Conflict in South Asia Simulation: Teaching for Global Citizenship

1. Gerardo Joel Aponte-Martínez 2012 Michigan Joint Social Studies Conference Warren, Michigan Conflict in South Asia Simulation: Teaching for Global Citizenship

2. Overview Objectives Agenda • Explore teachers’ roles in teaching for global citizenship • Examine an instructional unit on the India/Pakistan conflict • “Global citizenship” • The Unit: • Content associated to India/ Pakistan conflict • Outline and materials for the simulation

3. Think… “The world is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion” ~Thomas Paine Why do you teach about the world? Why do you believe kids need to learn about the world

4. What? Why…? Global Understandings… Multiple purposes for teaching about the world… World history and knowledge Exposure and travel Economic competition and prominence Multiculturalism Global citizenship World Class: Teaching and Learning in Global Times • William Gaudelli (2003)

5. Global Citizenship “Global citizenship entails not only knowledge of cross-cultural human values, institutions, and behaviors but also critical engagement of complex, diverse information toward socially meaningful action.” (Gaudelli 2003)

6. Socially meaningful action…. What does this mean for your students? In my classroom…. Content selection and instruction should be driven by our purposes for global citizenship and expectations of students socially meaningful actions.

7. Curriculum Model 1. Knowledge 2. Critical Engagement 3. Socially meaningful action

8. The Unit Key Learning: The availability of natural resources and the history of colonization have created the current conflicts among South Asian countries. Unit Essential Question: How have natural resources and colonization caused conflicts in South Asia? Unit Sections: Geography – physical features, natural resources History and Culture – ancient empires and the development of cultures, European empires and colonization Modern Day – beginning of the conflict, simulation to explore solutions

11. Introducing the unit Introduction to the United Nations Launching Activity – Indian children’s story (http://www.balagokulam.org/kids/stories.php) Basic Roberts’ Rules of Order helped to give authenticity to the simulation as an international gathering of countries • It allowed the presiding student to have a role in classroom management. Introduction to the UN provided context for how international issues are solved

12. Content Geography History • Key Vocabulary:Himalaya Mountains, Alluvial plains, Deccan Plateau, Ganges River, Indus River, Monsoons • Focus: Examine the impact of geographical features on natural resources, economic activity, and population distribution • Key Vocabulary: Caste system, Asoka, Gupta Empire, MauryaEmpire, Mughal Empire, colony, partition, Mohandas Ghandi • Focus: Trace the impact of the three main empires on the religions of South Asia (Buddhism and Hinduism). Discuss how the economic interests of the British in India and the ensuing political control.

13. The Simulation

14. Timeline Students join a delegation: India, Pakistan, UN Observers General background for all students Delegation background research and development of position statements Simulated Negotiations Debriefing

15. Background for all students The Hidden Story of Partition and its Legacies http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/modern/partition1947_01.shtml Causes: rushed decision-making in London in the immediate aftermath of World War II, lobbying by elite powers from distinct religious communities Results: 10 million migrants across the three new countries, ethnic and religious in-fighting, disproportionate distribution of limited resources for governance

16. Partition 1947-1948 War Muslim insurrection sought to persuaderegion to join Pakistan, the Muslim-majority state. Leaders signed the state to India instead(though this process is debated) Conflict ended January 1, 1949 with ceasefire line that reminds until today

17. Wars Conflict in 1965 1971 War – establishment of Bangladesh, defeat of Pakistan; lineof control remains in effect 1974 – State Government reaffirmsunity with India 1980s and 1990s – Peaceful and political solutions are exploredbut rise of Islamist radicals lead to continued fighting

18. Conflict over the Indus River Indus River water crises due to ice melting at increased ratesin the Himalayas Race for hydroelectric powercontrol of the river; disruption of river irrigation projects

19. Research Delegations research the sources provided to draft statements for the negotiations. They will base their positions on their country’s response to the ethnic/religious traditions, access to the river, and military installations Position statement Justification Clash and Rebuttal strategies **The Observer Delegation does not complete clash and rebuttal strategies; instead, they outline possible solutions and draft a UN resolution expressing them.

20. Materials

21. The Simulation Discuss rules and roles UN Observers sit in the front and preside over negotiations. India and Pakistan deliver their statements and debates Observers deliver a solution ** Students may or may not reach an agreement; either result is discussed as compared to real-life negotiations

22. Developing Global Citizenship…. Students incorporated knowledge about the themes of geography, historical analysis, and international relations to a critical perspective – acknowledging the causes for actions by each nation. Ultimately, their global understanding develops from empathizing and putting into perspective how these countries are making decisions. Additionally, their research led them to investigate the impact on the populations (mass migrations, terrorist attempts, famine), cementing further their connection to this international conflict.

23. Teaching for Global Citizenship How are instructional activities guiding students to understand and empathize? Stories that make the content personal Sources directly related to the events Student directed investigation

24. Sources for the simulation http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/modern/partition1947_01.shtml http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/unmogip/index.shtml http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/south_asia/2002/india_pakistan/timeline/1947.stm https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in.html https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pk.html http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~nmonasch/pakistan-india%20conflict.html http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/10/111012-india-pakistan-indus-river-water/

25. Questions? Contact information: Gerardo J. Aponte-MartínezDoctoral Student & InstructorDepartment of Teacher EducationMichigan State University apontege@msu.edu www.msu.edu/~apontege