The Next Empire

1. Note the author's key arguments. Make an outline of his points.

 The author's debate is whether or not china is helping Africa transform due to their "appetite for commodities"  or is it "merely exploitation?" 
 
- China is industrializing Africa because it is a profit for human resources and will benefit China in the long run. They are using their resources to bring wealth not only to China, but to Africa as well.
- China is different from the west because they are helping changes because they are not making a huge gap in classes as their new industrialization helps offer jobs to many. Since they are focuses on industrializing rather than aide they are different from the West and it is benefiting Africa.
- Some argue that China is becoming like the West and not helping Africa. The railroad in itself is an example of that. 
-
2. Record what you do not understand. It is always good to bring up what you were unclear on in a discussion, as your classmates will be able to help you clarify your thinking.
How does the factor that China is made up of rural farmers play into the article as it focuses on how China was industrializing Africa?
 
3. Identify two or three areas of potential disagreement or debate.
How is China succeeding in ways that the West has not? 
Will China become the new Belgium or will they stay to their morals of helping Africa?
What are the negatives that China is bringing to Africa?
 
4. Develop a critique of the article.
It only examined one side in depth and that was China's side. It didn't go into as much depth as it should have about the West. All that was mentioned was that the West was making aides which weren't helping Africa. Instead, the article focused on what China explicitly was doing in Africa and whether or not it was benefiting Africa. It did a good job giving examples of China's work in Africa and giving the cons against it. I personally think that China could be going the route to only benefit themselves which is only going to harm Africa more. Because China is in their because it will gain them mass resources seems to be their main focus which will leave Africa just where it was when Leopold ruled it. Like the article states at the end, China will have to decide their position in helping Africa. It is up to them to decided whether they will benefit Africa or themselves.

Recent Congo History

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/04/world/africa/04congo.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&sq=congo&st=cse&scp=2

The issues in this article deal with rape and how the U.N.  failed to keep the peace. It addresses the fact that rape went on just down the road where U.N. men were stationed. Even though, U.N. is attempting peace in the Congo they are not succeeding. There are rebel groups that are committing rape and the Congolese army can not stop it. It is hard to keep track of the rapes because a lot of times women do not come forward and it happens under the soldiers noses. Its hard to understand that there is very little that the army can do to stop these rapes. The article was simply reporting these rapes and why they were not being stopped. It didn't go into how they could be stopped effectively. After so many years, it is still shocking that women are still treated like this. The U.N. says that they are making peace when really they are doing anything but.


http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/10/01/congo.atrocities.un.report/index.html?iref=storysearch

This article similar to the one above, addresses the crimes against humanity that have gone on throughout the Congo since 1993-2003. The report has come out recently as this article was published on October 1st. It focuses on the women and children who were hurt and focused on getting voices heard. The article addresses that most time voices of the mis-treating are ignored and this report is going to bring everything to the surface. Why did it take this long to create a report and how will the public respond to better the Congo?