The Real Football Factories

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3_Pnk7rC4U Glascow Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9Q636h2i18 The Balkans Part 1

Contending Loyalties

After reading the Quebec Separatist notes and pages 77-79 in your text complete the following survey...

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

if the survey does not appear in this post click the link below to start a stand alone version... Click here to open a stand alone version of the survey

National Anthem Idol

How does music evoke a sense of nationalism.
Here is a link to a few national anthems - rank them according to the criteria you come up with in class.
Russian: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A71wdsTqkfM&feature=related
Brazil: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuML6DJlBNs
Israel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjfFpFW9OdA

Nicaragua: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0aDAX-btLg
Japan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rkgo5uvMFR8
France: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GubbhQuHISY
Australia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stL6EBxeJGM

Poland: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUvTup0YqLk
India: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3t1Qe7WiUw&feature=related

South Africa: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pVfhd1tLdU
United States: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdP1CQEboIo
Canada: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTOm7gofXnQ

Hegemony: How are we being controlled?

This video suggests our actions are being monitored in ways that we may not be aware of. But are there other more subtle ways that the culture and civic institutions dictate our behaviour? In what ways are our actions being regulated so that we conform to what is considered 'acceptable' behaviour? Hegemony is a term that is used to identify ways that society is comes together to behave in a singular way. The fact that English and French are the dominant languagesof our nation means that court proceedings are not conducted in Mandarin or Polish. If someone of Polish or Chinese background cannot master the English language, is it possible that they might not fare as well in their case? Hegemony is way more sneaky and subtle. Think of the fact that we all stop at a stop light even when no one else is at the intersection at midnight. That's hegemony.
Hegemony are the ways cultural behaviour is controlled often without us even realizing that we are being controlled.

Collective consciousness

Collective consciousness was a term coined by the French sociologist Émile Durkheim (1858–1917) to refer to the shared beliefs and moral attitudes which operate as a unifying force within society.

An awareness or ideas SHARED by many people. It may be based on a SHARED memory of and pride in specific events, which become myths and symbols of belonging.

Durkheim was interested in explaining the factors that contributed to a groups collective identity. He looked for shared experiences, practices, and ideas that helped solidify a group so that they could act as a single body or unit. Collective consciousness is a stronger concept than just know about the same things - it addresses the way shared experiences motivate people to behave  in the same or similar ways to all the rest of the people in the same group that they belong to...

American eh?

So you really think you're Canadian eh? Prove it! Is there really that much difference between you and your neighbours to the south? Sure you spell neighbours different and your accent might stand out in Texas or Alabama but when it comes down to the important stuff Canadian teenagers are really no different than American teenagers. Right?!?
You watch the same TV programs, drink the same pop (and pretty much the same wobbly pops). You wear the same fashions - maybe only a few months behind your American counterparts. You listen to the same popular musical artists (just check out the top 25 on Itunes or the playlist on your local radio station). You don't know anymore about Trudeau than you do about Reagan. When it comes to food - its all basically the same. Even the sports teams you cheer for are all American - I mean who really cheers for the Leafs...
You think you are really different than Americans but chances are that you know more American presidents and what they did than you know Canadian Primeministers and what they did. You watch the NFL not the CFL. You probably follow the twitter account of popular American musicians, movie stars and celebrities. You care about what happens to the U.S.A more than you do about what happens to Canada. If you follow politics at all you care about who is running for president. You could list the 10 most important dates in American recent history but you might not even get 3 Canadian events.
Basically, Canadian collective consciousness is dead. There is very little that actually makes you feel connected to other Canadians at all.
Think about this...
If the U.S.A were to take over Canada the only things that would really change is that our money would be less colourful, our beer would be slightly less toxic and our speedometers would all read in mph...
So yeah Canadians are basically Americans - right?.

Explaining Canada from the other side of the border

Sing it Baby Sing It!

Talking to Americans

United Nations - Introduction

The United Nations was established on October 24, 1945. The United Nations was the second multipurpose international organization established in the 20th century that was worldwide in scope and membership. Its predecessor, the League of Nations, was created by the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 and disbanded in 1946. Headquartered in New York City, the UN also has offices in Geneva, Vienna, and other cities. Its official languages are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
The United Nations has developed a site specifically for students. Don't be fooled by the title (it is not as grade 3 as it sounds): UN CYBERSCHOOLBUS has a good overview of the United Nations and its functions here
Below are some introductory videos that help to give an overview of the united nations. After watching them respond to the questions at the bottom of this post.

The Founding of the United Nations
A slide show on the Basic Facts of the United Nations

What were the motivations and events that helped to found the United Nations?
To what extent does the United Nations provide equality for all member nations?
What potential good could the United Nations accomplish in the world? Has it been able to meet that potential?
What potential problems might arise because of the establishment of the United Nations? In what ways have these problems been realized?