Final Exam

I also vote for the 4 question final.

Here are the ideas I had for questions:

1 - To what extent did Japanese Imperialism influence the start of Asian Independence parties/groups/rebels?

2 - How did World War 2 allow for Asia to free itself from Imperialist control?

3 - How did communism effect Asia's relationship with the West?

4 - In what ways did Asia benefit from colonialism and at what cost?

Typhoon's impact on Filipina Infants.

This article covers a recent study that looked at the effects of Typhoons a year after they had occurred in the Philippines. After the Typhoons hit most households took a hit to their income, but what is truly alarming is that young female infants have a higher mortality rate after the storm. However, the article points out that this is probably not done maliciously, as the Philippines has a relatively good gender equality rating. The data seems to suggest that as resources become more scarce, they are allocated to the sons. The article points out that these are "economic deaths", as families are forced to chose which children to allocate resources to.





http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/22/world/asia/typhoon-long-term-toll/index.html?hpt=ias_c2

China Attempts to Reform the One Child Policy

One of the greatest and cruelest acts of social engineering in the world, China's one child policy, might be reformed in China. China has strict restrictions on the amount of children its citizens can have. When the policy was enacted in the 1970's China's rapid population growth was becoming a huge problem. Now however, their population is aging and they need more young people to keep its economy growing. The quasi-legislative board of senior Communist Party officials is also considering getting rid of re-education through labor camps. If these policies are enacted it will be a great step forward for human rights and freedom in China.






://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-24957303

Member of Japanese Parliament in Trouble

A member of the Japanese parliament is in trouble with fellow politicians in Japan for handing the emperor a letter about the Fukushima nuclear disaster. This is controversial, as the emperor has been forbidden to enter politics since the US occupation of Japan following the end of World War II. The emperor of Japan is a figurehead and has no political power in Japan.  Given the stigma attached to giving the emperor political power, this seems to indicate that the situation at and around the Fukushima nuclear reactor is still very important and effecting Japan. This also reflects the stigma in Japan of doing anything that resembles the era of Imperial Japan.





http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24865518

China links Islamic terrorist group to Tiananmen Square crash

This week a car crashed and exploded in Beijing's famous Tiananmen Square. Chinese officials claim that it was an act of terrorism carried out by the East Turkestan Islamic Movement. The group is associated with China's Muslim Uygur's population. The Uygur's and the Chinese government have increasingly come into conflict with each other. Tensions have been high between the two groups in the last decade, and this event could justify a harsh repression of the Uygur people by the government. Hopefully, since China has become an important player in world politics it will not want to be seen as authoritarian and repressive and will not punish the Uygur ethnic group for the actions of a few people. 




http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/01/world/asia/china-beijing-tiananmen/index.html?hpt=ias_c1

Vietnam's State Run Capitalism is Getting a Boost From the U.S.

Vietnam's economy could be getting a boost soon from a trade agreement with the U.S. and a dozen other Asian countries. This is important because it shows how relations between Vietnam and the United States has improved since the Vietnam War. The Vietnamese model of state-run capitalism is very similar to China's, where state owned enterprises compete on the global market for contracts. The legitimacy of the Vietnamese government depends on its ability to redistribute wealth to all, and a trade agreement with the U.S. seems like a great way for Vietnamese companies to generate more revenue. In addition, it will also strengthen ties between the two countries at a time when most asian countries are seeking a counter against Chinese power in the region. This is particularly interesting to me as my father is a Vietnam Veteran, and truly demonstrates how quickly the world can change.




http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21588143-will-american-led-trade-deal-aid-vietnamese-reformers-blowing-trade-winds

Midterm Questions

Here are my ideas:

1) Where did the four major asian religions start? where did they migrate to and why? What modifications were made by the cultures that adapted them?

2) What effect did Monsoon weather have on asian social structure, and how did this effect its religious and political makeup?