Decoder: The myth of an international community

Decoder: The myth of an international community

When Russia invaded Ukraine, the “international community” stood back. But is there such a thing? What, if anything, can bring the world together? The entrance to the United Nations in Geneva is obscured by the emblems of a dozen international economic and...

Blaming the “international community” for inaction is easy. But does this community actually exist, or is it just tantamount to the United States and company? Correspondent Bernd Debusmann runs it down in this Decoder.

Exercise: Divide students into nine groups. Each group will be assigned one of the regional organizations mentioned in the article: NATO, European Union, Arab League, G-7, G-20, ASEAN, OAS, African Union, BRICS. Groups should research their assigned organization and identify the organization’s main objectives and stance on current international tensions (e.g. war in Ukraine, economic sanctions on North Korea, nuclear proliferation, etc.). Can these regional groups work together to create a true international community, or are their interests too disparate? 

What happens when friendship has no benefits?

What happens when friendship has no benefits?

Western nations worry about the bond between Russia and China. But perhaps they should consider the possible consequences if this friendship breaks down. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to Chinese President Xi Jinping during a summit in Uzbekistan on 16...

The alliance between Russia and China is more fragile than their purported “friendship without limits”. What can history tell us about the Moscow-Beijing connection? And why does it matter? Decode the geopolitical context for your students in this article by Braden Holt of News Decoder partner institution Indiana University.

Exercise: After reading the article, students should select one paragraph that they feel best captures the central idea of the text. Then, they should pare this paragraph down to one sentence, then one phrase and one word. Through this process, students learn to discern and communicate the main idea of a complicated text, a skill they can use in all disciplines. Have students share their final word with classmates. Can the class come to a consensus for one word that best describes the text?

Tag: Soviet Union