Internet Exercises

Historically, the social and political connections between Cuba and the United States have oscillated between cooperation and tension. Explore the most recent state of this relationship at Yahoo! News. Visit "News Stories'' and "Related Web Sites'' in order to answer the following questions:

How would you describe the current relationship between the Cuban and United States governments? What current events show that relations are improving or worsening?
Who is Fidel Castro? Who were Jose Marti and Fulgencio Batista? What roles have each played in Cuban history according to the various websites?
What restrictions currently exist for U.S. citizens who wish to travel to Cuba? What is the Helms-Burton Act (also known as the Libertad Act)?
How has U.S. policy toward Cuba affected the economic, political, family, and daily lives of Cuban Americans and Cuban citizens?
According to groups such as Amnesty International, what is the current state of human rights in Cuba? How do Cuban officials respond to these findings?
What is your opinion of the final decision in the Elian Gonzalez case? What decision would you have made, if different? Why?
Use the links provided and links from other pages to discover the cultural diversity of Cuba. What contributions have Cubans and Cuban Americans made to the arts, sports, and science?

Sometimes referred to as "The Other'' or "Forgotten'' Holocaust, the conflicts in Nanking, China, starting in 1937, have recently become the subject of historical debate and interest. Masato Kajimoto offers an online documentary entitled The Nanking Atrocities. On the site, visitors will find text, photographs, and videos to explore.

What historical and social forces played a part in the "Nanking Atrocities''? Which groups and individuals were involved?
What were some of the experiences of Chinese citizens living in Nanking at that time under Japanese military authority? What was the Chinese "scorched earth policy'' and how did that affect citizens?
How many people died during these times described on the site? Why is it hard for researchers to agree upon a precise figure?
What role did members of the media play before and after these events, according to the site?
What was the IMTFE? When and where did the postwar trials occur? What arguments were presented by the prosecution and the defense? Ultimately, who was found responsible and what were the punishments?
Had you ever heard of these events before visiting the site? How did the stories and images impact you?
How can the sociological theories in this chapter add to our understanding of the causes and consequences of this tragic form of intergroup relations?

The Civil Rights Movement has been a defining sociological event in modern U.S. history. Stanford University helps to preserve this important time in history through a virtual presentation of the words and life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers Project (http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/index.htm). On this site, you can read, see, and hear speeches and events.

Click on the "Biography'' and "Chronology'' sections. What early relationships and experiences shaped Dr. King's later life and philosophy? What important contributions to civil rights did Dr. King make through his actions and beliefs? Where, when, and how did Dr. King die?
After examining the "Speeches'' and "Sermons'' links, how would you summarize Dr. King's views on how best to achieve racial justice?
What patterns of "intergroup relations'' was Dr. King trying to end? What patterns was he trying to promote?
Do you believe that the United States is fulfilling the hope symbolized in Dr. King's "I Have A Dream'' speech? In your opinion, are race relations and equity improving or declining? What facts and evidence support your position?

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