Final Post: Catalyst for Change

Over the course of this semester my group and I covered the issue of sexual violence upon women in India, and how recent tragedies have brought forth a large movement for the rights of women throughout the country. We began by discussing different cases of sexual violence within India like the New Delhi case which had gained worldwide attention because it was so horrific. Then we drew on a variety of issues that ultimately lead to sexual violence towards women. These issues include a mentality in which women are seen as property instead of humans and how this mind set is caused by a culture that always places women inferior to men. However, more and more attention toward these cases against the rights of women have led to changes within India. Citizens unifying against sexual violence upon women have created movements that have pushed for laws that punish these offenders. Though actual enforcement is an issue, especially in rural areas, we can see that the citizen's of India are gradually making progress in the fight against sexual violence and for the rights of women altogether.

I think it is important to note that many of us in the group did not know much about the movement in India because this in turn helped us with our approach toward the topic. First, we outlined what an audience (us included) would need to know in order to understand the complexities of sexual violence and specifically in India. By asking our own questions about the topic, we were able to break down our material into the most important parts. Working in a group allowed us each to become responsible in thoroughly researching each section needed to be covered. We kept in contact with each other to be sure that we were all using different sources and were finding new information about the topic. Spreading out the work not only helped with time, but it also gave each of us different a perspective on the topic which in turn allowed us to analyze sexual violence in India from several viewpoints.

From this project, I learned how important it is to work together especially when dealing with a heavy topic like sexual violence. I remember that at first my group and I had been so excited to take on the issue in all parts of the world, but we then realized that it was broad and far too complex to deliver in one assignment. Working in a group also became difficult because of our conflicting schedules but luckily researching and communicating can easily be done online. Throughout the semester I have learned about sexual violence in India and how movements have became a large cause of social and political change for women. It also continues to remind me of the privileges I have here, and how I should not forget that the movement for complete women's rights is far from over.  

East Asian Territorial Disputes Final Post

 Throughout the semester my group covered East Asian territorial disputes, particularly those involving the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands (China/Japan) and the Spratly and Parcel Islands (China/Vietnam). Both of these disputes are as mired in historical claims as they are in nationalism. China and Japan have been snipping at each other's heels over incidents involving the islands, such as when the Japanese government bought three of the Senkakus from a private owner, sparking massive protests and calls to boycott Japanese products in China. China has also drawn ire for declaring an air defense identification zone around the East China Sea, which includes the Senkakus and other islands in that region that China claims are theirs. The tensions between China and Japan on this issue are so thick that another World War is feared to be eminent. In the South China Sea, China has repeatedly imposed fishing bans and expelled foreign ships, especially those from Vietnam.

We mainly used newspaper articles for our research; the articles came from the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and BBC News. We also used the foreign policy blog The Diplomat. In the first post, we used a Congressional Research report (“Maritime Territorial Disputes in East Asia: Issues for Congress”) that broadly covered the East Asian territorial disputes, including each country's historical reasoning for these claims, the islands that are under claim by various countries, and ways to (peacefully) end the disputes. As for creating a post, we collected a bunch of relevant articles that we found, read them for relevancy/quality, and summarized the best ones. For the second post, each group member wrote a paragraph on at least two articles out of the collection. I think this approach made sure that everyone had a hand in the research and writing process, as well as a general idea of what was happening with our topic. Usually, our group met every Tuesday at 5pm, either to find articles or draft up a post.

From our topic, I learned that the disputes mostly revolve around history- who laid claim to which island first, who took which island from whom, how an island was present in a country's history, etc. China also seemed to be the common link to all the disputes, which is possibly a reflection of its increasing military power. I also found that writing the post together (with one person typing and the others dictating) made more sense than each person editing and adding to the post by themselves at home. It gave the posts a consistent tone. The same could be said of all the parties involved in the East Asian territorial disputes, but hopefully the tone will change from one of belligerence to one of cooperation.

Final Post: U.S./Mexico "War on Drugs"

Our group covered the "war on drugs" and how it has and is affecting both Mexico and the United States. We briefly covered the history of the "war on drugs", how and why it started, and more current issues. The drug economy, organized crime and violence have plagued both the United States and Mexico for many years; Mexico suffering from horrific violence and the U.S. drug problem fueling an illegal economy. Our most recent blog post focused on a joint operation between the two states that led to the capture of infamous drug lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman. Although the arrest was championed by many as a victory for those involved in the "war on drugs" it sadly has had little, real effect for decreasing violence or hindering the drug economy.

Working with a group was incredibly helpful for such a complex topic. We each took a different jobs and approaches when building our posts and researching. It was imperative for us to find a variety of sources in both English and Spanish because of the inherent bias that takes place in the media. Our group was well organized and each member believes this to be an important topic which made our work both interesting and enjoyable. I found the most enlightening part to be hearing different opinions in regards to our subject and bringing all of the information together for the blog.

This issue is both complicated and overwhelming. Both Mexico and the U.S. have suffered from the violence and corruption that comes with the illegal drug market. Although both countries have declared "war on drugs", spent enormous sums of money, dedicated military, police and others to fight the "war", there has been little progress. The Unites States drug users supply the demand. The U.S. with its relaxed gun laws and prevalent gun culture is also responsible for (mostly inadvertently) supplying the majority of the weapons used by cartels to fuel violence in Mexico. On the other hand Mexican cartels grow, create and smuggle the drugs. Like any other wars there are many innocent civilians caught in the middle. After being part of this project it has become clear to me that the status quot is unacceptable. It is time that the two states decide on a different way to put an end to the crisis.  

Final Blog Post: Iran Nuclear Talks

            Over the course of the semester, my group covered the history and the progress of Iranian nuclear projects. We began by going back to the 1980s, when Iran first announced it had been secretly developing nuclear weapons under Ayatollah Khomeini. As tensions increased between the United States, Iran, and Iraq, the US took actions to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear state. These actions were based on the Non-Proliferation Treaty Iran had signed in 1968, promising to never acquire, or conspire to acquire or build, nuclear weaponry. Iran and Russia, however, set up a deal in the 1990s, allowing Iran access to Russian technology and oil by-products to build light-water reactors. The UN joined the US in imposing sanctions and restrictions on Iranian access to nuclear technology in 2006, when the Security Council proposed economic and political incentives for Iran to shut down its nuclear program. These sanctions increased over time, and the US and her allies have worked to deter other countries around the world from providing Iran with knowledge or products that would aid in its nuclear weapon proliferation. Since then, there have been numerous diplomatic talks between Iran and UN members to solve these concerns. As recently as January of this year, Iran has agreed to decrease its supply of enriched uranium while maintaining its nuclear program—albeit with a promise of transparency and honesty with the program’s developments.

            When we researched our topic to write the entries, we all pitched in to add information and valuable sources to a common Google doc. This way, we could all participate and have our opinions heard. While other groups had trouble coordinating and finding a common time/space to meet, using an online resource to communicate made it simple and much less time consuming. Our sources included news outlets, government websites, and other politically minded blogs. It was helpful to work in a group setting when researching, because there was always someone who caught bits of the story that the other members had missed. Having multiple points of view on the same topic made the process interesting and informative.

            From this blog assignment, I learned how important it is to share your own thoughts and opinions, but also to listen to those of others. Without proper communication, this blog probably would have been one-sided and straightforward, whereas the issue of Iran’s nuclear proliferation is extremely controversial and complicated. I think everyone in the group learned to accept each other’s opinions and recognize the validity of a point of view, even if it disagrees with our own. Concerning the topic, I learned quite a bit of new information about Iran’s history of nuclear programs, and the tensions they caused between world powers like the US and Russia for decades. From doing all this research into the history of Iranian nuclear proliferation, I learned that, even today, Iran’s actions would have significant repercussions around the world whether they were to develop full-fledged nuclear bombs or dismantle the project completely. All in all, the Iranian nuclear talks are an example of what we have been discussing in class all semester: the fact that every event has multiple perspectives and motives behind it, and the interconnectedness of global politics.

East/South China Sea Dispute: Final Post

During the length of this semester, my blog covered the conflict in the East and South China Sea involving China, Japan, and Vietnam. China claimed that the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands in the East China Sea were theirs and Japan claimed the same. This dispute caused high tensions between both countries and had the U.S. involved as a peacekeeper trying to settle the dispute without violence. Ethnic tensions and memories of past crimes surfaced in the minds of China and Japan, making both countries prideful and steadfast on their refusal to resolve the issue. It grew out of proportion with both countries sending armed forces to patrol the islands. With the help of the U.S. and other events and issues surfacing, the islands have now become a minor issue that has not been resolved, but neither has it grown into a violent conflict. Down in the South China Sea, a similar dispute has been going on for 45 years. Before 1968, the control over the South China Sea wasn’t very important and fishing vessels roamed freely. But in 1968 the United Nations stated that there could be resources found in these waters, and the control over the South China Sea grew very important. Since then the Spratly and Paracel islands have been disputed with clashes between fishermen and Chinese military ships that patrol the waters. Vietnam had held some of the islands from the Paracel Archipelago and China the rest. This led to a confrontation in 1974 between the South Vietnamese Navy and Chinese Forces. The Vietnamese were defeated and the Chinese took control of the Paracel Archipelago. Since then there have been confrontations and no resolution to this conflict. China’s control over these large areas of waters is being observed by other countries waiting to see what the next move will be and worrying that these small territorial disputes will boil over into something far worse.

My team and I were lucky to have Guen who is Vietnamese and Yukun who is from China in our team due to the different points of view in these disputes. They were able to get news reports from both countries that would help us show both sides of the issue. Japan was easy to research as well being an ally of the United States; there were a lot of news articles on their side of the issue. We found that our way of researching and working was very successful. We researched individually and wrote 1 or 2 paragraphs with the information we found and placed the link of the news article we each used in a Google document so everyone could see which article was already taken and not have multiple paragraphs of the same source. We then got together and revised everything and decided the order based on what each paragraph talked about and we wrote the introduction and conclusion together. We would then research together anything we might have missed and explained what we found while making the last touches to the finished blog post. Our sources were local Vietnamese and Chinese newspapers that Guen and Yukun found, BBC world news, The Diplomat, The Wall Street Journal, and others.

I was fairly ignorant when it came to political affairs in eastern Asia. My knowledge of their disputes and alliances was close to zero. Throughout the semester I learned of the past conflicts between China and Japan and their ethnic differences. I learned of the tensions between Vietnam and China and how much China has been expanding its borders by sea. I was also fairly ignorant of the array of global media. I had assumed that BBC and CNN were the only reliable news sources with New York Times as a small competitor. I was sadly mistaken and learned to find the media bias in all the articles I researched from them and all the other news sources available. I learned to read in between the lines and understand the most important things in the news articles I read. Working in a team with a flexible schedule and distribution of work was also something new to me, which I found to be very helpful with my personal schedule. All in all, I feel I left the blog much more knowledgeable than when I started it.

Climate Change: Final Post

              Throughout the semester, my group covered the current hot issue which is climate change and focused specifically on biomass fuels. We did a research on whether biomass fuels such as wood pellets are really a ‘green’ energy and if wood pellets are the next best green alternative energy. During the research process, we discovered that wood pellets are not the ‘green’ source of energy it claimed to be. Wood pellets, which are made through a process that turns waste from wood manufacturing (for flooring, construction and other purposes) into tiny compressed pieces.  These small pieces, or pellets, are then, in turn, burned as fuel to create energy (either heat or electricity). At first glance, wood pellets seem to be a more environment friendly energy source than fossil fuels such as coal. However, wood pellets actually caused more harms than benefits to the environment because of its production and transportation processes involved. In our last blog post, we concluded that the world’s communities need to reconsider about the usage of wood pellets globally and whether it is worth for the technology and resources devoted to this not-so-green energy. Besides that, we also think that the usage of wood pellets should stay domestic and be regulated to prevent deforestation and further harm to the environment.

            After we decided the topic for our blog posts, we divided the work within ourselves so that every member got to work on areas they are best at. For example, Zarine who has more knowledge on biomass fuels specializes in doing research about what are wood pellets and how wood pellets function as source of energy and also the production of wood pellets. Anne and Jody organize and compile the information we collected while also try to analyze and applied the theory we learned in class into the blog entries. I was assigned the task to do the introduction and summary of the topic which were wood pellets and the effects of wood pellets on environment. I did my research on the topic by looking at several articles such as news articles from The Guardian and The New York Times and also scholarly articles by scientists who did and published their research on the impact of wood pellets on environment. Besides that, I also gathered information from government organization’s website such as United States Environmental Protection Agency about effects and causes of climate change. I think that working as a group had influenced my approach by influencing me to become more open minded and accepting towards other people’s ideas. For example, my approach in a group changed and became more acceptance of the difference of ideas between group members. I recognized that my own ideas were not necessarily the best and I need to listen to other people’s opinions too.

            I learned many things from doing this project throughout the semester. For example, I learned more information about biomass fuels especially wood pellets. I had no knowledge about wood pellets previously and now I know more about it through this project. I learned to be more environmental conscious and be more aware of the energy we use in daily life. Moreover, I gained the skills of doing research through this project. For instance, I learned to look and analyze critically at the articles such as where did it came from and who was the author for the articles. I also learned to cite the sources correctly using APA format and how to apply the theories we learned in class into this project. Working in a group had also taught me many things such as the importance of cooperation between people. Cooperation between group members is important to ensure that the blog posts are up on time and also fulfilled the requirements for the posts. Besides that, I also learned how to communicate effectively with my group members and how to present my own ideas to them. The most important thing that I gained from this project is to look and learn from other people’s strengths and also try to accept their weaknesses. 

Catalyst for Change: Progress Within India Regarding Female Empowerment and Equality

Although sexual violence and inequality towards women in India is not an emerging issue, more alarming cases have currently surfaced and have inspired an awakening of recent social transformations. Particular cases, like that of the fatal gang rape around New Delhi, have brought not only worldwide attention but also a domestic movement for the status of Indian women. Citizens, mainly of the younger generations, are coming together to challenge the social norms and attitudes placed upon them regarding actions such as child marriage or legal injustices such as discriminatory family codes. Through growing awareness and collective efforts towards united change, the Sexual Assault Law of March 2013 capitalized on this momentum and was designed to prevent sexual violence against women. The law declares trafficking, stalking, acid attacks, and voyeurism as criminal offenses and even also accepts the death penalty as a legal course of action if a certain sexual assault case results in death of a victim (more on Sexual Assault Law of March 2013). However, it is not uncommon for cases to go unreported which is a major setback for government support. The Human Rights Watch claims that India’s “lack of accountability” ultimately helps cultivate human rights violations. Even with greater recognition for the equality of women, there are further actions that are needed to guarantee implemented prevention of sexual violence against women in India.

One of these further actions, for example, is a broader recognition of the underlying nature of rape within India as a product of a widely patriarchal society. The country has experienced previous issues with gender inequality and due to recent awareness of brutal rapes, India is also familiarizing itself with many forms of protests and backlash. The difficulty of eradicating such long standing ideas is being countered by immense involvement of the Indian media covering this issue. With this force, especially due to media and it’s huge place within the Indian community, the ultimate idea is to use anti-rape movements to adapt certain aspects of Indian culture. In a society where women tend to be perceived as second class citizens, there is a sentiment of pervasive fear. Then, in order to eradicate that, changing the mindset of the masses becomes a lofty task even for such an influential force such as media relevance. For example, one of these strong vocal movements is how women can be seen holding “My Skirt Is Not Your Business” signs. Additionally, PSA media campaigns such as “Dekh Le” regarding men and excess staring help to bring about broad attention to treatment of women as a whole. A prominent issue though is how many of these protests take place in the larger cities of India. India is an extremely large country where most of the population resides in rural areas where mindsets are often very different. Some solution that village leaders are suggesting is lowering the marriage age to stop rape. That idea in itself is an issue and doesn’t truly address the problem at hand. While anti-rape protests within big cities have planted the seed for change, in order to see progress Indian society needs ultimate persistence in empowerment and education.

Another aspect that describes why this mentality has been embodied relates to India’s history and it’s differing cultural relativism than that of other Westernized states due to imperial forces. Indian law has been greatly shaped by many years of colonialism and skewed aspects of the common practiced religion of Hinduism. India’s diverse cultural and religious backgrounds reflect a varied inclination to sexism and men are often viewed as leaders and essential “bread-winners” of the household while women are expected to stay home. A large part of this is reflected in a “dowry tradition” where a bride’s father gives her groom money, land, or other items that represent her social standing. Though this was made illegal in 1961 it is extremely hard to enforce and is still commonly practiced today. The “dowry tradition” puts women in India at a great disadvantage to be seen as a man’s property. Women are taught from birth that they are inferior to men, sons are cherished and favored, fathers pick whom their daughters marry, and exchange them as property and women are expected to live with their new husbands. While this mentality is pretty far gone in urban areas of the country, within village life such ideals still remain relevant. This intense gender gap in India has made legal rights for women a tough road. Rape historically has been viewed as a woman's own fault for “being too provocative” or “a bad wife” rather than a victim. And, legislation such as Section 375 states that rape is “penetration without consent” referring to a woman’s vagina penetrated by a man. Nonetheless momentum is growing and with small victories arising in 1972 the rape of a 16 year old girl started the first public movement for legal reform. Last year the government passed the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Bill which sets up a separate court for juvenile rape victims. While many laws still favor men and ignore the needs of the rest of the population, this is slowly changing and the pressing issue of rape is becoming a nation wide movement.

Regarding other forms of legislation regarding this issue and following the events of the New Delhi Rape Case of 2012, many actions were taken to change laws in order to protect women. Although these laws were put into effect to “stem sexual violence against women” (Messinger, Huffington Post, 2013), women are still vulnerable to the “gendered-based” (Messinger, Huffington Post, 2013) abuses caused by spouses and India’s National Security Forces. The law put into place by the Indian Government can only be seen on a legislative level. On the ground these laws are not being put into effect the way they should be and because of this issue many grassroots organizations, “local political organizations which seek to influence conditions not related to the working situation of the participants and which have the activity of the participants as their primary source” (Gundelach, Acta Sociologica, 1979), have developed in India to ensure that everyone, including women and young girls of all backgrounds in India, “have access to education, jobs, healthcare, physical protection, and emotional safety” (Messinger, Huffington Post, 2013). Two grassroots organizations that have sprouted in India are Awaaz-e-Niswaan (AEN) and the Shaheen Resource Center for Women. After the New Delhi rape case, AEN organized protests and vigils and provided a safe haven for Muslim girls and teenagers and teaches them about their rights, along with helping them “develop a network of peer support and how to access government and nongovernment services” (Messinger, Huffington Post, 2013) to defend and safeguard their rights. AEN understands the connection between poverty, discrimination, and rape, and because of that they are able to give these women and girls much more than just support. AEN has given Muslim women and girls a voice in defending their rights. AEN has also given a voice to the once ignored sex workers and LGBT groups who have experienced abuse and violence that was considered illegitimate by the Indian government. The Shaheen Resource Center for Women also came about following the New Delhi rape and they not only provide leadership and development to Muslim communities, but also legal counseling. They teach women and girls to be independent and self sufficient through “livelihood skills”, as well as teaching them about their bodies so they “can value themselves” and not “normalize violence that may seem commonplace in their communities” (Messinger, Huffington Post, 2013). Through grassroots organizations like these women have found the strength to advocate for themselves and begin the process of stopping the cycle of violence they have had to endure.

Through these groups, attempted reforms at legislation, media influence, and broadened education regarding the place of women in Indian society and its direct correlation to rape prevention, it is evident that there is progress being made. Simultaneously, however, it is also prevalent that many actions and paths towards equality have led to dead ends or complexified situations. It is through continued effort and increasing awareness within India, by Indians, and for Indians themselves that we are seeing continued effort and emphasis placed on such a vital cause for the future of the country as a whole.

By: Taylor, Monica, Adriana, Jacklyn and Tiffany




Works Cited

Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs. (2001).Census data. Retrieved from website: http://censusindia.gov.in/Census_And_You/religion.aspx

Gundelach, Peter. Acta Sociologica.. Sage Publications Ltd., 1979. 187. Print.

Messinger, Ruth. "Seeking Transformative Justice in the Aftermath of the New Delhi Rape Case." Huffington Post. 9 Oct. 2013. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ruth-messinger/seeking-transformative-ju_b_4072019.html>.

Jamil, Faiz. (2013, January 4) Can India’s anti-rape movement change a culture? CBC news. Retrieved March 25, 2014 from http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/can-india-s-anti-rape-moment-change-a-culture-1.1321430

Khalsa, Guruamrit. Khambatta, Persis. (2013, March 6). New Sexual Assault Laws in India: Only the Beginning. The Asia Foundation. Retrieved March 25, 2014, from http://asiafoundation.org/in-asia/2013/03/06/new-sexual-assault-laws-in-india-only-the-beginning/ .

New Threats to Free Speech, Annual Review Spotlights Justice. (2014, January 21). India: End Violence Against Women, Children, Minorities. Human Rights Watch. Retrieved March 25, 2014, from http://www.hrw.org/news/2014/01/21/india-end violence-against-women-children-minorities.

Women's situation in india. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.saarthakindia.org/womens_situation_India.html

Wright, T. (2013). A short history of indian rape-law reforms. The Wall Street Journal, Retrieved from http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2013/01/09/a-short-history-of-indian-rape-law-reforms/