Today, we started talking about how national interests can be used to create a new nation-state. This action is called self-determination.Now, one of the first quotes that we went through in the notes was how it is a force of convergence and divergence, which is completely true. While a new nation is being formed and a group who identifies with each other is converging or joining together, this comes at the expense of the disintegration of already existing nation states. As much as one may joke that they don't care if Quebec separated from Canada, what would a Canada without Quebec really be like?? Not only is our Canadian history full of French influence in the discovery of our country, but without Francophone explorers and traders, it is uncertain for how western Canada was explored and settled. So the question comes: Who has the right to pursue self-determination?
But, is there are reason to stop a country from pursuing self-determination? That's what we are going to be looking at - the different ways in which a state can pursue self-determination and what are the intended and unintended consequences.
Today, we looked at a current example of a group attempting self-determination: Catalonians in Spain. There are many other groups that seek to pursue this as well. Here are some examples:
Catalonia's Independence Movement
Scottish Independence Movement 2014
Kurdish Independence Movement 2017
Monday:
- Notes on Self-determination
- Ethnic divisions and how that leads to division of countries
- Case Study: Catalonia
- Start looking at Kosovo's Independence Movement
Then....
....and now.
Tuesday:
- Genocide Projects
- Work on research
- Individually explain your World War I flow chart
Wednesday:
- Compare articles with partners from Monday
- Should Kosovo been allowed to achieve an independent state?
- What criteria should the UN make for independence to occur?
- Continue going through notes on Self-Determination
- Decolonization and the Vietnam War
Thursday:
- Rants by Paola, Harrison, and Deprise
- Practice writing - next essay(s) for marks will be done a week after the break!
- 20-1: Interpreting a source for Assignment 1
- 20-2: Describing characteristics for Assignment 1