Reference no: EM133848059
Assignment: Alternatives to Imperialism
As we have learned thus far, the early Latinx, Asian American, Native American, and Black experience in the US was shaped in many ways by imperialism. For example, Spanish conquistadors wanted gold, silver, land, and power. They exploited indigenous peoples and forced them to labor under inhumane conditions. Latinx folks in the US today are people with mixed ethnicities of indigenous Central/South American with Spanish (from Spain) ancestral roots. Spain also colonized the Philippines, and forced Filipino workers to engage in their trans-Pacific economy. The first Filipinos landed in the modern-day US in the 16th century, and built communities in Louisiana in the 1760s, before the American Revolutionary War! This is the story of the first Asian Americans in this country. And, of course, after annihilating the indigenous populations, Spain, Great Britain, France, Portugal, and eventually the US engaged in TransAtlantic slavery to provide the labor for the looting of resources in the colonies. These imperialist nations looked to Africa to exploit Black people for their labor during the inhumane centuries of chattel slavery.
Watch these two short YouTube videos to deepen your understanding of imperialism: "What is Imperialism" and "Vijay Prashad: What is imperialism?".
Prompt
For this assignment, let's practice both critical and liberatory thinking in order to imagine alternatives to imperialism. Thinking critically, please take a moment to assess who benefits from imperialism, and who suffers. How could the balance of power be shifted so that more people experience equality, justice, and fair access to life chances? Using liberatory thinking, let's dream up a world without imperialism. Research as shown that imagining alternative scenarios through narrative storytelling can help people heal. As we all navigate a world rife with imperialism, inequality, and oppression, let's practice getting free using our creativity and open-mindedness!
In my vision of a world without imperialism, I see...
Next, explain what you see in 3-5 sentences. You can discuss things you see that are different than our current social systems, or things that are new and nonexistent in our current reality. You can discuss things that surprise you or things that your are happy to let go of. Get creative! To help you formulate your response, consider answering any of the following questions:
1. What would our modern world look like if European countries had not been driven by this desire to expand, to control resources, and to militarize their empires?
2. Would there be national borders in a world without imperialism? Get the instant assignment help.
3. Would there be armies or wars fought with guns and nuclear weapons in a world without imperialism?
4. How do people distribute resources in a world without imperialism?
5. What is the focus of everyone's day to day life in a world without imperialism?
6. Who is in charge in a world without imperialism?
7. What is the BIPOC experience in the US in a world without imperialism?
8. What does the climate look like in a world without imperialism?
9. What do people eat in a world without imperialism?
10. Does it feel more or less free, in a world without imperialism