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.