Collaborative Learning Activity 4.1 - Why did political change occur in the Balkans, Indonesia, and Canada?

Procedures for Completing Activity. You can complete this activity using the following steps. It is recommended that you meet with the members of your local group so you can all work on the activity at the same time.

Step 1 - Compare the timelines of nationalism in the Balkans, Indonesia, and Canada. Using evidence from these timelines, each local group should identify what they consider to be the three most important reasons why political change occurred in each region. Use these concepts to interpret the events that took place:

• Sovereignty
• Nationalism
• Nation
• Nation-State
• Homeland

Step 2 - Using the Internet or other sources, find examples (one for each place) of national symbols from the former Yugoslavia, East Timor, and Nunavut. Exchange the examples using the Digital Drop Box.

Step 3 - Go to the Group Discussion Board and find the forum "Lesson 4 - Political Change". Your team should use this forum to discuss the following questions. Try to discuss the questions long enough so that each member has a chance to share a view and respond to at least one other member of the team.

(1) Interpret the national symbols your team gathered for Yugoslavia, East Timor, and Nunavut. Are they symbols of inclusion or exclusion, and can you explain why?

(2) What reasons can you give for the political change that took place in the Balkans, Indonesia, and Canada?

(3) Why do you think political change in the Balkans and Indonesia was met with violent resistance, whereas creation of the Nunavut territory in Canada was a relatively peaceful process?

Step 4 - As a final team exercise, prepare a three-page statement that describes the value of cultural diversity, the rights of people of a nation, and how nations can work together to prevent or resolve nationalist conflicts. In your statement, be sure to support your ideas by using concepts and evidence from the lessons in this module: nation, nationalism, nation-state, sovereignty, and so on.

The statement should include the range of views held by all team members, but your groups should try to reconcile any differences in views so that the statement reflects a true international consensus.