Blog #6: 2nd Marking Period Research Project - Modern Problems and Politics in your Nation of Study

For the final blog assignment of the second marking period you will advance your understanding of the nation you researched for your paper by analyzing recent news articles related to a specific political or human rights issue in that country. 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. In addition, it is an EXCELLENT idea to use the issue you've selected for your capstone project if possible. Your research will enhance the international component of that assessment.

You will select and analyze three news articles summarizing the impact of a single poltical or human rights issue in your nation of study.

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)

This is not a pair or group assignment. Even students who are researching the same issues in the same nation should end up with original articles and ideas.

Due: Tuesday, Dec. 7

Iran Test Review Sheet

REVEW SHEET FOR EXAM #2 : Iran

Be prepared to discuss and distinguish the roles of lall of the following in Iranian government:

Supreme Leader
Parlaiment
majils
Assembly of Experts
Guardian Council
Expediency Council
electorate
constituency
President
Revolutionary Guard
Basiji

Be familiar with the following terms:
imam
cleric
hijab
chador
purdah
sharia law
Islamism
fundamentalism
enlightened despot
modernization
autocracy
republic
theocracy
socialism
communism
imperialism
containment
pan-Arabism

Know the signifigance of each of the following figures/ groups in Iranian history:
Quajar Dynasty
Shah
Mohamed Reza Shah Pahlavi (1941-1978)
Reza Shah Pahlavi (1925-1941)
Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Mahmoud Ahmadinejdad
Neda Agha Soltan

Be familiar with how each of these events/ interests have affected Iranian politics
Cold War
satellite wars/ proxy wars
Iran-Iraq War
OPEC
Anglo-Iranian Oil Company
NATO
Kabul War

Can theocracy be democratic? Analyzing government in modern-day 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 the photo essay "Faces of Iran" that documents religion, tradition and modernization in Iran available at: http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/2007/paolo_woods_iran/


What do the photos and narration tell you about the experiences of religious minorities in Iran? To what extent are Iranians expressing their individual identities and beliefs in Iran? How is the government postured on civil liberties (individual rights)?

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?)

This blog is due before class on Friday, November 12.