Connecting Across the Globe

The Internet has given each of us access to millions of times the information of a single library, at our very fingertips. The Internet is an institution that is conducive to future stability and growth, yet its implementation has changed the way we think about information forever. The memorized lessons of our culture are now a 5 second search away.

Information and the speed at which it is transmitted around the world has changed dramatically with the modern Internet. Millions of dollars that were once spent on radio and TV campaigns are instead being spent on the Internet. Millions of pieces of mail that were once sent by paper and stamp are now beamed electronically for free. In the 1930’s, Franklin Delano Roosevelt began addressing the nation directly with his Fireside Chats radio show. Today, Barack Obama hosts his own Fireside Hangouts on Google+.

The Internet has changed geopolitics forever by intricately connecting people across the whole world. For example, when an airstrike occurs in the Ukraine, I have access to video footage minutes afterward. Imagine how different the world would be if video footage of Hiroshima and Nagasaki had been made available minutes after it happened. We are truly in an information exchange renaissance where ideas can be blasted simultaneously to nodes around the world at the speed of light, and it already has changed the way we do almost everything.

With this in mind, on March 5, the student ambassadors did a Face to Faith video conference with  Dian Didaktika Islamic Senior High School in Indonesia. Exchanging information and valuable insight across different cultures gave everyone a wider perspective of the world and the people around them. During the video-conference, we learned about the school system in Indonesia, shared our international experiences and discussed our future career plans. Two students even connected through their study of Japanese and starting a Japanese club! With the internet, we could easily connect, make friends, and unite across the globe.

By Vivian Kwan, Student Ambassador, Westmoor High School

Face to Faith works around the world to connect students of different faith in conversation. Please visit facetofaithonline.org to learn more and involve your students. 

 

Should freedom of speech extend to hate speech?

This is the latest Charlie Hebdo cover after the attack and assassinations of its leading journalists. It says, “Tout est pardonné” or “All is forgiven.”

On Thursday, January 15, Student Ambassadors reconvened for the first meeting of the second semester.

We discussed the effects of the Charlie Hebdo massacre and the kosher supermarket hostage crisis two days later. We debated whether or not Charlie Hebdo’s controversial and often times, perceived by some as “insulting comics” were a testament to no limitations on freedom of expression or instead proof that limitations on hate speech need to be put in place. Charlie Hebdo defended itself by saying it was “laique” (non-religious) and was offensive to everyone equally. All religions are satirized equally; no one is spared or immune from being poked at. However, as we discussed, in France, under Article R. 624-3, Article R. 624-4 and Article R. 625-7, there are restrictions on public or private hate speech, closely adhered to. Particularly after the Holocaust, triggered this approach to minimize or eliminate hate speech. Some people see this as helping society minimize discrimination, hate and violence, others as see it as an intrusion on democracy and unlimited freedom of speech.

The US does not currently have limitations on hate speech. Under the First Amendment, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” This is supported even in hate cases like Snyder v. Phelps, in which the leader of the Westboro Baptist Church argued that he was protected by the First Amendment in regards to his church’s picketing with signs many people consider particularly offensive. The Supreme Court’s 8-1 decision supported Phelps and denied restrictions on hate speech.

An invigorating and strong debate on both sides took place at the World Affairs Council over this topic. However, the “no limit” on free speech side won the argument overwhelmingly. The dialogue, however, opened people’s eyes and awareness to both sides of the issue and led to a very interesting discussion.

As a French citizen, the horrible massacre affected me very deeply. From a personal viewpoint, I do not think that the “hate speech” restrictions are really that limiting. Charlie Hebdo and other satirical newspapers can “insult” everyone equally and become aware of their blind spots. However, true hate, not meant as a satirical joke, but to inflict harm upon others (at least in theory) is limited by the “hate speech” restriction laws and protects French citizens from extreme viewpoints. That does not always prevent violence, as this horrible incident has shown. The US’s “no restrictions ever” policy is another way to support freedom of expression. This protects liberty above all. However, you could also argue this protects people, like the Westboro Baptist Church, to let them preach hate and get away with it. There is a different set of pros and cons to that approach. However, in my opinion, “hate speech” restrictions show unity and that “le peuple Français” will not stand for any hate onto any citizens and this builds solidarity among the French population. The recent attacks just help prove that the world needs to be united against this ever-growing threat of ISIL and Al Qaeda. As Charb (one of the main editors of the paper who was gunned down) said: “Je préfère mourir debout que vivre a genou.” Or “ I prefer to die standing up, then live on my knees,” I believe that is what we are all fighting for: as countries and as people, for a safer, more peaceful world.

 

Please share your ideas about free speech by leaving a comment below.

 

Zoé-Pascale Roux, Student Ambassador, Lycée Français de San Francisco

 

Educators, feel free to use our Lesson Plan on Charlie Hebdo to bring this discussion to your classroom.

 

Student Ambassadors: Discussing ISIL

US Pounds Targets Outside Besieged Syrian City of Kobani. -NBC News

On October 16, we had our second Student Ambassador meeting at the World Affairs Council and in our Socratic Seminar we discussed the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also known as ISIS or ISIL.

We debated issues such as the influence of social media on ISIS operations and recruitment, how the international community should respond to hostage negotiations, the influence of Turkey in the region, the Responsibility to Protect doctrine (R2P) and the use of air strikes in Iraq and Syria.

As of right now, unmanned drone and air strikes have been the primary method used by foreign nations to exert a military presence in Iraq and Syria. A recent Al Jazeera article reports that US-led drone strikes in the last month have killed an estimated 500 ISIS soldiers, but that these strikes have had little effect on ISIS.

I consider drones to be an ineffective method of military intervention because as John Boehner said, “it will take more than airstrikes to destroy ISIL.” Furthermore, the consequences of airstrikes often outweigh the benefits.

In the case of the fight against ISIS, drone strikes often result in the disruption of civilian life. US led forces conducted airstrikes on three makeshift oil refineries in Syria as part of a plan to decrease the revenue of ISIS. Rami Abdelrahman of the Observatory told Reuters, “these so-called refineries are not a real target, and they do not weaken Islamic State, as they do not have any financial value for them. They are composed of trucks with equipment to separate diesel and petrol used by civilians.” Similar strikes have resulted in the doubling of oil prices for civilians without any clear cost to ISIS.

ISIS has also been using drone strikes and the civilian casualties that occasionally occur with drone strikes to recruit more soldiers to fight in Iraq, Syria, and against the West.

In summation, airstrikes have disrupted civilian life, resulted in ISIS gaining more support and have failed to stop the advance of ISIL fighters. I invite you to leave comments on what you think is the best way to stop ISIL.

By Alex Sahai, Student Ambassador, Lick-Wilmerding High School

Educators, if you would like to lead a Socratic Seminar on this topic, we welcome you to use our reading packet and lesson plan: Fish bowl Discussion on ISIL. 

 

Meeting 4: The Trial of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

The defendant

Spoiler alert: If you do not yet know the results of Turkey’s presidential election, either read this article to catch up or stop reading this post! 

“and the prosecution now calls the Turkish army to the stand!”

During our fourth Summer Institute meeting, students stepped into the roles of lawyers and witnesses to bring Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan*, to trial. The crime in question? Is he leading Turkey in the right direction. Formerly serving as Prime Minister, Erdoğan has been in power now for 11 years; however his longevity and power have been tainted with corruption charges, criminalizing descent, violently suppressing protests and imprisoning journalists.

So why would the Turkish citizenry continue electing and supporting a supposedly corrupt anti-Twitter and Islamist politician? Because Erdoğan is also an extremely savvy statesman who has improved the economy, kept his country secure in a volatile region, negotiated with Kurd separatists and raised the standard of living for a great majority of the population.

Our esteemed economists

To answer this difficult question,  we analyzed then Prime Minister Erdoğan’s rule by looking at some of the most affected populations within Turkey. Specifically, we questioned economists, Islamists, members of the press,  judges, the Turkish Army and members of the Kurdish minority in the south.

Again, we come back to the original question: is Erdoğan leading Turkey in the right direction? We now have five more years to figure it out.

Educators, if you would like to bring President Erdoğan to trial in your classroom, feel free to use our mock trial activity,  supplementary reading packet and video from the World Affairs Council event with Mustafa Akyol. These materials were prepared before Mr. Erdoğan’s electoral victory, but most of the resources are still relevant.  

By Netta Ascoli, Education Program Officer, World Affairs Council

*One of the first things we did in class was go over the proper pronunciation of Mr. Erdoğan’s name. Here is a link to a helpful audio file. 

 

Meeting 3: A Modern Education

 

Lowell High School is one of San Francisco’s most competitive public schools

The United States is famous throughout the world for its higher education; names like Yale, Harvard, Cal and MIT are recognized from Algeria to Zambia. Yet, how does a country with such powerhouse universities score so middle of the road in primary schooling? The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), developed and monitored by the OECD, has found US students to be below average in mathematics, ranking 34 out of 63 competing countries. While the students did better in reading and science, they were still unable to crack the top 20 of competing countries in any of the three main subjects. Poor test scores are not tied to a lack of funds, as only Austria, Luxembourg, Norway and Switzerland pay more per student among countries associated with PISA. The US spends $115,000 on education per child. So how do the other countries do it? We looked at two case studies that yield similar results through dramatically different means. Finland is continuously ranked the highest in education around the world. After initiating huge education reforms decades ago, Finland has abandoned the centralized model of education that is based on testing and evaluation. Furthermore:

• Finnish children start school after age seven, and are not measured for the first six years of school. There is only one mandatory standardized test in Finland, taken at age 16.
• All children regardless of ability are taught in the same classrooms.
• Elementary students in Finland get 75 minutes of recess a day versus an average of 27 minutes in the US.
• 93 percent of Finns graduate from high school (17.5% higher than the US).
• Teachers spend 4 hours a day in the classroom, and take 2 hours a week for “professional development.” Teachers are selected from the top 10% of graduates, and are given the same status as doctors and lawyers
• The school system is 100% state funded.

South Korea is ranked alongside Finland as one of the best countries for education, yet the educational methods employed are starkly different. South Korean students and families participate in the “world’s fiercest competition for a top-of-the-line education,” with many children beginning English tutoring in kindergarten. Furthermore, many families split up in order to get the best education for their children: “Government data [from 2012] showed that 10 percent of married couples now live apart, twice the rate of 2000. Families who separate for the sake of education have become so commonplace, they even have a name: kirogi kajok, or goose families, because their reunions require a migration.”Education experts say Koreans have mixed emotions about their education system. On one hand, Koreans are among the world’s elite students: they have the top reading and math scores, as well as the highest rates for high school and college graduation, among 37 countries ranked by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. But Korean students also rank among the world’s unhappiest, and for the last few years, suicide has become the top cause of death for young Koreans.

After initial discussion on  South Korea and Finland , Summer Institute participants were challenged to create their own high school curriculum based on the University of California system’s A-G requirements.  While the groups all had some variation in what they considered to be of key importance, all of them believed developing a second language was integral to student development. Some other ideas included strengthening geography and cultural studies, developing math programs with real world applications and a heavier emphasis on world history. One of the challenges was the decision to highlight certain subjects at the expense of others. After all, there are only so many courses a student can take in high school. As the groups shared their revisions of the A-G requirements, it quickly became evident that choice and the ability to explore passions was a common denominator to their dream education.

Educators, if you would like to use this activity in your classroom, we welcome you to download our Reading Packet on International Education and Comparing Education Systems worksheet. 

By Netta Ascoli, Education Program Officer and Samir Belkacem, Education Program Intern

 

Meeting 2: The World’s Most Expensive Swiss Army Knife

US Soldiers unload humanitarian aid for distribution to the town of Rajan Kala, Afghanistan, Dec. 5, 2009 -wikipedia.org

The second session of the Summer Institute asked a question that has been on the minds of politicians, academics, activists and policy wonks alike “what should the US role in the world be?” To properly discuss and investigate this inquiry, students tackled issues such as the responsibility to protect doctrine (R2P), military intervention, sovereignty, humanitarian aid and multilateralism, applying them to conflicts such as the Balkan War, Rwandan genocide, intervention in Somalia, the US invasion of Iraq and the current war in Syria. From our fishbowl style conversations, we learned that the students had a variety of opinions regarding just how the United States should act on the world stage:

• “The United States should not spend 37% of global military spending.”- Alex
• “Until the economy is performing at its highest level, there is a surplus and no national debt and all federal programs have the budget they need, the United States needs to have more of an internal focus and work on domestic problems before it goes out trying to solve the problems of other countries.” – Whit
• “Due to astounding costs and negative aspects involved , military intervention should always be the last tool on our ‘Ways to Help List,’ not the first.”- Vivian
• “I strongly believe that humanitarian intervention is worth a try because it works more effectively in comparison to military intervention. The cost of humanitarian aid is low and much more manageable.” – Mi

We were lucky to have two of the World Affairs Council’s Veteran Fellows, Anthony Alfidi and Joshua Keller-Fish, join us; they provided on-the-ground expertise and personal insight to this topic. According to Nava, “I feel that my perspective was widened. What struck me the most was how even after committing for so long to the military, both of these men were able to think critically about its effect…Both men used their knowledge of the history of US military intervention in order to consider its role in the future.” In particular, the students were struck by two observations offered by our Veteran Fellows:

1. Mr. Keller spoke about how many stable democracies became so after being allowed to fight an all-out war without any intervention, such as the case in Europe. He challenged the students to think about allowing the US to stand back and let countries deal with their problems internally.
2. Mr. Alfidi described the US’s military as the world’s most expensive Swiss Army Knife – being useful and effective for many things, but perhaps not necessary and appropriate in all situations. This statement caused students to look at interventions in a more rational and cost benefit type of mentality.

This question has no easy answer, but through our discussion each student expanded their own understanding to the types of areas in which our military can and should be involved.

Educators, if you would like to lead a fishbowl discussion about the US role in the world, we welcome you to use our lesson plan and reading packet.

By Netta Ascoli, Education Program Officer, World Affairs Council

 

Meeting 1: Define American

Jose Antonio Vargas speaking about immigration

It is that time of year again!  The Summer Institute has kicked off  again with high school and community college students from around the Bay Area converging at the World Affairs Council.

At the first meeting, students delved into the complexities of immigration policy. They examined the vastly different laws in the US and various countries around the world, including Japan, Canada and France.

After discussing the situation in the US, the students watched “Documented,”  a documentary by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Jose Antonio Vargas.  “Documented” illustrates Vargas’ victories and struggles living as an undocumented immigrant in the US and his quest to clarify US immigration policy and attain citizenship.

Watching this insightful film opened the door for a fuller conversation on defining who exactly is an American. Merriam Webster Dictionary defines American as: a person born, raised, or living in the US. After viewing the film, one student astutely commented on the difficulty in defining just what it means to be an American and that it might not necessarily mean the person is also a citizen of the US.

From the discussion, students came to believe that being an American can mean many things:
• Someone who “contributes to the economic growth of the country and believes in the democracy of the government.”
• Someone who “wants to make this country a better place.”
• Asking “not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”
• Someone “chasing the American dream.”

How do you define American? Please add to our discussion by contributing your definition in the comments!

Teachers, if you would like to teach this module about Jose Antonio Vargas and immigration, we welcome you to use our lesson plan on immigration and this video of Mr. Vargas speaking at WorldAffairs 2014.

By Netta Ascoli, Education Program Officer and Samir Belkacem, Education Program Intern