Global Citizenship 讀書會
出自KMU Wiki
[編輯] Global Citizenship Study Group
[編輯] The Last King of Scotland (movie 2006)
2010 Sept 29th
[編輯] ~Author~
Giles Foden was born in Warwickshire in 1967. His family moved to Malawi in 1971 where he was raised. He was educated at Cambridge, where he read English. He worked as a journalist for Media Week magazine, then became an assistant editor on the Times Literary Supplement. He was deputy literary editor of The Guardian between 1995 and 2006 and is currently Fellow in Creative and Performing Arts at University of London. He is a Professor of Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia.
His first novel The Last King of Scotland (1998), won the Whitbread First Novel Award and the Winifred Holtby Memorial Prize. The 2006 feature film, The Last King of Scotland, starring Forest Whitaker, is based on Foden's novel with considerable differences.
[編輯] ~Movie Background~
Nicholas Garrigan is a young Scotsman just graduated from medical school. Unsatisfied with the immediate prospect of starting a peaceful practice within his town the same way his father does, he decides to go on an adventure and volunteers to work with a small missionary clinic in Uganda, which consists of one other doctor, Dr. David Meritt. Garrigan is attracted to Dr. Meritt’s wife but she refuses to conduct an extramarital affair with him.
During his work there he goes to a rally for General Idi Amin, a man who has recently been successful in a coup. Stirred by the promising words and charisma of the General, when Nicholas Garrigan is offered a position as the President’s physician he accepts. Close to Amin, Nicholas is privy to his personal life and the privileges that comes along with being a close advisor to the president. He is also disturbed by the reports of Amin’s brutal actions towards suspected opposition, but he brushes these aside … until one day his unwitting confidence results in the disappearance and suspected death of one of his colleagues. At this point, Garrigan loses his optimism about the administration and wishes to leave Uganda, but has his passport stolen from him and replaced with an Ugandan passport by men of the forceful Amin.
Garrigan is trapped in Uganda and witnesses more and more brutal and irrational edicts that Amin issues, that draws both international outrage and drives Uganda’s economy to it’s knees. During this time, Garrigan conducts a covert affair with one of Amin’s wives, and when her body is brutally mutilated because her illicit pregnancy was discovered Garrigan finally feels the full extent of Amin’s brutality and wishes to kill him. His ‘headache pills’ however are discovered to be poison and he is confronted by Amin, who orders him hung by the skin of his chest until he dies. His colleague at the hospital, Dr. Jungju, saves him and helps him escape.
[編輯] ~Quotes~
Nicholas Garrigan: Why are you doing this? Djonjo: Frankly, I don't know. You deserve to die. But dead, you can do nothing. Alive, you might just be able to redeem yourself. Nicholas Garrigan: I don't understand. Djonjo: I am tired of hatred, Doctor Garrigan. This country is drowning in it. We deserve better... Go home. Tell the world the truth about Amin. They will believe you; you are a white man.
Nicholas Garrigan: I didn't want him to die though. Idi Amin: But you did it. Why? You want to know why? Nicholas Garrigan: Yes. Idi Amin: You did it because you love me.
Idi Amin: I want you to tell me what to do. Nicholas Garrigan: You want ME to tell YOU what to do? Idi Amin: Yes, you are my advisor. You are the only one I can trust in here. You should have told me not to throw the Asians out, in the first place. Nicholas Garrigan: I DID! Idi Amin: But you did not persuade me, Nicholas. You did not persuade me!
Idi Amin: [to crowd at rally] I know who you are and what you are. I am you!
Idi Amin: You see. You are a doctor and a philosopher. Yes, I do have a good life now. Please, please. Sit here. I come from a very poor family, I think you should know this. My father left me when I was a child. The British Army; became my home. They took me as a cleaner, in the kitchens, cleaning pots. They used to beat me. [imitating British] Idi Amin: "Beat this wall, Amin." "Dig the latreen, Amin." And now, here I am. The President of Uganda. And who put me here, huh? It was the British.
Nicholas Garrigan: I can't. It fucking stinks. I can't help coming back to that moment when I asked you to talk to him. This isn't me. I have to go home now. Idi Amin: You cannot. Nicholas Garrigan: What? Idi Amin: Your work is not finished here yet.
Idi Amin: You promised to me you would help me build a new Uganda. You swore an oath. Nicholas Garrigan: The oath is... erm... it's, it's a doctor's oath of confidentiallity; we all take it. It's got nothing to do with Uganda. Idi Amin: Huh? Nothing? Nothing comes from nothing. You have a conscience, I know you do. That is why you came here in the first place. Or are you like all the other British. Just here to fuck and to take away? No? Why else would I trust you with my family? You are like my own son. Nicholas Garrigan: My name is Nicholas Garrigan, and I'm from Scotland. I need to go home now. Idi Amin: Your home... is here.
Idi Amin: I am the father of this nation, Nicholas. And you have most... grossly... offended your father.
Idi Amin: I am ashamed that you saw me like that. I was frightened. Nicholas Garrigan: I'm a doctor. Everything that passes between us is confidential. Ok? I've taken an oath. Idi Amin: But a man that shows fear... he is weak, and he is a slave. Nicholas Garrigan: Well... if you're afraid of dying, shows you have a life worth keeping.
Kay Amin: [about her husband] He cannot trust anybody anymore.
Sarah Merrit: Do you know the feeling when you're married to a really nice guy? Dr. Garrigan: You feel like a shit. Sarah Merrit: Yeah...
Idi Amin: Look at you. Is there one thing you have done that is good? Did you think this was all a game? 'I will go to Africa and I will play the white man with the natives.' Is that what you thought? We are not a game, Nicholas. We are real. This room here, it is real. I think your death will be the first real thing that has happened to you.
Nigel Stone: You know what they're calling you? Amin's white monkey.
Idi Amin: You are British. Nicholas Garrigan: Scottish. I am Scottish. Idi Amin: Scottish? Ha! Ha! Why didn't you say so?... Great soldiers. Very brave. And good people. Completely. let me tell you, if I could be anything instead of a Ugandan, I would be a Scot. Nicholas Garrigan: Right... Really? Idi Amin: He. Except for the red hair, which I'm sure is attractive to your women, but which we Africans, we find is quite disgusting.
Nigel Stone: You may find... that you need to... clarify... your situation. So please, don't hesitate to ask... if there's anything we can do to help you clarify... Nicholas Garrigan: Is there some special school where you people go to to learn to talk like that?
Nicholas Garrigan: [closes eyes, spins globe] First place you land, first place you land. [stops globe with finger, looks] Nicholas Garrigan: Canada. [pause. Spins globe again]
[編輯] ~Thoughts and Discussion~
While the film is not completely historically accurate (Garrigan’s character is made up), it serves as an interesting look at how power may begin, and be abused. A few of the questions we asked were:
1.What particular traits did Sara observe both in Amin and Garrigan that made her distrust them? How can these traits serve as indicators for future behavior?
2.What sort of environmental influences allowed a personality such as Amin to be able to lead a successful coup, even though his methods were obviously flawed?
3.What drew Garrigan to Amin?
4.Why did Garrigan finally resolve to kill Amin?
5.What was the role of the British in this situation?
[編輯] ~Photos~
[編輯] Understanding the Global Experience: Becoming a Responsible World Citizen Part 1
2010 Oct 17th
Part I: Approaches to Studying the World Today
Chapter 1 Beyond the Pledge of Allegiance, Becoming a Responsible World Citizen
This cross-disciplinary anthology explores many contemporary global issues; looks at the different methodologies used to analyze and interpret those topics; and shows how all of us can make progress, through the acquisition of information, knowledge and understanding, toward the goal of responsible world citizenship.
[編輯] ~Authors: Edited by Thomas Arcaro and Rosemary Haskell~
The authors are all faculty members in the liberal arts and sciences at Elon University in North Carolina. They share teaching responsibilities for a course called Undertstanding the Global Experience that is required of all first-year students.
[編輯] ~Some Preliminary Thoughts on Being and Becoming a Global Citizen <Danny>~
[編輯] Summary, quotes and thoughts
本篇文章是用來勸導人們成為一個負責任的世界公民並且了解何謂”世界公民”,雖然主旨嚴正,但是作者透過引導,推論,來刺激讀者思考,以及多種委婉語氣如 : assume assumption(假設),anticipate(預期),although 、though(雖然),let me(請讓我)….等,讓步的態度來請求讀者”允許”他表明寫作目的,並且希望讀者在非訓誡的勸說中能漸漸地明白作者的苦心----使更多的人體會到身為/成為世界公民的責任.
人類是在這星球上唯一能夠與所有生命型態的物體一起永續地.合諧地生活下去的物種,這是值得我們驕傲的,因此,我們更有必要了解身為一位世界公民的責任.
在那些先進,繁榮的國家,以及在那些教育普及,較健康富有,免於戰亂恐懼,免於擔憂三餐的地區,享有66億人口中最上層的物質享受,然而卻是消耗最多天然資源,碳排放量最高,加劇全球暖化的元兇.然而他們必須知道”享有愈高權利者,擔負的責任愈重”的事實.
作者引用亞伯拉罕 馬斯洛的需求層級理論,來表達愈上層的人們,
自我實現需求
尊重需求
社交需求
安全需求
生理需求
愈需要充分自覺與積極接受”世界公民”的身分.然而是否成為一位世界公民需要額外的時間與精力?作者的答案是不必,而且第一個步驟只是需要保持身心健康,一旦身心健全,我們就有額外的時間與精力來對這世界進行觀察,進而投入,有責任感,更進一步發揮自己潛能,實現夢想,畢竟所謂”衣食足然後知榮辱”.以下是ㄧ句經典名言被作者引述用來鼓勵大家----Where there is a will there is a way.(有志者事盡成)
再來,作者列舉了許多例子包含不同社會身分的人,目的是為了讓讀者明白人人都可成為世界公民,無論民主或保守,無論宗教信仰者或無神論者,無論理想主義或實際主義者,無論是社會菁英或匹夫匹婦.然而,成為世界公民是一趟旅程,充滿了困難與疼痛,而且需要忍受緊張與焦慮,有太多的未知等著我們去探險.
[編輯] Discussion
Michal: Is everyone global citizens?
Danny: Not really.
Grace: I believe we learn to become global citizens.
Joy: So are the people in Africa not global citizens?
Danny: Well, we can’t really put it that way.
Terry: So is being a global citizen a privilege?
Danny: Here he’s merely saying that if we have more we can give more.
Ken: Did the author mention the question about whether poor people can be global citizens?
Danny: No, he didn’t say it.
[編輯] ~An inconvenient truth: We may be more racist and xenophobic than is pleasant to admit <Grace>~
[編輯] Notes
Compare these three cases
After 911: People donated to the Red Cross, sometimes families received compensation in the 6 figures.
Relief to Katrina victims: they received minimal relief from government. Death toll 1,800
On 2005 Oct 8th , months after Katrina, Pakistan had an earthquake. 80,000 people died. Aid was very slow in trickling in and three years after the earthquake there are still people who are homeless there.
[編輯] Discussion
Why is there differential treatment?
Racism
Terry: When I came to Taiwan the application form said “Rules for Overseas Han Students Returning to ROC for Study Purposes” I’m Malaysian. Just because I’m Han descendent doesn’t mean I’m Taiwanese. That made me feel really weird.
[編輯] ~Patriotism, Nationalism, Ethnocentrism, and Racism: All Points on the Same Spectrum?<Maxine>~
[編輯] Summary
愛國主義、民族主義、民族優越感、以及種族主義，這些詞語的意義都有重疊部分，並且是很難做區分的。我想這些都象徵著一個人對於自身文化的認同感，然而若是過於表現會發生怎樣的狀況呢？如果每個公民都將「國家」擺在第一位，都只專注在自身國境內的狀況，是否會忽略掉其他國家所遭遇的困境？世界上是否還會有人道救援？紅十字會是否還會去世上最困窮的角落去幫助他人？讓我們再進一步的思考，我們的國家真的是最優越的國家嗎？而我們國家的人民真的是最優秀的人種嗎？是否還會再一次的出現德國人屠殺猶太人的慘況呢？
讓我們去想想怎樣才是對世界最好的方式，並想想怎麼樣才能同時寄愛國又能成為世界的公民。Instead of putting country first, we should put world first.
[編輯] Discussion
Grace: What is ethnocentrism? What does it mean?
Freyia: So what is the difference between ethnocentrism and racism?
Terry: I find this concept very interesting. But with patriotism, it says that you love your country, and it overlaps somewhat with racism.
Grace: Does this have anything to do with your situation in Malaysia?
Terry: We have three races in Malaysia: Malaysian, Chinese and Indians. So it’s very hard for us to love our own country and identify ourselves as Malaysians. Our education tells us that we’re not supposed to identify ourselves by race, but as Malaysians. Growing up we have this conflict that I’m a Chinese and I like being a Chinese – but on the other hand we have to accept that we’re Malaysians. With older generations they’re more likely to identify themselves by race. With younger generations we’re more likely to be patriotic.
Joy: But there shouldn’t be a conflict between the two concepts!
Grace: I think
Michal: What
Maxine: Like during Ching dynasty, people started becoming aware of patriotism
Danny: Like during WWII, both Hitler and Italy’s facism.
Freyia: Japan has stronger patriotism than Germany, and Germany was more about ethnocentricism and racism.
Grace: which nations have religion tied in with patriotism.
Islamic nations, Israel, India, and GB in the beginning. Vatican.
Terry: I’m really curious about what you think about being Taiwanese.
Virginia: When I was in the US, I would tell people I’m Taiwanese. But when I’m in Taiwan I don’t really like to talk about this question.
Ken: When I was small I was told I was Chinese. But eventually I found out it’s not true.
Grace: Like the education talks about us being Chinese: Geography and History.
Zoe: When my host family asked me what the difference is between China and Taiwan, I couldn’t answer.
Tiffany: I think I would be very upset if people told me we in Taiwan are ruled by China.
Terry: But I think, coming from Malaysia, I can understand that there is a vast difference between Taiwanese and Chinese. You’ve been apart for so long that the cultures have evolved.
Maxine: When I went to Tibet, the Lamas would say that when they were in China the concepts they were given of the world were very much mistaken.
Terry: When I went to China on tour, the tour guide kept talking about Taiwan.
[編輯] ~Photos~
[編輯] Understanding the Global Experience: Becoming a Responsible World Citizen Part 2
2010 Oct 18th
Part I: Approaches to Studying the World Today
Chapter 1 Beyond the Pledge of Allegiance, Becoming a Responsible World Citizen
[編輯] ~One Good Thing about SPUTNIK: The Unlikely Catalyst Creating a Global Community <Michal>~
[編輯] Summary
The article is about globalization, its history, limitations, real human demands and it also explains how to save the world. First, authors show history of Global world. They propose Cold War era as a beginning of global feeling, in that case to feel the fear from mass destruction. They mention also Ancient Rome as the first global village. Somebody might think internet was the point, when world barriers fade out.
There is one good example of positive global effect on Earth. Universities around the world, especially in America, were able to improve their education system thanks to global knowledge. Another is creation of Organizations without borders. But „The only real nation is humanity“(Paul Farmer).
However there are several problems revealed. First, if you want to help one group before the other, how will you decide who needs help first (starving Honduran children vs Chiapans without school)? Second, if „The only real nation is humanity“, what means nationalism and patriotism then?
Another point is given to a global freedom and global justice, since there is no real freedom/justice without having global freedom/justice first. In my opinion, global freedom is unachievable, since freedom means different things for each of us. Anyway authors call for our responsibility for the whole world.
We should not forget about rights of indigenous peoples. As shown on Chiapas indigenous Mexicans, it is not easy to apply balanced and peaceful policy. As Australian aboriginal said, indigenous people don´t need help itself, they are lacking of cooperation, sharing and discussion with the other world. That´s the way how to help to solve our problems also.
In the end, authors emphasize all other important keys that help to open eyes and become a global citizen, by saying „Lives of service depend upon lives of support“. Let´s appriciate our parents, relatives, pets, or any kind of love. But don´t forget about money on the first place.
This article showed us global thinking about world as a globe with its difficulties and exceptions. So we cannot say that globalization is good or bad. Maybe both. In kind of ways. We just know, that it´s happening right now.
[編輯] Discussion
Michal: We can advance our own sovereignty, but we’d be, on the other hand, diminishing human rights. For example, the EU may diminish the sovereignty of individual nations. <Example from Czech> For example EU has their own government, own law, own president…etc. Our Czech president is against being so much a part of the EU because it diminishes the sovereignty and individual culture of the Czech republic.
Grace: Lilly Walker said, “If you are here to help me, then you are wasting your time. But I you come because your liberation is bound up in mine, then let us begin.” What does she mean?
Freyia: I think liberty is about mentally being free, and not the true freedom. Because all of us are free in our mind. But if we only give them money, they don’t receive real improvement.
[編輯] ~Crushed Chickpeas, Academic Freedom, and the Blind Machine <Ken>~
[編輯] Summary and Discussion
We humans can be ruled by our own societal machinations: for example, the free market.
In old times, sociologists thought that we could predict our future that was considered ‘normal’ social studies. But because of globalization, we can no longer predict our future.
He believes that we should reconsider the research and education we should do in our school.
We need to be more global minded and take more control over our futures. He believes that these ideas should be involved in our educational system.
“Never question whether or not a small group of people can change the world. Indeed, that is the only thing that ever has,” Margaret Mead.
[編輯] ~Does Fire Purge Us of Our Racism? Some Thoughts from Evolutionary Psychology <Terry>~
[編輯] Summary and Thoughts
Like what the topic itself implies, this part of the chapter gives us some examples from a more scientific and evolutionary point of view. The author starts with a rather interesting example, which asked us to choose between two doors in a burning house, one with your own child, and another one with someone else’s child, if you can only choose either one, which one would you choose? And not surprisingly, in reality, most of us would choose our own flesh and blood over someone else’s, and this is not just a question of mere morality versus human nature or the problem of selfishness, but rather, a somewhat hidden control switch that’s been secretly guiding our actions since the beginning of the human race, roughly 3 million years ago.
The authors tells us that in a sad reality, human were supposed to choose our own flesh and blood, because we, as any other animals, have an ultimate goal – to reproduce and carry our genes to the next generations. So we were programmed to care more about our own family members, because they share the closest genes with us, and we would always choose our own flesh and blood over others, our own friends over strangers and our own race over the other races. In addition, the author also tells us that planning for the future is not a normal human behavior, because since the time of savages roams the Earth until this day, we were programmed to care about now, to feed ourselves right now in the moment, rather than thinking generations ahead of our time.
And so by the evidence from evolution, it is as if the goal of being a global citizen will always be a mere dream. However, the author does tell us that there is still some hope. It is still possible to be a global citizen, and to care about others equally as we care for ourselves, but it is not going to be an easy job. I agree with the author’s opinion, because I believe that a lot of human behavior, for example, reading and writing, was not normal as well, because humans were not programmed to do so, but yet we struggled from the first day we received education until now to learn, and to shaped our behaviors, not because we want to fight against nature, but because of our noble goals of becoming a holistic human being. If global citizen is your goal, then prepared to work hard, and go for it!
[編輯] Activity
Whom would you choose to save? Your family member or someone else? How many someone else’s would it take for you to choose them over your family?
[編輯] Discussion
Terry: Something I heard in a speech about education “Humans are not supposed to write. It is not normal.” Then he conducted an experiment: Write a formal letter to your professor, how many people can actually do that within a few minutes. Most people couldn’t do it.
Terry: But I believe that just because it’s not natural and hard for us doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it. It just means that we have to work harder for it.
[編輯] ~A Model for How to Proceed as a Global Citizen <Virginia>~
[編輯] Summary and quotes
To become a globe citizen, there are different models for us. First, the author cite writer Jeffrey D. Sachs’s book – The End of Poverty. In this book, Sachs recounted his experiences in helping to “fix” economic crises in Bolivia and Poland and argues how what he calls “clinical economics” could work on other part of the world. The more important is that with the right assistance from the richer nations, we have the chance to effectively end poverty. Second, people like Bono (the front man for the Irish band U2), organizations such as The Clinton Foundation’s global work on HIV/AIDS, who set examples for the world. Through their energy and drive, they inspired many others to embrace their roles as a global citizen. In addition, Paul Farmer, an anthropologist and medical doctor, working tirelessly in Haiti for the poor, believing that it is possible to live as though ”humanity is the only true nation.” Last, to proceed as a global citizen, we should do some things and put them into practice. For instance, to do annual giving, both in terms of money and in service/volunteer hours. However, our resources are limited, therefore, in 21st century global culture where our lives are all bound together; we need-both as individuals and as organizations-to mete out our finite resources according to a meaningful and coherent plan.
Just as what United Nations Millennium Development Goals mentioned, eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality and empower women, reduce child mortality, and so on, these are what we are going to carry out in the long run, and, function as a professional and global citizen.
[編輯] Discussion
Q: Can we all be leaders?
Small things/steps matter.
Virginia: A lot of their thinking is American thought. Because their country is powerful they have the ability to do this.
Grace: But what Jeffery Sachs was talking about is about the helping impoverished countries climb out of unjust debt. This can be done by debt forgiveness and help from richer nations.
Terry: Ah, the debt crisis. This is the reason for the world economic crisis in the 1990s.
Maxine: So I think we have to give them aid that is localized – that is designed for the community.
[編輯] ~How Will the Rest of This Book Help You Embrace Your Role as a “Global Citizen?” <Tiffany and Zoe>~
[編輯] Summary
This book uses a variety of aspects to teach us how to be a global citizen and interpret our responsibility in many different ways. While reading the book, we could learn more about the world by the conceptual tools which the book offers. Understanding the basic concept of culture about the world is fundamental to become a global citizen. Everything is connected to everything else. The world is interdependent. Then, reading, writing and researching the global experience made us know how to develop our international views. After we have information the above information, there are some more meaningful things for us to learn: The important issues in the world and the great works of literature will make you form varied perspectives and attitudes.
Though there are countless world medias that provide us with large amounts of international news. It’s important for us to differentiate truth and illusion. Being a global citizen, doubtless, requires not only care about international issues, but also understanding of human rights. Last but not least, in this article, it also mentions the missions of a global citizen.
This portion summarizes what the other portions say.
Global citizens understand that we share one precious earth. Global citizens must understand social change and historical lessons. We must also be aware of cultural universals.
[編輯] ~Thoughts from the scribe~
Summarize, read only quotes that you think are important and thought provoking, read with your emotions, think of questions, think of how to be interactive while you are presenting.
[編輯] Photos
