September 16^th Reading Questions

Exploring and Shaping International Futures 

Joseph Pramer

Chapter 1 Questions

1. How much do you think the decisions we make today will affect future generations and do you think the decision makers are aware of the possible affects?

2. When asking ‘What kind of future would we like to see?’, the authors point out three important values: the development of individual potential for all humans, the achievement of security and fairness in human relationships, and the protection of the biological and physical environment.  Do you think that all three of these values can be upheld equally in our push for improved life globally?

3. Do you think any attempts at forecasting the future, whether by means of extrapolation or causal analysis, present accurate predictions?  Or do you think that there are simply too many variables that it is not even feasible to make such predictions?

4. As one of the proposed questions in the chapter, where do you think global change is currently taking us?

Lesley Martin

International Futures: Chapter 2 Questions

1-      World population is growing exponentially, but world food production is not keeping up with population growth.  Do you think that there is going to be a future food scarcity problem?

2-      Paul Ehrlich projected that in the1970s and 1980s millions of people will die by starvation and that the “battle to feed humanity is over.”  Do you agree with Ehrlich, is the battle over food sustainability over?  (22-23)

3-      In the 1950s, M. King Hubbert made the most successful forecast, saying that the U.S. oil production would peak about 1970 and begin a slow decline.  And in fact, the U.S oil production did start to decline in the 1970s.  Saying this, do you think that we are living in an energy transitional period?

4-      And if so, how long do you think it will take for the global community to be completely dependent from oil and natural gas? 

5-      Can that forecast be made? (27-28)

6-      Has technology helped or hindered the global society? (pg 38)

7-      It is said that global democratization is one of the most important aspect of the change in the global system.  Since sub-Saharan Africa is still living in extreme poverty, do you think democratization and government stability will allow for African nations to increase each individual’s income level, like it has risen everywhere else?

Samantha Nestor 

Article # 31 A Mideast Nuclear Chain Reaction?

1-      Do you think that Iran has any intention of creating nuclear weapons?

2-      Jordan suggests that the area should become a nuclear-free zone, is this idea reasonable or likely to happen?

3-      Does the benefit of nuclear energy outweigh the potential damage a nation can cause with nuclear weapons?

Pieter Dudley 

Global Issues #38: Review Questions

1.   Huntington envisioned large alliances of states, drawn together by common culture, cooperating with each other. What steps would it take to even begin trying to realize this vision?

2.   What would a global code of ethics entail?

3.   The author believes that as a global society, we need global laws, institutions to administer them, and police/peacekeepers to enforce them. We already have this to an extent, but what areas do you think need strengthening, and what do you think it would take to strengthen them? Would it make a difference?

4.   In recent years, have we as a global society been headed in a positive or negative direction for achieving common values and minimizing conflict?