reflection week 12

The discussion on Tuesday with the online chat going throughout the discussion was, I think, the most interesting part of this week. I was skeptical at first, since I’m not really technologically savvy, as to whether the online chat would benefit or hinder our discussion. I was pleasantly surprised to realize that the online chat really did contribute to our discussion. I felt like I was able to better contribute to the discussion on the chat because I could get my ideas out before I was able to forget them and before the topic moved on. Often in discussions there are so many hands raised that it takes time before you are able to speak and then you have either forgotten your point or it is completely irrelevant. However, with the online chat I felt like not only was I able to express my views but I also heard from many different people both on the chat and in class. Therefore many more different opinions were aired and I think it added a new dimension to the discussion which was refreshing. I definitely think this is a worthwhile format that should be used again in this class, if time permits, and certainly in future classes.
All week I have been wondering about the world politics significance of Conquest of America and the visit to the Museum of the American Indian. Initially it seemed like a domestic issue to me rather than one of world politics. I see now many of the connections that were not initially apparent. First of all I think it is telling that the United States, a major world power, would not exist as it does had the native civilization not been destroyed. This does not mean that the action was justified but I think it means that sometimes good results can come from horrible actions. Also the book chronicles an historical clash of civilizations and it illuminates how various cultures respond to one another and how conquest happens. This is critically important in today’s world because nations need to be wary of the consequences both for their own nation and for others when the seek conquest. Furthermore the aspect of cultural interaction is pertinent anytime an individual or group encounters and new culture. By knowing what our responses tend to be we can hopefully morph them into something that is more constructive for all parties involved.