Some Detail on the Second Objective
This module looks at the German plan for eastern Europe and Ukraine (the Ostplan). The supplement on the Lost Continents shows how master-race thinking tends to present itself as the legacy of an exotic or advanced or alien or spiritual civilization that has been tragically lost, and by implication must – of course! – be rebuilt.
The supplement on Reforming and Redefining Race lists out that German Ostplan (pages 1-2), and gives a shortened version of a recent speech about it that emphasizes the importance of “taking responsibility” for a nation’s crimes (pages 3-5). This speech equates Germany’s responsibility for the deaths arising from the Ostplan (which include Ukraine and the Holocaust) with America’s responsibility for frontier colonialism (slave labor) and warns of the dangers of ignoring these guilts. By setting these heinous responsibilities side by side, he (and we) can become more culturally aware, as we have no right to judge each other and must instead focus on what was done and what should be done about it now.
Now draft out a plan in answer to the prompt in the red box, below.
The Assessment
At the end of page 5 (corrected page number), the historian cautions that our colonial legacy leaves us with a contemptuous attitude to particular population groups, and that we therefore tend to overlook their grievances. Then he gives three contemporary issues of international concern: (a) Brexit, (b) elected populists, (c) declining & decreasingly democratic USA). (1) What knock-on effects do you think he fears from these concern points? (2) What does he mean by “taking responsibility”, and (3) how does this help protect against those fears?
How to do this Assignment
This is another from-scratch plan but you will return to it from time to time with additions. As before, you may well need to rearrange the components as you discover new evidence or change your mind about things. As before (mod 3, asmt 1), we’ll use the plan to help you form your case as you plan.
REMEMBER: Short notes for everything! Always!
The usual way to start:
Start by reminding yourself of the components of a paper plan. These outline shells have those components laid out for you. By all means download and use one for this assignment. MS Word and ODTPreview the document and Google Docs (link to shared document)
Next copy down the assignment (in the red box above) exactly on the cover sheet (this helps keep you relevant – irrelevant answers ruin your grade)
Now, because we are planning on the fly, put all your initial material into the body of the discussion (you do not yet know what your conclusion, thesis, or introduction will need to address)
Now, note the components of the assignment (numbered for ease of recognition) and make subheadings for each in the discussion part of the document to remind you to address them (so you’ll need informative subheadings for the warning, and for a, b, and c, and for 1, 2, and 3 – that is seven as a start, but you may run them together later)
Some Detail on the Second Objective
This assignment is a knotty one, so take it gently and just see what you can achieve. Remember, the objectives concern process (augmenting information while keeping order) and recognizing what you do not/cannot know. There is no “correct” answer here, so keep your courage up and take it steadily.
You are going to add another aspect to your core plan (Mod 7), using Israel as another significant piece of history to demonstrate your points about the Function of History. Think about what you know, or think you know, at this stage about the situation in Israel. Whose “side” do you tend to take? Who do you blame for all this trouble? Jot those thoughts down (religious, political, historical – it’s all relevant), and THEN go over this module’s first supplement. Notice if anything takes you by surprise, or if anything clarifies something for you. This may well produce material for your points about the function of history. For example, whose interests did your former ignorance play into, and who (or what solution/s) do you support now?
About the Supplements
The first supplement is a bit complex because the situation is complex. It is far from perfect! But it will help and will save you time. There are three sets of people to keep track of: English, Zionist, and Arab. Their threads are individually colored so you can distinguish them easily. Then, the events fall into periods, which have been marked for you. It takes you up to the formation of Israel just after WW2. Finally, there are maps at the end that are essential if you are to understand the events. So, everything is gathered into a single document for you, which is why it is somewhat longer than usual.
The second supplement takes events from WW2 to the present. It is greatly abbreviated! In this period the focus shifts from the problems resulting from foreign jurisdiction and interference to inter-Arab conflicts. These are important events and need more attention than we can give them in this module. So, since we are focusing on Israel itself these can be set aside for the purposes of this assignment. SKIM this supplement in case it has anything you find useful.
The Assessment
When you have jotted down your initial thoughts on Israel (who should be supported, who should be blamed, plus any input of your own), turn to the project of discovering more and/or refining your existing understanding. Use the first supplement to work out the structure of the situation (i.e. (a) how it started, (b) people’s or group’s motives or intentions, (c) alliances and enmities, (d) turning points and their results). Set all this out after your initial thoughts – treat the whole thing like a separate paper plan – and then note how your understanding has changed, what surprises you encountered, and who (or what solution/s) you favor now – you have just experienced the function of history in action!
THEN turn to your core plan, and use your notes to include Israel as a fourth situation of international concern (to remind you – the others were Brexit, elected populists, and America’s declining power and diminishing democracy). Use your experience of this assignment to take your ideas on the function of history to the next level (to expand and support them, and add new insights).
How to do this Assignment
You have two phases for this assignment. First, you will do your research and compile your notes (short notes!) into something resembling a paper plan – this is your research and thinking phase. Second, you will use your findings to augment the core plan.
The usual way to start:
As ever, if needed, start by reminding yourself of the components of a paper plan. These outline shells have those components laid out for you. By all means download and use one for this assignment. MS Word and ODTPreview the document and Google Docs (link to shared document)
Next copy down the assignment (in the red box above) exactly on the cover sheet (this helps keep you relevant – irrelevant answers ruin your grade)
Now, because we are planning on the fly, put all your initial material into the body of the discussion (you do not yet know what your conclusion, thesis, or introduction will need to address)
Now, note the components of the assignment (numbered for ease of recognition) and make subheadings for each in the discussion part of the document to remind you to address them (so you’ll need informative subheadings for initial thoughts, with subpoints for who needs support, who is to blame, and any other input, organized and worded as you choose of course)
And now fill in some details for each subhead, using short notes.
Specifics for this assignment:
Now, to help you find the info you need in the supplement, add some new subheadings in the discussion. You’re looking for the structure of the situation: (a) how it started, (b) people’s or group’s motives or intentions, (c) alliances and enmities, (d) turning points and their results – those will make good working subsubheadings.
Now read to fill those out – and if anything strikes you as needing to be taken into account for the structure, add an appropriate subheading (or subsubheading, as relevant) and fill in the details, using short notes
Having done that, use your conclusion to sum-up your findings in the usual way – a fulfillment statement, relevance to the world, and relevance to your core plan
NOTE: since this is a preparation document, you do not need an introduction unless you especially want it to work as a free-standing paper (by all means do that if you like!).
END OF PHASE 1
Now return to your core plan to add in these findings
You’ll probably need a discussion item to balance the original three (Brexit, Populists, Declining USA), so give it a subheading wherever you decide is best.
Fill in the details you need to make it work with those other three. So, like them:
define the situation briefly,
comment real or potential confusions,
comment on likely dangers/anxieties
You’ll also need to amend and/or expand the conclusion
Remind yourself of the core plan question (what are the dangers, and how does “taking responsibility” help to protect against them?)
Then compare your fulfillment statements – do they need to be kept separate, or can you synthesize them (bring them together in a coherent statement)? Do as needed.
Compare any other points in your conclusion – can you synthesize the new material with the old, or does it need to be added as further points of insight?
Add another short meditation on the following topic: is it enough for a powerful country to take responsibility, or is this something all countries need to do? And why/why not?
Finally, you’ll need to work on the introduction in the same way.
END OF PHASE 2
