The final presentations form the wrap-up for the Unit for you as
well as demonstrating your understanding of the material from weeks
5 and 6. The basis for these presentations is a fictitious nation
outlined below. You will combine theoretical concepts with real current
and historical scenarios to make their case. The final project will
be presented in seminar to your peers and a panel of faculty.
The Nation: Background
The nation we are imagining came into its present existence following
WWII. It is now threatening to fall apart as different groups (religious,
ethnic, linguistic, geographically based, etc.) try to decide whether
they are better served by remaining as part of the original country
or by splitting off into independent countries.
The country has an industrial North and an agricultural South. Industry
in the north has attracted migrants not only from the south, but also
from other countries. The South is largely monocultural, with the
exception of a population on the extreme southern border that feels
more culturally linked to a neighboring nation than to our nation.
There is currently a great deal of unrest among the different cultural
factions, as well as a continuing of the historical antagonism between
the North and South. There is a drought in the South, burdening the
agricultural sector.
Some of the different positions are:
-
The majority ethnic and cultural population, which
also holds the majority of positions in government and industry.
-
A religious minority faction that shares ethnicity
with the majority population.
-
An ethnic and religious minority group that feels
as much camaraderie with our nation as with the neighboring nation
with which they share culture.
-
Various ethnic and cultural minorities, primarily
in the North, some as a result of immigration.
-
Refugees to the formerly monocultural South as a
result of a nearby war.
Guidelines for Oral Presentations
-
The presentations will be given by your groups in
seminar on the last day of class in the afternoon. Each group will
have 15 minutes to present, plus a few minutes for set-up and for
Q&A.
-
Project should focus on weeks 5 and 6, but should
also include material and concepts from previous weeks. Students
must illustrate a clear sense of the theoretical works from weeks
5 and 6; students must cite at least three of the following key
texts from weeks 5 and 6: Anderson, Appadurai, "Men in the Sun,"
and La Promesse. In addition, at least one text from weeks one through
four should be cited. (Note it says "at least"; more are encouraged.)
-
The project must refer to at least two real-world
conflicts, nations or countries we have discussed in class throughout
the unit to illustrate your points and make your cases. These include
China, the Ottoman Empire, the Spanish Empire, India, Israel and
Palestine, and Rwanda.
-
The project must demonstrate mastery of at least
two key concepts or terms such as ideology, nation, community, empire,
migration, genocide, gender, etc.
-
Students must be sure to articulate their own identities
and community biases as they take a position in this project.
Scenarios
1. National Charter
Project: Using concepts of nationalism, students will create the charter
for an ideal community - a utopia - to form a "perfect" nation. Students
will discuss both the positives and negatives of defining a national
community.
This includes what will hold the community together (economics, common
religion, etc.), as well as issues that might threaten the solidarity
of the community - immigration, for example.
Audience: You are the majority party, and are trying to convince
minority parties to agree to the charter.
2. Mapmaking & Naming Project
Your company has been hired by the government to publish an Official
National Map. The team chosen for this task is multicultural and multiracial,
and includes employees who do not agree on the names of places, or even
where the true borders of the countries should be, as some areas are
being disputed by neighboring states.
Discuss cultural meanings of borders. Is it necessary for a nation/community
to be geographically unified? Why is it so important to mark and defend
borders? Also address questions of mass culture and the blurring of
international borders.
Audience: You are the president of the company, making the case
to the executive branch of government that yours should be the official
state map.
3. Immigration Policy Paper Project
You work for a non-profit organization in the United States. You are
writing a report explaining why immigrants from one minority community
in the fictional country should be immediately allowed into the united
states as refugees, while another group should have more restricted
entry as immigrants.
You must think about the distinctions between migrants and refugees
- whether economic, political or social reasons for leaving one's country
are more or less pressing than one another. An interesting case study
to consider would be the media treatment of Cubans and of Haitians attempting
to come into the U.S.
Audience: You are a nonprofit organization writing a report
for the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
4. School Curriculum
All students, in their sixth year of schooling, must demonstrate knowledge
of national culture. You will prepare a curriculum based on your nation's
history, including conflicts, major migrations, and subcultures that
will allow your students to pass this test.
Discuss the theoretical bases for your decisions, even though you
might not include this material in your assignments for the students.
Audience: You are a group of new teachers trying to convince
a skeptical school board and other teachers who don't want any curriculum
changes.
5. United Nations Peacekeeping Mission
Different religious and ethnic groups in the nation are in conflict,
moving the nation toward civil war. The UN has decided to send a peacekeeping
force to this fictional country torn apart by internecine conflict.
The peace-keeping force has several tasks: develop and maintain a process
of conciliation, protect displaced and threatened refugees, maintain
the neutrality of the UN force, remain in the country for a limited
time.
Audience: You are part of a human rights organization assigned
to develop a briefing for the peace-keeping force on the issues they
will face in this country, and outline a series of policies which will
allow the force to achieve its aims.
6. Mural
You are charged with designing a mural representing your nation's histories
and cultures for the lobby of the national legislature building. Address
such questions as:
- How do you - or do you - recognize a time when one culture in your
country committed genocide against another?
- Recognize women and other populations as important when they are
largely absent from written histories?
- Address a subculture that the majority culture feels is dividing
the nation and contributing to conflict?
Audience: You are a group of artists seeking a grant for this
project from a large multinational corporation based in our fictional
nation.
7. Political Campaign
You are working on the national leadership campaign of a non-incumbent
candidate. This candidate identifies herself or himself as a member
of more than one cultural and ethnic group in the country, one in the
majority and one in the minority, and claims to support other minority
groups as well.
Devise a campaign strategy that will seek the votes of minority and
subcultures without alienating the majority culture who have more influence
on the candidate's victory. To do this, you must also address conflicts
among these different groups.
Audience: You are a public relations company trying to convince
the candidate she or he should follow your campaign strategy.
|