Global Citizenship 讀書會
出自KMU Wiki
The Last King of Scotland (movie 2006)
2010 Sept 29th
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.
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.
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]
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?
Photos
Understanding the Global Experience: Becoming a Responsible World Citizen
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.
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.
Some Preliminary Thoughts on Being and Becoming a Global Citizen <黃冠仁Danny>
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.
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.
An inconvenient truth: We may be more racist and xenophobic than is pleasant to admit <Grace>
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.
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.
Patriotism, Nationalism, Ethnocentrism, and Racism: All Points on the Same Spectrum?<Maxine>
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.
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.
