Part 1: NQA Compilations Week 2 NEWS. http://www.bbc.co.

uk/news/world-africa-14403302 Senegal rapper Thiat rocks President Wade By Thomas Fessy BBC News, Dakar Abstract Senegal president Abdoulaye Wade, who first ran for presidential election in 2000, and won his second term in 2007, is thirsty for power. To facilitate his ability to win a third term, he sought a change in the countrys constitution. He proposes a new process: in order to win an election, a candidate must win 25 percent of the votes, instead of 50 percent. His attempt to stay in office has sparked a series of rallies in Senegal. Accused of treason and faced with citizens urging him to step down, he was forced to withdraw his proposal in June 2011. In the wake of the rioting and unrest sweeping through Dakar, Senegals capital, a select group of people have tried to make their voices heard in a more orderly fashion. Among them are some of Senegals famous singers and rappers, including Omar Toure, alias Thiat, and Mbessane Seck alias Kilifeu. They have organized a group called Enough is Enough, which registers approximately 200 members each day. Thiat calls it a apolitical, secular, civil and social movement, and calls for a New Type of Senegalese. QUESTION. If the movement is so-called apolitical, how can the leaders of a youth movement expect to use Enough is Enoughs influence to see change in political office? How will changes in government, specifically Abdoulaye Wade, become possible when filtered through a group of young adults, and not adults? ANSWER. The primary purpose of Enough is Enough is not to pull the president down from office, but rather to instill voice and expression in youth. The leaders hope that this freedom will methodically make its own way to the political office. Its success is mainly attributed to its founders, who can speak to young adults through their music.

But spreading their music and message is difficult when the internet usage in Senegal is one of the lowest on the globe. With a 40 percent literacy rate, only about 10 12 percent of Senegals populations regularly uses the internet. Internet censoring becomes less relevant and unnecessary for the government because so little of the population makes use of it. Therefore, the spread of information is not as fast as what we usually take for granted, but must be done in person or through print media, which is much slower than what we would like to believe. (Source: http://www.npr.org/2011/08/15/139640456/internet-road-to-democracy-orelsewhere) Several African artists, in cinema, in music, and in literature, seek to express a voice and sense of identity through their works. In a country where education is successful in only a few countries, successful information processing becomes even more important, and media becomes a very reliable and attractive method of doing so. Another example is Ousmane Sembne, a filmmaker and novelist who was born and passed away in Senegal (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/12/movies/12semb.html?ref=senegal). Africa has long been viewed as the largest continent plagued with the largest problems. In some of its poorest countries, such as Mozambique and Tanzania, its youth are raised in an environment where education is sparse, where governments are known to be apathetic to its people, and where hope is a dim light at the end of the tunnel. But Senegal has the potential to become Africas model country, with a thriving metropolis and a constitutional process for political election. This makes Senegals youth the sole, and most hopeful, driving force for its future. Enough is Enoughs primary message covers two basic concepts: to raise awareness and to raise voices. Thiat says, We want to break fatalism and the laxity of the Senegalese people who always wait for things to happen by saying that God is great. We need better health care and jobs. To make these social and civil changes happen, new political administration, mainly the president, must be found. To direct the direction of the new administration, the youth movement encourages its members to register to vote, to read the newspapers, and most importantly, to understand the social, civil, and eventually, political constructions going on around them. By making a connection between all three aspects, change will become possible. The bigger audience they gather, the more support they will receive, and the more voices will be heard. Week 3 Article:

Senegal to Open Mission in Kenya http://www.nation.co.ke/News/africa/Senegal+to+open+mission+in+Kenya+ +/-/1066/1238154/-/item/0/-/bi4tbrz/-/index.html By Walter Menya Date of publication: Sep. 17th, 2011 Date accessed: Sep. 24th, 2011 News: The two countries occupy extreme locations on the African continent Senegal to the West on the Atlantic and Kenya to the East on the Indian Ocean. But the two are on a mission to bridge the divide, at least diplomatically, with the West African nation set to open a full-fledged diplomatic mission in Nairobi for the first time by next month. With little interest in Kenya and the East African region as a whole, Senegal, like a number of West African francophone nations, has been relying on the Nairobi embassy of former colonial power France to handle its consular affairs, including the issuance of visas. Most West African nations have preferred to operate from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the headquarters of the African Union. But with the growing importance of Nairobi as the headquarters of the UN Office in Nairobi one of the four main UN bodies, foreign representation in the city has been looking up. Furthermore, the 130-million- strong East African Community market is also proving to be a draw for many countries from around the world. Expressing desire The good news is that Senegal is opening a full-fledged mission in Nairobi next month. We have had other countries expressing the desire to do the same. I have a pile of invitations from countries all over the world wishing that the Foreign ministry visits them and exchange views both at bilateral and multilateral levels, Foreign minister Moses Wetangula said. We are a very attractive country, and with the passage of a new Constitution, you can see how much interest has been re-ignited. The paperwork that would allow Senegal to set up a diplomatic mission in the country is almost complete, Dakars representative in Ethiopia, Mr Bassirou Sene, told the Sunday Nation. Mr Wetangula confirmed that Kenyan authorities were working with their Senegalese counterparts to complete the bilateral agreements so the West African nation can send its envoy to Nairobi.

We will open as soon as we finalise agreements between the two countries, said Mr Sene, who was recently in Nairobi to oversee the arrangements. An ambassador will also be appointed very soon. Senegal is ready to operate in Kenya, and we are also open to Kenyan businesses, said Mr Sene. While the two regions have maintained cordial ties, they have not seen the need to fortify them by exchanging diplomats. Only five francophone nations in Africa have permanent missions in Nairobi: Congo (Brazzaville), Democratic Republic of Congo, Algeria, Morocco and Burundi. Kenyas interests in vast West Africa and parts of North Africa are overseen from the embassy in Egypt and the High Commission in Abuja, Nigeria. Kenyan diplomats in Cairo and Abuja are accredited to Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Cote dIvoire, Togo and Benin, among the francophone nations. Between the regions Could language be a barrier to flourishing relationships between the two regions? Mr Senes response is negative. Language has never been a barrier to us in Senegal, he said. Though it is not the national language, English is taught in Senegalese schools, he said. Mr Wetangula, who has recently resumed his ministerial duties after nearly a year out of office, said Nairobi was also assessing how it can cooperate with Dakar on important geopolitical issues. And the strategic importance of Nairobi is not lost to the minister who takes pride in the fact that the 2008 post-election violence did not see an exodus of foreign diplomatic missions. I have no doubt whatsoever that Kenya is a respected country and the respect the rest of the world gives us cannot be understated. We know that all those who reacted towards the Kenyan situation (post-election violence) then were all friends that wished Kenya well. They all wanted us to come back to peaceful coexistence, the minister said. But I also know that even in those difficult times theres not a single country that closed, withdrew or downgraded its representation in Nairobi. We have since had more countries coming, he added. According to Mr Sene, Kenya and Senegal share many interests, and he believes setting up a mission in Nairobi would fortify the ties, both at the bilateral and multilateral level. The national carrier, Kenya Airways, flies to Senegal four times a week. We want to strengthen the favourable ties we already have and also look into economic co-operation, the envoy said.

The two countries are at the extremes of the continent, but we believe that shouldnt be a barrier to our co-operation. Question: What were some of the factors that drew Senegal to Kenya, and vice versa, and what benefits will each gain by setting up a diplomatic mission in Kenya? Answer: The biggest similarity between Kenya, located in East Africa, and Senegal, in West Africa, is their recent parallel battles with their national presidential election. Both countries are republics and thus employ a democratic process in choosing their presidents. Sequentially, both countries give universal suffrage to adults eighteen years of age and older. However, whilst Senegal has become an increasingly model country in recent years, with a healthy export industry of phosphate mining and various fertilizers, Kenya has long been plagued with internal corruption, with stacked elections and political upheaval. Kenya is also geographically disadvantaged, with some droughts lasting up to two years without any harvests in between. Nevertheless, the importance of Kenyas capital, Nairobi, still remains intact. Nairobi houses over ninety percent of Kenyas most important embassies. From the political aspect, both countries have much to learn, and some of their problems overlap one another. Earlier this year, President Wade of Senegal tried to alter the countrys constitution to stack the election in his favor. In 2008, President Kibaki of Kenya was hastily declared a winner and sworn into office, triggering violent riots against his corrupted re-election in which almost 300 people were killed. Regarding the violence in Kenya, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Great Britains foreign secretary David Miliband issued a statement to Kenya: The immediate priority is to combine a sustained call from Kenya's political leaders for the cessation of violence by their followers with an intensive political and legal process that can build a united and peaceful future for Kenya. For Kenya and Senegal, countries who have put their best efforts into effecting a stable democracy in their home countries, are also countries that could very easily slip back into the poverty of years past, an intensive political and legal process is crucial for their refurbation. (Source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17774507) Therefore, it follows to say that two countries who have experienced similar political parallels may better exchange views at both bilateral and multilateral levels. Both countries have expressed interest in the other, and both are confident that their diplomatic missions will have benefits for the other. On one hand, Kenya will work to handle things like consular visas. On the other, Senegal may help to boost the economical condition of Kenya and improve its internal and external industries, at home and abroad.

Week 4 News Wrtsil to expand two power plants in Senegal Wrtsil Corporation, Trade & Technical press release, 27 September 2011 Date accessed: 1st October 2011 http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/27/idUS65035+27-Sep2011+HUG20110927 Wrtsil, a leading supplier of flexible power plants and services to the global power generation market, has been awarded the contracts to expand two existing power plants, delivered by Wrtsil, in Senegal. These contracts, valued at nearly EUR 60 million, were signed with Senelec, the country's public utility company. Wrtsil will supply turnkey extension solutions to two existing power plants. The Bel Air power plant was built in 2005 and the Kahone plant in 2006. Both facilities are powered by 18 cylinder Wrtsil 46 engines, and are maintained and operated by Wrtsil under a 15 year agreement signed in 2006. The extension projects will provide two additional 18 cylinder Wrtsil 46 engines to each site, which will increase output with 34MW to reach a total of 102MW on each site. "The main focus in all our discussions with the Senegalese authorities was the urgency of the situation. There was enormous pressure to come up with a solution that could quickly and efficiently alleviate the challenges relating to the nation's rapidly increasing need for power. Senelec is already very familiar with the advantages of Wrtsil's proven technology and Smart Power Generation benefits. The reason for Wrtsil being awarded this contract was our ability to engineer, deliver and construct these extensions to two power plants in just 12 months," says Tony van Velzen, Regional Director, Africa, Wrtsil Power Plants. Wrtsil has a leading position in supplying flexible power plants to West Africa. In Senegal alone, Wrtsil has already supplied 14 power plants with a combined electrical output of more than 220MW. Wrtsil West Africa is headquartered in Dakar and also has facilities in Conakry, Guinea and Lom, Togo. Altogether 125 persons are employed to serve customers throughout the region. Approximately half of these are dedicated to supplying Operations and Maintenance services that ensure the contracted power plants are run with maximum efficiency. Smart Power Generation

Wrtsil has pioneered a Smart Power Generation approach to meeting the future needs of the global energy market. In order to provide a reliable and secure delivery of electricity and to balance supply with demand, flexibility in fuel choice and operational requirements is essential. Wrtsil is a market leader in providing flexible, efficient, and dynamic power generating capacity. As at the end of 2010, Wrtsil had delivered 4500 power plants to 168 countries, providing a total of over 47 GW of energy capacity. Question How will Wrtsil become the solution, or part of the solution, to Senegals power shortage problems? Answer Power shortage has been a recurring problem in this East African country. The countrys main electricity firm, Senelec, has been underperforming and failing to provide adequate power to its citizens for years. Senegal has struggled to provide enough power to its entire people on a consistent basis, but their efforts to simply provide the power hinder their efforts to go smart and green power. In 2010 and in June of this year, there have been frequent protests from the Senegalese people as a result of frequent power cuts; they sometimes had to go entire days without power. In May of 2007, Senegal reached a point where they only had enough power supply in their sectors to last the entire country eight more days. We are demonstrating because we cannot bear it anymore, cried one demonstrator. During the riots, buildings were torched, and the cars outside attacked. The power cuts not only affected their homes, but also working offices. Most offices in Senegal are too poor to afford their own generators, so they were unable to conduct or even open for business, causing widespread outrage. The contracts issued by Wrtsil are valued at 60 million euros. The company is based in Dakar, and has been the main providing power source to West African countries in recent years. The main selling point of Wrtsils power plants is high efficiency and low emissions. Furthermore, Senegal is in crucial need of any power source to pacify its citizens at this point. Wrtsil also advertises its plants modular design, which ensures fast delivery and a rapid set-up process within a year. The two engines that Wrtsil is scheduled to install in Senegal are 46-engines, the highest performing engines the company has to offer, which will increase the power supply output to 102MW to each site. More importantly, the Wrtsil plan has great promise to last a long time. Wrtsil is also dedicated to smart power generation. The engines it has provided to Senegal can run on oil, but also on biofuel and natural gas. In

order to minimize consumption, the engines are run on power that has been recycled from its cooling process. Power longevity is crucial to solving Senegals problems at this point in time. When power becomes a more stable asset in the country, it may begin to slowly pay off the debt it owes to neighboring oil companies, accumulated over the past years. Sources: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sg.html http://www.wartsila.com/en/power-plants/smart-power-generation/oil-powerplants

Week 5 News: Senegal's Ruling Party Drops Constitutional Changes After Dakar Riots Date published: June 23rd, 2011 Date accessed: October 9th, 2011 Location: http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/west/Senegal-OppositionProtesting-Constitutional-Change-124419569.html Senegal's ruling party is dropping proposed constitutional changes that would make it easier to be elected president, this after opposition demonstrators clashed with riot police outside the National Assembly. Opponents of President Abdoulaye Wade fought riot police in downtown Dakar, charging toward the National Assembly throwing stones before being pushed back with water cannon and tear gas. They were protesting constitutional amendments put forward by the ruling party to create the post of vice president and to make it easier to be elected president by lowering the percentage of votes necessary to win outright and avoid a second-round run-off. That threshold is currently one vote more than 50 percent. The amendment proposed would lower it to 25 percent. Opposition demonstrators eventually pushed through to occupy the plaza in front of the National Assembly, chanting Free Our Country as riot police

pulled back to positions inside the parliamentary compound. Other protesters broke off from the main group and fought supporters of the ruling party between Dakar's main Sandaga market and the National Cathedral. With clouds of tear gas and smoke from burning cars rising above downtown, President Wade's spokesman announced on state-run radio that the ruling party is abandoning changes to the percentage clause. Justice Minister Cheikh Tidiane Sy told lawmakers that the constitutional article stating that a president must be elected with an absolute majority will remain unchanged. But some members of the ruling party are still pushing for that to be lowered to 25 percent. Demonstrator Abdu Diene says protesters oppose what he says is President Wade's push to create a vice president so that his son, Karim, can succeed him. Something is wrong with Abdoulaye Wade. I don't know. He is a crazy man. He is very bad. He is trying to make these people take his son, Karim. Every one understands, said Diene. Emilie Nzale, the national chair of the Dieuf Dieul political party and the deputy mayor of Dakar's Sicap neighborhood, says the Senegalese people will not accept the core values of their ancestors being disrespected by President Abdoulaye Wade, whose role is to preserve the constitution, not to use it as he wants. Nzale says she does not agree with his plan to bring Karim Wade to power, and the president's opponents will continue to fight against that. The United States and France both expressed concern about the proposed constitutional amendments. President Wade's spokesman says the ruling party is moving to reinforce democracy by better sharing power. Question: What is the particular significance of the countrys Constitution to the Senegalese people and to Abdoulaye Wade? Answer: When the riots broke out in Dakar, police were sent to the streets with tear gas to push down the protestors. A group called Dont Touch My Constitution was formed in retaliation of the constitutional amendments that were proposed. But enough is enough, and eventually, Abdoulaye Wade backed down and

withdrew his proposed amendments. However, he still stands by the fact that he plans to run for a third term. The protests against Wade were violent for a country that has boasted a stable set of democratic values for several yearsit has been spared the strife of its neighboring countries. When Wade first came to power in the year 2000, the people of Senegal initially believed he showed great promise. But he was unable to adequately provide for his people: though people retained democratic rights and had the opportunity to prosper politically, they were not well cared for when it came to basic needs, like electricity. At one point in time, for example, there was only enough power supply in the entire country to last eight more days. From Wades perspective, the constitution is a way of governing the people, but he also believes that the constitution may be manipulated by those in power, which is what has most infuriated the Senegalese. In his constitutional amendments, which are thankfully not going to pass, he wished to create the role of a vice-president, mostly in order to bring his unpopular son to power. In the eyes of a people, this is not only unconstitutional, but entirely based on Wades selfish desire to bring an unfair and stacked dynasty system to Senegal. From the citizens perspective, the Constitution is the very core of the order that has governed their country peacefully for many years. Unlike the anarchic governments of Libya and Cote dIvoire, to name a few examples, the people of Senegal have an understanding of their rights, and are not afraid to stand up to make their voices heard. Since he has failed to deliver on the promises he ran on during his first election, they believe it is high time for Wade to step down. To attempt to make alterations to the Constitution, the last strand of order in a time of rioting and unrest, in order to stay in office, when he has not done what was expected of him, is even more unacceptable. Week 6 Q: What influence does nonformal and formal education have on political participation amongst citizens of Senegal? A: This academic paper examines the formation of several non-formal educational organizations (NFE), in countries where formal education is unable to reach the majority of the population. The hypotheses included two major

aspects: that those who participate in NFE programs (1) exhibit higher community participation, and (2) are more likely to contact political offices to deal with community and personal problems. To carry out the experiment, a village became a primary sampling unit (PSU) and four households were randomly selected and evaluated on their community participation, based on four NFE programs established there. Since community participation is not a well-defined variable, the examinees were assessed based on ethnicity, age, gender, and most importantly, amount of education received. The increased development of NFE in African countries is unquestionably beneficial to political democracy. In this study, the Senegalese people who received NFE gained speaking and civic skills, and also were noted to have developed better self-esteem. Essentially, the thought of being educated is often enough to help boost a citizens morale and sense of efficacy. Additionally, through learning in groups in classes, there emerges a feeling that the author dubs we-ness a mentality that encourages citizens to work together to better the conditions of their community. The author sometimes blurs the line between formal and nonformal education, focusing mainly on the effects of NFE. According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), 62 percent of Senegals population is not literate, because formal education only reaches a certain elite group of people. In Senegal, people tend to pursue more narrow, individualistic interests when voting in the presidential election, rather than generalized interests that apply to a greater body. Therefore, electoral participation does not necessarily equate to civic participation, depending on the objective of a citizens vote. The conclusion of the study says that NFE has mostly positive effects on civil participation. Interactions with those in and out of the community, mostly out of the family communion, foster increasing interest for the public welfare. The programs emphasize teamwork and concern for the greater good. One of the questions this study raises is the question of whether its possible that NFE can attain the level of formal education in the future in other words, making NFE programs an integral part of the system, and not solely a temporary establishment. If positive effects are visible with NFE, why shouldnt they be possible with formal education, if they differ only in name? Clearly, one of the goals the Senegalese education system should be to eliminate the elite class and reduce the illiteracy rate at a constant rate. This is the only way that the voting parties can be distributed over a wider population. Week 7 Question:

How can Senegals conscientious cinema establish a stable cultural and social identity in the country, and also influence a sense of unity amidst its people? Answer: The author begins by searching for a definition of the term Senegalese cinema, and what these two words constitute. He takes the definition of director Momar Thiam: A film is Senegalese if it is made by a Senegalese. Another director states I try to make films as it is done everywhere else in the world. Frankly, these two quotes do not support the creation of a unique social persona in Senegal. If films are to be made as it is done everywhere else in the world, there is not much special identity left to claim. This is where the movement conscientious cinema enters the picture. The reason why conscientious cinema is an important part of Senegalese culture is that it emphasizes instructive and moral value over commercial gain. Films are not created for media success, but rather to accomplish two goals: to promote social change and preserve cultural identity. In other words, new ideas are introduced, while grounding them in the older, cultural ideals. An organization titled FORUT has been established in Senegal to encourage young people to stay off drugs and instead channel their interests through the use of music and cinematic arts. At FORUT centers, young people are often engaged in film projects. One young girl was planning a documentary about contemporary West African fashions and how they have evolved from traditional dress. Other films are court-metranges, or short-films, and discuss the African dance style, through the usage of rhythms and African dance steps throughout the film. FORUT centers are hubbubs of imagination, and thus serve as a place where people may unify in a common interest to create and to design. The biggest advantage of cinematic arts is that it makes great use of images and sounds, and thus has the ability to incorporate some of West Africas colonial languages, mixing foreign and native languages together in a web. Yet, sometimes, the elements we consider cultural are the things unique to a certain group of people. The things a filmmaker writes in and directs and produce might end up becoming a cultural masterpiece, filled with figurative language and images and scenes that show a distinct identity. However, he or she may not have channeled their efforts in the cultural direction. Thus, a film is Senegalese if is made by a Senegalese, makes senseevery filmmaker has a distinct cultural taste, making each film they produce a unique cultural flavor.

Week 8 Question: In what ways has literature and other art forms driven Pan-African attitudes and the Negritude movement, and how have those literary elements influenced the modern African? Answer: Pan-Africanism is largely a movement geared towards the unification of the African peoples. It was created in response to French colonization, and focused on cultural preservation. Negritude, or becoming black, was a movement created to reignite black pride. Both concepts have spanned political, social, and literary arenas. In the literary field, poetry and essay writings and artwork were important factors. For example, an early work called De l'galit des Races Humaines, or Equlity of the Human Races, written in French by a Haitian writer, wondered aloud when the day would come when Africans would be perceived as equals next to their European counterparts. This article primarily cites W.E.B DuBois as one of the prominent artistic drivers. He published a number of critical essays discussing the Pan-African movement and the effects it would have on African cultural development. He was both a prudent and cautious writer. For example, when the Harlem Renaissance was taking place in the 1920s and 1930s, a number of literary geniuses of African descent produced American works that reignited black power in the community. However, DuBois pointed out that black expression didnt equate to black power, because they were still not the ones in control. The former Senegalese president, Leopold Senghor, was one of the leaders, and a valued poet, of the Negritude movement. He describes Negritude as an amalgamation of all the values that characterize the NegroAfrican world. He also added that Negritude possess a certain flavour certain odor, a certain accent that European culture was not able to produce or express. It is essentially a universal movement to bring respect and honor to African culture on the whole. However, several publications on these movements also emphasized the importance of the individual. A magazine called LEtudiant Noir coined the original term Negritude. The title of the magazine means the black student, in singular form, in French. The title shows that the leaders of this movement called not only for black power on the whole, but also stressed the importance of what each person, as an individual, in a community can do to continue to water and nurture the roots of their traditions. Thus, teamwork, as well as individual prowess, are equally important factors in cultural preservation.

Week 10 Question: What are some examples of abuses of human rights in Senegal, what groups are targeted, and what problems are present in the reform process? Answer: When speaking of human rights, the first group that comes to mind is women of the Middle East and of Africa. The traditional view of Senegalese fundamentalists is that women are a symbol of ethnic purity and cleanliness. In their view, women are not educated members of society, but instead dignified keepers of the home, to which domestic violence is permitted. In 1993, a pregnant woman named Dokki Niasse was beaten to death by her husband, but because doctors were unable to prove that the beating was the cause of the death, the case was dismissed. The case with children is somewhat similar in the fact that they are expected to act subservient to the adults who raise them. However, children are at a disadvantage because they are not fully grown, leaving them both physically and socially powerless to better their condition in any manner. There is a particular group in Senegal that has garnered much attentionthe talib children, who study under a Muslim teacher to learn the Quran, but are forced to survive by begging for food and money on the streets. They are starved of necessary nutrition and hardly ever received adequate health care benefits. In recent years Senegal has taken several steps towards modernization, beginning primarily with the education of women, which will bring them one step closer to more liberty. The global civil society, or GCS, is a movement targeted to bring human rights into full circle in disadvantaged countries where citizens lack the means to create change. GCS makes use of a strategy called strategic structuralism. It plays on the idea that fundamentalism in the free market will only intensify the suffering of minority groups such as women and children, and often lumps all non-Western culture into a package for public reform. Essentially, GCS often overlooks location-specific factors such as local poverty and population growth, in favor of establishing basic human rights for groups which are denied. Some of the issues targeted for children slavery, prostitution, soldiering, and sweat shop laborers are all part of the reform process. For the talib children who study in Muslim schools in Senegal, education is not the road to better their social status, but rather a path paved so thickly with pain that getting out of it is a difficult task. They are sent there to study by their parents, and are met with violence if they dare to return home. Physical discipline is incorporated readily into the curriculum, and a child can be beaten several times across the face simply for making a mistake in reciting a passage from the Quran.

However, the road to reform is not an easy one. Activists are often met with opposition, who claim it as a threat to culture and to their own status. Rights activists, in order to stay out of the easily-tangled political web, also often write of human rights abuse as social health problems rather than related to politics. The most hopeful manner to call attention to their strife is through the use of articles circulating on the Internet, through organizations such as UNICEF and UNESCO. Week 11
Q: What relationship does gender have with land ownership in the Senegal River Valley? A: The male dominant household that occurs in several parts of Western Africa is no exception in the River Valley. A man, upon inheritance of land from his parents or upon his marriage, exercises complete rights over his land and his wife; controlling the money and the resources of the household. A womans right to land is, first and foremost, heavily dependent on her marital status. Once she divorces her husband, she loses whatever right to own, or even use, land she owned while she was still married. A widowed woman almost always loses her land. An unmarried woman is not allowed to own land, and those who are married who own land of their own are too few to be of much notice. In the 1980s local landholders were able to provide Senegal women with small garden plots on which they could grow maize and other vegetables, and which became their bare sustenance. However, these small plots are no longer present to this day. The most prominent example of gender inequality occurs in terms of hours laboring in the field or in the home. Womens domestic labor hours well exceeds the hours of mens work, and for very low pay. In harder economic times, when crops are harder to sell and supply exceeds demand, owners of the farmland depend heavily on cheap labor to keep their costs at a minimum. With women legally unable to own land, they are unable to better their condition because they are essentially caught in a cheap labor cycle, and they are forced to work for their husbands, which thus decrease the costs of African exports. Unable to own land individually, women in Senegal have banded together to own household land and farm collective gardens as a group. To solve this problem, Senegalese women must be given access and time to grow crops of their own to sell and to make a living. If agricultural farmwork is not her cup of tea, it may be possible to create day jobs and domestic labor for women. While subject to limits in the household, if given open opportunities to earn a living, women may be on a road to independence. Independence is not the most important thing in giving women land. When the husbands income fails to adequately provide food, healthcare, and shelter for the family, a womens farm crop income, if she is allowed to grow it herself, may become a stabilizer. Week 12 Q: What factors of international development and internal development characterize Senegals water resources? A:

Overall, the quality of water access in Senegal is very high, compared to other Sub-Saharan countries. In 2004, 76 percent of the population had access to fresh, useable water, compared to a 56 percent average for Sub-Saharan Africa. This paper discusses the allocation of water sources on an international scale. In this particular study, the Senegal River Valley is portrayed as a problematic situation. For example, the Senegal River took over ten years to reach an agreement on the allocation of water to all lands, which is most likely the result of an ineffective regime at the time. A regular, consistent supply of water is crucial to the River Valley area of Senegal. Because the climate is humid and droughts occur infrequently, lack of irrigation is the number one factor for crop failure for Senegalese farmers. To ensure that they receive adequate amounts, the local people, the national government, and international NGOs all pitch in to help. The most important concept noted about the Senegal River Valley is its success in garnering international attention and support, to rally developed countries to support funding of their water supplies. Dams have been built successful, and irrigation is in full swing. While the local people usually express interests based on earning their livelihood, national governments express interests based on the country as a whole. When it comes to water resources, allocation to different areas based on different opinions can be an issue. Furthermore, a problem that we see here is that because so much attention is paid to successful irrigation and to the construction of large, mass-scale dams, little attention is paid to the environment and the health conditions of the surrounding population. It should be noted that the help from international NGOs from overseas is usually driven by a desire to show constituents and voters that they are actively participating in activities in thirdworld countries. In any case, the topic of water in Senegal has also been a subject of whether public participation is a good thing. More public participation will increase the amount of voices and opinions in the game plan, but less participation could mean that not all the interests of the various people are expressed.

Week 13
News: Senegal Celebrates Creation of New Marine Protected Areas No author name provided Dakar, Senegal WWF has recognized the creation of five new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by the government and local communities of Senegal as a Gift to the Earth, the global conservation organization's highest accolade for significant conservation achievements. The establishment of a network of MPAs off the Senegalese coast covering a total area of 82,500ha is crucial for the protection of fish spawning grounds and stock recovery. Nearly 700 fish species have been recorded in Senegal's waters, together with 20 cetaceans and five marine turtle species. We welcome this historic and visionary act made by local communities and the government of Senegal for future generations, declared Dr Claude Martin, Director General of WWF International, who attended the ceremony in Senegal.

"We also look to Senegal to continue its leadership in marine resource managmenet and to work with other countries in the region to develop more sustainable fisheries agreements." Over the past few years, local communities have been working with the Senegalese government to ensure the protection of the country's marine and coastal resources, which are being threatened by overfishing, illegal catches, and the destruction of spawning grounds According to WWF, the quantity of commercially-valued fish caught in Senegal's territorial waters has decreased by more than 80 per cent since the 1950s. These are worrying statistics as the fishing industry makes up a fourth of Senegal's national budget, creates numerous jobs, and constitutes an important source of protein for coastal and inland populations. The establishment of the five MPAs represents a benchmark for the regional programme for the protection of coastal and marine resources (PRCM), which was catalyzed through a partnership between WWF, IUCN, the International Foundation for the Banc d'Arguin, Wetlands International, and the Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission for the safeguard of the regions marine resources and benefit of local fishermen. "It is a new hope for Senegalese fishermen," said Papa Samba Diouf, Coordinator of WWF's Western Africa Marine Ecoregion Programme. "The MPAs are essential to a sustainable management of fishing areas, especially when resources are already strongly exploited in Senegal. We hope that the creation of the new reserves will be a model for the creation of others in Senegal and in the sub-region. During the event, Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade pledged to create 1015 new MPAs in his country, as well as establish two transboundary MPAs with neighbouring Mauritania and The Gambia. Representatives from The Gambia committed to establishing a further two MPAs, as well as Cape Verde, which said it was also committed to the establishment of a biosphere reserve. Guinea Bissau committed to one new MPA to be established by 2007.

http://wwf.panda.org/who_we_are/wwf_offices/senegal/?uNewsID=21900 Date of article: 13 July 2005 Date accessed: 4 December 2011 Q: How has the new marine protected areas (MPAs) influenced the fishery industry in Senegal?

A: The fishery industry in Senegal creates approximately 100,000 direct jobs for fishermen, and fish is an important source of protein for the population. Fishing plays important economic, social, and technical factors for the people of Senegal. The seas that surround Senegal are plentiful with fish and contain rich marine ecosystems. In fact, marine resources have always been one of the countrys strongholds. In the early 2000s, a study showed that the quality of commercial fish had decreased by 80 percent since the 1950s as a result of pollution and irresponsible fishing methods. Also, beginning in the 1950s, European fishing in the Northern seas bordering Northwestern Africa has increased drastically, further depleting areas of higher concentrations of fish, and hurting the livelihood of Senegalese fishermen. The new MPAs are designed to protect and increase the jobs of fishermen, consequently increasing and securing the national budget, preserve the protein supplements for the diet of the general population. They are also sponsored by overseas organizations, including WWF International and Wetlands International. By helping out a previous leader in the fishery industry, many of their leading officers hope that Senegal is able to set a better example for neighboring African countries as well. Furthermore, the MPAs are monitored so that endemic or endangered species, nearly 700 of them, cannot be overfished, thus making the project a conservation effort as well. The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) conducted an economic and environmental study that showed that short-term financial gains from fishing will deeply hurt the long-term effects of overfishing, leading to environmental damage and depleting the fish population for future generations. A sustainable catch is approximately 420,000 tons per year, but this number is now over 30,000 tons over the sustainable amount. In order to curb this problem, it is crucial that MPAs be monitored regularly and over a long period of time; recovering populations may take several generations to reach a sustainable amount again. The government must seek to educate fishermen that short-term gains from overharvests will only seriously harm the careers of their children in the future.

Sources: http://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/afrec/vol16no1/161fish.htm http://www.unep.ch/etu/publications/Synth_Senegal.PDF

Week 14
NEWS: Eco-Kids in Senegal Adopt Earth-Friendly Fuel Program Amanda Fortier Date of publication: December 05, 2011

Date accessed: December 11, 2011 Diourbel is a semi-desert region in Senegal that has suffered the combined effects of climate change, deforestation, waste mismanagement and endemic poverty. But, in the city of Diourbel, 50 bright, young students are making a positive environmental contribution by adopting a recycling project that provides a cost-effective, alternative fuel source for cooking. Learning basics Awa Deme and Bamba Ngom crouch down next to a large plastic bin, and begin churning a sloppy brown and white pulp with their tiny hands. In the background, their instructor, Ibrahima Faye, coaches them. The other young boys and girls sit perched on their chairs, clambering for their own turns to get their hands into this goopy paper paste. It is Saturday morning at Baol Environment, a green oasis sheltered from the scorching heat and whirling gusts of dust and sand so common to Diourbel. While most kids are at home, sleeping or playing, this energetic group of young school children is gathered for their weekly meeting. It is a type of environment club that involves some of the citys best students, between the ages of 9 and 11, from five local schools. Here they learn the basics in trash collecting, recycling and reusing. Baol Environment Today the kids are making paper briquettes. It is a simple recipe of waste paper, peanut shells, sawdust and water. The mix is placed into a metal press, formed into rectangular paper bricks, and set on the roof to dry in the sun. Using old rice bags, the children collect the waste paper from their schools, homes and yards and haul them into Baol Environment. Here the kids rip and shred the paper, and finally transform it into little brown bricks that replace charcoal, gas and wood for cooking. The cost of making a single brick is little more than a few cents, and each one burns long enough to prepare a local meal of rice and fish. April Muniz, a Peace Corps volunteer with Baol Environment, is helping with the paper briquette project. VOA - A. Fortier Students tear paper before making paper briquettes, Diourbel, Senegal, December 5, 2011. I think what makes this project unique is that were trying to combine a lot of elements and make it a holistic approach to environmental work," said Muniz. "Our paper briquette project is one small project that we are doing within the eco-ecole program, but it is one that covers a lot of bases. It covers the issue of trash in our environment. It covers the issue of the importance of recycling. It covers the issue of reforestation. It covers the issue of alternative fuel sources. "So it is a project that has been able to wrap up a lot of the concepts that we have been trying to teach into one very tangible project that kids can get their hands on," continued Miniz. "They can stick their hands into a bucket of water, play together and really understand and be able to apply those concepts. Economy Diourbel is in the center of Senegals agricultural basin. But it is an area that has suffered since massive droughts swept through the region in the late 1970s and 1980s, reducing the staple millet and groundnut crops. Many people here continue to live off less than a couple dollars a day, and with the costs of fuel rising, they can easily spend the same amount on charcoal as they do on rice. Ibrahima Faye is the president of the Baol Environment and has been living in the region of Diourbel for 35 years. Faye says kids look at what is happening around them and they watch how their parents behave and how they live. Their parents have lived through at least two or three cycles of dry

spells that have completely changed customs in the region. This means that these kids have no recollections of what Diourbel was like in the past. And what they have found is an incredible lack of sanitation, disrespect for rules and a vicious level of poverty that has even forced families apart. Trash in Diourbel Today, Diourbels landscape is a barren sea of brown, dotted with colorful mounds of litter. Waste management is a major problem throughout Senegal. But in Diourbel, particularly, there are not even garbage cans in the schools. Moussa Diallo is a principal at one of the elementary schools in Diourbel and has 10 students involved in the Baol environment program. Diallo says people here generally do not have a culture of managing garbage. It is not in their mind-set to properly dispose of trash. But even if this did start happening, they are confronted by another problem - how to get rid of it. Today it is actually the poor people who use their wagons and carts to move the garbage out. The paper briquette project is still in its early stages, but the Baol environment team has big plans for its expansion. The group works with more than 500 women from surrounding villages, and hopes to introduce these paper bricks into their cooking practices as a healthier and cost-effective alternative - one that helps save trees and cleans up their environment. QUESTION: How can the region of Diourbel, considered a haven of environmental degradation and extreme poverty, push its green, environmental program to influence the bigger cities of Senegal? ANSWER: Each Saturday morning, a group of gifted students meet at a school to participate in the newest eco-ecole program designed for children. Today, theyre making paper briquettes. Its a brown, pasty combination of peanut shells, old, used paper, sawdust, and water. After the children knead it with their own hands, they place the paste in rectangular molds, mold them into bricks, and leave them in the sun to dry. The bricks are then used in home stoves in ovens for cooking and heating water. Because Diourbel has undergone quite an amount of environmental changes in the past years, and as a result, fuel prices have risen. Families are likely to spend the same amount of money on charcoal for the stove as on rice and millet. Paper briquettes are cheaper, more efficient to make, and easier to use. This program is its beginning stages, but Diourbel has big plans to expand it to more and more families in the area, to allow them to take better care of their families. This project may only be working on a small-scale right now, but it is possible to extend its influences to the city. Its even more important to educate inhabitants of the big cities of the possible environmental effects of their energy use, especially because large cities use more fuel and more resources on an even more massive scale. But if each household was able and willing to perform the simple task of making their own briquettes, instead of spending the money on coal and other energy each month, energy waste could be cut by almost half the amount. Free courses, or for very little money, on how to cut down a familys energy costs could be set up in Dakar, alongside the very crucial primary schooling for children, because educating the children is the best way to hope for a countrys future. An example of resource shortage is in Dakar, where electricity is particularly unstable. Incentive to take this course will become larger when the economy hits a dive, and its resources plummet, as well. The first step to resource conservation in the entire country is to expose the impoverished

areas, such as Diourbel, to the city people. This can be done through campaigning through billboards, pamphlets, and public speaking. Part 2: Midterm Report

Rhythms of Senegal, Souls of West Africa

senegals music scene and its rich cuban influences

I. INTRODUCTION

There are several popular musicians in the present day who are of Senegalese descent. They include Youssou NDour, MC Solaar, and a very familiar name, Akon. The capital of Senegal, Dakar, is what the New York Times calls one of the globes most dynamic yet least touristed music centers. Today it is a smorgasbord of reggae, jazz, pop, and hip-hop influences, all mashed up together. The Malian rhythms and gypsy musical instruments involved incorporate both old ideas into new ones, proudly displaying the evolution of its current state. This report details the outside musical influences gifted to Senegal, centering mainly on Cuba, and their journey towards finding a voice of their own, while remaining true to their historical roots. II. HISTORY AND INFLUENCES In the early twentieth century, Senegal was a colony of France. Negritude, or becoming black, was a movement started in response to this colonization. The president of Senegal at the time, Leopold Senghor, was one of the primary leaders of the movement. It was a movement that included all forms of artistic expression, not limited to music, painting, poetry, and prose. The term was coined by a magazine called Letudiant noir, or the black student. Cuban music has also had a large impact on the Senegal music culture during its entire journey. In the 1920s, several workers came to the Caribbean as workers, from Senegambia, a loose West African community consisting of Senegal and its neighbor, Gambia. During the ride to the Caribbean on large cargo ships, they were often mingled with Cuban workers from the Black Atlantic coasts, whom often served as crew members. In traveling and working together, their music became a shared form of enjoyment and pleasure, and Cuban influences began to permeate into Senegals creation of a musical culture. Radios and records helped to advance the influences of Cuban music in Senegal. In addition, good Afro-Cuban music was associated with good taste in dressing.

Figure : Colonial plantation song and dance.

However, the Cuban influences slowly began to represent old, colonial themes, and instead failed to adequately represent the contemporary beats of the modern West African community. The Senegalese discovered that, and in the 1970s began to reform some of the bands whom frequented the nightclubs and were well known by its patrons. By the 1980s, the Senegal music scene began to develop its own taste and distinct direction. Cuban music was a national, apolitical, and uni-layered sound, and singer Youssou NDour described it as an outdated aesthetic orthodoxy that had to be abandoned in order for further advances. Fiddles and piano music was transcribed and re-written for saxophones, electric guitars, and trumpets. Slowly, the music scene turned modern, and slowly began to find favor with the young, new-scene nightclub goers. III. COMPONENTS AND TYPES The use of percussion has always been an essential part of the African musical scene. The talking drum, bougarabou, and djembe are primarily used in West Africa. They differ in shape of the drum body and the types of strings used to string the sides. Each drum is strung to a different tightness and carved in a unique, elegant shape. The djembe is currently gaining worldwide status. It rose to even more fame when it was featured in Les Ballets Africains, a ballet performance by a Guinean company, Fodeba Keita. It is featured in several CD recordings and has slowly become an industrial product, and even is the cause of several study tours to Africa.

Figure : Various types of drums used in West Africa

Figure : An industrially produced djembe drum.

Harps are also influential in West Africa. There is the simple four-stringed bolon that was typically used as music to bring warriors into battle; the sixstringed donso ngoni and the seven-stringed simbi to excite and incite passion in hunters before a hunt; the twenty-one stringed kora to symbolize royal Islamic influences. Some of the harps represent the African blues tonality.

Figure : The kora, a twenty-four stringed harp.

An important outlet for musical expression is the five nightclubs open in Dakar; the music they play is primarily of Latin influences. They are nicknamed Temples of Salsa and most importantly, the patrons come to dance and listen to the music, not to drink or to chit-chat. The most common nightclubs are not expensive ventures, charging approximately two to five U.S. dollars for each person per night. All sorts of people take part in nightclub culture: from government employees to young working adults to expatriates.

Figure : Young people dance at a nightclub in Dakar.

Figure : A man plays on the sabar drum.

Figure : A modern Afro-Cuban performance

IV. CURRENT

As mentioned earlier, Senegalese music has all sorts of variations; it cannot be defined in a simple manner. It is a grand amalgamation of Cuban roots, traditional African percussions, and call-and-response chants. The most famous and popular Senegalese singer and in Africa, at present, is Youssou MDour. He not only composes and writes songs but also has a powerful, supple voice, making him versatile in almost anything that comes to music. His music contains a bit of Cuban samba, and also incorporates more present-day influences such as jazz and hip-hop. He has worked with famous organizations, including Amnesty International and UNICEF, and performed on Amnesty Internationals benefit album, The Secret Policemans Third Ball. In his song, 7 Seconds, featuring Nenah Cherry, the song opens with lyrics written in Wolof dialect. It then enters an English stanza, and then French is introduced. The song closes in English. 7 Seconds Youssou NDour http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqCpjFMvz-k&ob=av3e Boul ma sene, boul ma guiss madi re nga fokni mane Khamouma li neka thi sama souf ak thi guinaw Beugouma kouma khol oaldine yaw li neka si yaw mo ne si man, li ne si mane moye dilene diapale Roughneck and rudeness, We should be using, on the ones who practice wicked charms For the sword and the stone Bad to the bone Battle is not over Even when it's won And when a child is born into this world It has no concept Of the tone the skin is living in It's not a second 7 seconds away Just as long as I stay I'll be waiting, I'll be waiting, I'll be waiting J'assume les raisons qui nous poussent de changer tout, J'aimerais qu'on oublie leur couleur pour qu'ils esperent Beaucoup de sentiments de race qui font qu'ils desesperent Je veux les portes grandements ouvertes, Des amis pour parler de leur peine, de leur joie Pour qu'ils leur filent des infos qui ne divisent pas Changer 7 seconds away

Just as long as I stay I'll be waiting It's not a second 7 seconds away Just as long as I stay I'll be waiting, I'll be waiting, I'll be waiting And when a child is born into this world It has no concept Of the tone the skin is living in And there's a million voices, and there's a million voices To tell you what she should be thinking So you better sober up for just a second

Figure : Youssou N'Dour performing.

MC Solaar is particularly famous in France as a rapper, but he is of Senegalese descent, making him a francophone artist. His lyrics are very complicated and rely heavily on word play. Though his work is less influenced by traditional Senegalese tastes, he often speaks about the difficulties Africans experienced while migrating to France to live their lives, especially his parents, in his songs. The themes explored in his songs resonate with a large amount of

African peoples and touch the roots of their ancestors; for example, slaves being transported to the Caribbean islands to work in the early 1900s.

Figure : MC Solaar performing at Fete de l'Espoir (Festival of Hope) in France

V. CONCLUSION Cuban tones, styles, and rhythms were quite indispensable to the development of Senegalese music. However, their roots take a bit of tracing back when we try to find them in their music today. This is because the music scene in this West African country has found a modern path, and reformed its voice with a contemporary, upbeat, even political flavor. Because nightclub culture is so crucial to the promotion and spread of popular music in Senegal, it was recently found that Cuban-influenced bands receive the largest followings. This goes to show that the Cuban basis is still present to this day, however abstract it may be. The influence of Cuban music on Senegal provides a novel explanation for social and cultural change across different countries and cultures. Countries do not receive change passively. In this case, Senegal used Cuban styles and rhythms for decades following their introduction, and followed to use it as a spring, a base for developing their own cool beats. VI. SOURCES http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/travel/06senegalmusic.html? pagewanted=all http://www.flickr.com/photos/brightblightcafe/4136050144/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alejandroperez/3587411928/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/blainedavis/139719854/ http://www.hmtrad.com/catalog/percussion/images/drums.jpg http://echarry.web.wesleyan.edu/Afmus.html http://cdn.pastemagazine.com/www/system/images/thumbs/www/articles_200 9_08_18/kora_main_300x371.jpg?1273915433 http://www.magictails.com/hand_drums_frame_drums/djembe_14_x_24.html http://music.unt.edu/percussion/ensembles.html http://www.islandmix.com/backchat/f6/images-slave-life-de-americas179884/index2.html http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=ddb2d5f2-95a94ecf-803d-4dc529eec7ca%40sessionmgr115&vid=5&hid=112 http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=ddb2d5f2-95a9-4ecf-803d4dc529eec7ca %40sessionmgr115&vid=11&hid=112&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ %3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=9618656 http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=4a1ca8e7-f51d45e6-b5b1-65fb7bfa727b%40sessionmgr114&vid=2&hid=112 Part 3: Resource Mining:
For each weekend of this semester, producing my NQA assignments put me on power-mode for an hour and a half each Sunday night. The last time I had to write reports on current events at the national and the international level was in middle school, so I thought it wouldnt be much of a difficult task. It turned out to be more challenging than I originally expected, because NQAs were not supposed to be written shallowly. Each topic of the week required me to dig deeper than simply scraping the surface, and to analyze each current event critically. Writing NQA assignments was, surprisingly, my first experience with analyzing online academic papers in-depth, something I barely touched upon during research projects in high school. Also, in high school, we had to share secret usernames and passwords in order to access remote academic servers, such as JSTOR (and the password and username I used were deactivated shortly after I graduated because of overuse). But after coming to NTU, I found out that I could access virtually any academic paper server I wanted through the schools wireless internet, including Cambridge Journals, JSTOR, and other databases. Eventually I began to write my NQAs on academic papers instead of simply Googling my article topics. It was a new process, because it forced me to dig deeper into the topic by requiring me to read a paper that was upwards of twenty pages. Consequently, the papers I analyzed were usually several years old, rather than current events, but most of the time I tried to relate them to the status of the country at present. As it turns out, the years-old information was still relevant. Some sites I would recommend for research include the following: - EBSCOHosts academic search: includes thousands of useful academic papers that you may find through detailed search parameters, using terms that are related by and, or, containing, and not containing. - CIA Factbook was particularly useful in the beginning, when I needed to get a brief overview of my countrys economical, social, and technical developments. Each NQA written could be brought back full-circle to a statistic or a part listed on the Factbook. - Google Alerts is particularly useful when you want updates sent to your inbox every night.

Its a good way to get a good feel of whats going on currently in your country, but not always a good choice to write your NQA based on the articles, because I have found they are rarely a good match for the weeks topic. With so much information widely publicized and available on various blogs, newspages, and video logs across the web, I believe that the value of finding information for writing papers has been downplayed by the ready availability of Google. Just Google it has become the of our generation, and the process of using more complicated means to search for valuable information has been lost to the big black hole of Google, Wikipedia, Yahoo!, and other large search corporations. Consequentially, I think its even more important to use more complicated search engines and more databases to find the information that cant be found with a simple Google search term. Digging deeper, to places where few people venture, can only bring a new level of sophistication to research.

Final:
This class was a bit more different than I originally expected. It was, in short, not an introductory course. It was not a class that was centered on Powerpoint slides, each touching lightly on the various aspects that make up the subject of globalization. Instead, I was attracted by the fact that we would be able to meet and discuss topics with different professors who specifically specialized on each topic, who would come and give guest lectures every week. When I was growing up in California, there was a common woe that my government and economics teachers often mentioned during class, complaining to us at every chance. The reason that foreigners found Americans stupid was because we couldnt care less about whats going on in the world, in politics, in social and economic trends, on any current events, besides anything that directly and completely influences our daily lives. In other words, we didnt keep up with current events, because it didnt matter to us and how we would spend tomorrow, or the day after. In other words, we are stupid because we are ignorant, and even more ignorant to the fact that we simply dont care. This class changed the way I viewed current events, and how I used to live my life in the United States. Starving children in Africa was the epitome of poverty in our essays and in our presentations in social studies classes. But after taking this class, I realized and learned that while African children and its people suffer deeply from a variety of political, social, and economic factors, there are other places of the world equally in need of our help. When it comes to basic survival, there cannot be any kind of discrimination based on location or ethnicity. For example, parts of Africa and parts the Middle East suffer from many of the same problems, lack the same resources, and are ruled under the same iron fist mentality. There was one particular lecture about music and culture about halfway through the semester that stuck with me, although music was the center topic to the professors lecture. He covered both mainstream and more obscure artists, and compared the careers of artists from two different worlds. This lecture made me question the real difference between the two: lets compare Lady GaGa and Bjork, an Icelandic artist who is rapidly gaining popularity in the United States. Bjork and Lady GaGa are similar in the fact that their music videos have hidden meanings that are not immediately apparent when you view them for the first time. If many fans can identify with the artists message, however obscure or however popular, does an obscure artist then become mainstream? What, essentially, is the definition of mainstream? I recommend this class to future students for a few reasons. You not only begin to realize that there are parts of the world who struggle with infrastructure, but for every country that falls behind, there is a country that can do it better. Globalization hangs by a balance, and learning about that balance is a constant experience. It taught me the importance of understanding the world around me and to learn from their problems and their successes as if they are my own.