2nd Marking Period Project - Comparative Government Research Paper

Your final two blog assignments for the second marking period are also preparation for the culminating final trailer project. You will need to summarize the political system of a nation of your choice an identify a specific modern-day political problem or conflict within the nation (this may ultimately be you trailer topic.) This component of the project must be completely individually.

Part A: One page government summary Due Thursday April 22

Summarize the political history of that nation (has it ever been colonized? Involved in international or civil wars, etc?)

Describe the structrue of power and decision making in that nation (checks and balances, crime and punishment, party systems, etc.)

Who is presently in charge in that nation? What have been his/ her achievements thus far?

How does this government compare to the others we have studied?

Include MLA citations of no fewer than 2 specific sources. I find www.cia.gov and www.bbc.co.uk particularly helpful.

The proper format for citing a website or online article is

Author last, First name (or publishing group), "Title of Article." Title of website. Date posted.

Example: Francis, Bridgette "Is Britain a True Democracy?" Comparative Government Through Film Spring 2010 Blogsite. 8 April 2010.



Part B: Contemporary problems/ conflict component Due Tues April 27

For the final blog assignment of the second marking period you will summarize three articles on a political and/or human rights issue in a nation of your choice in a historical or modern context. The issue or event you select will ultimately shape the film/documentary trailer you will be working on next marking period, so be sure you are genuinely interested in the topic.


The articles selected for this assignment must reflect international perspectives (they must be from the media of at least TWO different nations.)

Questions you MUST answer in your summary include:

WHat are the roots of this problem/conflict?
Who is being most directly affected?
Who is responsible or being held responsible?
How are leaders and organizations working to alleviate this problem?
How does the structure of power in this nation contribute to or alleviate this problem?


Note: if you haven't completed the first part of this project, please select a nation and move forward with this assignment anyway. I'll be happy to help you chose one - just ask!


Some topics you might like to research include:

Effects and events of specific wars in your nation of study

Race based conflict and discrimination

Women’s suffrage/ voting rights

Universal suffrage/ voting rights

Impact of specific leaders and/ or dictators

Gender parity (difference) and/or discrimination

Labor issues, strikes, and unions

Genocide

Imperial rule and colonialism

Indigenous/ native rights

Terrorism

Health crises

Human trafficking (may be labor or sex work related)

Pollution, water and waste management

Poverty

Industrialization

Child rights issues (soldiers, labor, slavery, orphan crises, health crises, education and infanticide (killing of unwanted babies) are some issues you might chose to focus on)


For the purposes of this assignment you must Cite your THREE internet or printed articles in MLA format( http://www.easybib.com/ ) will format citations for you in MLA if you have the necessary information.

No fewer than 200 words - articles must be recent (last 5 years)

trailer study (complete four on sheet)

In order to help you think through the format of your Political Issue Documentary or Feature trailer project, you and your Production Team are asked to view and analyze at least SIX trailers from the links below. You must view at least two documentary and two feature trailers. These should be a mix of ametur and professionally produced films.

Features (trailers available for view in large format at www.yahoo.movies.com click on “trailers”):

City of God - street children in Brazil
Paradise Now- suicide bombing and the Israeli Palestinian Conflict
Maria Full of Grace- drug trafficking
Osama- women's rights in Afghanistan
Bread and Roses- immigrant worker rights/ labor organizing USA
The Last King of Scotland - dictatorship of Idi Amin in Uganda
Human Trafficking - self explanatory

Documentaries:
God Grew Tired of Us: children of war in Sudan: http://www.spout.com/films/God_Grew_Tired_of_Us/261762/921795/trailers.aspx

Born Into Brothels – young women born into sex trafficking in India
http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/299929/Born-Into-Brothels/trailers

Sicko: Health care in US and Canada
http://www.spout.com/films/Sicko/284216/35687/trailers.aspx

Afghan Star: investigates how increased access to free speech and the growing popularity of POP IDOL is informing cultural values in Post-Taliban Afghanistan
http://www.afghanstardocumentary.com/watch_sm.html

Inheritance - an American woman comes to terms with the Nazi roots of her family's wealth: http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2008/inheritance/index.html

Various POV doucmentaries are available for view at: http://www.pbs.org/pov/filmarchive.php

Several SHORT documentaries concerning global human rights issues are available for view at:www.mediathatmattersfest.org

Rights on the Line - Immigrant Rights:
http://www.mediathatmattersfest.org/7/rights_on_the_line_vigilantes_at_the_border/index.php?fs=about

Bread: Poverty in Guatemala:
http://www.mediathatmattersfest.org/6/bread/

POSTED BY MISS. FRANCIS AT 6:28 AM 0 COMMENTS

Is Britain a true democracy?

In class this week several of you raised the issue that Parliament has several features inconsistent with the system of democracy; namely the influence of the Church of England as expressed through the presence of 26 Bishops in the House of Lords and the Hereditary Peer seats, which account for 92 of Parliament’s members.

This weekend you will explore several perspectives on the structure and functions of the modern British Parliament and answer our framing question above to prepare for a seminar that will be introduced on Monday, Is Britain a true democracy?


Directions: Summarize the role of all of the following auspices of British Parlaiment - The House of Commons, House of Lords and The Government.

Answer TWO of the questions below on your blog. Be prepared to discuss them in the seminar.

A) To what extent do appointment and election procedures relfect democratic government?

B) Many feel that the appointment of Lords by the Government (who are the Prime Minister's Cabinet) ensures that politics are influenced by individuals skilled in their fields rather than politicans who are likeable and popular figures.
With this in mind, do you think the British or American legislature is more likely to make informed legislation?

C) Are the 26 seats held by the Bishops a corruption of democracy or an expression of British culture and political tradition?

Resources:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/4828094.stm

http://www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/HofLBpmembership.pdf

http://www.parliament.uk/education/online-resources/whiteboard-resources.htm

your blog must be 250 words.

British Politics Today: What exactly can and does the Queen do? Is the Parlaiment or Monarchy the ruling body in the United Kingdom?

Upon returning from break we'll be examining the British Government and modern politics in the United Kingdom. In brief, the leader of Parliment is the Prime Minister, and it is he or she who is essentially the exectuive leader of Great Britain. The Queen, however, remains the Head of State of the United kingdom and over a dozen independent commonwealths. Your blog this weekend asks you to analyze the changing and contested role of the British Monarchy in the modern world.

Directions: Actively read the articles below:

The British Government: An Overview
http://www.britannia.com/gov/gov4.html

How the Commonwealth sees the Queen:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4922394.stm

The Queen admits monarchy must evolve to survive:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/the-queen-admits-monarchy-must-evolve-to-survive-650187.html


2. Summarize the structure of government in Great Britain and the UK.
Reference each article and explain what powers and influence the Queen has on British politics and culture.


3. Based on the articles, how has the Queen's political and cultural role and influence changed in recent history? Refer to at least three nations and multiple perspectives in your response.

Due Wed. 4/7 at the begining of class

Can Theocracy Be Democratic: Analyzing Politics in Modern Iran

Article 1 of the Iranian Constitution reads:
The form of government of Iran is that of an Islamic Republic, endorsed by the people of Iran on the basis of their longstanding belief in the sovereignty of truth and Koranic justice, in the referendum of 29 and 30, March 1979, through the affirmative vote of a majority of 98.2% of eligible voters, held after the victorious Islamic Revolution led by Imam Khumayni.

Iran's population is 89% Shia Muslim, 9% Sunni Muslim, and 2% split among Judaism and Zoroastrian (the oldest monotheistic religion). As we learned in class, Iran is a theocratic regime that has democratic elements. (See BBC's "Iran, who holds the power?" http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/middle_east/03/iran_power/html/default.stm)

This week's blog requires you to analyze some primary and secondary source documents on the experiences of religious minorities in Iran.

Directions:
1. Summarize two of the articles on the "Pilgrimage Through Iran" site (you'll have to click on two of the locations and view the articles/ videos or photo essays.)

The URL is:
http://newsinitiative.org/story/2007/07/26/interactive_map_pilgrimage_through_iran

What do they tell you about the experiences of religious minorities in Iran?

2. Consider the demographics of modern Iran. In a nation where over 90% of the population is Muslim can one argue that a constitution based on the Qu'ran IS democratic? Further, when a nation overwhelmingly favors one belief system, are democracy and theocracy one in the same? (In other words, does it make sense to have religious law when a vast majority of citizens share the same beliefs?)

Wagging the Dog: Does the media make politics or merely report it?

FOR ALL STUDENTS

Last week we considered impeachment cases in US history, examined the limits of executive privilege and began to analyze the role of media in American politics. Consider our discussions, the film Wag the Dog, the article Media Manipulation at http://www.globalissues.org/article/532/media-manipulation and your knowledge of current events for this week's blog.


Summarizer the article in a detailed paragraph
AND
Answer TWO of the following questions using specific examples from the film and modern politics:
•Does media reflect or shape/inform politics in the modern world?
•What role does the media play in shaping American political and cultural perspectives?
•Is the media's role in American politics an anomoly (unique) or can the media be argued as a prime mover of politics and public opinion in most modern democracies?

Due Fri 3/5

MAKE UP HW FOR STUDENTS WHO MISSED CLASS LAST THURS, 2/26

Summarize the article "Cohen criticizes Wag the Dog characterization" at http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/03/23/wag.dog/

In a detailed reflection of 8 or more sentences compare the Clinton scandal with the one described in the plot summary of Wag the Dog appearing at: http://www.eslnotes.com/movies/html/wag-the-dog.html

Comparing Modern Democracies: What are the advantages and limitations of the US and other democratic models?

There are over 122 democracies in the modern world. This blog assignment requires that you compare two or more democracies to gain an in-depth understanding of a complex and diverse political trend:

Directions

1. Read pages 20- 29 “Democratization in Six Countries” from the College Boards “Democratization Briefing Paper” at: http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap05_comp_govpol_demo_42252.pdf

And

“Doing Democracy Right: Why are other countries so much better at conducting elections than we are?”

http://www.slate.com/id/2202580/

And ONE of the articles below:

Australia

http://www.dfat.gov.au/aib/country.html

Nigeria

http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/33328/jean-herskovits/democracy-in-nigeria

Mexico

http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/61373/enrique-krauze/furthering-democracy-in-mexico

Iran

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/middle_east/2000/iran_elections/iran_struggle_for_change/changing_face/

2. Summarize the key features of democracy in the US and ONE of the other nations profiled in these sources. Discuss the advantages and limitations of each system. In your opinion, are other countries better at conducting elections than the US? Use your case study as evidence for your response.

Your post should be 300 words or may be completed as a graphic organizer with a 200 word summary in addition to the table.

Due monday 2/22