1.) Introduction: Kenan Rajjoub
This chapter is going to discuss the era after the Cold War. It presented the world, and Europe, with a new chapter as capitalism spread all throughout. However even as that happened there were more problems that also were arising. Rebuilding shattered societies was harder than suspected and immigrants into western Europe brought fear because all of the ethnic diversity. As ties between Europe and the US loosened they realized they need to cooperate in order to find solutions to problems like security, energy, the environment, and human rights.
Objective- Identify problems that were rising and discuss changes that were occurring (like in Russia).
EQ-How did Russia and the former East Bloc countries meet the challenges of postcommunist reconstruction and political and economic reform?
answer-They had mixed success as they worked to remake their political, economic, and social systems. Their economic problems limited their speed of reform. Shock therapy, rapid privatization, inflation and corruption were all factors that made everything take longer. Then Putin helped put it all back into place.
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2.) 3 People- Lydia
Vladimir Putin
~Vladimir Putin was the Russian President from 2000 to 2008. After being president, he was appointed Prime Minister and continued to be a very powerful Russian leader. He crafted himself as a very powerful “manly” man that was full of strength and courage. He was the successor of Yeltsin. Putin’s government was called the “managed democracy” which came about after the communist in Russia. Although he said he ran a democratic government, political opposition was set to a minimum and many were arrested for opposing the government. Putin is important because he lead Russia for 8 years and helped to keep Russia in check.
Jose Bove
~Jose Bove was a very prominent leader in the campaigns against globalization. Bove did not like that people and the environment were being badly influenced by globalization. One day, as a way to protest, Bove demolished a McDonalds in south France with his car. Due to the fact that McDonalds was a perfect example of globalization, it seemed to be a target for many antiglobalization protests. Bove was put on trial and was put in jail. Many antiglobalization protesters filled the streets during the trial as a way to protest Bove’s trial. Bove is important because he shows the lengths that people will go to protest against something that they believe is wrong or is not for the good of the people.
Zadie Smith~Zadie Smith is a best selling British author that wrote the novel White Teeth
in 2000. The novel encompasses the the lives of Bangladeshi Muslims and British Jews and Chirstians and how they all lived in painful contact with each other. Smith used this novel to explain the conflicts that people from different countries and religions had with each other. Smith is important because she brings about the idea of multiculturalism.
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3.) US Events: Cassie Moore
1. On September 11, 2001 hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and into a rural Pennsylvania field. The terrorist attacks were caused by a radical Islamic group al-Qaeda. This event took the lives of more than three-thousand people. Peoples and governments of Europe and all over the world joined Americans in solidarity after the event. President Bush declared a “war on terror” which sought to fight global terrorism. The US eventually announced they would invade Afghanistan to find Osama bin Laden; an international coalition that included western Europe, Russian, and Pakistan was built. US and NATO troops failed to find Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. This was not very popular among ordinary Europeans.
2. Gulf War: It was a war waged by UN-authorized collation force led by US against Iraq in response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. President George H. W. Bush sent American forces, into Saudi Arabia and urged other countries to send troops as well. The majority of the military forces in the coalition were from the US, the UK, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The results were that the coalition successfully freed Kuwait from the invading Iraqi forces. The leader of Iraq who attempted to annex Kuwait was Saddam Hussein. This even showed that Europe and the US generally worked together in an alliance.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4.) Picturing the Past: Adam Marchese
Analyzing the Image: Why do images of the World Trade Center on September 11th provoke such a strong feeling in most Americans? How does the application of black and white effect this image? What tone is the photographer trying to grasp?
Connections: What can you connect this image and event to? Are the attacks on September 11th comparable to the dropping of the atomic bombs in Japan during the second world war? How so? In what ways has this event shaped your life personally?
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5.) Connections across time: Adam Marchese
United States’ against Terrorists: The Second Red Scare
The United States following World War II faced a period of fear that is now called the Red Scare in response to the belief that communists were all about and secretly were planning the downfall of the United States. Fear-mongering caused by Senator McCarthy created a series of accusations against thousands of Americans who were believed to be communists or communist sympathizers. The primary targets were government employees, those in the entertainment industry, educators and union activists. The Red Scare is like our fear created after the attacks on the twin towers. Many people were subject to accusations of being a terrorist or supporting terrorism. The focus now is on Muslims. They are subjected to increased airport security based solely on whether they look like they are from the Middle East. In both the Red Scare and our current scare the majority of people support America who are subject to questioning. The problem is: not all Muslims are terrorists just like not all communists want the death of America.
Economic Shock Therapy in Russia: The Enclosure Process
Economic Shock Therapy that was applied in Russia put many out of work by introducing a new economic system that would privatize industry. The rapid transition caused soaring price increases at the expense of the poor. Likewise the enclosure process in England removed the feudal common lands and forced hardship on many poor farmers. The benefit in both countries was the eventual increase in productivity, but the rate of transition didn’t protect its people from economic hardships.
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6.) Artwork- Ashley Ranich
by Sergey Muravyev | mixed media | 2002
Artist’s explanation: Light and memory remain after the day the world changed. Reason should solve all, not infinite senseless murders. The two white lines are light from Twin Towers. It gets up in the sky and far into space and comes back again with new power. In the sky remain dark spots, but they will disappear.
Personally, I really love this interpretation of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. I find it interesting and very different from the normal artwork depicting the attacks. The work seems to very accurately convey the feelings of many americans triggered from 9/11 in a different and abstract way. The abstract approach, using mostly color and composition, rather than a literal recreation of the event also reflects the 21st century. This marks a different kind of art than what we’ve seen from past centuries.
Artist’s explanation: Light and memory remain after the day the world changed. Reason should solve all, not infinite senseless murders. The two white lines are light from Twin Towers. It gets up in the sky and far into space and comes back again with new power. In the sky remain dark spots, but they will disappear.
Personally, I really love this interpretation of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. I find it interesting and very different from the normal artwork depicting the attacks. The work seems to very accurately convey the feelings of many americans triggered from 9/11 in a different and abstract way. The abstract approach, using mostly color and composition, rather than a literal recreation of the event also reflects the 21st century. This marks a different kind of art than what we’ve seen from past centuries.
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Campaign poster for Proposition K; a 2008 initiative to decriminalize prostitution in San Francisco, US
I found this very interesting and controversial. We learned in this chapter that prostitution was legal in parts of Europe, and that prostitutes even began to earn the same rights as other workers. Although this is about American legislation, it shows a connection from Europe to America. It seems that the US seems to still be somewhat behind many parts of Europe in terms of human rights and overall open-mindedness. I found this poster to be striking and thought-provoking. It’s striking because of its modern take on Uncle Sam. It is also thought-provoking because it makes yourself question whether a human should be in complete control of how they want to use their body, even if it’s unconventional and seemingly wrong. The red, white and blue patriotic colors make this poster/piece of artwork more successful because it keeps its American audience in mind.
Campaign poster for Proposition K; a 2008 initiative to decriminalize prostitution in San Francisco, US
I found this very interesting and controversial. We learned in this chapter that prostitution was legal in parts of Europe, and that prostitutes even began to earn the same rights as other workers. Although this is about American legislation, it shows a connection from Europe to America. It seems that the US seems to still be somewhat behind many parts of Europe in terms of human rights and overall open-mindedness. I found this poster to be striking and thought-provoking. It’s striking because of its modern take on Uncle Sam. It is also thought-provoking because it makes yourself question whether a human should be in complete control of how they want to use their body, even if it’s unconventional and seemingly wrong. The red, white and blue patriotic colors make this poster/piece of artwork more successful because it keeps its American audience in mind.
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7.) 3-2-1 : Ashley Ranich
3 things i learned
-I learned that Europe is in many ways, ahead of America in their human rights laws.
(ex: gay marriage,prostitution, legalization of marijuana)
-The dominance of the United States in economy now was second to the EU.
-The close ties between the United States and western Europe lost some of their strength that they had maintained 50 years after WWII
2 things i found interesting
-Barack Obama’s presidency was received well in foreign countries because his foreign policies allowed tensions to ease.
-The EU implemented a new Common Fisheries Policy.
1 question i have
-After all of the changes we’ve seen with the come of the 21st century, will Europe continue to enjoy the fruits from the general economic and political security from the past 50 years, or are the tensions from the stress in EU-American ties from the Iraq war stir a new conflict?
7.) 3-2-1 : Ashley Ranich
3 things i learned
-I learned that Europe is in many ways, ahead of America in their human rights laws.
(ex: gay marriage,prostitution, legalization of marijuana)
-The dominance of the United States in economy now was second to the EU.
-The close ties between the United States and western Europe lost some of their strength that they had maintained 50 years after WWII
2 things i found interesting
-Barack Obama’s presidency was received well in foreign countries because his foreign policies allowed tensions to ease.
-The EU implemented a new Common Fisheries Policy.
1 question i have
-After all of the changes we’ve seen with the come of the 21st century, will Europe continue to enjoy the fruits from the general economic and political security from the past 50 years, or are the tensions from the stress in EU-American ties from the Iraq war stir a new conflict?