens.  

1. For you, what was the most alarming method of repression by the Chinese government?  Did anything surprise you about the coercion and surveillance methods?

2. For you, what was the most memorable, impactful or emotional protest/installation/art piece of Ai Wei Wei?  Why did it have an impact on you as an individual?

3. What role can the internet (specifically Twitter) play in speaking out against authority?  Are the Chinese governments restrictions on internet usage helping them to stay in power or only highlighting the abuses of their power?  Explain your reasoning.

4. Why are judicial independence and free speech such important elements of a free society according to Ai Wei Wei?

A different kind of threat in China

Largely because of it's rapid industrialization and economic growth, China has been battling pollution problems (to put it mildly).  Do you think the economic benefits that come with economic growth outweigh the negative externalities (pollution, lower standards of health) that come with it?

Here is an article about the Chinese media spin on the smog crisis, and the pursuit of possible solutions.  What does this say about the state run media?  What about the business opportunities created form this misfortune?

Yanukovych ousted, his house seized, while uncertainty looms in Ukraine

Former President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych fled Ukraine over the weekend after his power was officially taken away by the Ukrainian parliament.  He fled his home (which has become a physical symbol of the corruption and excess he claimed he was fighting) which has been handed over by the police to the armed protesters.  His whereabouts are still unknown, but for this post I want you to focus on the reaction of Russia and the difficulty many of these former Soviet republics have had in implementing democracy.  Read the four highlighted articles above and answer the following questions.

1.  Do you agree with the mass murder charges against Yanukovych?  Should he be held responsible for the deaths of the protesters?

2.  What are some reasons why the eastern part of Russia is still expressing support for closer ties with Russia?  Is it purely geographical, historical, religious, ethnic, etc.?  Explain your reasoning.

3.  What role do you think Russia should play in this new revolution?  Should they be involved at all?  Why or why not?

Any other questions, comments, or sources are welcome.  

What do you think?

In this controversial TED talk, Eric Li proposes that there is more than one way to run a modern nation.  Essentially he argues that China's one-party system is not as bad as everyone seems to think, and in fact is in many ways better.  In it he challenges the assumptions of the West about the Chinese government.  Watch the talk, considering the following questions and post your responses (one question-one post).  Also, keep in mind this is simply a mechanism to discuss some of the concepts we talk about in class so please keep it civil in your posts.

1. Generally, do you buy his idea that the Chinese one party system is based on adaptability, meritocracy and legitimacy?  Specifically cite the flaws or merit of the evidence he uses in his theory.
2.  Is the party organization in China a "human resources machine" as he claims?  Does the statement claiming that George Bush and Barack Obama couldn't have made a small county manager in China's system make his point about the merit of the party organization?  Why or why not?
3. Do you think the optimism of the Chinese people, especially the youth about their future helps to prove his point about the legitimacy of the Chinese regime?  Why or why not?
4.  What is one major issue that he largely avoids throughout the talk that many people would point to as evidence to nullify many of his arguments?

UN report on North Korean human rights abuses/unfathomable cruelty and oppression towards their people

Breaking news about the UN report on North Korea highlights the human rights abuses of the totalitarian regime.  These findings from the commission explain in horrific detail how this totalitarian regime continues to brutally maintain their power over their people.  The report is being handed over to the ICC for possible criminal charges.

Pick a story and a Prezi

Go to the BBC news China webpage, pick a story and answer the following questions, this time all in one post.  Also, read a story someone else picked and reply to their post.
1.  What story did you pick and why did it stand out to you among all of the stories?
2.  How does your story illustrate the nature of one party rule in China?

Also, here is a link to the Prezi on authoritarianism and totalitarianism, and the following Prezi on communist and post-communist regimes.

The Arab Spring or Fall?

As we transition from studying advanced democracy in Unit 1 to studying authoritarian regimes, along with communist and post-communist transitions in Unit 2, I want to start by looking at major transitions that have transpired over the last few years in the Middle East.  The Middle East has undergone massive political upheaval over the last few years, attempting to transition from authoritarian rule to democracy.  When the Arab Spring started, there was a sense of optimism from the Western world and in the minds of the people starting these revolutions, that finally democracy would gain a foothold in many authoritarian regimes.  Obviously, the road to democracy is not as smooth as many people hoped it would be.  I want you to watch this TED talk by Wadah Khanfar and answer the following questions (remember to use the same format as before, "1 question-1 post" with the # displayed before it) keeping in mind what we know now about the difficulty of such transitions:

1.  Do you feel that Khanfar was too optimistic in his expectations for the outcome of the Arab Spring?  Why or why not?
2.  He focuses much on the youth of these countries as a driving force because they embrace universal values.  How has that played out over the last couple of years?  Do you feel that the youth in these countries have the same role they did when he made this talk (February 2011)?  Why or why not?
3.  What kind of role should the regional media (e.g. Al-Jahzeera) play in the Arab Spring?  Should they be active promoters of these regime changes or should they simply be a purveyor and distributor of information regarding these (attempted) transitions?
4.  There is a focus on the non-violent aspect of these regime changes.  Knowing now that some of these regime changes have turned violent, do you still think it is worth the loss for these people to bring democracy?  Why or why not?
5.  Compare the paths of Tunisia (an optimistic example), Syria (civil war scenario), and Egypt (very difficult and drawn out process with recent military influence).  What do you think was the most important distinction between these three countries that are all a big part of the larger movement of the Arab Spring?  Why did they take such seemingly different paths?

There's no party like a UK party cuz a UK party has tea?

Aah, the United Kingdom.  Known for tea time, the Royal family, rainy weather, Guinness, Premier League football, nationalized healthcare, and accents we wish we had.  Sherlock Holmes, Andy Murray, Austin Powers, Monty Python, The Beatles and William Wallace all have called the UK their home.  Our cousins across the pond have a bit of a different political system than us, and they like it that way.  We like to claim democracy as our own invention, when, in fact, democracy and local self governance have been traditions for centuries in the UK (not without their fair share of stumbles along the way).  We know the road to democracy is not a straight line, and the UK is an enduring example of overcoming historical and national problems to achieve, and now maintain, what we call an advanced democracy.  For the purposes of this course, the UK is the place we can go to see democracy in action, or is it inaction?

I have posted three articles to illustrate some of the current social, economic, and political debates raging in Parliament right now, more specifically, in the House of Commons.  I want you to read all three articles and answer the following questions, then respond to another of your classmates answers as well, disagreeing, agreeing, or raising another question.  I want these posts to take on a life of their own (don't simply respond "I agree with you" I want some real critical thinking displayed here, you're supposed to be some of the best young minds in the nation, prove it) and as always, only constructive criticism!  Opinions should be backed up with facts and logic.  Any nastiness will not be tolerated.  Nobody likes trolls, especially the British kind!  

A few more things that will apply to all future blog assignments. You must be logged in.  No anonymous posting or you don't get credit.  Also, post your answers with the number of the question you are answering leading the post to expedite and focus any responses. (e.g." #1. The article on tax breaks illustrated...")  Do not post answers to all 4 questions in one post.  In the end you should post 4 times, with each post starting with the corresponding question number.  If you do not understand, email me.

1.  Which of the three articles did the best job of highlighting some of the policy differences between the political parties in the UK?  What were some of those policy differences?

2.  Which issue (social, economic, political) should be a priority for these British lawmakers?  Why?

3.  What is the most interesting thing that you learned about the UK while reading these articles?  What would you like to learn more about?

4.  Does the fact that the BBC is a state-owned media outlet diminish the reliability of it's reporting?  Why or why not?  Would you generalize your answer to include all publicly owned media outlets or does context matter?  Explain.

Democracy and advanced democracy lecture

Here is a link to my Prezi on democracy and advanced democracy.  It is relatively minimal but is a good review tool after we do a couple debates in class.  Any questions or comments about democracy or advanced democracy welcomed and encouraged below!

Where do you stand ideologically?

Go to this website to take the ideology test (click on the "Take the test" link on the left).  When you finish, answer the following questions and discuss with members of your group:

1.  Did you get the answer you expected?  Why or why not?

2. Did you feel that the test accurately characterized your political ideology? Why or why not?

3. Look at the historical figures you match up with.  Was this a surprise?  Is there anyone that has a seemingly similar ideology that you do not want to be associated with?

4.  Do you think if you took this test in five years the results might be different?  Why or why not?

Krisis in Kiev

"Dear subscriber, you are registered as a participant in a mass disturbance."

What would you do if you received that text message in the midst of a protest in your countries capital?  Well, many people in Ukraine had to answer that question yesterday.  Read this article from the independent for more info on the text and read this NPR article about the increasing intensity of the protests.
Ukraine is currently going through a major political upheaval.  Protesters from the pro-Europe west of the country are calling for the current President Victor Yanukovych to step down after he broke his promise to to be pro-EU.  This is specifically about Ukraine's relationship with the EU and Russia, but it is also a more broad protest against corruption in the bloated Ukrainian government.  Here is the latest article from BBC reporting on the situation.

A couple questions to consider about how it relates to some of the concepts and countries in this course.

1.  Is the Ukranian regime a democratic or authoritarian?  If the President was democratically elected, should he be able to pursue his own policy goals until his term is up?
2.  How does this relate to the different methods used by Putin to quell protests? Look at these political cartoons for more info.
3.  Who is in the wrong here?  The Ukrainian protesters for vowing to intensify the protest (with the assumption that violence is the next step)?  Or the President for breaking his promise and passing laws to stop the protests?

Comments welcomed below

Welcome to Spring 2014 COGOPO!

Welcome to Spring 2014 AP Comparative Government and Politics!  You will be using this blog as a launching point for many in class discussions about democracy, authoritarianism, political legitimacy, authority, political culture and many other topics.  The first assignment we will do is to familiarize you with the countries of study and the main storylines of 2013.  After you pick your country of expertise answer the following questions in your group for a brief presentation at the end of the class.  Sort of a State of the (insert country here).

1.  What are THE three major story lines of 2013 in your country?
2.  Why do you think these three story lines are important?  Why did you pick 'em?
3.  What, if anything, does the nature of these stories have to do with the history of your country?
4.  Do these story lines only have an impact on your country? Or do they have a more regional or international political impact?  Why is that?