Goals

Activities

Paper

Sources

Context:
I envision this lesson as one of three or four similar components of a projected final unit entitled "Understanding Contemporary International Conflicts in the Light of the Past", which would wrap up on my 10th grade World Cultures course.

Objective:
To develop an understanding of how cultural differences and historical "baggage" from the colonial/imperialist era contribute to international conflicts and to develop an awareness of and an appreciation for different cultural perspectives.

Skills:
Students will do research using both printed materials and the Internet.  Students will analyze arguments and construct arguments of their own and hone their skills in debate and rhetorical presentation.

Mode of Participation:
I envision this project involving eight to twelve students organized into two equal groups, A and B.  Each of these groups in turn would be subdivided into two debate teams of two or three members each.  The remainder of the class would participate as the audience.  A possible alternative would be to structure the debates in a "talk-show" format a la Jerry Springer.  That format would encourage active audience participation and engagement.

Outline of Activities:
Group A: China vs. Britain in the Opium War (1839-1842)

One debate team will represent officials from the Imperial government and the other will represent British merchants and government officials.  The debate teams will research and develop arguments to explicate and support their side of their side of this dispute.  Both will give their assessments of the outcome of the war.
Some issues:

British doctrine of "free trade" vs. Chinese view that merchants and especially foreign trade should be carefully controlled by the government to protect the state and the people.

Should drugs be legalized?

British demands for "extraterritoriality" in response to Chinese demands that British authorities surrender a sailor to be punished for the murder of Lin Wei-hsi in accordance with the Chinese of collective responsibility.

Sources: Students will refer to their textbook, books from the library and provided by the teacher and handouts (see attachments).


Group B: The Dispute Between China and the U.S. over Human Rights

 
One debate team will represent officials from the Chinese government and the other will represent officials from the U.S. State Department.  The debate teams will research and develop arguments to explicate and support their side of this dispute.  Each time will begin by explicating their side's concept of what constitutes good and legitimate government and what is the proper relationship of the individual citizen to his/her government.  The Chinese team will present their concept of a benevolent authoritarian model, drawing from both the traditional Confucian and the Marxian doctrines and the U.S. team will present the Lockean viewpoint, focusing on the concept of "natural rights."  The U.S. team will critique the conduct of the Chinese government for violations of human rights citing specific examples (Tiananmen Sq., Falun Gong, etc.)  The Chinese team will respond by critiquing the failures of the U.S. government (homelessness, drug addictions, etc.).
 
Questions:
1. Are there Universal Human Rights?
2. If so, how/who should define them and how should they be enforced?
3. What do you think will be the outcome of this dispute?
Sources: Students will refer to their textbook, books and magazine articles and the Internet.  Handouts will be provided (see attachments).

Essay:
To wrap up this lesson students will be assigned a short reflective essay of approximately two pages in length.  Students will respond to the following prompt: "Compare and contrast these two conflicts between China and the West.  How might the first conflict influence the attitudes of the Chinese and the Americans in the contemporary dispute over human rights?"

Some Sources:

• China: 100 Years of Revolution by Harrison Salisbury, pp. 23-27. ("Blue Sky" Lin)
• Economics: an Introduction to Traditional and Radical Views by E.K. Hunt and Howard Sherman, pp. 39-43. (the rise of Classical Liberalism and the doctrine of "Free Trade")
• A History of Asia by Rhoads Murphy, pp. 244-245 (synopsis of the Opium War)
• "On The People's Democratic Dictatorship . . . ", speech by Mao Tsetung (June 30, 1949)
• The Opium War Through Chinese Eyes by Arthur Waley, pp. 55-61. (the murder of  Lin Wei-hsi and the issue of extraterritoriality)
• SPICE Unit, Lesson #4, U.S. - Sino Relations pp. 168-174. (brief summaries of the two governments' opposing views in the human rights dispute)
• U.S. Bill of Rights

 

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