This unit is being designed for college-level ninth grade students of World History at Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven, Connecticut. By no means will the material be exclusively limited to that group. Application to any secondary contemporary issues or world history course is possible with little modification. Traditionally, World History is a survey course that is taught chronologically. For teachers following this methodology, some or all, of this unit can be employed during study of the twentieth century. Those who teach thematically can employ this unit when teaching about world conflicts. Although the material in the unit could be adapted to most any class size, it is aimed at a full-sized class of 24 students. Simulation activities might work better with a group of 6-12 students. However, in practical terms, 24 are the usual size for a freshmen cluster class. Next year, this unit will be taught early in the World History College-level survey course. The framework through which conflicts are brought to the UN and acted upon can later be a point of reference for examining classical conflicts in antiquity. For instance, how would a UN model have benefited the Greek city states during the Peloponnesian War or, helped European and Muslims more peacefully resolve the Crusades? Of course much of this exercise would be informed speculation. Nonetheless, it can give students exercise in applying problem solving skills within a framework that currently exists. Wilbur Cross High School is a large comprehensive urban high school of about 1500 students. The freshmen class is over 500 students. Examining historical examples of problem solving and conflict resolution will hopefully provide a healthy framework through which young people will learn to identify. Transience, low reading and writing scores, adjustment to growing bodies and a new school, and diversity offer challenges peculiar to working with freshmen. The notion of helping young people develop positive models of conflict resolution is a healthy one. Freshmen year is a period of adjustment, so a unit on examining conflict resolution seems to make sense.
Young people face the daunting task of growing up in a shrinking world. Technology is increasingly offering more and more information to people at faster speeds. Yet, despite progress in technology, some sociologists speak of increased feelings of isolation. Demands on the resources of the world are increasing as the population increases and the availability of some natural resources appears fleeting. Outbreaks of incurable diseases, such as AIDS, range from being a concern in some areas of the world to being an epidemic in other areas. Unprecedented environmental concerns appear to be growing as the developing world modernizes and first world nations seek to advance. Unfortunately, the historical record shows that almost all political entities, whether they are ancient societies or twentieth century nations, have undergone periodic if not regular episodes of conflict ranging from small skirmishes to global scale wars. The casualties for the two major conflicts of the twentieth century, World War I and World War II, total in the tens of millions. What is alarming is that these two conflicts started and finished within only thirty-one years of each other. While world war has been avoided in the last 57 years, the nuclear arsenals of the world powers and the threat of proliferation in developing nations have made the prospect of a future world conflict nightmarish. This outline of a parade of future problems is easy to subscribe to without a healthy and optimistic attitude. The record shows that nations may have eradicated some diseases, but not war. So the chances of conflict in the future are maybe a case of not if but when.
Will teenagers inherit a world of doom and gloom? This is possible but avoidable. The world has avoided the use of its most deadly weapons of mass destruction for over fifty years. Modern technology also holds the promise of solving many global problems. Electronic media provide quick and reliable communication. Advancements in the science of food production have increased crop yields in smaller spaces. The medical community can now treat a variety of ailments and diseases that once could not be treated. Science also holds promise in developing safer and environmentally friendlier energy sources. Lastly and most importantly, a major outbreak of world conflict has been avoided for over fifty years. And unlike in generations past, the international community has at least a forum for dealing with international concerns in the United Nations. Arguably, in this era of devastating weaponry, having a world body that can intervene to resolve conflict is the key to lasting peace.
This unit offers to facilitate student access to the successes and frustrations of the United Nations’ peacekeeping initiatives. The hope is to present a model of cooperation that will hopefully better prepare young people to handle personal conflict and graduate to understanding conflict resolution for larger groups of people.