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Pax Mundo
World Peace through World Understanding
Dr. James Hayes-Bohanan
Revised December 16, 2005
 Occidente

My country's skies are bluer than the ocean,
And sunlight beams on cloverleaf and pine.
But other lands have sunlight too and clover,
And skies are everywhere as blue as mine.
" This is My Song " Lloyd Stone, 1934
To Finlandia by Sebelius

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COUNTRIES
PUZZLES
ABOUT
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INTRODUCTION

For the past one hundred years, the United States has experienced an increasingly profound geographic paradox. As the country’s connections with and influence over other countries has grown ever more important, its citizens have experienced – and even embraced – increasing levels of ignorance about those connections and the other countries involved. At the heart of a vast empire is a citizenry in deep denial of its imperial status. As a result of this paradox, international education is both profoundly important and extremely challenging.

The main purpose of this site is to help fellow U.S. citizens understand the paradoxes of power and how that power is viewed from elsewhere. Stories of the misuse of U.S. power are sometimes uncomfortable to learn, but people in the rest of the world already know them. U.S. citizens who take the time to learn these stories can still be proud of the democratic and humanitarian heritage of the United States, but it is my hope that they will also be better prepared to understand why other world citizens are often skeptical of  U.S. motives. See the About Pax Mundo page for more information about the origins and purposes of this project and the background of its organizer.

This site provides pointers to other web sites that further the goals of the site. As the site develops, however, the emphasis will shift toward specific stories about U.S. involvements abroad -- for good and ill -- and the perspectives of individuals visiting the site from throughout the world. Please contact Dr. Hayes-Bohanan if you have any suggestions or comments.

 SELECTED REFERENCES
If you came to this site looking for links to the sites I showed in my November 2003 presentation, please visit the Web Resources page, which includes all of the links from the PowerPoint presentation, detailed annotations, and additional references. The page now includes links to interactive crossword puzzles about U.S. allies abroad.

SEVEN SOCIAL SINS
Mahatma Gandhi 's list of Seven Social Sins help to explain the roots of conflict in this world. They are simple ideas that deserve long and careful thought.
What is it good for?
Photo: Dr. Vernon Domingo

Is War the Only Way that Americans Learn Geography?

Presented to Annual Conference of MaCIE : Massachusetts Council for International Education, November 2003

This web site originated with a presentation given at a MaCIE conference on Cape Cod in November, 2003. It begins with an exploration of the roots of the paradox described above, followed by a discussion of the “teachable moment” provided by war. Geographic education in a time of war or other crisis comes in two stages. The first is the use of geographic tools to help students understand the crisis itself. The second is the use of the event itself to introduce and illustrate broader geographic concepts. Both of these stages were discussed in the context of the current Iraq war. Participants were shown teaching resources specific to this conflict and resources of more general applicability.

The PowerPoint presentation that I used at the MaCIE presentation provides access to some of the resources I mentioned, and it can give those who were not there a general idea of what I covered. If this looks interesting to you, and you would like to consider having me adapt this presentation for your school, place of worship, or other group, please feel free to contact me.

SOME OF MY OTHER PAGES
Iraq
This page explains my opposition to the war in Iraq in terms of what it has done to the international standing of the United States, the people of Iraq, and members of the U.S. Armed Forces.
September 11
A page that began as I tried to provide some support and guidance for my students in the days following the attacks now includes a critique of the domestic and foreign policies that have followed.
Cuba
The U.S. embargo against Cuba puts us behind the entire rest of the world in building relationships with this fascinating neighbor. This web site explores some of the contradictions of the socialist state and celebrates the sites, sounds, and people encountered during a January 2003 visit to the island nation.
Geography
The geography web sites selected for this annotated directory of sites include excellent resources for people of all ages to learn about the wider world.
Latin America
The web sites selected for this annotated directory of sites include excellent resources for learning about Latin America and the Caribbean region. It includes specific information about some of the many of the ongoing struggles in which the United States plays some role.
County Map Project
This site is the author's celebration of visits to many parts of the United States and other countries. It includes basic maps, links, and many personal stories.
Sambazon
Healthy tropical fruit drinks -- fairly traded and sustainably harvested!

(See c.v. for more detailed information or contact Dr. Hayes-Bohanan directly.)

In addition to PaxMundo, Dr. Hayes-Bohanan maintains an extensive and popular Environmental Geography web site, which includes information about the discipline of geography, the study of the environment, information technology, and educational resources for college faculty and students.

Visitors since April 2, 2004

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