Its hard believe that this will be my last post- this class went by very fast.
Ch. 23
The Case of South Africa: Ending Apartheid
South Africa won freedom from Great Britain in 1910 but its government was controlled by a white settler minority. The black South African freedom struggle was against an internal opponent. White population was split between British descendants (had economic superiority) and Afrikaners (Boers) of Dutch descent (had political dominance). Afrikaners had failed to win independence from the British in the Boer War (1899–1902). Both white groups felt threatened by any move toward black majority rule.
By the early 1900s, South Africa had a mature industrial economy and by the 1960s, had major foreign investments and loans.Black South Africans were extremely dependent on the white-controlled economy and the issue of race was overwhelmingly prominent.Policy of apartheid tried to keep blacks and white completely separate, while retaining black labor power enormous repressive powers enforced social segregation.
African National Congress founded in 1912,like India’s INC, it consisted of elite Africans who wanted a voice in society. For 40 years, the ANC was peaceful and moderate. In 1950s: moved to nonviolent civil disobedience. The government’s response was overwhelming repression, 69 unarmed demonstrators were shot at Sharpville in 1960.
ANC was banned and its leadership imprisoned, underground nationalist leaders turned to sabotage and assassination, and opposition came to focus on student groups.Soweto uprising (1976) was the start of spreading violence and organization of strikes. there was growing international pressure,exclusion from international sporting events, economic boycotts, and withdrawal of private investment funds.Negotiations began in the late 1980s. Key apartheid policies were abandoned and Mandela was freed and the ANC legalized. In 1994: national elections brought the ANC to power, apartheid was ended without major bloodshed.Most important threat was a number of separatist and “Africans only” groups.
Ch. 24
Feminism in the West, organized feminism revived in the West (1960s) with a new agenda against historic understanding of women as “other” or deviant. Demanded right of women to control their own bodies, agenda of equal rights in employment and education.“Women’s liberation”: broad attack on patriarchy as a system of domination. Consciousness raising: becoming aware of oppression,open discussion of issues involving sexuality. Black women emphasized solidarity with black men, not separation from them.
Feminism in the Global South,women had been welcomed in communist and revolutionary movements but were sidelined after movements’ success. Many African feminists (1970s) thought Western feminists were too individualistic and too focused on sex,resented Western feminists’ interest in cultural matters like female circumcision and polygamy.Many African governments and many African men identified feminism with colonialism.Not all women’s movements dealt explicitly with gender.Kenya: women’s group movement supported individual women and communities.Morocco: feminist movement targeted law defining women as minors; women finally obtained legal equality in 2004.
International Feminism,the “woman question” became a global issue in the twentieth century. Patriarchy lost some of its legitimacy, the UN declared 1975 as International Women’s Year and declared 1975–1985 as the Decade for Women. The UN sponsored a series of World Conferences on Women, by 2006, 183 nations had ratified the UN Convention to Eliminate Discrimination against Women. The sharp divisions within global feminism,conflict between developed and developing nations’ interests.Third world groups often disagreed. Global backlash and view that feminism had undermined family life.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
WW- Ch 21-\22
I’ve always respected our country when we had to go to war. I believe that the freedoms we have don’t some free, and it’s the price our country has had to pay. I am very thankful for the men and women who have fought for our country.
Reading about the Great Depression reminded me of times today. Yes I know we aren’t in a depression but just the way people are struggling today. Many people lost their life savings in the depression. Today, many people are working two or even three jobs just to make ends meet.
My great grandmother lived during the great depression, and I remember growing up that she was so frugal with her money, and when we would go out to restaurants she was always putting food in napkins and then into her purse. When he passed away, she actually had food in her purse. Even though times are tough it makes a person grateful for what they have.
The government had to figure out a way to help the economy; at first they thought the problem would fix itself. President Roosevelt introduced the New Deal- minimum wage was introduced, social security, and welfare for the poor. The great depression hit all over the world, and had a lasting impact.
When I hear the name Hitler, it makes me cringe. I can honestly say I hate that man. The lives he took saddens me to my core. I have been giving the opportunity to meet people who lived through the Holocaust and their stories are heartbreaking, and how they view life now. I understand that Hitler brought Germany out of depression, but I can only wonder if living during the depression was better than living during the Holocaust.
World War II- was really a world war; many of the countries were fighting against something. I was amazed that 60 million people were killed during WW2, and the USSR had 40 percent of those deaths. Many civilians were attacked during the war. In China, 200,000-300,000 civilians were attacked and many women were raped, this was called the Rape of Nanjing.
The economic growths help end WW2 among many countries.
ch. 22
Communist regimes were wide spread throughout the world. the Soviet Union was a place that women's movement took place. In WW1- "Russia established new laws for women, marriage became a civil procedure among freely consenting adults; divorce was legalized and made easier, as was abortion; illegitmacy was abolished; women no longer had to take their husband's surnames, pregnancy leave for employed women was mandated; and women were actively mobilized as workers in the country's drive to industrialization" ( Strayer, 669).
Many male communist were not in favor of the Women's liberation acts. In 1919: USSR’s Communist Party set up Zhenotdel (Women’s Department). The group help train women to run day cares, clinics, news papers, etc. They also encouraged Muslim women to take off their veils. Even though it last awhile, in 1930 Stalin abolished the group.
China was also having similar groups appear. Women werent just staying at home, they were out working. This was a big deal for women all over. Even though they werent holding political jobs, they were getting jobs and not just staying at home taking care of the family.
Reading about the Great Depression reminded me of times today. Yes I know we aren’t in a depression but just the way people are struggling today. Many people lost their life savings in the depression. Today, many people are working two or even three jobs just to make ends meet.
My great grandmother lived during the great depression, and I remember growing up that she was so frugal with her money, and when we would go out to restaurants she was always putting food in napkins and then into her purse. When he passed away, she actually had food in her purse. Even though times are tough it makes a person grateful for what they have.
The government had to figure out a way to help the economy; at first they thought the problem would fix itself. President Roosevelt introduced the New Deal- minimum wage was introduced, social security, and welfare for the poor. The great depression hit all over the world, and had a lasting impact.
When I hear the name Hitler, it makes me cringe. I can honestly say I hate that man. The lives he took saddens me to my core. I have been giving the opportunity to meet people who lived through the Holocaust and their stories are heartbreaking, and how they view life now. I understand that Hitler brought Germany out of depression, but I can only wonder if living during the depression was better than living during the Holocaust.
World War II- was really a world war; many of the countries were fighting against something. I was amazed that 60 million people were killed during WW2, and the USSR had 40 percent of those deaths. Many civilians were attacked during the war. In China, 200,000-300,000 civilians were attacked and many women were raped, this was called the Rape of Nanjing.
The economic growths help end WW2 among many countries.
ch. 22
Communist regimes were wide spread throughout the world. the Soviet Union was a place that women's movement took place. In WW1- "Russia established new laws for women, marriage became a civil procedure among freely consenting adults; divorce was legalized and made easier, as was abortion; illegitmacy was abolished; women no longer had to take their husband's surnames, pregnancy leave for employed women was mandated; and women were actively mobilized as workers in the country's drive to industrialization" ( Strayer, 669).
Many male communist were not in favor of the Women's liberation acts. In 1919: USSR’s Communist Party set up Zhenotdel (Women’s Department). The group help train women to run day cares, clinics, news papers, etc. They also encouraged Muslim women to take off their veils. Even though it last awhile, in 1930 Stalin abolished the group.
China was also having similar groups appear. Women werent just staying at home, they were out working. This was a big deal for women all over. Even though they werent holding political jobs, they were getting jobs and not just staying at home taking care of the family.
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