I have been away for far too long! The world and I have been busy these past two months. A war suddenly erupted and ended between Gaza and Israel. America now has a new president, the first black president! And America and the world are still trapped in an economic recession that has no end in sight. On this side of the Pacific, I have tried keeping up with all of the world news along with juggling classes, doing research for final papers and making contacts here in Japan for future thesis work. I even made a trip back to the states over Christmas and New Years to see friends, family and loved ones. Throughout this time, it seems each time I was about to sit down and update my blog, yet another breaking news story came out or class work required attention that would distract me from writing. In these next few entries I will update you on all of that happened and is happening here!
One event amongst Rotary World Peace Fellows at ICU that stands out for me since returning to school after the break was the forum we hosted with other students on campus during the war between Israel and Gaza. A second-year Rotary World Peace Fellow here is doing her thesis work on the continued problems between Israel and Palestine. In connection with her work and the war last month, she showed the documentary Occupation 101: Voices of the Silent Majority, which is a comprehensive analysis of the root causes of the conflict there with a variety of contributions from academics, journalists, non-governmental and government officials and others. It was a video that gave a picture of the situation quite different from that of the US news media, as it gave more attention to the injustice caused by Israelis on Palestinians. Watching the film brought to light the often biased coverage the West gives of the problems in the Holy Land.
After watching the film, we hosted a discussion to discuss the current crisis and future solutions. In the talks we held, we noted how news coverage was different from various networks. In the West, stories mostly focused on Israel defending its territory from bomb incursions and enemy casualties (distinguishing between combatants and civilians offhandedly). Arab publications often focused on the human stories behind the war: the displaced and the affects of war on everyday life. No doubt there was bias on war coverage from each side! We also discussed the advantages and disadvantages of proposed two-state solutions and the lack of political interest in a one-state solution. There was a wide-array of viewpoints from all over the world and people not only with interest in the conflict but experience working there, such as the Peace Fellow who spent last summer working in the West Bank. It was a very fruitful discussion.
At the moment I am working on final papers for the term, which ends in two weeks. Many of the papers focus on Japan and its views and policies on human rights. In one paper, I am looking at Japanese prison policies and inmate abuse. In another paper I am looking at how Japan is treating Japanese-Brazilians, one of its large immigrant populations. In yet another I am looking at Japan's adherence to various international conventions and laws and the gaps between them. Once my papers are complete, I will give brief summaries of my findings in future entries.
Look for an update sooner rather than later!
JRG
One event amongst Rotary World Peace Fellows at ICU that stands out for me since returning to school after the break was the forum we hosted with other students on campus during the war between Israel and Gaza. A second-year Rotary World Peace Fellow here is doing her thesis work on the continued problems between Israel and Palestine. In connection with her work and the war last month, she showed the documentary Occupation 101: Voices of the Silent Majority, which is a comprehensive analysis of the root causes of the conflict there with a variety of contributions from academics, journalists, non-governmental and government officials and others. It was a video that gave a picture of the situation quite different from that of the US news media, as it gave more attention to the injustice caused by Israelis on Palestinians. Watching the film brought to light the often biased coverage the West gives of the problems in the Holy Land.
After watching the film, we hosted a discussion to discuss the current crisis and future solutions. In the talks we held, we noted how news coverage was different from various networks. In the West, stories mostly focused on Israel defending its territory from bomb incursions and enemy casualties (distinguishing between combatants and civilians offhandedly). Arab publications often focused on the human stories behind the war: the displaced and the affects of war on everyday life. No doubt there was bias on war coverage from each side! We also discussed the advantages and disadvantages of proposed two-state solutions and the lack of political interest in a one-state solution. There was a wide-array of viewpoints from all over the world and people not only with interest in the conflict but experience working there, such as the Peace Fellow who spent last summer working in the West Bank. It was a very fruitful discussion.
At the moment I am working on final papers for the term, which ends in two weeks. Many of the papers focus on Japan and its views and policies on human rights. In one paper, I am looking at Japanese prison policies and inmate abuse. In another paper I am looking at how Japan is treating Japanese-Brazilians, one of its large immigrant populations. In yet another I am looking at Japan's adherence to various international conventions and laws and the gaps between them. Once my papers are complete, I will give brief summaries of my findings in future entries.
Look for an update sooner rather than later!
JRG
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