Europe https://www.morningsidecenter.org/ en Russia's Invasion of Ukraine https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/russias-invasion-ukraine <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Russia&#039;s Invasion of Ukraine</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p>&nbsp;</p> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'filter_caption' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/filter/templates/filter-caption.html.twig' --> <figure role="group"> <img alt="Ukraine Protest in London" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="53fadde6-c7c9-4207-bd75-d92fd5c334ec" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Ukraine%20peace%20protest%20in%20London%202022.jpg" width="800" height="600" loading="lazy"> <figcaption><em>London protest against the invasion of Ukraine, February 2022, by&nbsp;<a href="//www.flickr.com/photos/garryknight/albums/with/72177720296944800">Garry Knight</a>&nbsp;</em></figcaption> </figure> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/filter/templates/filter-caption.html.twig' --> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2><strong>To the Teacher:</strong></h2> <p>Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, is in the news and on many students’ minds.</p> <p>This activity has students reflect on the news and on Ukrainian voices. <a href="https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/teaching-about-controversial-or-difficult-issues">These guidelines for discussing difficult issues</a> may be helpful to review before entering into this discussion.</p> <p>Another helpful step is to make sure that you have a good grounding in the events you will be discussing. Below is a report on the attack on Ukraine from the International Crisis Group, an independent organization&nbsp;that aims to “prevent wars and shape policies that will build a more peaceful world”:</p> <blockquote> <p>“<a href="https://www.crisisgroup.org/europe-central-asia/eastern-europe/ukraine/war-europe-responding-russias-invasion-ukraine">In a chilling act of aggression</a>, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a military assault on Ukraine in the early hours of 24 February. That Western leaders had warned of this possibility for weeks did little to cushion the shock.</p> </blockquote> <blockquote> <p>President Putin announced what he characterized as a “special military operation” to demilitarize and “denazify” Ukraine, and made a barely coded threat of nuclear strikes upon any outside power that might come to its aid.&nbsp;Residents of Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, and cities throughout the country woke to explosions as Russian bombs and missiles fell on military facilities and infrastructure. The bombardment follows a months-long build-up of as many as 200,000 Russian troops on Ukraine’s borders, to the north, west and south.</p> <p>Ground forces that then entered Ukraine indicate that Russia has embarked upon not only an air campaign aimed at toppling Ukraine’s government but a full-scale invasion. The human toll could be catastrophic. ….</p> <p>How horrific things get mostly depends on decisions taken in the Kremlin. Moscow faces not only the sanctions and NATO troop build-ups that Western powers will now undertake, but also prospectively fierce Ukrainian resistance that it seems to have discounted, potentially immense costs to its global repute and the need to convince its public that this war on a neighboring country in which many Russian citizens have relatives and friends is truly crucial to national security. Seemingly isolated, angry, and set on his dangerous path, President Putin may be beyond reaching.</p> <p>Pivoting to the pursuit of a negotiated settlement could still lead to real reductions of forces in Europe and would do much more for Russian security than war in Ukraine. For now, though, that appears a distant hope.”</p> </blockquote> <p>For more information on last week’s invasion of Ukraine, go to <a href="https://www.crisisgroup.org/europe-central-asia/eastern-europe/ukraine/war-europe-responding-russias-invasion-ukraine">War in Europe: Responding to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine</a></p> <p>The Wilson Center, a nonpartisan research group, notes that:</p> <blockquote> <p>“<a href="https://engage.wilsoncenter.org/a/public-opinion-divided-donbas-results-january-2022-survey-both-sides-contact">Central to the current Ukraine-Russia crisis</a> is the territorial conflict in the Donbas in eastern Ukraine. It is the unsettled site of an eight-year war that has resulted in more than 14,000 deaths, millions of displaced persons, and continued skirmishes along the line of control. While the Kyiv government controls the western part of the Donbas, the eastern side is run by separatist authorities supported by Russia. Diplomatic dialogues often overlook the views of ordinary people in conflict zones. What precisely do people in the Donbas want?”</p> </blockquote> <p>For more information on the eastern Ukrainian separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk (which are part of the Donbas region), go to the International Crisis Group webpage <a href="https://www.crisisgroup.org/europe-central-asia/eastern-europe/ukraine/russia-and-separatists-eastern-ukraine">Russia and the Separatist in Eastern Ukraine</a>.</p> <p>Crimea, in the south of Ukraine, was annexed by Russia in 2014. Writes analyst Steven Pifer at the Brookings Institute:</p> <blockquote> <p>“<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2020/03/17/crimea-six-years-after-illegal-annexation/">March 18 marks the [seventh] … anniversary</a> of Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea. Attention now focuses on the Russian-Ukrainian conflict in Donbas, a conflict that has taken some 14,000 lives, but Moscow’s seizure of Crimea — the biggest land-grab in Europe since World War II — has arguably done as much or more damage to Europe’s post-Cold War security order.”&nbsp;</p> </blockquote> <p>For more information on the Russian annexation of Crimea go to&nbsp;<a href="crimea:%20Six%20years%20after%20illegal%20annexation">Crimea: Six years after illegal annexation</a></p> <p>And for more historic information about the region’s moving borders over the past century, go to Voice of America’s website to watch the 2:33-minute video:<br> <a href="https://www.voanews.com/a/a-century-of-russia-s-changing-borders/6451437.html">A Century of Russia’s Changing Borders</a></p> <hr> <h2><br> <strong>Opening</strong></h2> <p>Ask students to share what they know about:</p> <ul> <li>the news coming out of Europe (and Ukraine in particular) this past week</li> <li>any context around what is happening in Ukraine</li> </ul> <p>Consider pulling up a <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/24/europe/ukraine-visual-explainer-maps/index.html">map</a> of (Eastern) Europe as you talk with your students about the news coming out of that continent.</p> <p>Summarize what students share making sure to touch on:</p> <blockquote> <ul> <li>Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe.<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>It is the second largest country in Europe after Russia.<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union from 1922-1991.<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Ukraine became an independent nation.<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>Ukraine continues to be bordered by Russia on the northeast and east, and – since the 2014 Russian invasion and occupation of Crimea – on the south as well.<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>Following its independence, Ukraine declared itself a neutral state.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>It gave up thousands of nuclear weapons in exchange for security guarantees from Russia, the United States, and United Kingdom.<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>A tug of war has since ensued over Ukraine by Russia and the West.<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>On February 24, Russian troops invaded Ukraine from three sides.<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>There has been heavy fighting across the country. Hundreds of people have died in just the first few days and thousands have been wounded.<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>Tens of thousands of people have fled their homes in search of safety.<br> &nbsp;</li> </ul> </blockquote> <p>And with all this, concerns about a renewed cold war between Russia and the West, including the U.S., is growing.<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2><strong>Headlines from Around the World</strong></h2> <p><br> Invite students to read headlines from around the world included in <strong><a href="https://www.morningsidecenter.org/sites/default/files/documents-pdfs/Ukraine%20Invasion%20Global%20Headlines.pdf">this pdf handout</a></strong>. (The headlines demonstrate the global impact of this attack.)</p> <p>Ask students to discuss:</p> <ul> <li>What stands out about these headlines?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What are these headlines telling us? What is the main focus?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What is a lesser focus?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What are these headlines leaving out?&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What would you want to hear more about?</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <h2><br> <strong>Ukrainian Voices: The Impact of the Russian Invasion</strong></h2> <p><br> <strong>Video 1: Ukrainian voices from NYC</strong></p> <p>Invite students to watch this NBC News video (4:32 minutes):<br> <br> <a href="https://www.lx.com/russia-ukraine-crisis/ukrainians-in-nyc-raise-anguished-voices-in-protest-after-russia-attacks/49619/">Ukrainians in NYC Raise Anguished Voices in Protest After Russia Attacks</a><br> “New York City is home to the largest Ukrainian population in the U.S. On Thursday, many of them, as well as others with friends and family in the country, gathered in Times Square to protest Russia’s invasion. NBCLX storyteller Mackenzie Behm spoke with some about their anger and anguish as they watched the people they love come under attack.”</p> <p>Ask students to reflect on the video by answering some or all of the following questions:</p> <ul> <li>What stood out for you about the video?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about the video?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>How does it connect to the headlines from earlier?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>How is it different from the headlines from earlier?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What does it tell you about how everyday people are impacted by the violence in Ukraine?</li> </ul> <p><br> <strong>Video 2: Ukrainian voices from Kyiv</strong></p> <p>Invite students to watch this New York Times video (1:50 minutes):<br> <br> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/video/world/europe/100000008227906/ukraine-civilians-military-video.html?action=click&amp;gtype=vhs&amp;version=vhs-heading&amp;module=vhs&amp;region=title-area&amp;cview=true&amp;t=9" target="_blank">I'm Ready: Ukraine's Civilians Take Up Arms</a> &nbsp;<br> “Volunteer fighters armed with assault rifles patrolled central Kyiv on Friday, ready to defend their country.”</p> <p>Note: If sound does not load, watch the video using captions.</p> <p>Ask students to reflect on the video by answering some or all of the following questions:</p> <ul> <li>What stood out for you about the video?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about the video?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>How does it connect to the headlines from earlier?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>How is it different from the headlines from earlier?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What does it tell you about how everyday people are impacted by the violence in Ukraine?<br> &nbsp;</li> </ul> <p><strong>Video 3: Ukrainian voices from the Donbas</strong></p> <p>Invite students to watch this video from UATV (1:37 minutes), the Ukrainian state foreign language broadcaster that is providing international audiences with news from Ukraine in a range of languages.<br> <br> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-ChJmLd3pw" target="_blank">How to achieve peace in Donbas? Voices of locals</a></p> <p>As the Wilson Center notes:</p> <blockquote> <p>“<a href="https://engage.wilsoncenter.org/a/public-opinion-divided-donbas-results-january-2022-survey-both-sides-contact">Central to the current Ukraine-Russia crisis</a> is the territorial conflict in the Donbas in eastern Ukraine [the region includes both Donetsk and . It is the unsettled site of an eight -year war that has resulted in more than 14,000 deaths, millions of displaced persons, and continued skirmishes along the line of control. While the Kyiv government controls the western part of the Donbas, the eastern side is run by separatist authorities supported by Russia. Diplomatic dialogues often overlook the views of ordinary people in conflict zones. What precisely do people in the Donbas want?”</p> </blockquote> <p>Ask students to reflect on the video by answering some or all of the following questions:</p> <ul> <li>What stood out for you about the video?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about the video?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>How does it connect to the headlines from earlier?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>How is it different from the headlines from earlier?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What does it tell you about how every-day people are impacted by the violence in Ukraine?</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;<br> <strong>Video 4: Ukrainian voices from Crimea, 2014</strong></p> <p>Invite students to watch this video (1:37 minutes):</p> <p><a href="https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2014/03/13/natpkg-ukr-crimea-voices.cnn">Voices on the Ukraine/Crimea referendum</a> (CNN World). Note that this is a video from March 2014, when Russian forces occupied Crimea.</p> <p>Ask students to reflect on the video by answering some or all of the following questions:</p> <ul> <li>What stood out for you about the video?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about the video?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>How does it connect to what we’ve been talking about so far?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What does it add to what we’ve been talking about so far?<br> &nbsp;</li> </ul> <hr> <h2><br> <strong>Reflections on "Home"</strong></h2> <p>Invite students to read and reflect on the first lines of the poem <a href="https://www.amnesty.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/home-by-warsan-shire.pdf">Home</a>,&nbsp;by Warsan Shire, below.&nbsp;Warsan Shire&nbsp;is a Somali British writer and poet born in Nairobi and raised in London.</p> <p>Content warning: Read the poem excerpt ahead of time, recognizing how the painful experience of refugees it describes might land with your students.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p><br> <strong>Home<em> (excerpt)<br> <br> by Warsan Shire</em></strong></p> <blockquote> <p>no one leaves home unless<br> home is the mouth of a shark<br> you only run for the border<br> when you see the whole city running as well</p> <p>your neighbors running faster than you<br> breath bloody in their throats<br> the boy you went to school with<br> who kissed you dizzy behind the old tin factory<br> is holding a gun bigger than his body<br> you only leave home<br> when home won’t let you stay.</p> </blockquote> <p><br> Ask students to reflect on the poem by answering some or all of the following questions:</p> <ul> <li>What resonated with you about the (first part of) Warsan Shire’s poem?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>How does it make you feel?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>How does it connect with the people we’ve been hearing from today?<br> &nbsp;</li> </ul> <hr> <h2><br> <strong>Closing Activity</strong></h2> <p><br> Invite students to think about the voices they heard today and the feelings and thoughts they brought up.&nbsp; Ask students to share in turn:</p> <ul> <li>What message would you like to send to people in Ukraine as we close today’s session?&nbsp;&nbsp;</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>And if you and your students are interested, consider <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/ways-to-help-ukraine-conflict/">9 Meaningful Ways You Can Help Ukraine</a>.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span>Laura McClure</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2022-02-27T12:56:47-05:00" title="Sunday, February 27, 2022 - 12:56">February 27, 2022</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> Sun, 27 Feb 2022 17:56:47 +0000 Laura McClure 1653 at https://www.morningsidecenter.org The U.K.'s Brexit Crisis https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/uks-brexit-crisis <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>The U.K.&#039;s Brexit Crisis</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p><strong>To The Teacher</strong></p> <p><br> On April 11, 2019, just hours before the United Kingdom was set to leave the European Union, Prime Minister Theresa May and EU leaders agreed to an extension, giving Britain until October 31, 2019, to create a plan for its departure. This latest extension has prolonged a controversy that has dominated British politics over the last three years, an issue popularly known as “Brexit.”</p> <p>On June 23, 2016, the people of the U.K. (which includes England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) voted in favor of leaving the EU. On June 24, 2016, the number one question typed into Google across Britain was “What is Brexit?” And since then, the confusion has only grown. Britain now has until Halloween to craft a plan for how it will leave and to pass this through the House of Commons (a task that has proven impossible for the past two years). Brexit raises important questions about democracy, the power of anti-immigrant rhetoric, and the impact of “free market” trade and economic policies promoted by bodies such as the EU.</p> <p>This lesson consists of two readings. The first reading focuses on the question of whether the U.K. should hold a second referendum on Brexit. It begins by explaining the original vote and how this has led to the current deadline. It then looks at arguments for and against a second referendum. The second reading looks more at the substance of why some people voted to back the “Remain” or “Leave” positions.</p> <p>While it is clear that some of the “Leave” campaign has been driven by nativist and anti-immigrant rhetoric, another factor is dissatisfaction at the trade and economic policies promoted by the EU. Yet advocates of the “Remain” position believe that staying in the EU is the only way U.K. can hope to create a more just society for everyone who lives there.<br> &nbsp;</p> <p><img alt="Brexit Demonstrators" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cfa29fab-a5ae-4080-a638-0274db910478" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Brexit_Demonstrators.jpg" width="1024" height="685" loading="lazy"></p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Reading One:<br> Brexit Basics &amp; the&nbsp;“Do-Over” Option</h3> <p><br> On April 11, 2019, just hours before the United Kingdom was set to leave the European Union, Prime Minister Theresa May and EU leaders agreed to an extension, giving Britain until October 31, 2019, to create a plan for its departure. This latest extension has prolonged a controversy that has dominated British politics over the last three years, an issue popularly known as “Brexit” (British + Exit).</p> <p>The European Union is a collection of 28 member states that share political and economic relationships, allowing citizens to move more easily across borders and work in different member states. EU members are part of a common market, and 19 of the countries use the same currency, known as the Euro. A variety of political and economic decisions are made by the EU’s governing bodies that affect each member state.</p> <p>On June 23, 2016, the people of the U.K. (which includes England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) voted in favor of leaving the EU. On June 24, 2016, the number one question typed into Google across Britain was “What is Brexit?” And since then, the confusion has only grown. Britain now has until Halloween to craft a plan for how it will leave and to pass this through the House of Commons (a task that has proven impossible for the past two years). If it fails to do so, it risks crashing out of the European Union without a plan, which could have damaging social and economic consequences.</p> <p>In a March 29, 2019 article for Bloomberg, U.K. political correspondent Robert Hutton <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/quicktake/will-uk-leave-eu">laid out</a> some of the history of Brexit.</p> <blockquote> <p>[In 2016] voters <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-24/u-k-votes-for-brexit-in-rupture-with-european-order-bbc-says">supported</a> the split by 52 percent to 48 percent after a <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-17/brexit-s-angry-voices-stilled-by-murder-of-u-k-lawmaker-jo-cox">rancorous</a> 10-week campaign that <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2016-06-27/broken-britain-faces-an-uncertain-future-at-home-and-abroad">exposed anxieties</a> about globalization and raised questions about the consequences for a united Europe. The vote <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-23/pound-surge-builds-as-polls-show-u-k-to-remain-in-eu-yen-slips">jolted</a> financial markets, sending the U.K. currency <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-23/pound-tumbles-on-results-from-northeast-england-in-eu-referendum">tumbling</a> on the prospect of years of uncertainty about how Brexit will work.</p> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2016/jun/24/the-areas-and-demographics-where-the-brexit-vote-was-won">Younger voters</a> and residents of cosmopolitan London <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36612916">voted overwhelmingly</a> to remain in the EU. So did <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-36599102">voters in Scotland</a>. The U.K. agreed to hold the ballot after rising euroskepticism fed support for the <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-27/nigel-farage-roils-u-k-politics-as-anti-immigration-tide-surges">anti-EU U.K. Independence Party</a>, which <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-08/cameron-s-biggest-challenge-how-to-heal-a-disunited-kingdom">won</a> 13 percent of the vote in the 2015 general election.</p> <p>U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron resigned after the surprise referendum result and was replaced by <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-24/u-k-votes-for-brexit-in-rupture-with-european-order-bbc-says">Theresa May</a>, who triggered a <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-24/what-now-brexit-win-sets-stage-for-two-years-of-bitter-talks">two-year</a> process to negotiate Britain’s exit from the bloc. The U.K. and the EU must unwind agreements in areas as diverse as <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-03-26/fish-eye-view-of-the-complexities-that-may-sink-brexit-talks">fishing quotas</a>, financial services and safety standards….</p> <p>Brexit campaigners used worries about immigration to create a populist backlash against Europe’s political elite, overcoming concerns about the fallout from Brexit on trade and the U.K. economy. They argued that the EU is morphing into a super-state that increasingly impinges on national sovereignty. Britain has global clout without the bloc, they said, and can negotiate better trade treaties on its own.</p> <p>The question remains whether the U.K. can strike a trade deal with Europe that gives it control over immigration and also preferential access to the EU’s tariff-free single market of 500 million people, the economic backbone of the world’s largest trading bloc.</p> <p>German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other EU leaders want to prevent the bloc from splintering further. They insist the U.K. can’t be allowed to “cherry-pick” the best bits of EU membership without bearing the costs. There’s a risk that Brexit will prompt global companies to cut investment or leave the U.K. altogether. The vote to leave the EU has already hurt the British economy, and many business leaders have been vocal in their concerns about the split.</p> <p><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/quicktake/will-uk-leave-eu">https://www.bloomberg.com/quicktake/will-U.K.-leave-eu</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </blockquote> <p>Since 2016, the British government, led by Prime Minister Theresa May, has been trying to hammer out a deal. May’s plan (which would limit movement of people and slowly cut trade arrangements) was rejected in British Parliament by a historic margin of 230 votes in January, and then defeated again in March. This forced her to go back to the EU to ask for an extension to delay a “hard Brexit,” a situation in which all negotiated trade relationships would be abruptly disrupted.</p> <p>The difficulty of crafting a workable exit plan, along with concerns about possibly crashing out of the EU through a “hard Brexit,” have led some advocates to argue that the U.K. should hold a second referendum. In a March 12, 2019, article for The Washington Post, Katy Collin <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/03/12/could-there-be-second-brexit-referendum/?noredirect=on&amp;utm_term=.ad59e9bf602f">explains</a> the case for such a “do-over”:<br> &nbsp;</p> <blockquote> <p><a href="https://www.peoples-vote.uk/">Proponents of a second referendum</a> argue the 2016 vote was not legitimate, that people voted without understanding the likely outcome, or both. They make a variety of different claims as to why these might be so. The Electoral Commission found that the “Vote Leave” campaign <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/nov/21/vote-leave-loses-legal-challenge-over-brexit-spending-breach">violated campaign finance laws</a>. Brexit is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/sep/14/brexit-threatens-northern-irish-peace">endangering peace in Northern Ireland</a>, a problem that received very little discussion in the run-up to the vote. <a href="http://www.voteleavetakecontrol.org/why_vote_leave.html">Promises</a> made by the Leave campaign <a href="https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/united-kingdom/2018-11-16/brexit-and-broken-promises">haven’t turned out as</a> predicted. People voted to leave the EU <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/06/24/480949383/britains-google-searches-for-what-is-the-eu-spike-after-brexit-vote">in ignorance</a>. Perhaps, it is only after negotiations with the EU on how to exit and the shape of the future relationship that U.K. voters could answer that <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/06/24/480949383/britains-google-searches-for-what-is-the-eu-spike-after-brexit-vote">frequently googled question</a>: What is Brexit?</p> <p>From this perspective, referendums can be used to bridge a gap between complex, private negotiations and public decision-making. Peace processes and constitutional drafting often require controversial interlocking compromises that legislatures don’t like to pass. If Parliament can’t pass any plausible deal, a referendum on May’s plan might be the only alternative to a hard exit.</p> <p>In peace processes, referendums held at various stages of negotiation can push the process along. While making peace with Algeria, France held popular votes on whether to negotiate and whether to accept the outcomes of talks. Under this logic, repeated referendums provide voters with the democratic ability to shape decisions and indeed change their minds as circumstances change.</p> <p><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/03/12/could-there-be-second-brexit-referendum/?utm_term=.1c0bdabc58bc">https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/03/12/could-there-be-second-brexit-referendum/?utm_term=.1c0bdabc58bc</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </blockquote> <p>Others, however, argue that a “do-over” vote would be undemocratic. A March 28, 2019, article in The Week <a href="https://www.theweek.co.uk/76232/brexit-pros-and-cons-of-a-second-eu-referendum">summarized</a> arguments against a second referendum:</p> <blockquote> <p>Many commentators are appalled that a “Remain” minority appears to be in favor of overturning a democratic vote simply because they didn't like the outcome. "If each of those four million petitioners… actually persuaded someone to vote with them for Remain, they could have actually won," writes Asa Bennett in the <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/01/whine-for-a-second-referendum-all-you-like-but-if-you-wanted-to/">Daily Telegraph</a>.</p> <p>Disregarding the Brexit vote would be an egregious slight to the millions who voted to leave because they felt unrecognized by the disproportionately pro-Europe, pro-immigration political class – and could even be dangerous. "Riots could happen, even here, if our rulers thwart the people's will," warns Peter Hill in the <a href="http://www.express.co.uk/comment/columnists/peter-hill/686299/riots-overturn-EU-referendum-vote-Peter-Hill">Daily Express</a>.</p> <p>Recent polling suggests that while the public may back a second referendum, it's unclear on what terms they would like it to be. While some would like the option to be the Brexit deal or remaining in the EU, others would like it to be the Brexit deal or a clean break. This “is the problem for the ‘people support a second referendum’ argument: they do, it’s just they mean very different things by it”, says <a href="https://twitter.com/stephenkb/status/1018463560186376192">The New Statesman</a>’s Stephen Bush.</p> <p><a href="https://www.theweek.co.uk/76232/brexit-pros-and-cons-of-a-second-eu-referendum">https://www.theweek.co.U.K./76232/brexit-pros-and-cons-of-a-second-eu-referendum</a></p> </blockquote> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Would a second referendum offer a legitimate choice for voters who are now developing a better sense of the “Brexit” would entail, or would it undermine the U.K.’s democratic processes? In the end, even if a second referendum never materializes, lingering uncertainty about which voices carry weight in British democracy—and which are ignored—will be a pressing concern for the foreseeable future.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>For Discussion</strong><br> &nbsp;</p> <ol> <li>How much of the material in this reading was new to you, and how much was already familiar? Do you have any questions about what you read?</li> </ol> <ol start="2"> <li>According to the reading, what is the European Union? What are some of the implications of being a member state?</li> </ol> <ol start="3"> <li>Based on the reading, how would you summarize the arguments for Britain leaving the EU?&nbsp; What are some arguments for remaining in the EU?</li> </ol> <ol start="4"> <li>What are some arguments in favor of a second referendum? What are some arguments against it?</li> </ol> <ol start="5"> <li>Are you persuaded by arguments for or against a second referendum? Why or why not?</li> </ol> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Reading Two:<br> “Remain” or “Leave”--Why Did People Vote the Way They Did?</h3> <p><br> Brexit raises important questions about democracy, the power of anti-immigrant rhetoric, and the impact of “free market” trade and economic policies promoted by bodies such as the EU. Given the ongoing controversy, you might ask, “What on Earth compelled 52 percent of Britons to vote in favor of leaving the European Union in the first place?”</p> <p>To find some possible answers to this question, one can start by looking at the “Leave” campaign of 2016. In an October 5, 2017 article for The Atlantic, freelance journalist Samuel Earle <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2017/10/brexit-britain-may-johnson-eu/542079/">argued</a> that the campaign too often relied on racist and anti-immigrant rhetoric:<br> &nbsp;</p> <blockquote> <p>The nostalgia that fuels the Brexit spirit cannot be downplayed. “Once again this country has had the guts try to do something new … that we can turn into a cultural and technological and commercial renaissance,” Johnson declared to the Conservative Party conference hall this week. He received several standing ovations. For those who do not belong to the longed-for past, however, these fantasies come at a cost: to turn back the clock, others must be turned out. It is telling that immigration is the only area where Brexit has already delivered results. Since the referendum, net migration has <a href="http://www.politico.eu/article/uk-net-migration-falls-by-almost-25-percent-post-brexit/">fallen</a> by 25 percent. Almost 10,000 EU health workers have quit the [National Health Service] over <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/sep/21/almost-10000-eu-health-workers-have-quit-the-nhs-since-brexit-vote">the last year</a>. Despite making a commitment [to accept refugees], a pledge to take in 3,000 child refugees which then sank to 480, not a single one has been brought to Britain from camps in Europe this year; the total number of arrivals is stuck at 350. All this, before Britain has even taken back control of its borders.</p> <p>Perhaps this is the underlying irony of the rising nativist refrain of ‘Go back to where you come from:’ It is actually the nostalgic Brexiters who, more than anyone, want to go back to where they came from—to an imagined, pure point of origin, a moment in history where Britain was a homogenous mass. A time where parliament was sovereign, the navy sailed the seas, the army won wars, and foreigners lived in foreign lands. It’s all wrapped up in one vision, and even if many people voted for Brexit for entirely different reasons, it is clear that Brexit has brought these forces of nostalgia and xenophobia to the fore. Britain is already transformed—and Brexit hasn’t even happened yet.</p> <p><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2017/10/brexit-britain-may-johnson-eu/542079/">https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2017/10/brexit-britain-may-johnson-eu/542079/</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </blockquote> <p>As in the U.S., there is strong evidence that immigrants actually benefit the economy. As Guardian columnist Aditya Chakrabortty <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/may/17/immigration-good-for-britain-bust-myths-austerity">writes</a> :<br> &nbsp;</p> <blockquote> <p>The men and women who have come here from Budapest or Prague [a majority of migrants to the U.K. are from eastern Europe] are like previous generations of arrivals: young, educated at someone else’s expense and here to work. They aren’t low-skilled labor but what former government economist Jonathan Portes describes as “<a href="http://ukandeu.ac.uk/who-are-you-calling-low-skilled/">ordinary, productive, middle income, middle-skilled</a>&nbsp;– the sort of people our economy actually needs.” Study after study has failed to find any&nbsp;<a href="http://taloustieteellinenyhdistys.fi/images/stories/fep/fep12011/fep12011_kerr_and_kerr.pdf">evidence of significant undercutting of wages</a>. Far from jumping the queue, analysis published by the Institute for Fiscal Studies shows they are much&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~uctpb21/Cpapers/DustmannFrattiniHalls2010.pdf">less likely to be on benefits or in social housing</a>&nbsp;than their U.K.-born counterparts.</p> <p>Migrants from eastern Europe pay billions more in taxes to Britain than they take out in public spending. Far from squeezing hospitals and schools, they subsidize and even staff them. Rather than take jobs, they help create them. What has drained money from our public services and held down our wages is the banking crash, and the Tories’ spending cuts.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> </blockquote> <p>However, there are other motives for those favoring an exit from the EU. Some people promoted a “Leave” position not based on anti-immigrant sentiment, but rather out of concern that the “free market” economic policies promoted by the European Union benefited corporations at the expense of working people. In a 2018 article in The Guardian, economics editor Larry Elliot <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/sep/30/leftwing-brexiters-want-out-from-the-transnational-juggernaut">wrote</a> about how these advocate point to the example of Greece, where the EU imposed a series of harsh economic measures that exacerbated poverty:</p> <p>A small number of people in the Labor party and in the trade union movement take [the view that] Brexit is to be welcomed because the EU’s bias in favor of multinational capital, its hardwired monetarism, and its obsession with balanced budgets means it is more Thatcherite than social democratic. For those remainers who say this is a caricature and that the EU is really about protecting labor rights and defending the interests of workers in a harsh, globalized world, left leavers have a one-word riposte: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/jul/13/athens-and-eurozone-agree-bailout-deal-for-greece">Greece</a>….</p> <p>The four pillars of the single market – free movement of goods, services, people and money – are actually the axioms of market fundamentalism, which is why <a href="https://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/107219">Mrs. Thatcher supported </a>its creation. Meanwhile, the European court of justice has gradually turned itself into a body that enforces a free-market view of the world, placing more and more restrictions on the freedom of member states to make their own economic decisions.</p> <p>This point is taken up by Philip Whyman of the University of Central Lancashire… [who] says the real choice for Britain is whether we would prefer as few changes as possible, because we are happy with the status quo, or whether we would like to do things differently and therefore need the “greater policy independence that is necessary to make these changes”.</p> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/sep/30/leftwing-brexiters-want-out-from-the-transnational-juggernaut">https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/sep/30/leftwing-brexiters-want-out-from-the-transnational-juggernaut</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Defenders of the “remain” position argue that they share concerns about unjust economic policies, but they believe that staying in the EU is the only way U.K. can hope to create a more just society for everyone who lives there. In a January 7, 2019, article in The Guardian, Chris Matheson, a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Labor party, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jan/07/no-leftwing-justification-brexit-trumpist-us-eu">stood</a> firmly against Brexit.<br> &nbsp;</p> <blockquote> <p>Britain standing alone cannot face down the forces of global capitalism. And the Brexiteers know this, which is why they are doing what they are….</p> <p>They want to take the U.K. out of the EU and join us instead to the North American Free Trade Agreement (<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2018/oct/01/donald-trump-ends-bitter-dispute-with-a-wonderful-new-trade-deal-video">Nafta</a>) or the Pacific Alliance, offering free trade with these countries but none of the environmental, labor or consumer protection offered by the EU….</p> <p>We know the Brexit extremists won’t stop after 29 March: they will never be satisfied and they will no longer have the restraining influence of the EU to hold them back. Brexit is just the beginning. Yet Labor MPs acquiesce to Brexit, for <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/may/29/labour-mps-fear-brexit-voters-unfounded-study">fear of upsetting the millions of Labor voters</a> who voted leave for so many different reasons.</p> <p>Some of those leave voters will have been anti-European, for sure. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/nov/05/brexit-theresa-may-economic-austerity-leave-voting">But many were sick of austerity</a>, failing public services, insecurity at work and a lack of affordable housing, and fell for the con that it was all because of immigrants, or the EU, or both. Some just wanted to vote against something, anything, to protest at how bad their lives were. And twice I was told by voters that they were voting leave because they didn’t like [the Prime Minister at the time, David] Cameron.</p> <p>Aside from those who wanted to see the back of our former prime minister, it is clear that those voters will be sorely disappointed by Brexit: none of these ills will be cured by leaving the EU... [T]he economic crash after we leave the EU will mean there will be no money available to renew public services. And when <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/oct/23/brexit-patients-may-need-own-drug-stockpiles-pharma-execs-tell-commons-committee">medicines become unavailable</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/sep/28/uk-no-deal-brexit-lorry-traffic-plan-could-leave-kent-in-chaos-for-14-days">motorways turn into lorry parks</a>, and when family holidays to the Med become unaffordable due to visa costs and a plummeting pound, they will blame us for failing to stop this mess.</p> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jan/07/no-leftwing-justification-brexit-trumpist-us-eu">https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jan/07/no-leftwing-justification-brexit-trumpist-us-eu</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </blockquote> <p>In March, in one of the largest protests in British history, as many as a million people took to the streets of cities throughout the U.K. calling for a reconsideration of the 2016 referendum. As a new Brexit deadline approaches, the question of what can be won or lost in leaving the EU becomes ever more urgent.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>For Discussion</strong><br> &nbsp;</p> <ol> <li>How much of the material in this reading was new to you, and how much was already familiar? Do you have any questions about what you read?</li> </ol> <ol start="2"> <li>According to the reading, how did the 2016 referendum bring nativism and xenophobia to the surface?</li> </ol> <ol start="3"> <li>In terms of economic policy, what were some of the arguments for and against Brexit? Do you find either side persuasive? Explain your position.</li> </ol> <ol start="4"> <li>MP Chris Matheson argues that a “Leave” vote on Brexit was more a general “protest at how bad [these voters’] lives were” than a specific statement about the European Union. What do you think of this position? Do you think that Brexit would address some of the grievances that Leave voters hold? Why or why not?</li> </ol> <ol start="5"> <li>The reading describes tensions the U.K. is now experiencing over issues including immigration and the global economy. Do you see any parallels with the current political environment in the U.S.? Explain.<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>Can you imagine other ways that both countries could address the problems of economic inequality and insecurity? &nbsp;</li> </ol> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><em>Research assistance provided by John Bergen</em>.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span>Laura McClure</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2019-04-13T15:16:23-04:00" title="Saturday, April 13, 2019 - 15:16">April 13, 2019</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> Sat, 13 Apr 2019 19:16:23 +0000 Laura McClure 1305 at https://www.morningsidecenter.org Europe's Refugee Debate https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/europes-refugee-debate <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Europe&#039;s Refugee Debate</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><h4>&nbsp;<br> Gathering</h4> <p>Standing on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty welcomes visitors, immigrants, and returning Americans.&nbsp; Ask students to read and then respond to the last few lines of Emma Lazarus’s sonnet "The New Colossus" which is inscribed on a bronze plaque mounted on the Statue of Liberty:</p> <p class="rteindent1"><em>Give me your tired, your poor,<br> Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,<br> The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.<br> Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,<br> I lift my lamp beside the golden door!</em><br> &nbsp;</p> <p>Ask students some or all of the following questions:</p> <ul> <li>What does this poem on the Statue of Liberty say about the U.S.?&nbsp; What does it say about the U.S.’s relation to immigration?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>Do you know whether the U.S. lives up to Emma Lazarus’s famous words?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>How about Europe?&nbsp; Do students know Europe’s stance on immigration?&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What are some of the different reasons people leave their homes and home countries to come to the U.S. or Europe?</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;<br> Elicit and discuss how some people leave their homes to seek out opportunities in the U.S. or Europe, like an education, work, a better life for themselves and their families.&nbsp; Other people flee their home countries because of war, violence, discrimination, or other kinds of oppression.&nbsp; We often refer to the first group as immigrants; the second group as refugees.&nbsp; It is a distinction we’ll explore further later in this lesson.<br> &nbsp;<br> Ask the students to raise their hands if they know their families were immigrants at some point.&nbsp; Ask the students to raise their hands if they know their families were refugees at some point.&nbsp; Ask a few volunteers to share their family’s story.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4><br> Europe faces a crisis</h4> <p>Project a map of Europe onto the board or print out a map for students to look at as you explore today’s theme of migration into Europe. <a href="/sites/default/files/files/Migratory%20maps%20of%20Europe%202015.pdf">Consider one of these maps</a>.</p> <p>Ask students to share what they know about what’s happening in Europe these days. Have they heard about the waves of people who have been washing up on Europe’s southern Mediterranean shores?&nbsp; Ask students:</p> <ul> <li>Who are these people?&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What is causing them to travel to Europe?&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What are they leaving behind?&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>How are different European countries responding to the influx of migrants and refugees looking to resettle across the continent?&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>How is this migration affecting the European Union?&nbsp;</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;<br> Elicit and explain that the number of people seeking safety and a better life in Europe has been steadily increasing for about a decade now. &nbsp;During the summer of 2015, at least a quarter of a million made the journey.&nbsp; This has brought to the surface tensions in a European Union (EU) that has been struggling through an economic crisis and is looking less and less united. &nbsp;&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> Most migrants and refugees entering Europe have done so by crossing the Mediterranean Sea, arriving in the southern nations of Greece and Italy. The Mediterranean has been named the world’s most dangerous border crossing. And yet the people keep on coming, paying smugglers thousands of dollars to be allowed on board overcrowded, rickety vessels that are rarely equipped for the journey.<br> &nbsp;<br> Hungary, a country on the EU’s southeastern edge, has emerged as a key transit point for people seeking to reach wealthier nations in the north, where they are hoping to rebuild their lives.&nbsp; Hungary has been in the news recently for its unwelcoming attitude and harsh treatment of people entering by foot from Greece, via Macedonia and Serbia.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> And as the pressure of the humanitarian crisis mounts, the European Union’s treasured policy of free travel across borders may well be at risk. &nbsp;Barbed wire fences are going up between countries, and military and police are being deployed to manage&nbsp;- and in some cases stem -&nbsp;the flow of migrants and refugees. Public finger-pointing at the highest levels of the Union have gotten ugly, with some issuing slurs against immigrants that harken back to an earlier era of Nazi racial policies.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> In June, European leaders came together to come up with a plan to address the flow of migrants and refugees, but to no avail.&nbsp; A mandatory "migrant" quota system was rejected and instead member states were called upon to voluntarily resettle 40,000 "migrants" over a two-year period.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> Although some countries have pledged to take in more than 40,000 people, the political climate in Europe is increasingly polarized, with nationalist, anti-immigrant and anti-Islam parties gaining traction. Some politicians that have been reluctant to help migrants and refugees resettle cite their country’s dire economic situation, others cite security concerns. Arriving immigrants and refugees are often labeled as "problems" - an umbrella term stretched to include fears of terrorism, international drug trafficking and other cross-border crimes.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> Then, on September 2, 2015, the body of a three-year-old Syrian boy was found washed up on a beach in Turkey. The boy, <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2015/09/03/437132793/photo-of-dead-3-year-old-syrian-refugee-breaks-hearts-around-the-world">Aylan Kurdi</a>, his 5-year-old brother and his mother had all drowned after their dinghy capsized. The image went viral and this may have shamed EU leaders into coming back together to address the humanitarian crisis unfolding across the continent. &nbsp;As EU officials prepared to meet in Brussels on September 13 to hash out an emergency plan, there is a growing concern among some migrant groups and aid organizations that the new policies may end up creating two distinct classes of migrants, with two distinct kinds of welcome.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4><br> What Is the Difference Between a Migrant and Refugee?</h4> <p>Ask a student to read the following tweet out loud:<br> &nbsp;</p> <div><img alt src="/sites/default/files/pictures/refugee%20or%20migrant%20tweet.jpg" style="width: 450px; height: 94px;"></div> <p>&nbsp;<br> Based on what we’ve been talking about so far, ask students if they know why there has been a debate in the media over wording used to describe the influx of people crossing into Europe without visas.&nbsp; Many news outlets have considered the word "migrant" to have been a traditionally neutral term and so have used it in their coverage of the situation in Europe.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> A refugee is a person who flees a country to avoid death or&nbsp;persecution as a result of his or her religion, race, opinions or nationality. A migrant leaves a country in search of a job, an education, or a better life.<br> &nbsp;<br> Some news outlets say they use one word or the other based on their understanding of each person’s individual circumstances. Other news outlets use the two terms interchangeably. But critics say that often neither word fully captures the truth: Often people don’t neatly fit into either the "migrant" or "refugee" category, or they may belong in both.<br> &nbsp;<br> The Al Jazeera news network objects to any use of the word "migrant" because they claim it "has evolved from its dictionary definitions into a tool that dehumanizes and distances, a blunt pejorative."&nbsp; For this reason Al Jazeera is moving away from using the word migrant and "instead, where appropriate [will use] refugee."<br> &nbsp;<br> Ask students for their thoughts on this. Do they think politicians might have other reasons for using one term over another?&nbsp; What might those reasons be? &nbsp;Then ask them to read the following article by Ruud Lubbers, the former UN High Commissioner for Refugees, which puts the difference between migrants and refugees into historical context.</p> <p>&nbsp;<br> After students have read the piece, ask them to discuss some or all of the following questions:&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about the article?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>How does it relate to our discussion so far today?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>How does the media play into this story?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>After reading the article, what do you think now about why politicians might use one term (migrant or refugee) over the other?</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4><br> Refugees and Migrants: Defining the Difference</h4> <p>By Ruud Lubbers, UN High Commissioner for Refugees<br> BBC News <strong>|</strong> Published 5 April 2004<br> <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/3516112.stm">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/3516112.stm</a><br> &nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> References to it have been found in texts written 3,500 years ago, during the blossoming of the great early civilizations in the Middle East.&nbsp; The Hittites, Babylonians, Assyrians and ancient Egyptians all recognized the need to protect refugees. Migrations of people for non-refugee reasons have also been taking place since before the beginning of recorded time.&nbsp; If we trace our ancestors back far enough, all of us would find that we originated somewhere else.<br> &nbsp;<br> <strong>Preserving freedoms</strong>&nbsp;<br> Migration has often been, and is likely to continue to be, an important catalyst of advancement.&nbsp; But refugees and migrants are fundamentally different, and for that reason are treated very differently under modern international law.&nbsp; Migrants, especially economic migrants, choose to move in order to improve the future prospects of themselves and their families. Refugees have to move if they are to save their lives or preserve their freedom.&nbsp; It is this difference in motivation that led to their different status in law.&nbsp; Refugees fleeing war or persecution are in the most vulnerable situation imaginable.&nbsp; They have no protection from their own state - indeed it is usually their own state that is threatening to persecute them.&nbsp; If other states do not let them in, and do not help them once they are in, then - to put it starkly - they may be condemning them to death, or an intolerable life in the shadows, without sustenance and without rights.<br> &nbsp;<br> <strong>Mistrust and hatred</strong>&nbsp;<br> Even people forced from their homes by floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters are not in the same position.&nbsp; Their government is sympathetic towards them. It is not driving them away, and they still have rights.&nbsp; They are not refugees. There is no such thing as an "environmental refugee" or an "economic refugee" [in international law].&nbsp; Why do I dwell on these distinctions?&nbsp; Because these two distinct groups of people on the move - refugees and migrants - are increasingly being confused, and increasingly being treated in the same way: with mistrust, even hatred and outright rejection.&nbsp; The impressive body of international law designed to protect refugees is under intense pressure.&nbsp; Border controls are constantly being strengthened and made stricter. The aim is to keep out illegal immigrants.&nbsp; Fine.&nbsp; Countries are perfectly entitled to decide how many migrants they wish to accept. ... But we must guard against indiscriminate rejection of foreigners. Refugees are already finding it increasingly difficult to access safety. ... The international refugee system, which came into its own after World War II, has saved countless lives because it obliged states to make an exception when it comes to [resettling] refugees.&nbsp; ...<br> &nbsp;<br> <strong>Global management</strong>&nbsp;<br> ... It is time for a shift away from a largely negative approach - closed borders, detention, interception at sea, cuts in benefits - to one which focuses on continuing the ancient tradition of welcoming refugees.&nbsp; While also taking into account the interests of states and their populations in a fast-moving, interlinked modern world.&nbsp; We definitely need better global management of asylum. And my agency, UNHCR, has made a number of ambitious suggestions about how we can achieve that.&nbsp; We also need better management of other forms of migration. But to start with, we have to be clear about who is a refugee and who is a migrant, and not sacrifice one to keep out the other. &nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <div> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <h4>A Personal Journey&nbsp;</h4> <p>Explain to students that the following was written by Ammar Tabbab, a Syrian poet and lawyer in his early thirties. Tabbab fled Damascus two and a half years ago after being warned that the Assad regime was targeting him. In <em>The Atlantic</em>, where the poem was published, he is described as part of "the diaspora of Syrian poets now scattered throughout the Middle East." Tabbab was an activist in the early days of the Syrian revolution and is now part of a "vibrant scene of poets and writers whose work chronicles ... the [Syrian] conflict’s horrors while continuing to promote a vision of a democratic Syria—one that at this stage in the war is fading into oblivion."<br> &nbsp;<br> Invite a volunteer to read the poem below out loud.&nbsp; Next ask each student to pick a line that resonates with them, based on our discussion so far today. Ask them to turn to a partner and talk about why that line resonates with them.<br> &nbsp;<br> Finally, bring the students back to the large group again and ask them to share what they discussed in their pairs. Touch on some or all of the following questions:<br> &nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>What about the poem resonated with you and why?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What does the poet say about Tabbab's journey?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>He talks about his "way back."&nbsp; Back where?&nbsp; Why do you think he talks about his footsteps disappearing?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>Why does he say: "Don’t ask me who I am"?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>Why do you think identity is such an important theme to migrants and refugees?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>How does this poem touch on the theme of identity?</li> </ul> <p class="rteindent1">&nbsp;<br> <em>The night became long and the dark increased,</em><br> <br> <em>but I didn’t find starlight to indicate the path.</em><br> <br> <em>The trip became long, and my footsteps began&nbsp;</em><br> <br> <em>to disappear, without them how would I find a way back. ...</em><br> <br> <em>I doze off with a dream petting my eyeball.</em><br> <br> <em>At the same time I fear the daybreak will bury me.</em><br> <br> <em>Don’t ask about me.</em><br> <br> <em>Don’t ask who I am.</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4><br> <br> Closing</h4> <p>Ask students to share one thing they’ll take away from today’s lesson.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><em>Note to parents: </em></strong>See this Parent <a href="http://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/parent-table-talk-refugees-reactions-and-world-response">'Table Talk' </a>activity for suggestions on discussing this topic with children. &nbsp;</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span>fionta</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2015-09-13T15:28:13-04:00" title="Sunday, September 13, 2015 - 15:28">September 13, 2015</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> Sun, 13 Sep 2015 19:28:13 +0000 fionta 443 at https://www.morningsidecenter.org Teachable Instant: Refugee Crisis https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/teachable-instant-refugee-crisis <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Teachable Instant: Refugee Crisis</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p>Share some or all of the following background information with students, or ask students to read the paragraphs silently.<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4>A Refugee Crisis</h4> <p>Hundreds of thousands of refugees flowed into Western Europe this summer, most fleeing war and desperate conditions in the Middle East, North Africa, and Afghanistan. The media has been filled with images of these people, many families with small children, crowded onto rickety boats trying to cross the Mediterranean, trapped in train stations, marching down highways, some finally reaching their northern European destinations.</p> <p>The flow of people continues in what has become the largest human migration since World War 2.&nbsp;</p> <p>Many of the refugees are from Syria, where Islamic State fighters and other Islamist militants (as well as Kurds seeking autonomy) are battling Syrian President Bashir al-Assad and his forces. Estimates vary, but according to the UN, over 220,000 people, including many civilians, have been killed in the Syrian war. Many others live in terror and have limited access to shelter, food and water. Over the past few years, many Syrians escaped to neighboring countries, including Lebanon and Jordan. But those countries have struggled to accommodate the huge influx of refugees.&nbsp; Now people from the region are pushing into Western Europe, looking for safety.</p> <p>The route to Europe has been fraught with danger. Many, including children, have died while trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea, hoping to reach Greece or Italy,&nbsp;two countries giving&nbsp;them access to&nbsp;the rest of the European Union. &nbsp;From there they&nbsp;continue their travel&nbsp;over land routes, through Macedonia, Serbia, Hungary and heading further&nbsp;north where economies have not been as hard hit and immigration policies are more welcoming. (See maps of migration paths here: <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-24583286">http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-24583286</a>.)&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.75pt;margin-left: 0in"><span helvetica style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:">Some of these countries, including Hungary, have </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;">been&nbsp;clear about the fact that refugees are</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;">&nbsp;not welcome. Hungary </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;">in particular has been quite hostile,</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"> set</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;">ting</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"> up a holding camp surrounded by razor wire and guarded by dogs and the police. Hungary has passed new laws penalizing people for helping the refugees. However, other countries, including Germany, have agreed to accept&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;">up to 800,000</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;">&nbsp;people seeking asylum this year alone. &nbsp;By comparison, the U.S. has accepted only 1,500 Syrian refugees since the start of the violence in Syria. &nbsp;</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p>A note on terminology:&nbsp; The <a href="http://www.unhcr.org/55df0e556.html">UN High Commission on Refugees</a> says that the terms "migrant" and "refugee" should not be used interchangeably.&nbsp; According to UNHCR, refugees left home because of armed conflict or persecution. It is too dangerous to return home, and they need sanctuary. Refugees are accorded certain rights and benefits under international and national laws. Migrants are not facing death or persecution, but are seeking work, education or better lives, and don’t receive the same protections. &nbsp;</p> <p>For more background, see previous TeachableMoment lessons on Syria here:</p> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/syria-today-diplomatic-vs-military-responses">http://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/syria-today-diplomatic-vs-military-responses</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/syria-today-what-it-means-be-syrian">http://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/syria-today-what-it-means-be-syrian</a></li> </ul> <hr> <h4>Video: Stranded in Hungary</h4> <p>Show students this 4-minute video produced by the Guardian, a newspaper based in the UK. (A 10-second ad precedes the video.)&nbsp;</p> <p>The video shows scenes of refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, and elsewhere who were stuck in Keleti train station in Budapest, Hungary, on September 4-5, 2015. Most hoped to go on to Germany or Austria, but the Hungarian government refused to let them board trains.&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/04/un-calls-on-european-union-to-take-200000-more-refugees">http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/04/un-calls-on-european-union-to-take-200000-more-refugees</a><br> &nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Discussion</strong></p> <p>After students view the video, ask:</p> <ul> <li>What did you observe about the people who were stuck in the train station? What belongings are they carrying with them?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>Did any particular scene or person stand out for you?&nbsp; Why?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>Who seemed welcoming of the refugees?&nbsp; Who didn’t?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>Why do you think one woman did not want the refugees to wave the Hungarian flag?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What emotions do you think the people in this train station are feeling?&nbsp;</li> </ul> <p>List students’ responses to the last question on the board.</p> <p>Tell students that the refugees in the video were eventually given buses to Austria; many are traveling on to Germany and other countries in Western and Northern Europe. However, they await an uncertain future there: Will they be given asylum? Will they find decent homes and jobs? Will they be welcomed by their new neighbors?</p> <p>Debates are now underway in European countries, the Gulf states, and in the U.S. about taking in more of the refugees.&nbsp; And many organizations are calling on governments and individuals to come through with aid and support for those trying to escape war and desperation in Syria and elsewhere.</p> <p>To date, the U.S. has taken in only about 1,500 Syrian refugees. Aid groups and some lawmakers have argued that the U.S. should take in at least 65,000 more. For more information see these articles in the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/05/us/many-obstacles-are-seen-to-us-taking-in-large-number-of-syrian-refugees.html">New York Times</a> and <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-pressed-to-take-more-syrian-refugees-1441396786">Wall Street Journal</a>.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4><br> Closing</h4> <p>Ask students in a go-round to say one thing they wish for the refugees we saw at the train station in Hungary.<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <p><strong><em>Note to parents:&nbsp;</em></strong>See this Parent&nbsp;<a href="http://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/parent-table-talk-refugees-reactions-and-world-response">'Table Talk'</a>&nbsp;activity for suggestions on discussing this topic with children. &nbsp;</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span>fionta</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2015-09-07T08:32:17-04:00" title="Monday, September 7, 2015 - 08:32">September 7, 2015</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> Mon, 07 Sep 2015 12:32:17 +0000 fionta 445 at https://www.morningsidecenter.org Should the British Monarchy End? https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/should-british-monarchy-end <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Should the British Monarchy End?</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>To the Teacher:</h4> <p>A new prince was born this summer in Great Britain. On July 22, 2013, Prince William and his wife, Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, became the parents of a new baby, Prince George. The boy will be third in line to British throne, behind only his grandfather, Prince Charles, and his father. The current monarch, Queen Elizabeth, has reigned for more than 61 years. Throughout much of the media and among fans of the royal family, George's birth generated an enormous amount of excitement. At the same time, the recent fanfare over the royal baby has raised some important questions for Britain, and, by extension, for the many other countries around the world that still support monarchies.</p> <p>In this lesson, students consider: What exactly is the British monarchy and why does it still exist today? If Great Britain is a democracy, isn't maintaining a royal family simply antiquated? Should the British people continue to financially support a hereditary monarchy?&nbsp;The first student reading below gives a history of Britain's evolution from monarchy to democracy. The second reading examines the debate about whether the monarchy should end once and for all. Questions for student discussion follow each reading.<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4><br> Student Reading 1:&nbsp;<br> Great Britain, from Monarchy to Democracy</h4> <p>A new prince was born this summer in Great Britain. On July 22, 2013, Prince William and his wife, Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, became the parents of a new baby, Prince George. The boy will be third in line to British throne, behind only his grandfather, Prince Charles, and his father. The current monarch, Queen Elizabeth, has reigned for more than 61 years. Throughout much of the media and among fans of the royal family, George's birth generated an enormous amount of excitement. At the same time, the fanfare over the royal baby raised some important questions for Britain, and, by extension, for the many other countries around the world that still support monarchies. &nbsp;</p> <p>What exactly is the British monarchy and why does it still exist today?<br> &nbsp;<br> Historians trace the origins of the British monarchy to the reign of Alfred the Great of the Kingdom of Wessex in the late 9th century. Prior to the unification of England under a single ruler, the country was made up of a number of smaller kingdoms, which suffered frequent Viking raids. Alfred the Great succeeded in defeating the Vikings and building Wessex into the most powerful of the English kingdoms. His grandson Athelstan, in the early 10th century, became the first monarch to rule over a unified kingdom roughly resembling present-day England.<br> &nbsp;<br> The process through which England became a democracy proceeded slowly over the following centuries. Under the feudal system, the King held absolute political and economic power over the English people, standing as the owner of all of England's land. The land was "held" by a class of nobles and knights—or "lords"—and parceled out to "vassals" in exchange for a guarantee of service (often military service) to the lord and to the crown. While the unification of England into a single kingdom gave the king authority over a larger population and geographical area, the emergence of these social classes planted the seeds for ongoing tension.<br> &nbsp;<br> These tensions came to a head in the early 13th century when a group of barons, unhappy with rising taxation and the loss of their possessions in unsuccessful wars, rebelled against King John. As a result of negotiations between the King and the rebels, the Magna Carta (or Great Charter) was issued in 1215. The document represented one of the first formalized checks on royal power. Clause 61 of the Magna Carta provided for the creation of a committee of 25 barons who could overrule the King and confiscate his possessions if he defied other clauses of the Charter.<br> &nbsp;<br> The committee of 25 barons would ultimately comprise the basis for an English Parliament. The centuries that followed saw Parliament continue to develop and, slowly, assert more political authority. In the middle of the 14th century, Parliament was formally split into two chambers—what became known as the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Limited elections for the House of Commons were introduced in early 15th century, laying the groundwork for what would eventually become a democratic political system.<br> &nbsp;<br> Social unrest gripped England in the 17th century, resulting in political changes that have endured to this day. The English Civil War, which lasted from 1642 to 1651, pitted Parliamentarians against Royalists and culminated in the overthrow and execution of King Charles I. From 1649 through 1659, England had no king, but the Monarchy was restored—albeit in a weakened form—in 1660. Less than 30 years later, however, English Parliamentarians staged a decisive blow to the power of the Monarchy in the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688.<br> &nbsp;<br> Tom Chivers of the <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/election-2010/7457965/General-Election-2010-The-history-of-British-democracy.html">British <em>Telegraph</em> </a>summarizes the significance of this watershed event:<br> &nbsp;</p> <div class="rteindent1">The Civil War [of 1642] had removed the monarchy, and then reinstated it in a weakened form, setting the stage for the attenuated 'constitutional monarchy' that we have today. But it was the arrival of William of Orange from Holland to take the throne from James II which led to the creation of the Bill of Rights, constitutionally preventing absolute rule by the Kings and Queens of Great Britain to this day, and leaving Parliament as the true seat of power in the country.</div> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>In the years following the Glorious Revolution, the Kingdoms of England and Scotland merged, and the Parliament of England became the Parliament of Great Britain. Although the monarch maintained some influence over political affairs, its power slowly eroded. Despite retaining the official title of "head of state," today the monarch occupies a purely ceremonial and diplomatic position.<br> &nbsp;<br> In Parliament, meanwhile, the House of Commons became the more influential chamber following the Reform Act of 1832. This law began the process of expanding enfranchisement and providing more equitable popular representation. Today, the House of Commons is a democratically elected body of 650 members, each representing a geographic constituency, similar to Congress in the United States. Elections must be held at least every five years. Members of Parliament are divided into political parties, with the leader of the party holding the majority of seats serving as Prime Minister—the effective head of government in the United Kingdom. The current Prime Minister is David Cameron of the Conservative Party.<br> &nbsp;<br> So, if the United Kingdom is now a democratic society, why does the monarchy continue to exist at all? As we will see in the next reading, this question is the topic of considerable debate.<br> &nbsp;</p> <h4>&nbsp;<br> <strong>For Discussion: </strong></h4> <ol> <li>Do students have any questions about the reading? How might they be answered?</li> <li>How did a democratic system develop out of monarchy in Great Britain?</li> <li>How would you compare this development with the establishment of U.S. democracy?</li> <li>What is the role of the monarch today? Who is the effective head of government under the current system?</li> </ol> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4><br> Student Reading 2:<br> Should the Monarchy End?</h4> <p>Although the United Kingdom has been a democracy for many years now, the royal family continues to garner a great deal of attention, both in Great Britain and around the world. Millions of people tuned in to watch the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in the spring of 2011 and closely followed news of a royal birth in the summer of 2013. Despite being citizens of a country that fought a war of independence specifically to be free from the rule of the British crown, many Americans were also enthralled by these proceedings.<br> &nbsp;<br> In the United Kingdom, popular support for the monarchy has been strong and remarkably stable over the last several decades. In a May 2012 article for the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18237280">BBC</a>, journalist Mark Easton summarized a recent poll:<br> &nbsp;</p> <div class="rteindent1">Whatever republicans [those who wish to eliminate the monarchy and replace it with a formal republic] might wish, less than a fifth of the Queen's subjects in the UK say they want to get rid of the Royal Family—a proportion that has barely changed across decades.<br> &nbsp;<br> According to polling data from Ipsos Mori, support for a republic was 18% in 1969, 18% in 1993, 19% in 2002 and 18% last year. Three-quarters of the population want Britain to remain a monarchy—a finding that has been described by pollsters as "probably the most stable trend we have ever measured."</div> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> Despite the limited support for republicanism in the UK, whenever there is a major royal event, it reopens debates about the place of the monarchy in modern British society. Opponents of the monarchy contend that it is little more than an anachronism: The British people have been electing their government representatives for many years now, they argue, so it makes very little sense for them to still have a king or queen as an official head of state. Moreover, they contend, it is wrong for the British people to have to support the monarchy with millions of pounds in tax revenue every year. As Heather Horn of <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/02/its-the-queens-60th-anniversary-why-is-britain-still-a-monarchy/252608/"><em>The Atlantic</em></a> wrote in a February 2012 article:<br> &nbsp;</p> <div class="rteindent1">[T[here's something a bit jarring both to logic and to liberal democratic sensibilities about what the queen stands for. After all, British "citizens" are still at least nominally, and arguably legally, considered "subjects." The United Kingdom's Home Office and the passports it issues&nbsp;reflect&nbsp;the country's switch in 1949 from the language of subjecthood to citizenship, and thus make a distinction between "citizens of the United Kingdom" and "British subjects." That's not a particularly pretty distinction, since the latter is mostly a leftover of the country's imperial era.<br> &nbsp;<br> But as plenty of experts have pointed out, there is no piece of paper that officially designates Brits as "citizens." And if a magazine-length article can be written under the headline "Are we subjects or citizens?" as the BBC did in 2005, whatever scraps of citizenship clinging to Britons can't be all that substantial.<br> &nbsp;<br> The financial side of the British monarchy is no less quirky. Governing for payment is standard, but the queen reigns, which appears mostly to mean visiting things. Strange as this looks from a practical standpoint, it's even stranger in theory. In 2012, why would the people of a Western state&nbsp;pay&nbsp;someone to subjugate them?</div> <p>&nbsp;<br> Supporters of the monarchy, on the other hand, argue that public support for the monarchy delivers a large economic return in the form of the tourist revenue it generates. In addition, they say, the royal family provides the British people with a sense of national identity. As Gerald Warner of the <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/7850335/The-Royal-family-is-a-bargain-for-Britain.html"><em>Telegraph</em></a> stated in a June 2010 commentary:<br> &nbsp;</p> <div class="rteindent1">The monarchy costs&nbsp;69p a year for every person in Britain, or £1.33 per taxpayer&nbsp; [about $2.14 in <a href="http://finance.yahoo.com/currency-converter/#from=USD;to=EUR;amt=1">dollars</a>]. In return, besides the Crown Estate profits, there is the unquantifiable, but enormous, tourist revenue it generates. Claims that a republican head of state would be less costly are absurd. The German presidency costs about the same as the Queen, but how many tourists line the streets of Berlin to catch a glimpse of - er - what is his name?....<br> &nbsp;<br> Although the monarchy undoubtedly represents value for money, its true worth cannot be expressed in financial terms. It is the personification of the nation, the embodiment of our national identity. The monarchy is living history, a pageant of our past that remains relevant in the present and will continue to do so in the future. Constitutionally, it is the guarantor of stability: during the political impasse that followed the general election and the protracted negotiations, our governmental process did not miss a beat, since the Queen remained as the constitutional authority, ensuring continuity.<br> &nbsp;</div> <p>Despite these considerations, republicans such as George Danker of the Cambridge Union Society believe that the monarchy should be eliminated as a matter of principle. Danker wrote in a March 2012 article for the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/the-cambridge-union-society/monarchy-do-we-really-need-it_b_1641067.html"><em>Huffington Post</em></a>:<br> &nbsp;</p> <div class="rteindent1">[T]he most common arguments for abolishing the monarchy are not economic or political—they are ideological. With an unelected Head of State, our democracy is incomplete, a notion that republicans simply cannot bear, and it is easy to understand why. It doesn't feel particularly fair that one family has privilege and millions of taxpayers' pounds thrust upon them, whilst being totally unaccountable to the outside world. Especially as the rest of us are struggling through the worst recession in living memory, it seems illogical that we might refuse the opportunity to decide which person, above all others, represents the nation.<br> &nbsp;</div> <h4><br> <strong>For Discussion: </strong></h4> <ol> <li>Do students have any questions about the reading? How might they be answered?</li> <li>What are "republicans" in Great Britain? How would they like to change their government?</li> <li>What are some of the <em>economic</em> arguments for and against the monarchy?</li> <li>Beyond economic considerations, supporters believe that the monarchy creates a sense of national identity, while republicans consider the royal family to be an insult to British democracy. How would you weigh these competing arguments? Which position do you find most convincing? Explain your position.</li> <li>What do you think about the fascination many Americans have with British royalty, given that American colonists fought a war and created a Constitutional government to free themselves from the British monarchy (or any monarchy)?&nbsp;</li> </ol> <p>&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span>fionta</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2013-09-19T08:55:16-04:00" title="Thursday, September 19, 2013 - 08:55">September 19, 2013</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> Thu, 19 Sep 2013 12:55:16 +0000 fionta 570 at https://www.morningsidecenter.org European Union in Trouble https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/european-union-trouble <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>European Union in Trouble</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p><strong>To the Teacher:</strong></p> <p>In this lesson about a very complex issue, students read a description of the current crisis in the European Union and conflicting views about how to address it, including the debate over "austerity" vs. "stimulus." Then they participate in "fishbowl" discussion of the issue.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4>Introduction:</h4> <h3>The European continent</h3> <p><em>(8 minutes)</em></p> <p>Either project a map of Europe onto the smartboard, hang up a physical map of Europe or print up handouts so that everyone can look at the continent we'll be talking about today and pinpoint the countries discussed in the lesson below.</p> <p>Before starting the lesson ask students what they know about Europe. Ask if anyone can explain what's happening with the European economy these days. Ask your students if they've heard of what's been taking place in Greece, and more recently in Italy and Spain. (All three countries recently changed governments.) Ask if anyone knows the reason for this change.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> <h3>Check Agenda</h3> <p><em>(2 minutes)</em></p> <p>Explain that in today's lesson you'll be reading up on and discussing how Europe has been affected by the recent global economic crisis.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <h3>The European Union in Trouble&nbsp;</h3> <p><em>(35 minutes)</em></p> <p>Distribute copies of the student reading below. After students have read the piece, either have a full classroom discussion about it, or conduct what is known as a fishbowl discussion.</p> <p>Fishbowl process:&nbsp;Ask 7 or 8 volunteers to discuss the reading sitting in a small circle facing each other. The rest of the students sit in a larger circle surrounding them. The 7 or 8 students start their discussion, but at any point a student on the outside of the circle can tap a student on the inside of the circle on the shoulder to switch seats. Ask students to make sure that those on the inside have had a chance to speak before taking their place.</p> <p>You may start by asking students whether they have any comments or questions for each other based on the article they just read. Other questions to get the fishbowl conversation going might be:</p> <ul> <li>What was the reason for creating a European Union?</li> <li>How well has that worked out?</li> <li>Where do things stand now when it comes to Europe's stability and prosperity?</li> <li>What are some causes of Europe's problems now?</li> <li>Who is involved? Who helped cause the crisis? Who is most affected by the crisis?</li> <li>What are some ways Europe might improve its situation, according to the reading?</li> <li>How does all this relate to what's happening in the US right now?</li> <li>Do students know about the congressional super committee that was assigned to come up with a plan for reducing the US debt? What came out of the super committee?</li> </ul> <p>What do you think about the US debate over stimulus and austerity</p> <h3>Closing</h3> <p>Ask a few volunteers to share:</p> <ul> <li>What is one thing you learned?&nbsp;</li> <li>What do you still have questions about? <p>&nbsp;</p> </li> </ul> <hr> <h3>Student Reading:&nbsp;</h3> <h2>European Union in Trouble</h2> <p>The European Union (EU) is an economic and political partnership that was forged over several decades following World War II. Its purpose: to bring peace, stability and prosperity to the European continent. The EU was officially established by the Maastricht Treaty in 1993 and in 2002. The majority of member states adopted a new currency, the Euro, to replace their old currencies. Today, the European Union is a Europe-wide market in which people, goods, services, and capital move freely between member states. Every five years, voters across the EU elect a European Parliament.</p> <p>The individual states making up the Union, however, are quite disparate in nature. Countries in the south and east of Europe have a significantly lower average income and a lower level of productivity than the majority of countries in the north and west of the continent. In addition, the different EU countries have very different fiscal policies, internal labor laws, taxation rules, and foreign policies.</p> <p>As if that doesn't make for enough disparity, the different EU countries maintain their independent political systems, with voters in each country selecting their own national leaders. Leaders from the different countries represent widely varying political views. Throughout its short history, the European Union has enjoyed little popular support from the general European populace. Many people don't fully understand the project of economic unification, and participation in European Parliament elections has been low, by European standards. In the first years of the EU's existence, European member states experienced economic prosperity. More recently, however, Europe, has been hit hard by the world economic crisis. Greece is one of the EU member states that is struggling the most.</p> <p><strong>Why is Greece in debt?</strong></p> <p>The Greek government faces a severe debt crisis, and is in danger of defaulting as a nation. The Greek government for decades has been spending a lot more money than it has taken in. Although average Greek wages are lower than in most other EU countries, the retirement age in Greece is relatively low compared to the rest of Europe, while retirement benefits are high. Greece has a large public sector (government jobs) and government employees have been well compensated (relatively high salaries).&nbsp;To compound its financial problems, Greece also suffers from an endemic problem of tax evasion, which has severely limited government revenue.</p> <p>When the Greek government could no longer pay its bills, it turned to banks in other European countries to borrow money. Before long, the government was had billions in loans, going further and further into debt.</p> <p><strong>The danger of default</strong></p> <p>It's quite normal for countries to borrow money, and for a while lots of money was available to Greece because it was assumed that Greece, eventually, would pay back what it had borrowed. In the meantime, Greece would pay interest on its loans, which is how lenders make money. Banks in some of the EU's larger and wealthier member states (like Germany and France), lent Greece lots of money, with the hope of making lots of interest.</p> <p>In the past banks would take in money through savings accounts, then lend it to people, businesses or countries by issuing mortgages or other kinds of loans. Banks basically would take in money from one part of the population, then lend it to another part of the population to make a limited amount of profit. In recent years however, banks have not been satisfied with those kinds of procedures and have started making money in other ways.</p> <p>Some of these banks, in fact, loaned Greece more money than was fiscally responsible and started playing games with this money to make even larger returns. This is what is known as speculation. When banks speculate they make money by moving it around in search of the highest returns, essentially using it to make economic bets. This is a risky practice that US banks also engage in heavily, and it is a chief cause for the current global economic slowdown. The slowdown has affected countries across the EU, but EU economies with weaker economies were hit hardest.</p> <p>Not only was Greece no longer able to pay the interest on the loans it had taken out, it was starting to think about not even paying back the original amount it had borrowed. If Greece defaulted on its loans, all the banks/countries that had loaned Greece money would risk losing that money, which would deepen the European economic crisis.</p> <p><strong>Greece, Italy, Spain: Domino Effect?</strong></p> <p>Unfortunately, Greece is not the only EU country at risk of defaulting on its loans. The Greek economy is relatively small, and the European Union would have been able to accommodate that default without too much problem. But Italy, Spain and Portugal are now also struggling to pay back their debt. They too owed lots of money, for a variety of different reasons. And because of the slowing world economy, they haven't been able to make money fast enough to pay back their debts.</p> <p><strong>What to do?</strong></p> <p>In the old days, before the common Euro currency, a country like Greece might have devalued its currency at a time like this with the aim of reducing the cost of what it owed.</p> <p>Devaluation basically means to make a currency worth less compared to other currencies (de-value). In the short run this takes the pressure off a country's economy by stimulating exports and devaluing the debt payments owed -- that is, making them cheaper. Such currency devaluations also make imports more expensive, thus slowing down those imports, which results in less money leaving the country.</p> <p>Of course, since EU countries all have the same currency, devaluation is no longer an option -- unless Greece drops out of the Euro zone and returns to its old currency. This is the last thing the banks holding Greek debt want to happen because the banks would then lose control over how Greece spends its money or whether the Greek economy stabilizes enough to pay back any of its debt.</p> <p>Europe's larger, stronger and more stable economies, with Germany at the head, are promoting a different way to handle Greece's debt. Their solution is known as "austerity." These larger economies are demanding that indebted countries like Greece must cut wages and benefits, raise taxes, and speed up production. The idea is that these moves, while causing hardship for many workers, will save the Greek government money and generate new revenue that Greece can use to pay its debts.In return the banks holding the debt are willing to write off up to 50% of what is owed them, so that Greece doesn't have to pay back the full amount. ("Austerity" is also being proposed as a solution to reducing debt in the US.)</p> <p>This may seem like a good compromise in theory, but many economists say that a policy of "austerity" during a time of recession or depression is likely to worsen the crisis. Cutting public sector jobs, reducing wages, and cutting back on government services actually slows economies down. The government no longer receives tax revenues from the workers it has laid off, those who are working have less to spend, so businesses can no longer sell their goods and services. If you want to cut spending, these economists say, do it during a time of prosperity, not when the economy is already sputtering. What's more, austerity hits middle and lower income people the hardest.</p> <p><strong>Austerity versus Stimulus?</strong></p> <p>As Peter Schiff argues on the&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;website: "We ... are witnessing a struggle between two camps that I playfully call the "stimulators" and the "austereians." Both warn that a worldwide depression will ensue if governments now make the wrong choices: the stimulators say the danger lies in spending too little and the austereians from spending too much."</p> <p>Of course the global economic crisis can't be reduced to a simple political debate over austerity versus stimulus. For one thing, conditions vary greatly country by country. In the United States, politicians from both political parties and the media have maintained that austerity is necessary, with Democrats including President Obama arguing for softer austerity, and Republicans arguing for radical cuts in public employment and public services.</p> <p>However, the U.S. has by far the greatest economic inequality of any developed nation. The rich have gotten dramatically richer over the past three decades, while the rest of the population has seen few if any gains. Further, the economic crisis was touched off in part by ultra-wealthy investors who gambled dangerously on Wall Street. This situation helped give rise to the Occupy Wall Street movement, which calls for a redistribution of wealth from the 1% to the 99%.</p> <p>This movement has strengthened the hand of those who argue that further stimulus is needed to create more jobs to build and fix roads, bridges and other infrastructure; to keep teachers in schools; police and firefighters on the street, etc. The idea is that with more people employed, more people will be paying taxes again, restoring government revenues. They'll also be buying more goods and services, which will help bring the economy out its doldrums.</p> <p>However, Republicans continue to argue that the debt the country has incurred is too high and is likely to destabilize the American economy. They argue for cutting the government sector (jobs) as well as social benefits and social welfare programs. There is no money in the budget for these government jobs, they say. In addition, they argue that higher taxes on the rich are likely to lessen investment in the economy, which is why some support the continuation of the Bush era tax cuts, even for the richest Americans.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><em>This lesson was written for TeachableMoment.org by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.morningsidecenter.org/marieke-van-woerkom">Marieke van Woerkom</a>. We welcome your comments. Please email them to:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lmcclure@morningsidecenter.org">lmcclure@morningsidecenter.org</a>.</em></p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span>fionta</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2011-12-04T00:00:00-05:00" title="Sunday, December 4, 2011 - 00:00">December 4, 2011</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> Sun, 04 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0000 fionta 643 at https://www.morningsidecenter.org