Myanmar Reflection

Myanmar is a country that is overruled by their military, called the "junta", because they are able to control the country with their fire power. People protested the military for their forced rule, but the military is able to keep all protests under control only through violence, and don't seem like they want to negotiate. The military should have found a way to work out the conflicts then how they did taking it to such a far extent as beating Monks on the street, and using rubber bullets and tear gas on protesters.

Srini's Myanmar Reflection

The issues in Myanmar were ingrained in the population's want for a democracy; however, Myanmar's military has confined this desire for years. The military's oppressive rule has led to a series of violent protests, especially against the monks. Myanmar's police has used violence to suppress the uprisings, and with this violence, many deaths have been accounted for. Furthermore, the Myanmar military regime can be compared to the government of North Korea since it has censored the majority of foreign information from its population. Because of the censorship of information, the people have become more rebellious. The protesters finally overcame the military regime in their increasingly violent protests. Today, the Myanmar government is much more lenient, and it is trying to destroy its old reputation. To second this claim, the United States has reestablished their ties with Myanmar.

Nicole's Myanmar Reflection

After watching the videos and doing the assignment, I learned that Myanmar has been and still is ruled by its military. The people of this country wanted freedom, peace, and democracy. It first started out as peaceful protests and walks of the people. Then the people began to taunt and make fun of the military, resulting in violence. The world first noticed this conflict when monks began to fight for freedom and justice of the people. They stood up for what they believed in. Most people living there were scared because of the threatening violence in the streets. The violence has settled down and the government became democratic but the military still patrol the streets.

Myanmar Refletion

The conflicts in Myanmar were rooted in the population's desire for a democracy. The citizens wanted the government to eradicate its dictatorship, so they constructed mass protest groups, many of witch were composed of monks pleaded for peaceful negotiations. The government, similar to how Pyongyang of North Korea was regulated, wanted to lock down its capital by preventing the flow of information. To counteract the protests, Myanmar's police force began to use violence. Many people were killed as a result of conflicting forces, and many people were also arrested. This sparked stronger protests in the citizens, so they began to throw bricks to fight back and agitate the government. Eventually, the government began to give up some of its dictatorship policies, creating a new capital to help eliminate the dark history of its old capital.

Myanmar Reflection

Myanmar is a country with major issues. Along with other parts in Asia, the people are not happy with the government and want change. In mass protests throughout Myanmar, people are being beaten in order to keep peace. Monks in Myanmar are greatly respected, but when they were in the crowds of Myanmar they were beaten and arrested if they were unable to escape the military. Much like Cambodia, any form of media ended with being tortured or killed.

Nick Dale- Myanmar Reflection

I would label Myanmar a dictatorship. This is because of the strong military force the country's government  uses to control its people. In addition, the "junta" or the military group used in the country drives out non-Burman people by discriminating against certain religions and minorities. The people of Myanmar are beginning to rebel against the police and government with violence. Very little coverage of these riots have leaked because anyone who has a camera has it taken and they are arrested.

Jada- Mayanmar Reflection

Myanmar has been under harsh military rule for decades. Protesters and individuals like Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Myanmar's National League for Democracy, tried to end this harsh rule. Protests were met with killings by the military government. It resembled Cambodia and Korea because all media was restricted and those who tried to film, or inform the rest of the world about it would be tortured or killed. Personally, I was surprised at how brave the monks were and how they fought back through marches, and even throwing rocks at the military.

Myanmar Reflection

Myanmar Is in a situation that is a recurring theme in our studies of regions in Asia. There is a group of people in a country that is against another group, fighting over political issue like power. In this case in Myanmar, the Burmese majority is being exiled from Naypyidaw, which is a city that is ruled over my the military authority. The Burmese are protesting to be let in, but the military is using force to draw out any unfavorable people.

Duncan's Myanmar Reflection

Myanmar has been under military rule for many years. The oppressive rule has led to many protests over the years, and some have ended in violence. For example, the most recent protests became the most extreme when police started to beat the monks, who are revered throughout the land, and civilians while escalating repression far beyond what was necessary. The civilians were throwing rocks and mooning the military, and the military began to use rubber bullets and tear gas. Since then, a civilian rule has been established, but it is still backed by the military. While these are steps in the right directions, the military still maintains a lot of its power especially in the capital of Naypyidaw. Military personnel can still be seen on the street, and they, among a select few others, are the only ones allowed to even live or work in the capital. They have also created a museum to their own history. On the positive side, the government has become more democratic, and violent protests have significantly decreased. The U.S.A has reopened diplomatic discussion with them.

Lucas' Myanmar Reflection

After doing the reading and watching the videos, my opinion of Myanmar is, in some ways, a lot like my opinion of North Korea, where they have a very controlling government that punishes its people for acting any way other than their vision of what is the normal and perfect way to live, and that both have a capitol that is more for show as being a perfect society than as a decent living place for the people.

Nora's Myanmar Reflection

Myanmar can be labeled as a dictatorship due to the militaristic groups present in the country, and the fight to limit rights amongst the people to maintain power. Myanmar has faced numerous natural disasters due to its geographical location, thus contributing to the economic issues. Uprisings peaked in 1988 and have continued in the fight for a more democratic government. Police took military action on the crowds, beating the protesters and monks as they attempt to voice their opposition. If one was caught with a camera and proof of the crimes committed by the military groups, or "junta", he or she would be killed. This limited the media coverage of the atrocities, and prevented a widespread international support, maintaining the totalitarian rule. The happenings in Myanmar are extremely similar to our previous studies, the events in India with the limitations of civil protest in 1919 in particular.

Adam- Myanmar Reflection

After researching the overviews of Myanmar, I have noticed that the formally known Burma is ruled and put into place by their military. Their military, “junta”, has uses military  power and weapons to control the government. Its geography causes the country to have more occurring natural disasters. Myanmar has a lower average elevation that a normal country. Also its geography puts it at a lower power than neighboring China. China overpowers them and tries to run their government. This relates to when Europe tried to run the government of Africa.

Genocide in Cambodia Reflection

We've spent a good portion of class time talking about Cambodia and the genocide carried out by the Khmer Rouge.  Use your notes to write a reflection on this topic.  Your reflection must demonstrate understanding of the geo-political and socio-historical issues that contributed to this horrific event.  It might also be helpful to relate this to other topics/events studied this year.

Thesis- Political Unrest in Thailand

The political unrest in Thailand reshapes with the changes in leadership of the government; moreover, as the government modernizes, its values will continue to change, which will ultimately suppress the peoples' voice in government; furthermore, this dilemma geopolitically affects the international community and it continues to evolve as the citizens of Thailand go to further extremes to resist the oppressiveness of the government.

Thesis- Scotland Independence Movement

For three hundred years, Scotland, which was once an independent country was placed under the blanket of the United Kingdom, housing a people desperate to keep their national identity while living under governments that they never voted for, and denied the social progression inherent to a nation, now marches close to the historic event of becoming separate, independent, and part of the European Union with an upcoming secession vote deciding its future.

Thesis- Tibet

The changes in Tibet after 1950, which was when the first liberation armies were stationed in Tibet, affected Tibet in a negative fashion political by belittling their government voice and questioning their long time religious traditions.

Thesis: Impact of Climate Change in Oceania

Global climate change, a worldwide issue growing at an unsettling pace, has been severely affecting the economic, social, and political systems of New Guinea and Australia since the dawn of the twenty-first century, so, in order to reduce impacts of climate change, it is necessary to construct counteracting procedures, yet varied opinions on this subject, evident through news articles, continue to exist.

Thesis - Israeli-Palestinian Peace Talks

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has a convoluted geo-political past which contributes to the complication of the situation between the two nations; this should lead to a response from the international community that continues to demote violence in the area yet allows the diplomacy to remain between Palestine and Israel.

tensions between Japan and China in East China Sea, Thesis

Tensions between Japan and China have always been heated, but in recent years, disputes over a group of small islands have brought them to the brink of war, with the U.S backing Japan and Russia backing China.

Thesis: Political & Economic developments in Ukraine and/or Crimea

While Ukraine is on the brink of an acrimonious civil war due to the increase of Ukrainian nationalism as a result of Russian invasion and the annexation of Crimea, the anti-government protestors continue to show opposition after the government abandoned an EU agreement in which blood was shed by the police during riots; meanwhile, tensions rise between ethnic groups because of the cultural and linguistic divide between them. 

Syria Civil War Thesis

The civil war in Syria has a variety of diferent causes, it is viewed differently in the west than east, and has effects on the state of Syria's economy and politics.

Thesis: Democracy in Brazil

International events in Brazil have been a controversial issue for many years now and it is now starting to alter Brazil's economy, environment, and society, however, the solution requires not only Brazil but also cooperation from other countries.

Thesis - Boko Haram in Nigeria

Over the past few years Boko Haram turned into a more prominent threat, using violence and tactics to scare the citizens, thereby giving them more power and creating more turmoil in Nigeria forcing the country to take action to regain control and create a stable environment once again.

Thesis- Rwanda Genocide Recovery

After the Rwandan genocide occurred, the people of the country are trying to reconcile their actions, with foreign aid and help from other countries, by changing the country politically and economically but still keeping the peace between the Hutu and Tutsi groups that still threaten the safety of the country.

Thesis- Politics and Unrest in Egypt

Egypt has history with chaos from the Mubarak regime, although now unrest in Egypt is largely caused by Islamists trying to establish a larger role in the community, and the prejudice the government has toward the Muslim Brotherhood, which has led toward many tragic events.

Thesis- Political Turmoil in Venezuela

The violence and protests throughout Venezuela are happening due to the government censoring and neglecting its people, and the international community should step in to help the citizens before major damage is done to the country.

HQ- Political, Social and Cultural Status of Tibet

What are the changes in the status of Tibet from before and after China's liberation armies captured the state?

HQ- Politics and unrest in Egypt

Which events led up to the political unrest in Egypt? Which events were the results of the Islamist unrest in Egypt?

HQ Political & Economic developments in Ukraine and/or Crimea

Since the Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych's government decided to strengthen its ties with Moscow, what were the social upheaval consequences, political and economic developments, and the spark of interest in gaining Crimea on behalf of Russia?

HQ - Political turmoil in Venezuela

What political and social aspects of society have been affected due to the turmoil in Venezuela?

HQ- Impact of Climate Change in Oceania

Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, how have the economic, social, and political systems been affected in New Guinea and Australia as a result of climate change in Oceania?

HQ: Boko Haram in Nigeria

How have the actions of Boko Haram affected the society and politics in Nigeria?

HQ- Civil War in Syria

What two sides took place in the war; what were the causes of it? What are the current effects of the war in Syria?

HQ- Rwanda Genocide Recovery

How has Rwanda’s recovery after the genocide changed the culture, economic, government, and social aspects and issues of the country?

HQ- Political Unrest in Thailand

What are the main, enduring concepts that provoked the Thai anti-government groups in the last twenty years, and how have these continual ideas evolved according to the modernization of Thailand's society?

HQ- Scotland's Independence Movement

How would Scotland gaining its independence affect the United Kingdom?

HQ- Israeli-Palestinian Peace Talks

How have Israeli-Palestinian peace talks evolved between the years 2000 and 2014?

HQ: Democracy in Brazil

What impacts do international events, such as the world cup, have on Brazil's economy, environment, and society?

HQ: Tensions between China and Japan in East China Sea

How was it that Japan, a much smaller country than China, was able to conquer and take such a strong foothold in large areas of China?

South Asia Geography Reflection

Read and evaluate the "South Asia Geography Workshop Maps" on the Moodle.  After you've taken notes on each of these individual maps, consider South Asia as a whole.  Summarize the geo-political, historical, cultural, and social factors that define South Asia.

Geography & Culture of Africa

Characterize the geography and culture of Africa based upon your completion of Part A on the regional study.  Be sure to include a thesis statement AND specific details from your work to demonstrate both completion and understanding of the activity.

G&D #4 - Issues of Development

After watching, taking notes on, and reflecting on one of the videos, post a reflection as a comment to this post.  In your comment, identify the video you chose and a BRIEF statement of WHY you chose this video.  Then, identify any biases/problems with the arguments presented and explain why this issue is something that should be of concern and interest to the global community.

G&D #2 - Ayiti Reflection

Describe your experience in the Ayiti game.  What have you learned from this activity?  What does it tell us about the state of globalization and development?

Academic Integrity

Why is academic integrity important?  In your response, please be sure to provide your definition for academic integrity.

F. I. - Question 53

To complete question #53 on the "Foundations Investigation," select an article from a PRINT issue of Current History.  Your comment should include the following:

• Cultural Region (Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East, Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania, or Latin America)
• MLA Citation
• Concise (no more than 5 sentences) summary with a clear thesis statement

F.I. - Question 52

To complete question #52 on the "Foundations Investigation," select an article from the PRINT issue of History Today.  Your comment should include the following:

• Cultural Region (Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, Middle East, Central Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania, or Latin America)
• MLA Citation
• Concise (no more than 5 sentences) summary that includes a clear thesis statement

Current Event Quiz Hints

As the new semester rapidly approaches, I thought it might be useful to remind you of some of the major news events from the last few months.

• Typhoon Haiyan
• UNESCO suspends voting rights to US & Israel
• Civil war in Syria
• Senkaku islands dispute
• Political developments in North Korea
• Unusual winter weather patterns in United States and Australia
• Diplomacy efforts between Iran and the United States
• Protests in Thailand, Cambodia, Ukraine, Tunisia
• Political trials in Egypt
• Anti-gay law in Russia, Uganda, Nigeria
• Preparations for winter Olympics
• Deaths of world leaders (ex. Ariel Sharon, Nelson Mandela)
• New leadership of the US Federal Reserve
• Possible birthplace for the Buddha identified
• Resignation of Latvian prime minister
• Violence in Mali, Yemen, Iraq, Central African Republic, Kenya, South Sudan, North Caucasus
• Building collapses in South Africa, Nigeria, Latvia
• Elections in Chile, Honduras
• Terror attacks in Russia
• NSA policies
• Stranded ships in Antarctica
• Eruption of Mount Sinabung
• You should also be able to match world leaders to their title/position

Don't forget - if you have a journal (must be hand-written or printed out) you may use it on the quiz.