Dear QT:
1) Was peaceful negotiation stymied more as a result of internecine rivalry or as a result of external intervention ie the US (in support of Israel)?
both. you need to state WHEN it was the former or the latter.
when did negotiations happen?
pls zoom in on the reasons for Camp David (events leading up to it), and the outcome of Camp David - did Camp David resolve the important contentious points like jeruselem?did camp david ensure lasting peace?
also zoom in on cases with superpower intervention. i.e. Suez Crisis. thing is, both US and SU outfitted both sidesof the conflict and 'evened' them out. because of detante and US interest in Saudi Oil AND the strong jewish lobby in the US, they actually WANTED peace.
in this case, the lack of peace can possibly be due to the parties themselves. eg: the arabs - particularly Nasser who needed to regain support for his Arab Nationalism, and to regain lost ground in the previous wars
2) Does religious fundamentalism = militant extremism?
as spoken, the latter comes after the former in the case studies we study today. a militant approach is used to further a religious fundamentalist agenda. you want to study about WHY this phenomenon was the case. Were they 'pushed' into a militant approach? was it particular innovations that inspired them?
look at the Iranian Revolution which saw a militant Shite party gain control of a whole country AND overthrow the infidel West (the US) which had been 'subjugating' the east, in the eyes of the arabs. this inspired the sunnis, the 'enemies' of the shites, to take a similar radical approach.
3) Was religious fundamentalism a response to modernity (western structures) or modernism (western values and ideology)?
both. important: fixation with WEST.
4) Hezbollah. Hamas. Fatah. Which organisation reaped the most 'success' and why? Was the criterion for success solely defeat of the Israelis and stirring up anti-Semitic feelings?
not too important in your syllabus. hezbollah is lebanese BTW.
their criterion for success, initially, was for the eradication of israel. PLO eventually changed to seek autonomy through the parliamentary route. this created problems - other parties like Hamas accused it of betrayal.
5) Did the US specifically look towards the Middle East (Islamic threat) to fill the vacuum of the end of the Cold War and collapse of SU communism as a means for validation of its foreign policy? Or was it inevitably sucked into the conflict in a Am public (pro-Israeli) vs. Am govt (pro-Arab for oil) situation?
no. this is a politics inference. pls do not confuse it with the intentions of the US.
there are 2 contending views, which are valid.
1) strong jewish lobby in the US with pro-israeli sentiments
2) desire for oil in the middle east, with strong alliance with Saudi Arabia
--> overall desire for PEACE.
where american national interests are at stake, they will intervene.
intervening has created problems - accusations of imperalistic US/West, view of it as the great infidel and Satan etc etc.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Response to QT 2
1) What is it?- refers to any religious movement tt promotes a back to basics approach (absolute religious orthodoxy & evangelical practice) in an aggressive and flaunting manner; to return to the defining or founding principles of a religion- intentionally resists identification with the larger religious group in which it originally arose, on the pretext tt the basic principles on which the larger grp is founded have become corrupt or displaced
okay QT.
yes to 'back-to-basics', but explain what you mean - to return to the defining or founding principles of a religion- intentionally resists identification with the larger religious group in which it originally arose, on the pretext tt the basic principles on which the larger grp is founded have become corrupt or displaced, as you stated.
you need to understand the concept of FUNDAMENTALISM. pls google or wiki it!
they are not necessarily 'aggressive' and 'flaunting'. pls do not generalise. some take evolutionary and parliamentary approaches.
2) What are its origins?a- concept emerged from a Christian Protestant movement in the early 20th century in the USAb- began with the Iraniann revolution (1979), spanning approx 2 decades : Shiite theocracy, fatwa against Salman R's The Satanic Verses-> Ayatollah (hahahah!) Khomeini rose to power when he deposed the Shah, introduced a set of radical Islamic ideas and wanted to export his brand of Islamic Revln to other countries-> First time since 1956 that a Muslim nation successfully defied a western nation-> AT Kh turned rhetoric into action and provided leadership, training, logistics and funding to other Muslim grps to spread the revln and his brand of Islam-> Successful because backed by decades of anti-monarchist activity and an even longer period of Islamic revivalismc- spontaneous indigenous response to profound social, political and economic crisesd- rise of Islamic fundamentalism in the 1970s and 1980se- reaction against the West and western capitalist practicesf- Impact of Wahabbism in Saudi Arabia -> time warp mentality -> characterised by strict adherence to the puritan and literal translation of sacred Muslim textsg- reaction against Israel: the Arab-Israeli problem-> Increasing Israeli political intransigence-> Nationalism combined with religious fervour was a more appropriate application to the war
I was hoping for a more cohesive response with some attempt at a timeline, cause and effect, and weighing the importance of each factor.
Do redo this.
Ignore chrisitian fundamentalism as the syllabus only focuses on islamic fundamentalism.
pls do not confuse it with the origins of the arab-israeli conflict.
3) When did it turn radical and why?a- 1980s; Islamists were able to fill the gap in social, health and welfare institutions, where Arab socialist and secular nationalist movements had failed b- emergence of global Islamism allowed for financial interdepency and new technological developments; 'new imagined Islamist internet communities'- sponsored by USA and Pakistan, inspired by Wahabbi-dominated Saudi Arabia
you are answering 'reasons for the growth of religious fundamentalism'. why are social and welfare institutions RADICAL? this assertion does not make logical sense.
what do you understand by RADICAL? radical in doctrines? radical in methods? radical in its policies?
sponsorship by US, pakistan, and saudi arabia are relevant. but pls put this under a timeline, and state how influential or important they were. deal with US point carefully. more details needed.
do redo this question.
4) What does radical religious fundamentalism entail?a- open confrontation, violence; threats to political stabilityeg. Islamic Salvation Front (ISF, 1989) vs FLN; Algeriaeg. Hizbollah;s guerilla warfare; Lebanon
if RRF = open confrontation, violence and threats to political stability, why did they arise from social, health and welfare institutions? is hizbollah a welfare organisation?
Response to Berenice
Berenice wrote:
Anyway, straight from the annals of literature: the poem 'The Angel' by Ted Hughes.What is the symbolism of the 'satin square' around the angel's head? I previously deduced that the angel in the poetic voice's dream is a harbinger of death, who takes his mother away to the afterlife. Also, is it a possible reading that the 'swan the size of a city' is a metaphorical pun on 'swansong'? And the first stanza just fried my brain. Please advise, thank you!
Hey Berenice, this is what i think:
the idea of paper 4 PC is to point out HOW an imaginary world is presented, and WHY it is presented in that way. The satin square can be read not so much as a symbol in itself, but rather you cld point out the ambiguity of its description, and how it is atypical of a usual angel's halo. note the word' enigmatic' in 'enigmatic square', the frivolity suggested in 'fringed edges like a flounder', but most of all this line - 'i could make no sense of that strange head-dress'. the reader therefore shares the speaker's puzzlement at this bizarre state of things. furthermore, this IS AFTER ALL a dream.
'speaker' is a less cumbersome term than 'poetic voice'
and yes, the angel IS the harbinger of death. you could discuss the subversion of the traditional notion of an angel, through its PRESENTATION - physical features, and the connotations (i.e. afterlife/death/etc). instead of welcoming the dead into the afterlife it is now the active bringer of death.
i think the reference to the swan sld be read together with the presentation of the angel. don't take it as a separate and distinct image. what are the connotations and implications of this initial impression of the angel as a swan? how is it bizarre that it was 'a swan the size of a city'? what is the effect of the magnitude suggested (size of a city)? how do we link its gynormous and almost grotesque size (note: 'far too heavy', 'pounded towards' - suggesting some clumsiness and yet the magnititude and speed at which it is lumbering towards the speaker)
and yet 'it was no swan, but an 'angel made of smoking snow'. try discussing how the descriptionof the swan prepares us for the angel, or perhaps is exemplary of the everchanging flux in a dreamworld. depends how you read it.
as for the first stanza...
he describes the 'disastrous' scene he saw. pls discuss the apocalpytic references and images. note: 'full moon' crashing onto the city (Halifax), the adjective 'black' for 'black Halifax' - could represent night, but what else? how does 'black' add to the atmosphere of destruction and disaster? what is the effect of describing the city as 'an erupting crater'??? what do you see in your mind when you think of an erupting crater? THINK: VOLCANO.
OKAY hope that helped (:
ran
Anyway, straight from the annals of literature: the poem 'The Angel' by Ted Hughes.What is the symbolism of the 'satin square' around the angel's head? I previously deduced that the angel in the poetic voice's dream is a harbinger of death, who takes his mother away to the afterlife. Also, is it a possible reading that the 'swan the size of a city' is a metaphorical pun on 'swansong'? And the first stanza just fried my brain. Please advise, thank you!
Hey Berenice, this is what i think:
the idea of paper 4 PC is to point out HOW an imaginary world is presented, and WHY it is presented in that way. The satin square can be read not so much as a symbol in itself, but rather you cld point out the ambiguity of its description, and how it is atypical of a usual angel's halo. note the word' enigmatic' in 'enigmatic square', the frivolity suggested in 'fringed edges like a flounder', but most of all this line - 'i could make no sense of that strange head-dress'. the reader therefore shares the speaker's puzzlement at this bizarre state of things. furthermore, this IS AFTER ALL a dream.
'speaker' is a less cumbersome term than 'poetic voice'
and yes, the angel IS the harbinger of death. you could discuss the subversion of the traditional notion of an angel, through its PRESENTATION - physical features, and the connotations (i.e. afterlife/death/etc). instead of welcoming the dead into the afterlife it is now the active bringer of death.
i think the reference to the swan sld be read together with the presentation of the angel. don't take it as a separate and distinct image. what are the connotations and implications of this initial impression of the angel as a swan? how is it bizarre that it was 'a swan the size of a city'? what is the effect of the magnitude suggested (size of a city)? how do we link its gynormous and almost grotesque size (note: 'far too heavy', 'pounded towards' - suggesting some clumsiness and yet the magnititude and speed at which it is lumbering towards the speaker)
and yet 'it was no swan, but an 'angel made of smoking snow'. try discussing how the descriptionof the swan prepares us for the angel, or perhaps is exemplary of the everchanging flux in a dreamworld. depends how you read it.
as for the first stanza...
he describes the 'disastrous' scene he saw. pls discuss the apocalpytic references and images. note: 'full moon' crashing onto the city (Halifax), the adjective 'black' for 'black Halifax' - could represent night, but what else? how does 'black' add to the atmosphere of destruction and disaster? what is the effect of describing the city as 'an erupting crater'??? what do you see in your mind when you think of an erupting crater? THINK: VOLCANO.
OKAY hope that helped (:
ran
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Response to Queen Tit
My comment's on Queen Tit's views...
1) Why was ASEAN created? When?- Bangkok Declaration, 8 Aug 1967- need for regional cooperation and peace through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law and adherence to the principles of the UN Charter.- SEA beset by political and economic instability in the 1960s; a need to ease suspicions harboured against one another - need for new perspective and framework for development of the region; realisation that cooperation, not isolation, is key
okay good. the Bangkok Declaration is very important - you must know when it was created, and you MUST know the basic tenets established in that document. I believe HASIM gave you a copy of the declaration, so you should know the very important clauses which establish the framework for THE ASEAN WAY.
However this is the ostentatious reason. The 'real' reason lies in the reality of political and economic instability which you mentioned, but you must state exactly WHAT problems they had. You can look at these problems in 2 dimensions:
INTERNAL VS EXTERNAL
where does the instability come from? it's basically threats from within and from the external environment. This you studied under ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, NATION-BUILDING, AND POLITICAL STRUCTURES. Good to list down the various problems they faced in order to contextualise for the reader, the situation then that COMPELLED THEM TO WORK TOGETHER, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE ENEMIES JUST A FEW YEARS BACK.
As for external environment, do note the COLD WAR. Why? think about it - hint: indochinese complex
2) What was ASEAN meant to do?- advocate consensus as the basis for decision-making- accept one another as equals irrespective of size and resources- respect for one another's sovereign rights as independent states- settlement of disputes through peaceful consultations
okay good. a good way to approach this is to compare it with the UN. how does ASEAN's conflict resolution mechanisms differ than that of the UN? in terms of structure? what about processes, both formal and informal? Do also note that while ASEAN is meant to respect and recognise the sovereignty of each country, it did not necessarily entail the reduction or resolution of interstate conflicts, esp in the area of territorial negotiation. note: spratley islands, pulau batu puteh, etc.
a view is also that the 'recognition of sovereignty' allows the governments to turn inwards to resolve their own internal issues. This is said to have brought about EXTERNAL STABILITY via non-intervention, but in turn reinforcing AUTHORITARIANISM as the various governments consolidated their hold over territory, resources, politics, society etc. pls refer to your political structures knowledge to inform you of this.
3 a) What are musyawarah and muafakat?b) How have they affected the way ASEAN deals with issues?a) Musywarah - consultationMuafakat - consensus- tenets of the ASEAN WAY: way ASEAN manages its affairs through positive ethics inherent in ASEAN's common eastern culture and traditions.
good. must know and MUST STATE IN SBQ. please be absolutely clear about what the ASEAN WAY entails, not just what it means. 'entail' meaning the structures and processes associated with it. i.e. back-door/closed-door negotiation. that is a REFLECTION of musyarawah.
the counter-argument is that ASEAN is a talk-shop. do you think this is true? what are the PURPORTED BENEFITS of consultation and dialogue? what are the cons of having a dialogue-focused organisation? you must list these things out and THROW THEM INTO YOUR SBQ.
b) ASEAN Way has been vindicated in cases of potentially explosive issues (territorial and jurisdictional disputes in South China Sea; self-determination for East Timor; nuclear proliferation in Northeast Asia etc)- manifested in the ASEAN Regional Forum, by 2 main objectives:1 = Foster constructive dialogue and consultation on political and security issues of common interest and concern2 = Contribute to efforts towards confidence building and preventive diplomacy in the Asia-Pacific region- regional solutions to regional problems; moving away from dependence of regional states on extra-regional powers for protection against internal/external threats; concept of collective bargaining in order to bolster the smaller and weaker states
potentially explosive issues. good. please know SPECIFIC EXAMPLES. and list cases whereby dialogue helped to defuse a particular potentially explosive situation.
pls also know the objectives of the ARF, the arguments for and against it as well, and how the ASEAN PRINCIPLES ARE REFLECTED IN IT. the abovementioned are a good start.
you mentioned "moving away from dependence of regional states on extra-regional powers for protection against internal/external threats" - pls be careful as this is not completely true. while they ostentatiously campaigned against IMPERIALISM and all its purported MANIFESTATIONS (i.e. globalisation, americanisation etc etc, pls ref mahatir's anti-western speeches) other countries which were historically amiable to western powers like singapore and philippines, especially singapore even up till this day, believed that powers like the US served to maintain a BALANCE OF POWER IN THE REGION, AGAINST COUNTRIES LIKE CHINA AND THE USSR, ESPCIALLY DURING THE COLD WAR. THIS IS VERY VERY IMPORTANT.
5) What are the milestone conferences and treaties?- Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in SEA, signed at 1st ASEAN Summit in Bali on Feb 1976- Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN), signed 27 Nov 1971- SEANWFZ, effected on 27 Mar 1997 (signed 15 Dec 1995)- The Dialogue System- The ASEAN Regional Forum- Settlement of Cambodian Conflict
ok. pls know what happened in each, the main points AND SIGNIFICANCE of each. don't forget the VIETNAM WAR too, though the vietnamese invasion of cambodia is equally, if not more, significant.
it is highly likely that the SBQ will list examples from all that you have mentioned and ask you to assess the effectiveness of asean based on the pros, cons, and outcomes, successes and failures of the above. be ready to deal with them by knowing those issues in out.
6) Is there an ASEAN identity?Not exactly, given the socio-cultural differences of the member countries. But they are all united under common cause for regional cooperation politically and economically and for security reasons.
using the example of socio-cultural differences is not enough to debase the assertion that there IS an ASEAN IDENTITY. pls think through this more by thinking about the idea of 'an identity' and what it entails. after that, look at the arguments put forward.
if ASEAN is merely a creation for political expediency, its identity with the region would be weak.
do view this question HISTORICALLY as well, and understand it as an identity IN CREATION and slowly DEVELOPING. do not see an 'identity' as an end-point, i.e. in XXXX years, an asean identity was achieved.
otherwise, good work queen tit! (:
1) Why was ASEAN created? When?- Bangkok Declaration, 8 Aug 1967- need for regional cooperation and peace through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law and adherence to the principles of the UN Charter.- SEA beset by political and economic instability in the 1960s; a need to ease suspicions harboured against one another - need for new perspective and framework for development of the region; realisation that cooperation, not isolation, is key
okay good. the Bangkok Declaration is very important - you must know when it was created, and you MUST know the basic tenets established in that document. I believe HASIM gave you a copy of the declaration, so you should know the very important clauses which establish the framework for THE ASEAN WAY.
However this is the ostentatious reason. The 'real' reason lies in the reality of political and economic instability which you mentioned, but you must state exactly WHAT problems they had. You can look at these problems in 2 dimensions:
INTERNAL VS EXTERNAL
where does the instability come from? it's basically threats from within and from the external environment. This you studied under ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, NATION-BUILDING, AND POLITICAL STRUCTURES. Good to list down the various problems they faced in order to contextualise for the reader, the situation then that COMPELLED THEM TO WORK TOGETHER, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE ENEMIES JUST A FEW YEARS BACK.
As for external environment, do note the COLD WAR. Why? think about it - hint: indochinese complex
2) What was ASEAN meant to do?- advocate consensus as the basis for decision-making- accept one another as equals irrespective of size and resources- respect for one another's sovereign rights as independent states- settlement of disputes through peaceful consultations
okay good. a good way to approach this is to compare it with the UN. how does ASEAN's conflict resolution mechanisms differ than that of the UN? in terms of structure? what about processes, both formal and informal? Do also note that while ASEAN is meant to respect and recognise the sovereignty of each country, it did not necessarily entail the reduction or resolution of interstate conflicts, esp in the area of territorial negotiation. note: spratley islands, pulau batu puteh, etc.
a view is also that the 'recognition of sovereignty' allows the governments to turn inwards to resolve their own internal issues. This is said to have brought about EXTERNAL STABILITY via non-intervention, but in turn reinforcing AUTHORITARIANISM as the various governments consolidated their hold over territory, resources, politics, society etc. pls refer to your political structures knowledge to inform you of this.
3 a) What are musyawarah and muafakat?b) How have they affected the way ASEAN deals with issues?a) Musywarah - consultationMuafakat - consensus- tenets of the ASEAN WAY: way ASEAN manages its affairs through positive ethics inherent in ASEAN's common eastern culture and traditions.
good. must know and MUST STATE IN SBQ. please be absolutely clear about what the ASEAN WAY entails, not just what it means. 'entail' meaning the structures and processes associated with it. i.e. back-door/closed-door negotiation. that is a REFLECTION of musyarawah.
the counter-argument is that ASEAN is a talk-shop. do you think this is true? what are the PURPORTED BENEFITS of consultation and dialogue? what are the cons of having a dialogue-focused organisation? you must list these things out and THROW THEM INTO YOUR SBQ.
b) ASEAN Way has been vindicated in cases of potentially explosive issues (territorial and jurisdictional disputes in South China Sea; self-determination for East Timor; nuclear proliferation in Northeast Asia etc)- manifested in the ASEAN Regional Forum, by 2 main objectives:1 = Foster constructive dialogue and consultation on political and security issues of common interest and concern2 = Contribute to efforts towards confidence building and preventive diplomacy in the Asia-Pacific region- regional solutions to regional problems; moving away from dependence of regional states on extra-regional powers for protection against internal/external threats; concept of collective bargaining in order to bolster the smaller and weaker states
potentially explosive issues. good. please know SPECIFIC EXAMPLES. and list cases whereby dialogue helped to defuse a particular potentially explosive situation.
pls also know the objectives of the ARF, the arguments for and against it as well, and how the ASEAN PRINCIPLES ARE REFLECTED IN IT. the abovementioned are a good start.
you mentioned "moving away from dependence of regional states on extra-regional powers for protection against internal/external threats" - pls be careful as this is not completely true. while they ostentatiously campaigned against IMPERIALISM and all its purported MANIFESTATIONS (i.e. globalisation, americanisation etc etc, pls ref mahatir's anti-western speeches) other countries which were historically amiable to western powers like singapore and philippines, especially singapore even up till this day, believed that powers like the US served to maintain a BALANCE OF POWER IN THE REGION, AGAINST COUNTRIES LIKE CHINA AND THE USSR, ESPCIALLY DURING THE COLD WAR. THIS IS VERY VERY IMPORTANT.
5) What are the milestone conferences and treaties?- Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in SEA, signed at 1st ASEAN Summit in Bali on Feb 1976- Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN), signed 27 Nov 1971- SEANWFZ, effected on 27 Mar 1997 (signed 15 Dec 1995)- The Dialogue System- The ASEAN Regional Forum- Settlement of Cambodian Conflict
ok. pls know what happened in each, the main points AND SIGNIFICANCE of each. don't forget the VIETNAM WAR too, though the vietnamese invasion of cambodia is equally, if not more, significant.
it is highly likely that the SBQ will list examples from all that you have mentioned and ask you to assess the effectiveness of asean based on the pros, cons, and outcomes, successes and failures of the above. be ready to deal with them by knowing those issues in out.
6) Is there an ASEAN identity?Not exactly, given the socio-cultural differences of the member countries. But they are all united under common cause for regional cooperation politically and economically and for security reasons.
using the example of socio-cultural differences is not enough to debase the assertion that there IS an ASEAN IDENTITY. pls think through this more by thinking about the idea of 'an identity' and what it entails. after that, look at the arguments put forward.
if ASEAN is merely a creation for political expediency, its identity with the region would be weak.
do view this question HISTORICALLY as well, and understand it as an identity IN CREATION and slowly DEVELOPING. do not see an 'identity' as an end-point, i.e. in XXXX years, an asean identity was achieved.
otherwise, good work queen tit! (:
Monday, July 14, 2008
To all ye who dare travelest heare...
Dear friends,
HI!
This is officially Rannald's 'ask-me-anything-and-wait-for-me-to-answer' blog!
It is meant to facilitate the answering of YOUR questions, which need to be done in writing, or when I am unable to meet you personally over long spells.
This is how it works. You ask your question in the 'comments' section, and I will post up my answer as a blog post. simple?
I await your intellectual ramblings.
Rannald (:
HI!
This is officially Rannald's 'ask-me-anything-and-wait-for-me-to-answer' blog!
It is meant to facilitate the answering of YOUR questions, which need to be done in writing, or when I am unable to meet you personally over long spells.
This is how it works. You ask your question in the 'comments' section, and I will post up my answer as a blog post. simple?
I await your intellectual ramblings.
Rannald (:
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