Modern History Stage 6 Syllabus

Critically view Fahrenheit 9/11 to identify key problems and issues presented and the debates about them.

Students discuss views about the UN represented in the film.

reasons for the creation of the UN

to settle disputes – eg Womens’ Hague Congress 1915, Pope Benedict XV, Woodrow Wilson.

Teacher exposition on the formation, activities and weaknesses of the League of Nations and its failure to prevent World War II.

Show relevant segments of DF Zanuck’s 1944 film Wilson to show increasing public support for the creation of the UN.

Class then access UN versions of these to analyse their key features:

at http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/ch-cont.htm (UN Charter)

and http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html (UN Declaration of Human Rights).

Students discuss/account for differing perspectives reflected in the vetoes.

(a) immediate background of the issue (b) how the UN became involved (c) outcome of the issue and its impact on those involved

Israel:http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/history/; Korean War: http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Korean-War;

China : http://www.wordiq.com/definition/China_and_the_United_Nations

Each group reports their findings to the class. Teacher leads discussion about the strengths and weaknesses of the UN in each case in the context of the Cold War

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  effect of the Cold War on UN activities
  

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  pursuit of nuclear disarmament
  

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  impact of Third World countries and changing membership of the UN
  

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  assessment of the role and impact of the UN as international peacekeeper in any TWO of the following conflicts:
  

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  Angola
  
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  Cambodia
  
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  Congo
  
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  Cyprus
  
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  Arab-Israeli conflicts in 1967 and 1973
  
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  Kashmir
  
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  Nicaragua
  
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  West Papua/Irian Jaya
  

Resource: UN in the Contemporary World, pp 14–27 for an overview.

Relevant resources: UN in the Contemporary World, pp 57–67. Also see Fatal Choice by Richard Butler, and Basic Facts, pp 109–124 for a comprehensive treatment of the UN’s activities in relation to this issue.

Discuss the effectiveness of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Students consider the question: Is it hypocritical to pursue North Korea and Iran over nuclear weapons while turning a blind eye to the activities of Israel, Pakistan and India?

Students consider factors contributing to Third World poverty and assess UN attempts to alleviate it.

Students investigate and make notes on issues relating to the impact of expanding membership on the UN, eg terms of membership, principle of state sovereignty (one vote/one nation), impact on voting in UN General Assembly, influence of Security Council, use of veto power.

Resources: UN in the Contemporary World, pp 68–79 has an excellent overview of policies affecting the developing world. For in-depth analysis see Globalization and Its Discontents. For list of members: http://www.un.org/Overview/growth.htm; http://www.un.org/Overview/unmember.html

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  identify the issues that required UN involvement
  
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  describe the role played by the UN in the conflict
  
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  assess the impact of the UN on the conflict
  
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  evaluate the usefulness of at least TWO sources in relation to each study.
  

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  Cambodia. See A Problem From Hell, pp 87–155 for a definitive account (teacher reference). Students discuss Australia’s role in securing peace and elections in 1993 as part of the UN force. (Use AWM sources)
  
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  Congo: Basic Facts, p. 88; Killing Hope, pp 156–162
  
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  Angola: Basic Facts, pp 83–84; Killing Hope, pp 249–256.
  
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  Cyprus: Basic Facts, pp 103; UN in the Contemporary World, pp 53–54; Peacekeepers: Challenges for the Future, pp 202–203.
  
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  Middle East: Basic Facts, pp 95–99.
  
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  Kashmir: Peacekeepers: Challenges for the Future, pp 198–199
  
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  Nicaragua: Killing Hope: pp 290–304; see the ICJ case of Nicaragua vs United States. (Wikipedia.org has summary)
  

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  major challenges facing the international community:
  

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  racism, poverty, refugees, child soldiers, landmines, gender inequity, war crimes, illiteracy, AIDS
  

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  role and effectiveness of the UN and its agencies in dealing with poverty, racism, refugees and AIDS
  

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  Racism: Basic Facts, pp 231–3
  
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  Refugees: Basic Facts, pp 253–5; United Nations in the Contemporary World, pp 89–99
  
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  Child Soldiers: http://www.un.org/rights/concerns.htm
  
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  Landmines: Basic Facts, pp 117; Shelters From the Storm pp 109–114
  
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  Poverty: Basic Facts, pp 159–163
  
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  War Crimes: International Criminal Court (ICC): http://www.globalissues.org/Geopolitics/ICC.asp
  
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  Illiteracy: http://www.undp.org/hdr2003/indicator/indic_2_1_1.html
  
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  AIDS: Basic Facts, p 167
  

Using the fact files as a starting point, students evaluate the role and effectiveness of the UN and its agencies in dealing with poverty, racism, refugees and AIDS.

debate over the role and structure of the UN since the end of the Cold War

continuing efforts to promote disarmament and prevent nuclear proliferation

Students construct a comparative table to identify the change in structure and policies of the UN during and after the Cold War . Useful resources include Keith Suter’s article ‘New Age warfare Stifles New World Order’ in Macmillan Legal Studies 2, p 474; In Defence of Globalisation

Disarmament: Basic Facts, pp 109–112. Most important for this is Richard Butler’s, Fatal Choice. Also see The Global Factor, pp 81–92.

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  the Gulf War and its aftermath
  
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  the former Yugoslavia
  
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  Somalia 1993 and Rwanda 1994
  
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  East Timor 1999–2001