geography/demography reading

[Anonymous]

If you are ever going up the 395, stop at Manzanar - a Japanese relocation camp just North of Lone Pine. It has a self guided tour that is quite thought provoking!

M-WManzanar

[Anonymous]

I believe we often forget the role that geography and demographics plays in one's history. Thy number of countries in Asia (46), the total population (9 billion), and total area (17.2 million square miles) provides a great deal of insight regarding this part of the world. Comparing Asia to the other continents of the world finds it with over half of the world's population and 30% of the world's total landmass.
Despite this data it is ironic, that in many instances, in America it occupies far less in our secondary curriculum and outside of the California experience it is often vacant or delegated to the military histories of these nations. There is a need for us as educators to flip the paradigm, based on the notion that we need to prepare our students for an ever-changing world where there is an explosion in the internationalization and globalization of markets and as Thomas Friedman stated in his seminal work "The World is Flat " and is becoming flatter by the second. It is essential to look at a country in its own terms. Clayton framed it best when he stated that East Asia is a great example of of "from background to foreground". " Demography is Destiny"
I am learning so much and am committed to do things differently as I return home to Lincoln Centre for the Arts.
I am indebted.
Rand

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the map attachments. We can all use maps in our classrooms, either for basic geography lessons or to point out the subtleties of the way folks in East Asia interact with their surroundings. Classroommaps.com has a variety of good, interactive maps for sale but I usually choose to find them for free on-line and print them out or download them.

[Anonymous]

i have been to that camp, with another teacher and a few students, and it is something the students still remember. The talking from the teacher is not as remembered.

[Anonymous]

Natural resources in China and Asia in general have become dire and have shown effects in the now nonexistent rivers and need to look for outside locations to find sources. Obviously if they decided on generating an economic boom they would begin to require much more than they would be able to provide. It seemed as though their hands in the pots of different locations would cause more influence by China in their political realm and codependency between the different areas. One example in the reading said that China had paid more than 12 billion in the Congo for road and other infrastructure. Its problematic when their is independence and then becoming more assertive when political problems begin.

Ultimately, it would be hypocritical to point fingers at any country that was utilizing more resources than should be because every growing and modernizing country has done so. There should be an interest in helping protect the resources we do still have and maintain some sort of program to reverse these effects. These issues should be separate in the way these countries carry conversations and interact through diplomatic means yet it seems that even with the recent League of Nations and United Nations, we can see examples of the difficulty in maintaining diplomacy when there is so much interwoven effects between all nations.

There have been several reports of the abuse of dolphins and other sea life that have created controversy through American involvement in the blocking of said abuse. Id hope that the appropriate international organizations would be better at enforcing these types of agreements and rules.

[Anonymous]

My Dear Colleagues, The collective genius in that room was overwhelming... I am not just talking about our professors who in their own right are internationally and nationally acclaimed. Yes I am talking about "YOU"!!
Mark I truly loved your comments about the U.S. falling behind China as you expressed "the backseat that America is taking" What an eye-opener. There is a great book by Jiong Yu & Richard Li-Hua called China's Highway of Information & Communication Technology. I want to underline the title but I don't know how. This may be banned based on their candidate approach to China's expertise and not explicitly but implicitly stated the US is falling behind China.
Gracie, I really liked your link to codependency and your comment about being a girl in China and being killed.HUH...HUH..HUh..
Susan, I share your same sentiments about the aging population... I steeped in ignorance had no idea. Thank you for enlightening me!
Anita I really loved your Wade-Giles quote... and the fact that your daughter went to REED (one of America's outstanding liberal arts schools). Ironically one of my dear colleagues and friends....the # 1 person in school finance in America also went to Reed and spent last week up there for a few days because his son, who is an outstanding scholar, is considering Reed! Thank you for your commitment to the anti-war movement in America & your contributions to the Institute.
John, I loved your reference to Manzanar. There is a great short story written by a couple and then made into a movie called "Return to Manzanar" I would also suggest that if you're teaching about Japanese location then view to Torah Torah, where a naval officer meets a San Diego State University student and she becomes a victim of American attitude at that time. I really appreciate all your posts and your "taking away" comments. I will never forget you and your running commentary.
Suzanne, You are the Fortune one... you have visited Manzanar.. please .tell us all what you felt about your experience there. Feeling is far more important than learning!

TWC, ( Together We Can) Implied: Do Anything ( which is really important )
Rand

[Anonymous]

Noreen, the topic in which you mentioned several weeks ago about the aging problem in China. Well, several days ago, there was an article on Yahoo news about Japan's aging population and how a large number of elders are unaccounted for. Some died in their homes not be discovered until weeks or months have passed. Though the problem is currently happening in Japan, China is predicted to share similar issues in the future.

[Anonymous]

Jeanne, yes, the next generation must make lots of money in order to sustain. I am starting to see that more clearly as the school year begins with the apparent cutbacks and crunch of the school system.

[Author]

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