November 3, 2015

THE BASICS

Topic: Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet wins Nobel Peace Prize

“The Nobel Peace Prize for 2015”

Articles

  • “Tunisia PM Says Jobs Needed to Counter Terror” (10/27) (VOA News)
  • “Tunisian parliament accused of trying to stifle critics weeks after watchdogs win Nobel Peace Prize” (10/27) (Independent)
  • “’We’re hosting 2.5mn & nobody cares’ – Turkey’s Erdogan slams Nobel Prize committee for refugee bias” (10/20)(RT)
  • “What the Arab uprising protesters really wanted” (10/19) (The Washington Post)
  • “Nobel Peace Prize Highlights Conflict Resolution Role of NGOs in Tunisia” (10/19) (Toward Freedom)
  • “Tunisia fears its Arab Spring could be reversed as the new regime becomes as intolerant of dissent as its predecessor” (9/2) (Independent)

Questions to Consider

  • Where is the country of Tunisia? How does its history reflect the struggle for democracy in the Middle East? What was the Jasmine Revolution of 2011? What is a “pluralistic” democracy?
  • Was the main reason for the Arab uprisings economic rather than hope for democracy? If the economy is the motivating factor, how does that change the path to representative government? How are jobs related to the security of a democratic government?
  • How does recent progress in Tunisia give hope that other countries where there was an Arab spring revolt might reverse the trend to authoritarian governments? What are the ongoing problems for Tunisia? Why is it difficult to maintain a democracy?
  • What is the Nobel Prize for Peace? What are the reasons that the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet? How was the award to 4 civil society groups unique? How does the award encourage dialogue and patience? How does the award endorse conflict resolution? Will the Nobel Prize help Tunisia to continue to sustain its democratic institutions?
  • What are the ongoing problems within Tunisia? What are the negative effects of corruption?
  • What are the key questions to ask about Tunisia?
  • “Six questions about this year’s Nobel Peace Prize answered”(Public Radio International)

THE EXTRAS

Pre-teaching, Extensions & Further Reading

  • “Tunisia”(World Atlas)
  • “The Nobel Peace Prize proves Arab countries can become healthy democracies”(Politics)
  • “Nobel Peace Prize: 5 things to know”(CNN)

Lesson Plans

  • “Revolution in Tunisia”(Pulitzer Center)
  • “Was Nobel Noble?”(Learning to Give)

What’s the Connection?

Constitutional

  • “Tunisia assembly passes new constitution”(BBC)
  • “World Report 2015: Tunisia”(Human Rights Watch)

Oregon

  • “Seven nights in Tunisia: A Trip Towards World Press Freedom”(UNESCO)

Students

  • “Tunisia”(Youth for Understanding)

Oregon State Social Science Standards

8.26. Examine a controversial event, issue, or problem from more than one perspective.

HS.9. Identify historical and current events, issues, and problems when national interests and global interest have been in conflict, and analyze the values and arguments on both sides of the conflict.

HS.33. Explain the role of government in various current events.

HS.59. Demonstrate the skills and dispositions needed to be a critical consumer of information.

HS.60. Analyze an event, issue, problem, or phenomenon form varied or opposing perspectives or points of view.

CCSS Anchor Standards

2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.

6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.

7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.

8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.

We the People Lesson Connections

Middle School, Level 2

  • Unit 6, Lesson 28: What is the relationship of the United States to other nations in the world?

High School, Level 3

  • Unit, 4, Lesson 22: How does Congress perform its functions in the American Constitutional system?
  • Unit 6, Lesson 38: What are the challenges of the participation of the United States in world affairs?