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clay dube.
AnonymousRecently shown on the History International channel (do they sell copies?) part of the "China: the Dragon's Ascent "series.
Today's peasants complain to local officials about housing destruction because of new road building. However, once displaced from longowned property, they can't afford new housing, school fees or ever increasing taxes.
The citizens threaten "Solve it or we'll expose you to the TV station." Soon after they are paid enough to relocate. The peasants say "we don't know enough to question things" but still find a way to solve their problem effectively!
They are still taxed via rice for payment. Taxes are continually levied/raised in "preparation for floods/droughts."
Also, they cite Mao's theory to not "force peasants to work and provide education for them."
Furthermore, they see and nod to the future in wanting more and now.
Class use: taxation, politics, education rights, strong arming, rezoning & eminent domain of property seizure
AnonymousSeen in a recent L.A. Times article.
A small town Chinese couple left behind their children to move to the big city and work in a factory. With the money they earned they could pay for the education of their children. They looked forward to New Years- the only few days to go home and visit family and they have only 1 day off per month.
Although sad about leaving their 2 kids parentless (w/grandparents), they were optimistic that their children were better off with an education.
However, the husband was soon diagnosed with a terminal lung disease produced by the silica he continually inhaled at the gem factory who produce rocks for Liz Claiborne and others. When the factory
learned of his condition, he and others like him, were all fired 3 days later.
The couple soon ran through the small corporate payoff on massive/continual medical bills and could no longer afford to make education payments for their children. They had to quit school and have not returned and probably won't ever- they are now 8 & 14.
As a result, the entire family is much worse off financially for the move and faced with the impending loss of both a father and primary wage earner.
Class application: compare/contrast w/ Our employee grievance & health benefits system (or lack of)
AnonymousAnother piece of new news concerning China is regard to the valuation of the Chinese Yuan.
The Chinese government dictates the value of the Yuan in relation to other currencies rather than allowing the market make this decision. Many nations, lead by the U.S. have been bitterly complaing about this practice as they have claimed that the PRC is artificially devaluating the Yuan so as to make Chinese products cheaper outside of China. On Wednesday or Thursday the Chinese government agreed to allow the Yuans value to slide a bit. Not as much as some wanted, but it is a change, it appears the Chinese government may have bowed (a bit) to external pressures. it will be interesting to see how this change might alter prices and if it is only the start.
Uses: Government and economics classes
David Dandridge
AnonymousAn interesting topic for debate/discussion (for a government class maybe) would be the China-Taiwan situation and how various nations including the US have and are handdling it.
In prticular ilooking at how we view thi situation to radically differently than The PRC and how we handle it so differently from other "internal"l national disputes, or is this "internal?" How do we define "internal" and does that definition change over time or as conditions change (double standards)?
A venue for good discussion, and one with new pieces of data being added quite frequently, posibly allowing a return to the topic multiple times over time.
David Dandridge
AnonymousThe drought in China has upped the concentration of pollutants in irrigation water thanks to the pharmaceutical factory runoff. In retaliation they pelted the plant with rocks/tools forcing a suspension in production. Since the farmers distrust local leaders/political system they prefer to fix things themselves. This is not an isolated incident as villagers are rising against corruption, pollution and land seizures. Meanwhile party officials want to solve peacefully yet local authorities react with indifference creating frustration, violence & bloodshed. When the plant started up again the farmers again resorted to violence. Then the government stepped in to oversee safety measures.
China's rapid economic growth is destroying the health, habits & welfare of traditional dwellers. As a result, people are losing traditional jobs, land & resources. Without education or reeducation what choice do they have?
Would make an interesting assignment to examine the scope of such problems, responses to the problems and projected outlook on them. To carry that further, how do they compare to our situation at home? Do they have music stars and Farm Aid fund raisers? What about gov't crop subsidization? How about pollution, related acts/programs and how much are they adhered/upheld? We have plenty of those problems happening here. I know China has restrictions but companies often escape with levied fines which are often not paid.
see related story
http://tokyo.usembassy.gov/e/p/tp-20050728-09.html%5BEdit by="kdietrick on Jul 28, 2:35:56 PM"][/Edit]
AnonymousAre history and objectivity inextricably intertwined in a paradoxical mutual exclusivity? Texts are malleable forms that can be shaped, like clay, by an author. What makes texts difficult is the same thing that makes understanding life situations so difficult. X breaks up with Y ending the relationship. The story will change depending on whom you talk to. X will say one thing and Y another. X's best friend will have a completely different story as will Y's best friend. It's a game of telephone, and that is just the nature of life and information. Now comes a problem, something happens; something that future generations should know about. Who tells it and how? What were the 1960's in America? I've read books that conflict with history teachers that conflict with folks that lived throughout the period. And even the follks disagree. What will be written of it? So perspective seems to be the key. The awareness that despite History's attempt at objectivity true history is an oxymoron is essential. So what is there to talk about regarding revisionism in history-just who is revising and what their agenda is. Critical thinking regarding perspective seems to be the key. The ideal text would include multiple views on the same incident by as many different perspectives. Because History texts generally eschew this approach, a sort of myopic perspective reigns, typically that of the most powerful. So we as teachers should work to counter single perspectives. The 1960's in America-look to Newspaper articles, video, audio, books, words of hippies, musicians, bums, politicians, blue collars, white collars, no collars, and whatever else you can get your hands on. Is this right or wrong? Does it diminish the authority and importance of History? I'm not sure-
AnonymousWhen the Tsunami hit the Indian Ocean affecting the surrounding countries mostly in Asia. It seemed like amovie. Never again in history has there been such a disaster. Are the warning machines enough to prevent another Tsunami? It was a disaster that must be avoided at all costs.
clay dubeMatt Forney (previously reporting for NPR and the Far Eastern Economic Review, now writing for Time) has just posted an article discussing "Why China Loves to Hate Japan." The complete entry is at:
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1139759,00.html
An excerpt:
***
Chinese kids can be forgiven for thinking Japan is a nation of "devils," a slur used without embarrassment in polite Chinese society. They were raised to feel that way, and not just through cartoons. Starting in elementary school children learn reading, writing and the "Education in National Humiliation." This last curriculum teaches that Japanese "bandits" brutalized China throughout the 1930s and would do so today given half a chance. Although European colonial powers receive their share of censure, the main goal is keeping memories of Japanese conquest fresh. Thousands of students each day, for instance, take class trips to the Anti-Japanese War Museum in Beijing to view grainy photos of war atrocities — women raped and disemboweled, corpses of children stacked like cordwood. As one 15-year-old girl in a blue and yellow school uniform, Ji Jilan, emerged from a recent visit to the gallery, she told a TIME correspondent: "After seeing this, I hate Japanese more than ever."
***
Of course, Japanese soldiers and others did commit atrocities during the invasion and occupation of China (beginning with the effective seizure of Manchuria in 1931 through Japan's surrender in 1945). Forgetting this would be an injustice, just as forgetting the cruelty of segregation would be an American tragedy. But is it proper to systematically stir hatred of people who were not responsible (in fact, most Japanese were not alive in 1945) for what happened then? How should we teach about these issues?
clay dubeTime correspondent Jim Frederick has posted a dispatch on the Time website discussing how China's rise is causing consternation in Japan and has fueled nationalist sentiments. Frederick discusses how PM Koizumi's visits to the Yasukuni shrine address domestic political concerns while angering many of Japan's neighbors.
An excerpt from the article:
***
Although the name Yasukuni means "Peaceful Nation," the Shine's controversial history has been anything but peaceful. Built in 1869, Yasukuni Shrine commemorates the souls of more than 2.5 million of Japan's war dead. During Japan's colonial era, military and political leaders made the shrine a focal point of Japan's native religion, which they used to help justify Tokyo's drive to conquer Asia. Nationalist propaganda proclaimed that the souls of those who sacrificed their lives at war for Japan would live on forever, venerated as heroes, at Yasukuni. Soldiers, pilots and seamen heading into battle would frequently bid farewell to each other by saying, "See you at Yasukuni."
***
Shrines and symbols are potent subjects for class discussions. How might we help students to discuss and understand the power and uses of such places/signs?
clay dubeProf. Robert Entenmann of St. Olaf College recently suggested the following works:
John Dower, "Three Narratives of Our Humanity," in Edward T. Lilienthal and Tom
Englehard, eds., History Wars: The Enola Gay and Other Battles for the American Past (New York: Henry Holt, 1996). Dower cites a 1994 poll where 80% of the Japanese surveyed felt their government had not done enough to compensate those countries Japan invaded.
Ian Buruma, The Wages of Guilt: Memories of War in Germany and Japan, (New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1994).
Laura Hein and Mark Selden, Censoring History: Citizenship and Memory in Japan, (Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe, 2000).
clay dubeThe Pol Pot-led Khmer Rouge dominated all of Cambodia for a bit less than four years and during that period exterminated millions of people. Henri Locard's new book, Pol Pot's Little Red Book: The Sayings of Angkar examines the slogans used to mobilize people and the speeches where party and state policy was articulated. Attached is a review of the book by Jason Edwards. The review was published by the Genocide discussion list of H-Net, a terrific resource for history teachers and others. You can find H-Net at: http://www.h-net.msu.edu/
AnonymousWell, I see it’s been a year and Chinese anger over perceived whitewashing of historic events by the Japanese is still causing problems. I read an article today at BBC news on the Internet that covered a lot of general background on the tensions between Japan and China. The textbook issue is cited along with the recent visits by the Japanese PM to shrines that honor war criminals and other points of contention for the two nations
Here's the link
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5050900.stm
Sorrry, but I can't get the link to paste properly. You'll have to cut and paste it.
The article is actually reporting the release of aids and loans delayed since March by Japan to China. Seems as though this may signal a slight warming of relations.
There are several links with the article, and I particularly appreciated the analysis of the current strategic balance between Japan and China and their conflicts over power, economic growth, resources (especially oil), military strength, disputed islands and of course Taiwan.
In terms of the textbook issue specifically, I really try and get my students to consider whose version of history we are studying. As Clay mentioned in Saturday's session, the determination of content and curriculum is unblievably powerful. What you don't study may be even more important in shaping your beliefs and expectations than what you choose to examine.
I'm not sure how many of them really get this, but some do and I think its one of the most important lessons.
AnonymousI think we can express the outrage that horrible atrocities were committed without associating the crimes to the people who are living sixty to seventy years later. The same goes with our treatment of Native American Indians and the Japanese who suffered in the internment camps during world War II. What we can do is show that humanity from all walks of life are capable of some terrible things and even our thoughts can show us what we are capable of. We might want to spend more time looking inward and checking our own hearts when discussing these issues.
AnonymousOther things that I found in reading the book is Mao's love of violence, his willingness to sacrifice the lives in order to finance his nuclear programme and his constant love of intrigue to obtain his status as a cult hero to be worshipped. He was even willing to risk nuclear war to achieve his goals because he was relying on the huge number of Chinese. Chang put him on par with Hitler.[Edit by="rspringer on Sep 19, 9:42:16 PM"][/Edit]
AnonymousGood resources for teaching about the recent past are "Time for Kids" magazine and website and "Current Events" magazines. "Time For Kids" is very good about dealing with current issues. I remember reading and discussing an article on the topic of the Japanese textbook with my class. TFK also has a companion website with archived arcticles on just about any topic in the news. In addition to these articles, there is a "Go Places" section that teaches students about the history, geography, and daily life of countries in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. "Current Events" is also wonderful because it presents a current news story and includes a seperate "Timeline" section that traces the history of the issue.