The purpose of this blog was, at least originally, to keep my friends and family back home informed of what I'm up to here on the other side of the pond. Now, more than five months after I've come to England (really? Wow!), what is its purpose? Probably a little of the same, but I want to do more writing about my studies. So you'll probably be getting a bit more peace education from your reading. Don't worry, I'll continue with the updates and photos from my travels as well. :-)
Today while browsing on Facebook (addict, I'll admit), I found a posting from a Rotary club in India- the Rotary Club of Purulia. It has been exciting to look at their website and see what they're up to. But the link that I saw on Facebook was about a specific program they are working on- called "Message for Peace." As a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar studying peace, I wanted to participate in their program. It calls for, among other things, submissions of blog entries on peace. I can do that! :-)
As a refresher, class, here's my first two posts addressing the issue of peace education:
Lesson One: http://hannahkali.blogspot.com/2008/10/taste-of-peace-education.html
Lesson Two: http://hannahkali.blogspot.com/2008/10/another-dose-of-peace-education.html
So, what's on the docket for today? Well... brainstorming for my dissertation topic. That's what's on the docket. I am supposed to have a decent idea for a topic by (gulp) next week! Ack!
I'm interested in investigating how the United States can proactively participate in both ending conflict across the world, and, perhaps even more importantly, the prevention of future conflict. Little broad, I know. But it's something I want to spend the next few days thinking about to see if there's a topic in there. Why, you ask? (ok, maybe you didn't, but I did). Well... one main reason.
In my class, I'm the sole American. And often (ok, every single class) the conversation meanders its way to how America is to blame for something, or why something did or didn't happen solely because the US would or wouldn't allow it to. OK, that's a really pessimistic view... it's not that bad. But often people will say something, and preface it with a comment towards me, something like "no offense, Hannah, but..." I certainly don't take offense- yes, I'm from the US. No, I certainly don't support everything that my country has done. Can anyone from any country say they wholeheartedly support all the decisions their government has made? I didn't think so.
That said, it's hard to argue with the idea that the US is one of the most, ok, probably the most "powerful" country in the world. When "we" get our hands in the game, "our" position carries a lot of weight behind it. There is great privilege with this position. But with great privilege comes greater responsibility. It's that responsibility that I'm interested in. What is "our" responsibility towards the world? What should "we" be doing that "we" aren't? What should "we" stop doing?
What is "our" roadmap for the future? Your thoughts are quite welcome. I'll post my answers/ideas/suggestions later this week.
To end on a lighter note... I had to post this photo: my finished scarf! Which somehow morphed into a shawl. As Margaret Houlihan would say, "it's a women's prerogative to change her potholder. I'm making it into a scarf."
And I also had to post this one:
I very recently put two and two together and got bluetooth. Ha. I'd forgotten that my laptop has bluetooth capability- meaning I can get photos from my phone to my laptop since the plan I'm on here doesn't allow me to email them like I would do at home. And this one of my brother (puppy) Wrigley hiding in a blanket was too cute to leave for only my enjoyment. :-)
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