The human capacity for good is often unfortunately matched by its capacity for evil. This is evident in the stories that Linda Polman tells in The Crisis Caravan. From cholera outbreaks, to tsunamis, to war to whatever tugs on the heart strings, humanitarian aid seeks to fulfill all needs in every circumstance. I believe that this desire … More Blog Post 6 by Jake Sutherlin
In chapter 5 of Linda Polman’s book she talks about her experience with humanitarian aid and working with aid organizations. She describes her experience working with local leaders and problems that arise with aid organizations. One of the concerns that Polman brings up in chapter 5 (page 97-98) is the fact that there is very … More Blog Post 6
Climate change has created irreversible problems for some people. Deforestation in the Amazons or the melting of polar ice caps in the Arctic have left some people without their homes. This climate change was brought about by the consumer culture that has dominated the global economy since the Industrial Revolution. Countries take large amounts of … More Blog Post 5: Jake Sutherlin
There was an interesting debate in class which centered around what was the biggest crisis in our world: climate change or human right’s infractions. Yes, at face value these seem like two completely different issues, but pieces like the one Watt-Coultier wrote combine the problems into one massive issue. Her people’s livelihood is endangered by … More Blog Post 4: Jake Sutherlin
Nationalism is a national pride. For me, this term and patriotism had always been synonymous, but there appears to be some sort of delineation between the two according to the lecture. Patriotism seems to have a positive connotation and is associated with a communal strength and identity. Nationalism seems to be when a nation takes … More Blog Post 3: Jake Sutherlin
Nationalism is an ideology, according to Encyclopedia Britannica, that is “based on the premise that the individual’s loyalty and devotion to the nation-state surpass other individual or group interests.” In recent years, the term Nationalism has been used to describe right-wing movements that have focused on putting the interests of its citizens first. Regardless of … More Blog Post #3 Patrick Parker
“A statue of Saint Stephen, the first king of Hungary, overlooks the city of Budapest.” -Encyclopædia Britannica Source: https://www.britannica.com/place/Hungary/History/media/276730/89998 Hungary is a bit of an odd country. Being a land-locked country in the middle of Europe next to Austria, most people probably know it best as being the second half of the Austro-Hungarian empire back during … More Blog Post: Hungary
The official language of Ukraine is Ukrainian. Over time the official languages of Ukraine have changed, reflecting the countries history and the push for separation from Russia. In the early 1900’s when Ukraine was under the rule of Imperial Russia, Russian was the official language. Ukrainian would resurface to equal level with Russian in the … More Blog Post 2 Patrick Parker
To refresh, Moldova joined Romania following the end of WWI, but fell under Soviet control during the rise of the USSR and declared independence in 1991 and became a separate nation of its own. Given Moldova’s history with Romania, it makes sense that there is some debate in the country about how Romanian the Moldovans are. … More Post #2 by Jake Sutherlin
The country that will be the focus of my posts this semester will be Ukraine. Although Ukraine does not receive as much attention in the western media as it’s neighbor Russia, it still plays an important role in the politics of eastern Europe. Ukraine is bordered by Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Belarus, and Russia. … More Post #1 Patrick Parker
