***All senior seminar students must complete the "Global Citizenship Survey" by the end of the semester. Click on the links below to complete the survey.
Course Readings
I. Sep 3: China's 'one child' birth policy (Click on each title for a link)
1. China Steps up 'one child' policy
2. The Effects of China's One-Child Policy After 25 Years
3. China
To Reconsider one Child Limit
For the synopsis part of your essay just summarize the basics of the one child policy (why, when, how etc...).
For the commentary address whether or not you would continue the policy if you were the leader of China. To do so compare and contrast the positive and negative impacts. Base your opinion with some kind of rationale based in the readings.
***Special Note** You only have to write one 1 to 1.5 page essay
for all the readings. Not an essay for each of the individual readings.
II. Sep 10: Is US Agricultural Policy Creating a Global Food Crisis?
1. For background on the cuurent global sitation click here. Read Day 1 "The New Economics of Hunger," and Day 2 "Where Every Meal is a Sacrifice."
2. For information on the impacts of agricultural subsidies:
a. Arguments against agricultural subsidies
1. The Enduring Racket: Why the rich won't budge on farm subsidies
2. Africa urges removal of subsidies to end poverty
3. Farm subsidies that starve the world
Arguments in support of agricultural subsidies
1. End
to subsidies would not end rural poverty
III. Sep 17: Should New Orleans be Abandoned?
3. An editorial in favor of abandoning New Orelans
4. Some arguments for rebuilding:
Vital
to the US., Louisiana Must Recover
IV. Sep 24: The Oceans
1. Map Shows Toll on World's Oceans
2. Only 50 Years Left for Sea Fish
3. Critical danger warning on fish
4. Deep Sea Trawling's Great Harm
5.
Sea of Trash
IV. Oct 8: Environmental and Social Issues of the Three Gorges Dam
1. For a broad introduction Click here
2. The International Rivers Network is a group that examines environmental and social issues concerning rivers. Read their introduction to issues involed with the Three Gorges Dam.
3. Click on the "In the Media" link on the left side of the page and read the following: "Three Gorges Revisited," "The Dammed: Environmentalists Watch and Wait for Opening of World's Largest Dam," "Three Gorges Threatens Vast Fishery."
4. Then go to the "Publications" section and open up "Human Rights
Dammed off at Three Gorges." You don't have to read every word of
this report, but you should skim it thoroughly.
As far as your essay is concerned, follow the typical model for the class. After a one paragraph introduction to the topic, compare and contrast the positive and negative social and environmental impacts of the Three Gorges Dam. Another way to put this would be what positive environmental and social impacts do proponents (the Chinese government) of the dam posit, and then what are the negative social and environmental impacts that critics of the project raise in their arguments?
For the commentary, focus on whether or not you think something like
this could/would be built in the US today.
V. Should the Glen Canyon Dam be Decommissioned?
1. Click here to visit a site dedicated to preventing the draining of Lake Powell. Spend some time checking out this website, especially the "25 good reasons not to drain Lake Powell" link.
2. Click here to visit a site by a group dedicated to decommissioning the Glen Canyon Dam. Check this site out. Concentrate on the differences between how this group and the Friends of Lake Powell present their facts.
3. Lastly, here's a link
to a recent article. Although it's not about Glen Canyon/Lake Powell,
it is very relevant to this discussion
VI. Tropical Deforestation in Indonesia
1. Introduction: Forest Survey Shows Big Holes and Illegal Logging--General Overview
2. Forests in Indonesia: Jakarta Warned over Forest Crisis, Loggers Threaten Orangutans, Indonesia's Illegal Logging Crisis
For the commentary portion of your essay address whether or not you
think the United States government is truly trying to prevent illegal logging
and tropical deforestation.
VII. The Great Spotted Owl Controversy (**Note: Some of the readings load slowly--especially the first article in # 4. All of these links work, just make sure you wait and allow a minute or so for the full text of the articles to appear before you get mad and smash your computer.)
1. For background on the spotted owl read: Owls Face Spotted Future
2. For background on how the government attempts to protect animals facing extinction and the issues involved read: The Endangered Species Act Debate (Warning, this is a pdf file)
3. For background on issues specific to the Endangered Species Act and the spotted owl, read: Spotted Owl Debate Renewed
4. For the latest news on this topic read: Proposal Would Cut Spotted Owl's Habitat and Scientists See Politics in Spotted Owl Plan
For your essay follow the standard format. Summarize the connections
between the spotted owl and the Endangered Species Act. Then, for
the synopsis, comment on the Bush administration's proposal.
IX. The Social and Environmental Impacts of the "New Gold Rush"
1. Click here and here for introductory readings on the impact of gold mining in the developing world.
2. Now go to the report The Curse of Gold by the organization Human Rights Watch, which examines the role of gold mining in the continual conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This is quite a lengthy reading, so here are some tips: 1. Read part 1 "Summary" and part 4 "Background: Enriching the Elites" very carefully because these parts summarize the most important findings of the group's investigation. 2. As you are reading these sections do not get caught up with trying to keep track of all the individual names and events. Instead, just concentrate broadly on what has happened and the role that gold mining has played in the conflict 3. Read the introduction and conclusion of parts 5, 6, 7, and 8 to get an idea of what each of these parts is about.
3. Go to http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16988100 for an article that shows the connections between some of our latest course themes (tropical deforestation and the social and environmental impacts of the new gold rush). While this isn't required reading (you could read it less than 3-4 minutes) I would like for everyone to go to the slideshow "Amazon Gold Rush" to get a visual image of what's going on in these places we talk/read about.
For your essay write about the similarities and differences of the impacts
of the new gold rush in the Congo and in Choropampa.
X. Should the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) be opened for oil drilling?
1. For a broad overview read War Over Arctic Oil from Time Magazine (6 pages)
2. For a report on the last political action regarding the area, read Senate Votes to Open Arctic Refuge to Oil Drilling from MSNBC. Go through the pictures in the slideshow.
3. Then click here for the
pro-drilling perspective and click here
for the anti-drilling side of the debate. Spend some time reading
and checking out both of these web sites. You should come to class
prepared to discuss the arguments on both sides of the issue and your own
opinion on the topic. Some issues to consider are: how does each
side broadly portray the landscape of the region where ANWR is located
to support their ideals? what is each side's argument regarding the
impacts on wildlife and the environment overall, the amount of oil there
and the role of ANWR in US energy independence and gas prices?
XI. Discussion over "An Inconvenient Truth."
XII. Geopolitics and the Next Great Resource Frontier
1. For an introduction read: The Arctic's New Gold Rush.
2. Then read: As Polar Ice Turns to Water, Dreams of Treasure Abound
While reading this article make sure to look at the graphics "Unlocking an Ocean," and "Two ways to Split up the Arctic Ocean."
Note that this is story consists of seven web pages. You may want to print or choose the one page option.
3. For the most recent news on the environmental situation: Arctc
Sea Ice Melting Season Begins
For your synopsis assume you are the head of an international governmental
organization (UN for example). What kind of ideas would you have
to solve the problems and issues involved with this new resource frontier?
Last modified 9/8/08