Capstone Project Summary

1. Capstone Project Summary Unit 7

2. Israel/Palestine • 1. What are the main reasons for the conflict between the Israeli and Palestinian people? • Palestinian want sovereignty / independent state from Israel • Access to Jerusalem which is a holy city to both Judaism and Islam • Cultural differences • Palestinians use of terrorism and rockets into Israel and civilian deaths • Israeli response to rocket attacks and Palestinian civilian deaths • Israel’s building of settlements on Palestinian land. • Palestinian’s alliance with Iran sworn enemies of Israel. • Israel building of the Gaza Wall as a way to restrict travel around the country

4. Israel/Palestine • 2. What cultural differences play into the conflict? • Israel is a Jewish state. There people speak Hebrew and eat kosher foods. • Palestinian people are predominantly Muslim. They speak Palestinian Arabic. • There have been religious and cultural tensions between these two groups for centuries. • Both see this land as where their religions began, and so both see cities like Jerusalem as holy and the region appears in both the Torah and the Koran.

5. Israel/Palestine • 3. Who are allied with the Palestinians and who is allied with the Israeli’s and why? • Palestinians are allied with neighboring Islamic countries like, Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Iraq, and Iran • Israel is allied with the US, Britain, and other European countries. This is because the US and other European countries help create the nation of Israel following WWII.

6. Israel/Palestine • 4. What are the possible solutions to the problem? • Two state solution with Israel controlling Jerusalem (Palestine is sovereign controlling the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, Israel controls everything else) • Continue Israeli dominance (Palestinians live under Israeli control) • Two state solution with Palestine controlling Jerusalem (Palestine is sovereign controlling the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, Israel controls everything else) • Two state solution with Jerusalem becoming an open and free city (Palestine is sovereign controlling the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, Israel controls everything else)

7. Environmental Concerns • 5. How will the growth of population impact the lives of citizens in the near future? • Impact food production and availability – world may not be able to sustain a large population

8. Environmental Concerns • 6. What are the problems which are caused by overconsumption? • Overpopulation causes overuse of resources and goods, in turn, producing more land, water and air pollution. • Effects of overconsumption: • Global economy suffers because there are not enough resources to meet growing population demands. • - Social and political instability, leading to security issues

9. Environmental Concerns • 7. Why is there controversy over the existence of Global Warming? • Some believe that global warming is caused by the carbon emissions released when burning fossil fuels that build up in the atmosphere and warm the earth • On the other hand some argue that there is not enough evidence to support that warming of the earth and that the greenhouse effect is a natural event that we cannot prevent

10. Environmental Concerns • 8. Why and where has the volume of pollution increased? • Greenhouse gases, industrialization, burning of fossil fuels, household and farming chemicals all contribute to the growth of pollution • Top 5 countries with the worst pollution = 1. China 2. US 3. Russia 4. India 5. Japan • Water = faces oil pollution problems, Land = faces deforestation, mining, pesticides, Air = pollution from car emissions and industrial emissions.

11. Terrorism • 9. Define and explain the terms “terrorism”, “Islamic fundamentalism”, and “state sponsored terrorism”. • Provide at least 2 examples of terrorism. • Terrorism - premeditated, politically motivated violence against innocent (noncombatant) targets by subnational groups or underground agents, usually intended to influence an audience. Used for political motives. • Islamic fundamentalism /terrorism – • Islamic fundamentalists distort the teachings of Islam to define a common enemy. That enemy is portrayed as the Western culture of democracy (scorned as un-Islamic by Islamic terrorists), capitalism (denounced as Imperialist exploitation), and individualism (opposed by Islamists who believe in Islamic Law to lead the community of Muslims worldwide. • State sponsored terrorism - terrorism practiced by a government against its own people or in support of international terrorism. • Examples: • The gassing of individuals who did not comply with a governments demands (state sponsored) • The holding of threats over citizens’ heads by a government, forcing them to act as the state wishes (state sponsored) • Authorization of the assassination of a government leader by a militant group (state sponsored) • Attack on a military installation when a country is not a war • Use of biological or chemical weapons against citizens of the U.S.

12. Terrorism • 10. Why has the United States been a target for terrorism? • Revolts against the elite/ruling classes were often suppressed with the support of the U.S. who wanted to protect its “national interests” in the region • During the Cold War America sided with repressive regimes that exploited the poor and working classes • U.S. undermined the pan-Arab movement (unification of the people in the Arab world) and helped Israel develop into a military and nuclear powerhouse • Al Qaeda - Blame rests with America, repressive regimes, and nuclear armed Israel

13. Terrorism • 11. What are the objectives of terrorists? • Objectives: • 1. Attract public attention to the group’s grievances 2. Encourage empathy for their unfair/unjust situation and sympathy for the cause 3. Demonstrate the inability of the state to provide security 4. Demonstrate the illegitimacy of the state’s institutions 5. Polarize the public to simplify the debates and arguments 6. Coerce the public into pressuring the state into compromise solutions 7. Force the state into repressive reactions that discredit the government 8. Force the state into repressive reactions that serve to recruit new members and supporters 9. Demonstrate the economic consequences of continued violence 10. Highlight the potential political consequences of continued conflict 11. Attract international attention and encourage intervention 12. Provoke widespread civil uprising to change the government, or form a separate state

14. Terrorism • 12. Describe Al-Qaeda (leadership, structure, purpose). • Leadership = Established by Usama Bin Ladin (UBL) circa 1990, Al Qaeda aims to coordinate a transnational mujahideen network . • Structure = Al Qaeda provides financial, manpower, transportation, and training support to extremists worldwide • Al Qaeda serves as the core of a loose umbrella organization that includes members of many Sunni Islamic extremist groups, including factions of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ), the Gama'at al-Islamiyya (IG), and the Harakatul-Mujahidin (HUM). • Purpose = Al-Qaeda - stated goal is to "reestablish the Muslim State" throughout the world via the overthrow of corrupt regimes in the Islamic world and the removal of foreign presence - primarily American and Israeli - from the Middle East – directly targets the U.S. • Says it is the duty of all Muslims to kill U.S. citizens, civilian or military, and their allies.

15. Africa • 13. How are “ethnic conflicts” and “genocide” similar? What distinguishes them from one another? • They are both demonstrations of hate based on dissimilarities in religion, ethnicity, culture, etc. • An “ethnic conflict” tends to be an isolated event, while genocide is a systematic elimination of a prescribed group of people, often with government approval. The “conflict” may exist outside of the realm of the government (between tribes, extended families, towns, etc.) but genocide is typically government sanctioned. • The UN defines genocide as “any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group … " – killing, causing physical/mental harm, inflicting conditions of life meant to bring about the demise of the group, imposing measures to prevent births, forcibly transferring children from one group to another.

16. Africa • 14. What was the role of religion in the events that occurred in the Darfur region of Sudan? • The Sudanese government is controlled primarily by Muslims; they used non-government Muslim militias (called the Janjaweed) to terrorize Christian villages in the Darfur region. The purpose was to gain control of the land (and, in turn, a significant amount of oil and oil pipelines). Religious intolerance was used to create conflict between the groups. Focus could also be ethnic (government run by Arab Muslims vs. Africans)

17. Africa • 15. Why are child soldiers used in the Congolese conflicts? • Most child soldiers start as the victims of kidnapping (often after towns are raided/destroyed). • They are easy to control, primarily due to their fear of their kidnappers (due to appearance of authority, physical size and stature, presence of weapons, threats). • Over time, a form of Stockholm Syndrome emerges in which the child soldier feels as if they have no option but to follow along, even after reaching the age of 18 (legal adulthood)

18. Africa • 16. When will the United Nations intervene in the events that are occurring in sovereign nations? • In 2005, the UN adopted the “Responsibility to Protect” (R2P) doctrine, published by the Office of the Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide: • The State carries the primary responsibility for protecting populations from genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing, and their incitement; • The international community has a responsibility to encourage and assist States in fulfilling this responsibility; • The international community has a responsibility to use appropriate diplomatic, humanitarian and other means to protect populations from these crimes. If a State is manifestly failing to protect its populations, the international community must be prepared to take collective action to protect populations, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.

19. China • 17. What is China doing to promote its economic growth? • Investing in resources to modernize the country – cash to build factories, roads and apartment towers, and millions of people have received jobs making iPads, clothing, and cars • China has shifted to a market based economy • Challenges from this rapid growth include = inequality, rapid urbanization, environmental sustainability. China’s 12th Five Year Plan is addressing these issues (2011-2015)

20. China • 18. How has China tried to solve their population growth issues? • Since 1978, China has implemented a one-child policy that restricts the number of children married urban couples are allowed to have to alleviate social, economic, and environmental problems. As a result, there is less pressure on worldwide food supplies and less pollution in major Chinese cities. • A special provision allows millions of couples to have two children legally. If a couple is composed of two people without siblings, then they may have two children of their own.

21. China • 19. Describe human rights violations. • Human rights are recognized as rights that every human is born with and they are entitled to these rights just for being a human. • Violations include = abuse, racial injustice, suppression of speech, suppression of religion, suppression of press, women are a large target of human rights violations • Human rights violations in China include = censorship of the government, religious persecution, abuse of women, abuse of Chinese prisoners, sweatshop laborers

22. China • 20. What is China’s relationship with the West? • The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has democratic relations with 171 countries • Sweden was the first country to establish diplomatic relations in 1950 • In 1971, PRC became one of the 5 permanent members of the United Nations Security Council • China’s Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence has led China to support states such as Zimbabwe, North Korea, Iran (countries that western nations label as dangerous). • Relations with many western nations suffered after the military crackdown in Tiananmen Square in 1989. • China has improved its economic relationship with Russia • China has increased its trading with African nations • China has strengthened its ties with South American economies – Brazil is its largest trading partner, and strategic ties with Argentina.

23. India • 21. Explain how the growing population in India is impacting its citizens. • Positive = allows for labor resources to keep up with the booming economy • Negative = leads to overpopulation, low-rate literacy (fewer people being able to read), widening gap between the rich and poor, impacting the role of women in society in a negative manner, strain on resources

24. India • 22. Explain the social class divisions in India and how this contributes to poverty. • The Caste system = “Rooted in religion and based on a division of labor, the caste system, among other things, dictates the type of occupations a person can pursue and the social interactions that she may have. Castes are an aspect of Hindu religion. Other religions in India do not follow this system.” • There are 4 social classes = Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra • The problem with this system is that there is no way for the lowest class, the Shudra, to climb economically – meaning that the Shudra will remain in greatest poverty in society, holding inskilled labor jobs • Castes rarely intermarry, and are definitely not changeable. You cannot be discriminated against in urban India for belonging to a particular caste, however, since there is a wide economic gap between the Brahmin and Shudra, it is obvious these two different castes live very different life styles.

25. India • 23. What conflicts exist between Hindus and Muslims? How does this relate to the country’s history? • Islam and Hinduism are the main religions in India – followers of Islam – Muslims, followers of Hinduism – Hindus. • After the British left in 1947, India split into Muslim Pakistan, and a majority-Hindu India • Since their split, India and Pakistan have fought in three wars with each other - India and Pakistan have fought at least three wars over Kashmir, including the Indo-Pakistani Wars of 1947, 1965 and 1999.  • In 1998, both India and Pakistan successfully test-exploded nuclear devices, leading many to fear a new arms race.  • In January 2013, officials in India warned residents in India-controlled Kashmir to build a bomb shelter and store food in the threat of a nuclear war • Kashmir Conflict • Kashmir as a whole is quite diverse, the southern region mostly Hindu, the northeast Buddhist. But for six decades this province with a land mass the size of Idaho has been bitterly fought over by India and Pakistan. • It all dates back to 1947, when the departing British decided to partition the newly independent India. Muslim majority areas were to form the new republic of Pakistan. But Kashmir had a Hindu ruler, and he opted under pressure to join India. • That set off the first of three major wars between India and Pakistan, ending in a ceasefire with India controlling about two-thirds of Kashmir. •  The so-called “line of control” that divided Kashmir has served as an international border for 65 years, but Kashmir has festered as a sore point between the Islamic republic of Pakistan and mostly Hindu India.

26. India • 24. Describe three environmental issues in India. • Deforestation – the demand for timber has led to a loss of natural resources in India - Forest protected areas are no longer being protected, thus allowing companies that are forest-based to take more natural resources. – The demand for Palm Oil is a cause of this deforestation • Pollution of water = competition between agriculture, industry, domestic, and drinking has become a huge problem throughout India. The waterways of India are over polluted – bathing, drinking, industrial waste all feed from and into the same rivers • Wildlife – animals are in danger as India continues its economic boom. For example, the Bengal Tiger is no longer the king of the jungle. Its iconic image is withering as wildlife is struggling to compete with the industrial giant.