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thegeneration

U.S. Pressures China to Revalue Its Currency

By Rachael Cameron

The United States has responded to China’s rapid growth as an economic power by taking a soft-line diplomatic approach. This is to ensure the U.S. access to China’s economic resources. While China holds a significant portion of Americans debt, the U.S. is one of the largest buyers of Chinese exports. Thus, the U.S. hopes to maintain friendly and productive economic relations with China so as to not disturb the symbiosis between them. While urging China to be responsible with its newfound economic power, the Obama administration simultaneously seeks to maintain a peaceful dialogue and build up strong bilateral cooperation. Notably, the Obama administration has enhanced the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue forum. However, while the U.S. wants to ensure China continues to by up American debt, it is wary of China’s increasing influence over the both the U.S. and the international community.

The United States’ desire to support its own economy while preserving economic relations with China has driven U.S. encouragement of China to revalue its currency to market exchange rate values. China has kept its currency, the renminbi, below market-determined value to persuade other countries to buy Chinese goods. However, as China maintains a high economic growth rate in the globalized economy where most economies are all interdependent, the undervalued renminbi has thrown off the monetary balance between countries. It also means that investment in the Chinese economy is not worth as much as it should be.

January 7, 2011 3 comments

Security and Conflict Society and Culture

Sweden Dems Seek Quick Fix to Complex Problems

written by thegeneration

Over the past year, eleven individuals were killed in the southern Swedish city of Malmö. These victims were seemingly targeted due to the darkness of their skin. For long-term residents of Sweden, these attacks were alarming, but not new.

In the 1990s, John “Laserman” Ausonius carried out a similar slew of attacks. The same year, the anti-immigrant political party, New Democracy (Ny Demokrati), gained entrance into parliament. Over the past year, eleven individuals were killed in the southern Swedish city of Malmö. These victims were seemingly targeted due to the darkness of their skin. For long-term residents of Sweden, these attacks were alarming, but not new.

Similarly, these attacks have tailed the Sweden Democrat’s (Sverige Demokraterna) official entrance onto the national scene, with their election to the parliament. The Sweden Democrats have largely campaigned on the need to cut immigration to Sweden and reinvigorate a sense of Swedish identity. Taking a step back, these developments can be seen as the culmination of many failed integration policies, a reinforcement of immigrant stereotypes through the media, and a recent politicization of the implication of immigration.

Among provisions that the Sweden Democrats have put forth in parliament is legislation that would curb the reception of immigrants and refugees by 95% as well as policies that would make it exceedingly difficult for immigrants to be reunited with their families. Additionally, Sweden Democrats are pushing for forcible repatriation of refugees, much like Denmark’s stringent refugee policies.

The Sweden Democrats have succeeded in simplifying and condensing societal problems that challenge each nation, creating a one-dimensional party line that works on the basis of a delineated in-group and out-group. Working off of the immigrant stereotype promulgated by the media, the party has opportunistically crafted a platform that appeals to a small but significant portion of the Swedish population. Their success can perhaps be attributed to the unique state of both Swedish and global affairs via the current wave of Islamophobia, fear of home-grown terrorism, the state of the Swedish job market, and the deteriorating welfare state. For this reason, they have been seen as an alternative—a party that provides a new and radical change to timeless problems.

January 7, 2011 0 comment

Society and Culture

North Korea Bends Rules Like Beckham

written by thegeneration

Do you remember the first time you watched a foreign film? Did it give you a new perspective on another culture? Did it show you that filmmakers exist outside of the Hollywood studio system? Were you annoyed by the subtitles? On December 26, North Koreans at long last received the opportunity to make these judgments.

Overshadowed last month by the ubiquitous “Best of the Year” recaps that pervade newspapers and magazines every December was the news that, for the first time, North Koreans watched a Western film on state-run television. The film in question is the 2002 British soccer movie, Bend It Like Beckham (starring a then up-and-coming Keira Knightley). The movie was ostensibly shown to celebrate the tenth anniversary of diplomatic relations between Great Britain and North Korea. Despite appearing in an edited form, the historical importance of this event cannot be understated. Those North Koreans fortunate enough to possess televisions are subjected to a deluge of regime-produced propaganda. The exhibition of such a film gives the citizens of the Hermit Kingdom an unprecedented window to the outside world.

January 4, 2011 0 comment

Society and Culture UCLA and the World

UC community sees Haiti on the rise

written by thegeneration

What’s more raucous than road rage and ambulance sirens along Los Angeles roads? Talk in the town – discourse regarding the 7.0* magnitude earthquake that devastated Haiti on January 12, 2010. Many stories are nothing but shattered glass. Coming from all avenues, they pierce our emotions with the same message: Haiti is a victim beseeching “heroic” western countries for aid. However, the concept of international aid needs reconstruction. During crises, what does agency really mean and who has it? Digging deeper beneath the rubble of public misunderstandings, the UCLA community unearths a clearer, more holistic picture – a picture of Haiti Rising.

On March 5, 2010, the public attended a free information forum about Haiti. International Development Studies students and faculty organized the event by collaborating with African Studies, History, the Bunche Center for African American Studies, the UCLA Center for Black Studies Research, and the University of California, Santa Barbara. Support came from the UCLA Graduate Division, International Institute and event attendees.

Panelists presented different perspectives on Haiti’s situation, converging on the main theme of empowering local Haitian communities and being sensitive to their cultures and needs.

Nick Entrikin, Vice Provost of International Studies, delivered the welcome remarks. He expressed that despite land devastation, the human spirit remains robust. Natural disasters have occurred throughout history, but the January earthquake was so severe because Haiti’s underlying poverty and human injustices exacerbated nature’s havoc. While people attend to immediate concerns of infrastructure and human health, something is forgotten: the psychological loss of everyday social order. Listen to the speech: 5min, 30 sec

Claudine Michel, professor of Black Studies at UCSB, read “A Poem for Haiti” (by A-lan Holt). One of several messages was that you may never see Haiti but can still feel what it is like to break. Listen: 2:30

Claudine Michel then spoke about grassroots efforts and community mobilization. In the aftermath, there were many faces without names and a nation knocked off balance. She called for reconstructing history, knowledge and the self – a rebuilding of one community at a time, one sacred space at a time. Prof. Michel also spoke about the Bibliothéque du Soleil (French for “library of the sun”) project in the town of Carre-Four Feuilles. It was a place of literacy, community and solace. Listen: 11:33.

Robin Derby, UCLA professor of History, discussed how violence cuts across all social classes. All rungs of the socioeconomic ladder have been rattled, and elites are no longer so safe on top. She presented video clips of herself interviewing Haitian civilians in the marketplace. Among some of their concerns were lost remittances (which many poor individuals relied upon for livelihoods) and not knowing their family members’ whereabouts. Derby subsequently discussed death’s enduring place in Haitian culture, as well as the scant aid allocated to rural areas – a zone to which 500,000 refugees have fled. Listen: 10:10

Robert Hill, UCLA professor of History, gave an unscripted talk about his struggle to understand why he mourns for Haiti. Death encompasses excruciating repetition. It seems like Haiti’s hope and beauty has been replaced with powerlessness. However, Hill acknowledged that healthy mourning can be empowering. It can unite dispirited individuals under a common destiny. Haitians will recover from the incident because they can tell stories of what happened. Hill emphasized that storytelling remedies human madness. Listen: 05:23

Don Cosentino, UCLA professor of World Arts & Cultures, discussed art and religion. Many symbolic buildings in Haiti, including art galleries and temples, were obliterated. However, death was not considered an enemy. Rather, it was the continuation of life. To illustrate various ideas, Dr. Cosentino showed a framed New Yorker magazine cover and a bottle composed of detritus. Listen: 14:30

Russell Stockard, Cal Lutheran professor of Communication, talked about media representations being financially motivated, and what related policy implications are. Audio is unavailable. Apologies to Dr. Stockard: without an intermission, transferring data out of the full memory card occurred during his speech.

Nandini Gunewardena, UCLA professor of International Development Studies, discussed how neoliberal policies jeopardized human security. Privatization, deregulation and cut backs in social safety nets eroded locals’ agency, access and control of their own livelihoods. The dream of transforming Haiti into the “Taiwan of the Caribbean” was extinguished. Gunewardena was suspicious of the March 9-10 investment summit in Miami, noting that many of its players were from privatized entities. With predatory capital running amuck, neoliberal firms forgo transparency, bypass civil society and portray locals as development disruptors. During this process, human insecurities dwindle. Thus, Gunewardena urges for the empowerment of NGOs and civilians on the ground. Listen: 08:41

Coming soon: Power Point presentation by Gunewardena

A Q&A concluded the night. Topics:

How will Haitians be represented in the Investment Summit and general development dialogue? Do they need green technology or houses?
How will the Haitians be affected by the Chilean earthquake?
What are the ethical implications of journalists who attempt alleviating traumatic situations that they were supposed to objectively report? Who are these stories truly about? -CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Anderson Cooper’s roles; -Prof. Michel’s emotional account of “the murder of Anaika by CNN”
Can we equip Haitians with new media tools such as Twitter and blogs?

Listen: 24:18

Coming soon: panelists’ biographies

*earthquake.usgs.gov.

March 16, 2010 393 comments

Society and Culture UCLA and the World

Before you leave, learn how it all began

written by thegeneration

By Amy Ta

I left Vietnam for America in 1992. I’ll be leaving UCLA in 2010. While I make another transition in my life, one thing remains the same: my ethnicity. I’ve been thinking about what it means to be an Asian American – especially one at UCLA, where diversity is found along the corridors of Royce Hall, between the book shelves at Powell library, and within the pages of the Daily Bruin newspaper. I’m glad that “Define Asian American” will not appear on my final exam – because I can’t find a concrete answer.

At least I have experiences – plenty of them throughout my undergraduate years at UCLA. I’ve taken classes in International Development Studies and cross-cultural communication. I’ve worked for the African-American Studies Interdepartmental Program. I’ve gone on study and volunteer abroad programs to Czech Republic, New Zealand and Thailand. I’ve produced radio news stories about student-organized culture shows. I’ve helped organize events and multimedia recaps of them for the Burkle Center — UCLA’s hub for international affairs. Most importantly, I’ve met peers, professors and colleagues who are African, Australian, Austrian, French, Polish, Scottish, English, Irish, Jamaican, Colombian, Laotian, Japanese, Korean, Cambodian….the list goes on. So maybe my ethnicity is all of the above.

I’m Amy Ta. As my undergraduate career is ending, I recently discovered how UCLA’s Ethnic Studies began. The field resulted from a campus struggle for “diversity, access and inclusion.” I learned this from a family festival marking the debut of the Fowler Museum’s exhibition called “Art, Activism, Access: 40 Years of Ethnic Studies at UCLA.” The festival also featured music performances, poetry readings, drawing rooms. I give you a photographic tour of the exhibition, organized according to each ethnic department.

The four Ethnic Studies centers sold publications in the Fowler Museum’s 1^st Floor Goldenberg Galleria from 12:00-5:00pm. The Museum doors opened into the Art, Activism, Access exhibit.

A mural beside the entrance of the Lucas gallery. We’ve come a long way to achieve justice in America…but we’re not done yet.

A large mural upon entrance into the exhibit in the 1^st floor Lucas Gallery.

Chancellor Charles E. Young established four centers in 1969: the American Indian Studies Center, Asian American Studies Center, Bunche Center for African American Studies, and the Chicano Studies Research Center. Art, Activism, Access: 40 Years of Ethnic Studies at UCLA shows how these centers addressed concerns of underrepresented groups during the past four decades.

Commemorating the 1969 founding of Ethnic Studies Research Centers

“We students wanted to make sure the center didn’t become just an academic institution but would always have a braoder outreach to both students and the off-campus community. I don’t think that would’ve happened if there hadn’t been so much student involvement”. – Amy Uyematsu, first publication director, Asian American Studies Center.

American Indian Studies

From Nov. 1969 to Jun. 1971, activist Richard Oakes and eighty students of the UCLA American Indian Studies Center occupied Alcatraz Island – along with roughly 100 American Indians. The event brought international scrutiny to the U.S. government’s policies on termination and assimilation. Thereafter, Congress passed bills supporting tribal self-rule. There were major increases in funding to American Indian health care, education and economic growth.

Asian American Studies

Students said racism was why Harvard-educated Don T. Nakanishi, professor in Education and Asian American Studies, was denied tenure in 1987. Asian American, African American, Latino and Native American undergraduates formed a coalition to galvanize colored communities, write petitions and lobby influential political leaders. In May 1989, Chancellor Charles E. Young granted tenure to Nakanishi – who was the first Asian American professor in UCLA’s Graduate School of Education to obtain it.

The right direction.

African American Studies

“Don’t act like it didn’t happen. It happened on this campus. The blood of John and Bunchy still stains the halls of Campbell Hall.” – Elaine Brown, UCLA student who witnessed the shootings.

On Jan. 17, 1969, there was a heated discussion about which person would direct the planned program in black studies. Members of the Black Panther Party and United Slaves Organization erupted in an argument that led to fatal shootings of two Black Panther leaders – Alprentice “Bunchy” Carter and John J. Huggins.

In 1969, Angela Davis’ job as a Philosophy professor at UCLA was in jeopardy because of her Communist Party affiliation. UC Regents let her lecture without academic credit. However, black UCLA faculty said they would issue grades only if Davis’ classes were allocated full credit. In a UCLA referendum, 81% of UCLA students voted against the Regents’ decision to fire Davis. (Article from The LA Times.)

Bruin students, staff and faculty urged UCLA to withdraw financial aid from companies financing oppressive South African apartheid in the early 1980s. After 61 students were arrested after constructing a shantytown at UC Berkeley, UCLA students adopted the idea and built a “tent city” in Dickson Plaza. In 1986, the UC Regents agreed to divest $3.1 billion in South Africa. (Photo courtesy of LA Times Archives, Dept. of Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library.)

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke to 450 students at a civil rights rally outside Royce Hall. (Photo courtesy of the Herald Examiner Collection/Los Angeles Public Library.)

Students designed a graphic to put the brakes on the UC Regents’ anti-affirmative action decision.

Chicano/Chicana Studies

This mural by Eduardo Carillo, Saul Solache, Ramses Noriega & Sergio Hernandez symbolizes indigenous life before colonialism by Europeans, final freedom from colonialism as the serpent-phoenix rises, then corruption of governments and revolutionary mass movements aimed at correcting those wrongs.

“Either we get a department of Chicano Studies or you will see us die before your eyes.” – Jorge Mancilas, 1993.

Justice has been served for the aforementioned ethnic groups. But we all could certainly use more helpings.

One floor above the art exhibit, festival attendees enjoyed live entertainment.

1:00 pm performance: Ozomatli’s Raul Pacheco and the Immaculate Conception.

3:00 pm performance: Jazz Guitarist Kenny Burrell & impromptu tap dancer Chester Whitmore.

4:00 pm performance: Grammy-nominated members of Hiroshima.

Thank you to the Fowler Museum for putting on this eye-opening exhibit.

It’s clearer why Los Angeles is a “melting pot” — because the UCLA community lit a fire, stirred things up, and made sure their needs were on everyone’s plates.

The secret ingredient(s) to diversity?

a) Self-recognition

b) Willpower

c) Grassroots mobilization

d) All of the above

That’s my final answer.

—

Photos are the author’s own.

March 13, 2010 6 comments

Security and Conflict

The Future of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Its Opposition is Unpredictable

written by thegeneration

For the Obama administration, what happened in the aftermath of Iran’s 2009 election when mass protests broke out in Tehran and Iran’s other major cities was a surprise. Karim Sadjadpour started his talk on Thursday, Feburary 25, 2010 in Burkle Center for International Relations by recalling the reaction of the new American administration toward the sudden events in Iran in 2009. As an associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Sadjadpour had extensive experience researching on current events in Iran. He explained that Iran caught the attention of the Obama administration because of Iran’s involvement in more than one problem in the region: its support for Hamas further complicated the Palestinian-Israeli conflict; its oil production and geopolitical position directly affected global energy security; and its nuclear program posed a threat to the region’s stability and Obama’s agenda to promote nuclear non-proliferation. Sadjadpour pointed out that the Obama administration realized neither dialogue nor a military strike as a solution. By choosing to engage with Iran, President Obama repeatedly sent Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, private letters to show the United States’ willingness to resolve bilateral tension. The primary question of the United States at that time was why Iran was not cooperative and constructive in its relation with the United States. If Iran only reacted to President Bush’s hostile rhetoric, its policy might change after Obama took office. However, if Iran’s policy is driven by the revolutionary ideology since the 1970s, Iran-U.S.’ relation would not improve. Amid trying to answer these questions as Khomenei revealed little interest in dialogue in his letter to Obama, protests broke out in Tehran after the 2009 election and caught the U.S. government by surprise as the Obama administration had been focusing on external issues such as Iran’s uranium enrichment. The administration immediately condemned Iran government’s crackdown on dissident. By fall 2009, the U.S. Government realized that all moderates and pragmatists in the Iranian government had been purged and meaningful compromise was impossible. The U.S. still thought that protests in Iran were spontaneous. However, six months after the election, the protests were still strong. As a result, the Obama administration remade its policy to facilitate political reform in Iran.

Khomenei’s iron fist rule

Sadjadpour characterized Khomenei as being consistent with his cynicism and sinister in his speeches since the revolution. Khomenei saw the need of isolation as the only way his power could grow. Iran needed the U.S. as their adversary for the Islamic Republic to thrive. Khomenei thought that the Shah was overthrown because he showed that he was weak. Therefore, not looking weak is a lesson that Khomenei got out of the Iranian Revolution. Moreover, the Shah’s elites were educated abroad therefore they could live abroad after the collapse of their government. However, the Islamic Republic elites had no where to go if their government was overthrown. Their lack of escaping options urged them to further cling to power and maintain heavy-handed policies.

The fate of Iranian opposition

Sadjadpour revealed the generational gap in the opposition as its leaders sought changes within the system while many of its participants wanted a change of the system. The Obama administration had to consider how to dialogue with the Tehran regime without damaging the opposition. Sadjadpour illustrated that Khomenei’s regime was a military dictatorship as Khomenei did not have legitimacy within the clergy class. Instead, he gained his power through cultivating his support within the Revolutionary Guards. Asked why the U.S. intelligence lacked foresight and could not see the coming of the opposition in Iran to foster a timely policy to support the opposition, Sadjadpour answered that intelligence in Iran was very difficult to obtain as Iran was particularly isolated. The opposition also faced other tremendous challenges. The military could not side with the opposition despite some possible support within the army because most military units were located out of the city while the Revolutionary Guards which paid absolute loyalty to Khomenei were located in major urban areas. As protests against the election results waned, the opposition’s leadership had to consider the next stage of their movement. However, as Khomenei had to sacrifice his legitimacy as standing above all politics to protect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, everything in Iran would not be the same.

March 1, 2010 25 comments

Society and Culture The International Economy UCLA and the World

UC Undergraduates form Women’s Initiative for Local Livelihoods to Foster Community Empowerment and Sustainable Development

written by thegeneration

During our June-July 2009 Travel Study program (directed by Dr. Michael Silverman, co-taught by Dr. Rebecca Shipe and facilitated through UCLA International Education Office), our research group was immersed in the livelihood practices and environmental challenges of Muslim and Buddhist communities along Thailand’s North Andaman seacoast, an area struck by the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 26, 2004. At “Din Dang” on the border of Chumphon and Ranong Provinces, we learned about permaculture and engaged in earth building – a process utilizing local resources to build durable, affordable, and eco-friendly adobe houses. At an island called Koh Rah, the EcoLodge conducts biodiversity surveys of keystone species (i.e., hornbills), and uses solar-powered technology to achieve environmental sustainability.

Like many places in the world, economic development has benefited few while disenfranchising others. We bore witness to many Thai communities that still actively pursued livelihood improvements amidst systemic, social and environmental challenges. A partner in this project is the Royal Thai government. The nation’s King is revered for his benevolence and diplomacy. He promotes a “self-sufficiency” economy that prioritizes sustainability and village-based autonomy. This ideology empowers current grassroots organizations while incentivizing new ones to sprout. Some institutional programs specifically aim to fuel economic growth through traditional handicraft trades. An example is One Tambon One Product (OTOP), was initiated by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra (2001-2006). It is a marketing network for Thailand’s districts, where residents share ideas and information that sprout competitive creativity locally and extend market reach nationally, regionally, and globally. OTOP selects one product per Tambon for international promotion, with selection criteria as uniqueness, high standards and efficient production. These programs jointly promote local initiative and entrepreneurship. Our primary research involves two groups that benefit from these government initiatives.

As one component of our academic program, we spent a week with two Thai-Muslim women’s groups in Kamphuan, located in Suksamran District, Ranong Province. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami took away family members and flattened local industries that previously employed them (e.g. fishing). To get back on their feet, these women formed and managed groups as means of social and economic support. The women openly revealed their attitudes, concerns and relationships with the natural environment, society, economy, and religion. For example, the women deeply wove religion into their lives. They explained how Islam cushioned sudden misfortunes and motivated them to pursue various goals. The religion teaches reciprocity, which is why the tie-dye group runs a scholarship fund for disadvantaged youth and donates to HIV/AIDS relief. Furthermore, though the women expressed concern for their personal environmental impacts, Kamphuan is rural and relatively unpolluted. Their efforts towards sustainability included recycling and reusing local materials, properly disposing of waste water, and aiding other organizations’ mangrove forest restoration projects. These local efforts were achieved despite initial criticisms from community members who said the women were too ambitious. Despite such economic and social gains, many women stated they did not feel powerful enough to induce systemic changes on aforementioned issues. While their handicraft activities provided supplementary income, many felt they need jobs in more established operations, e.g., clothing design, restaurant management, and (village) government administration.

Inspired by the women’s optimism, entrepreneurship and persistence, our research team has formed Women’s Initiative for Local Livelihoods (W.I.L.L.). We aim to spread knowledge about the women’s resilience and resourcefulness in sustaining their livelihoods. We link their handicrafts to people beyond Thailand’s borders, starting with the UCLA community. This extends their market reach, which they stated as a primary concern. W.I.L.L. offers handmade batiks and tie-dyed key chains, t-shirts and tote bags to UCLA through Net Impact Undergrad, a student organization supporting social entrepreneurship. All proceeds go directly to the artisans and other microcredit enterprises initiated by W.I.L.L. and our supporters. W.I.L.L. is fundamentally about willpower — a capacity held by all individuals (regardless of ethnicity, history, age, gender, etc.) that can be strengthened by community and institutional support. Development requires collaboration among all those involved: government institutions, the international community, the marketplace, and most importantly, the local communities themselves. Ultimately, W.I.L.L. is not merely a vehicle for selling and distributing unique handicrafts. It is an awareness-raising project that strengthens community-based women’s participatory development.

Kamphuan research project presentation

W.I.L.L. Founder Bios:

Amy Ta is an International Development and Communication Studies double major of UCLA’s class of 2010. She is involved with the UCLA Burkle Center, Daily Bruin Radio & Photojournalism, and Bruin Runners. She has volunteered in New Zealand and studied in the Czech Republic. She plans to attend out-of-state graduate school and possibly work in broadcast foreign correspondence.

Christina Hughes is a Sociology major of the UCLA class of 2011. She aims to broaden her worldview and establish connections with other eco-minded citizens through her travels in East Africa and Southeast Asia. In her experiences abroad, she has pursued her interest in social research focused on community empowerment and participatory development.

Christine Nguyen graduated UCLA with the class of 2009 with a Bachelors of Science degree in Environmental Science and Environmental Health Science concentration. She plans to apply her knowledge and experiences received from her travels and studies to her professional career. Eventually, she hopes to attend graduate school.

Elizabeth Lam is an Environmental Policy And Analysis Planning major of UC Davis class of 2011. She plans to pursue a career in Public Health, potentially with the California State Department. She hopes to gain more worldly experience through study abroad, as well as attend graduate school.

Terri Chan is an Environmental Science major and Geography/Environmental Studies minor of UCLA class of 2010. As the Community Impact Director for Net Impact Undergrad, she liaises with green organizations to promote socially responsible initiatives. She hopes to combine her love for travelling and sustainability in her future career endeavors.

February 20, 2010 1,033 comments

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