Deborah Foster
Political Science II
Junior or Senior Status Only
Pre-requisite: Political Science I
This unit will examine the concept of state sovereignty and the international community.
We will study the history of Somalia since independence in 1960, the dictatorship of
General Barre, the civil war, UN and US interventions, and attempts at reconciliation. By
studying a place such as Somalia, we will examine how complicated military and
humanitarian missions can become and how good intentions may not always be enough.
We will further explore the Somali question as we examine the growing number of
Somalis residing within the United States, particularly in the Midwest and the impact this
expanding community has within the cultural framework of the United States today.
Educational Standards
*A.12.13 Give examples and analyze conflict and cooperation in the establishment of
cultural regions and political boundaries.
*B.12.02 Analyze primary and secondary sources related to a historical question to
evaluate their relevance, make comparisons, integrate new information with prior
knowledge, and come to a reasoned conclusion.
*B.12.05 Gather various types of historical evidence including visual and quantitative
data to analyze issues of freedom and equality, liberty and order, region and nation,
individual and community, law and conscience.
*B.12.11 Compare examples and analyze why governments of various countries have
sometimes sought peaceful resolution to conflicts and sometimes gone to war.
*B.12.16 Describe the purpose and effects of treaties, alliances, and international
organizations that characterize today’s interconnected world.
*B.12. 19 Explain the history of slavery, racial and ethnic discrimination, and efforts to
eliminate discrimination in the United States and elsewhere in the world.
Course Context
Political Science II is an advanced political science class available to juniors and
seniors only who have taken Political Science I. The course focuses on policy decisions,
implementation, and evaluation. The concept of sovereignty is emphasized in the course
work and the units are designed to demonstrate the various facets of state sovereignty.
We begin with a definition of sovereignty and the students brainstorm examples from US
policy. We then move to organized units that address sovereignty issues in domestic
policy (Native Americans) and foreign policy. The Foreign Policy unit I have been using
is an analysis of the Iraq conflict and implementation of the Bush Doctrine. This is a
difficult unit for students, and parents, as the conflict is on-going and opinions run deep.
I find that often scholarship is masked by emotion for some students when studying the
current conflict. By studying an event that is historical in nature, such as Somalia, I am
hoping that my students will be able to be more objective in their analysis and then use
the skills they develop to be able to analyze a current foreign policy decision.
The unit I have prepared on Somalia is designed to be comprehensive. We will
begin with an historical review of Somalia from the time of independence in 1960.
Students will be asked to examine a timeline of events that will take them to the United
Nations interventions in Somalia during the 1990s. Students will then be asked to do
more involved reading by examining articles published by the United States Institute of
Peace. In conjunction with these readings, students will have a number of podcasts from
the Institute that they will be asked to listen to and will respond to the podcasts in an online discussion format similar to D2L. I have used this methodology in the past and it has
worked with great results. Students report that the podcasts and online discussions are
among the most meaningful learning experiences of the course. Students are allowed to
explore some of their initial thoughts in an atmosphere that they believe is safe and
everyone must participate. The class discussions become more lively and meaningful as
students are excited to come to class and talk with one another about their online
discussions.
We will spend a good deal of time looking at the US intervention and the events
of October 3, 1994. In addition to the powerpoint lecture, students will watch Black
Hawk Down and read some of the interview transcripts from the PBS Frontline Episodes
regarding Somalia. I expect that this portion of the unit will generate the most discussion
as students I find my students are very interested in military interventions.
We will then progress to the current status of Somalia and look at the links to
international terrorism. To do this, we will examine materials from PBS and the BBC
primarily. It is during this portion of the unit that I will ask students to conduct their own
research on Somalia. The research will be primarily online and will look at news sources
and the reporting of the current situation. Our librarian does an outstanding job of
assisting with research and ensuring that students are finding legitimate sources.
Students will be asked to write an analysis paper of the current situation in Somalia and
will share their findings with the class.
The final portion of the unit will focus on the inclusion of Somali refugees in the
United States with an emphasis on the Somali communities of Minnesota and Wisconsin.
It is at this point that we will review the differences between an immigrant and a refugee,
look more closely at Somali culture, and examine the powerpoint created by Jessica
Schaid and Dr. Zoltan Grossman to examine the situation in Barron, Wisconsin. We will
also use the oral histories available on D2L and students will be able to hear directly from
Somali people themselves. Students will be asked to reflect on the link between US
foreign policy interventions and the humanitarian concerns these interventions create. Do
we have an obligation to assist the civilian populations when we have intervened
militarily? Do these obligations extend to providing safe living accommodations within
the United States? Must we ensure safe living accommodations within the original
community/state in which we have intervened? These are difficult questions to consider,
yet they are essential questions as we examine US foreign policy and our very active,
interventionist role in the world today.
References
Arikah Encyclopedia History of Somalia. Retrieved June 24, 2008, from
http://www.arikah.net/encyclopedia/History_of_SomaliaSiad_Barre_portrait
The Assault. Retrieved June 24, 2008, from
http://www.empereur.com/nations/somalia/rangerlocation.gif
BBC News Online: Clashes in Mogadishu. (2000, September 22). Retrieved June 24,
2008, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/africa/937424.stm
Black Hawk Super 64 Crew. Retrieved June 24, 2008, from
http://img336.imageshack.us/img336/2048/super64neergestort6ag.jpg
Bowden, M. (1999). Black Hawk Down. New York, New York: Grove Atlantic, INC.
California State University San Marcos Online Courses. (2004). Retrieved June 24,
2008, from http://courses.csusm.edu/hist202ae/map%20of%20Africa.htm
Clapman, L. (2007, January 26). Online NewsHour Al-Qaida in Somalia. Retrieved June
17, 2008, from
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/indepth_coverage/africa/somalia/alqaida.html
Delong, K., & Tuckey, S. (1994). Mogadishu! Heroism and Tragedy. Westport,
Connecticut: Praeger.
Frontline: Ambush in Mogadishu. (1998, September 29). Retrieved June 17, 2008, from
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/ambush/etc/synopsis.html
Frontline: Hunting bin Laden. (2002, November). Retrieved June 17, 2008, from
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/binladen/
Johnston, E., & Southwick, M. (2004). Somalia: Ten Years Later (Rep.). Washington, D.
C.: United States Institute of Peace.
Legum, C., & Lee, B. (1977). Conflict in the Horn of Africa. New York, New York:
Africana Publishing Company.
Markakis, J. (1987). National and Class Conflict in the Horn of Africa. New York, New
York: Cambridge University Press.
Mid East Maps. Retrieved June 25, 2008, from http://www.mideastweb.org/mnafrica.htm
Mike Durant. Retrieved July 08, 2008, from http://www.mikedurant.com/
Miller, T. (2007, January 10). NewsHour Extra: U. S. Goes After Al-Qaeda Suspects in
Somalia. Retrieved June 17, 2008, from
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june07/somalia_1-10.html
Nally, C. (2008, June 24). Close Protection Party UNOSOM. Retrieved from
http://specialoperations.com/Foreign/Australia/SASR/Gallery/
NationMaster. Retrieved June 17, 2008, from http://maps.nationmaster.com/country/so/1
Restoring Hope: The Real Lessons of Somalia for the Future of Intervention (Rep.).
(1995). Washington, D. C.: United States Institute of Peace.
Sahnoun, M. (1994). Somalia: The Missed Opportunities. Washington, D. C.: United
States Institute of Peace.
Selassie, B. H. (1980). Conflict and Intervention in the Horn of Africa. New York, New
York: Monthly Review Press.
Shoup, A. (2007, January 26). The Online NewsHour. Retrieved June 17, 2008, from
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/indepth_coverage/africa/somalia/usinvolvement.ht
ml
Somalia-UNOSOM I (Issue Brief). (1997). New York, New York: Department of Public
Information, United Nations.
Somaliland. (2007, January 7). Retrieved June 17, 2008, from
http://www.6o0m.pa7fm.nl/
Special Operations. (2000). Retrieved June 24, 2008, from
http://www.specialoperations.com/Operations/Restore_Hope/mog.jpg
Street Scence Somalia. (2007, October 08). Retrieved July 09, 2008, from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/virtualsugar/1502670392/in/set72157594529957406/
Troops in Somali. (2007, October 06). Retrieved July 09, 2008, from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/virtualsugar/1501662013/in/set72157594529957406/
United Nations Website. Retrieved June 17, 2008, from
http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/photos/past/pkphoto2.htm
UNOSOM Compound. (2006, February 5). Retrieved June 24, 2008, from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ctsnow/95993842/in/set-72157594225408056/
UNOSOM II. Retrieved June 24, 2008, from
http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=74401&page=2
Westervelt, E. (2005, November 11). NPR Waging Peace in War on Terror. Retrieved
June 24, 2008, from
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5009574