Global Conflicts
Teacher Resources
Driving Question: How have the tensions of globalization sparked new conflicts?
A more-connected world hasn’t necessarily meant a more-peaceful one. Discover how global tensions continue to fuel unrest around the world.
Learning Objectives:
- Use evidence to analyze how globalization has contributed to modern conflict and resistance.
- Use the historical thinking practice of claim testing to analyze the effects of globalization.
Vocab Terms:
- economic liberalization
- globalization
- multinational
- non-governmental organization
- outsource
- privatize
- unsustainable
After the horrors of the early twentieth century, many sought to prevent further atrocities. Use this quick opener to consider their successes and failures.
Note: The claim-testing activity here is intended as a teacher-led, collaborative activity. If you’re pressed for time, students can easily complete this activity independently or with a partner.
Be sure to read the instructions for this activity in the Lesson Guide and print out a set of the claim cards for each student group.
Even as globalization connects the world, deep divisions remain. With these materials, you’ll explore how nationalism and human rights violations have challenged efforts to create a more-peaceful and cooperative global society.
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Guiding Questions
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Before you read
Preview the questions below, and then skim the article. Be sure to look at the section headings and any images.
While you read
Look for answers to these questions:
- How do international sports reveal tensions around national identity?
- Why did transnational ideas grow after the mid-twentieth century?
- How did nationalism support reconciliation in Rwanda?
- How has racially defined nationalism reemerged in recent decades?
- How can definitions of national identity exclude people?
After you read
Respond to these questions: Do you think nationalism will continue to grow in response to global challenges, or will transnational cooperation become more important? Why?
Did you know: The word genocide did not exist until 1944, when Polish-Jewish lawyer Raphael Lemkin coined it and pushed to make it a crime under international law.
After the Holocaust, the world proclaimed, “Never again.” But genocides and other mass atrocities have happened, again and again. Why? This video, article, and activity will help you find answers.
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Guiding Questions
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Before you watch
Preview the questions below, and then review the transcript.
While you watch
Look for answers to these questions:
- How did colonial rule change the relationship between Hutu and Tutsi in Rwanda?
- What event triggered the start of the genocide in April 1994?
- What role did radio broadcasts play in the genocide?
- How did the UN and other world powers respond as the killings were happening in Rwanda?
- What is gacaca, and why did Rwanda use it after the genocide?
After you watch
Respond to this question: Do you think reconciliation is a more-effective path forward than punishing the guilty after a genocide? Explain your answer.
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Guiding Questions
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Before you read
Preview the questions below, and then skim the article. Be sure to look at the section headings and any images.
While you read
Look for answers to these questions:
- How was the United States connected to the genocide in Cambodia?
- Who did Saddam Hussein target in Iraq’s campaign of mass killing?
- How did propaganda contribute to the Rwandan genocide?
- What groups were involved in the Rwandan genocide?
- How has religion influenced the genocides in Bosnia and Myanmar?
After you read
Respond to these questions: How has the global response to genocide changed since 1945? What does this reveal about the power of human rights over time?
If you’re looking to extend student learning about the attacks of September 11, 2001, and their aftermath, check out this article for a deeper read that digs into questions about the cultural and economic background of the conflict.
How could the events of one day completely change the world? Learn about the effects of the 9/11 terrorist attack and they continue to impact our lives.
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Guiding Questions
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Before you watch
Preview the questions below, and then review the transcript.
While you watch
Look for answers to these questions:
- What happened on the morning of September 11, 2001?
- Who was responsible for the attacks, and what does the evidence show?
- How did the US respond internationally after 9/11?
- What changes did 9/11 bring to life in the United States?
- In what ways are the effects of 9/11 still felt today?
After you watch
Respond to this question: Can you think of any other days in history whose events changed the world as much as 9/11 did? Explain your thinking.
Reflect on how our global connections have both created new communities while also igniting new conflicts.
If you have the time, the sources in this Resistance to Global Institutions collection are a useful extension to this lesson. They help emphasize agency after a lesson about mass atrocities. It’s a good reminder that individuals have repeatedly challenged global institutions and systems.
Globalization hasn’t just connected people—it has also sparked resistance. These sources show how individuals and groups have challenged global systems, offering more insight into the tensions that shape today’s world.
