Exercise 7.5. – We and the world

Living Democracy » Textbooks » Exercise 7.5. – We and the world
Educational objectives The students examine how other countries and remote events affect their community.
The students understand better the structure of interdependence in the world.
The unequal distribution of power and the unequal process of development call for worldwide understanding and co-operation in the spirit of human rights.
Resources Current local newspapers, a map of the world, tape and coloured markers, thread, needles.

Procedure

  1. The students form groups of four. They cut out articles which show that another part of the world has an effect on their local community and that their country and other countries mutually affect one another.
  2. The issues:
    • economic problems
    • political problems
    • problems of migration
    • pollution
    • cultural exchange
    • tourism
    • military action, etc.
  3. The students classify articles according to keywords which they choose to indicate certain types of influence and attribute colours to the keywords.
  4. The students choose the most significant articles and tape them onto the map of the world on the wall. They trace lines linking each article with thread and needles to their country.
  5. Plenary session.
    • What part of the world have you established most links with?
    • What kinds of links are most common? Why?
    • Is there a part of the world with which you find no links? Why?

Extension

The students find information about the political and/or economic systems in force in the countries with which there are links.

They can see whether other links existed in the past.

In foreign language teaching, materials from foreign newspapers or the Internet can be used.

This exercise may serve as an introduction to the problem of unequal development and power distribution in the world.

Our perception of the world we live in is fed by information we receive second-hand – from the media. Just think how far you would get if you only knew those parts of the world around you that you’ve seen yourself. So what do the media teil us and what information don’t they pass on to us? Should anyone control the media? A censor? Or is competition between different newspapers enough? How powerful are the media? Could we live without them? Other similar questions can also be raised but the students should raise them, not the teacher. If the students realise how limited their scope of direct perception is, they may begin to ask questions on the role of the media by themselves.

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