Author: wollerman.6

Reflection on the Lecture “What Does a Feminist Peace Look Like?: Columbia’s Struggles Over the World’s Most Inclusive Peace Accord”.

On February 4th from 3:30-5PM I attended a lecture on “What Does a Feminist Peace Look Like?: Columbia’s Struggles Over the World’s Most Inclusive Peace Accord” for my extra non-IA scholars event. This lecture was given by Sara Koopman in room 014 in the Psychology Building. Sara Koopman focused her presentation on the Colombian War, its effect on already disadvantaged groups, and the steps taken to forge peace. Her presentation also included a focus on how the struggle over land impacted this war. Land was taken from the indigenous and poor in Columbia forcing them to flee further into remote areas with little access to the government. This made them easy to take advantage of by criminal actors looking for cheap labor to grow the crop used to make Cocaine. Koopman related this to the history of the land we were sitting on in the Psychology building. She acknowledged the violence committed to steal this land from the indigenous people of America.

The Columbian war has had horrifying effects on the people of Columbia. The amount of people displaced, violently attacked, disappeared, and killed is estimated by the government to be in the millions. Koopman explained this number is not an accurate reflection of the circumstances. Many people were afraid, intimidated, or ignored when reporting the crimes committed against them and their families. As a result, the majority of crimes went unreported. She also explained that disadvantaged groups like women, indigenous people, and the LGBTQI community were disproportionately affected, they bore the brunt of the war. Ninety percent of those disappeared and killed were men. This left women to pick up their families’ lives, find safety, and come up with a way to support themselves. In Koopman’s opinion this was the most difficult aspect of the war to cope with. This war has been long lasting and has been fought by many different actors. Control over land and drugs has influenced the greater part of the violence.

I found this lecture extremely interesting and informative. The topic directly connects to what I am passionate about and it encompasses material covered by previous courses I have taken. Peace resolution studies is an undervalued field with a large impact on conflicts around the world. Koopman addressed the importance of negotiations for peace and why it was crucial that these negotiations included disadvantaged groups when creating resolutions. I am interested in pursuing a line of work that allows me to aid in this task of building peace, especially for those who have typically been left out of the solutions. One person I have discussed my interest with and the implications Peace Studies can have on my academics and career is Teri Murphy, the Peace Studies Coordinator at OSU. She also attended this event. Previously, I have had a discussion with her about how I can use Arabic and a law degree in this line of work. She gave me a lot of applicable advice including how to get useful experience.

 

Reflection on a Lunar New Year Party

I attended a non-IA event, the International Friendships’ Lunar Party, on Feburary 1st at the Ohio Union from 6:30pm to 9:30pm. This event showcased Chinese traditions, food, and customs relating to their New Year Celebrations. I ate dumplings and spring rolls, I practiced my calligraphy by writing happy new year in Mandrin, I made origami, and I listened to presentations about the origins of Chinese customs. I even got to participate in a large scale kahoot game which tested my knowledge of Chinese culture. Throughout the evening I enjoyed getting to know people from different backgrounds and I enjoyed learning about a holiday I previously had little knowledge about.

One thing that somewhat surprised me during the event was the heavy presence of a Christian theme. There was a booth for bibles, a women asked to pray for my friends and I, and there was a skit portraying a biblical story. I did not realize that International Friensdships’ was a religious organization. As a non-religious person this originally threw me off slightly but, the people were very welcoming and I had a Chinese friend with me who was able to explain the non-Christian related customs used to celebrate the new year. Because the main religion in China is Buddhism I am disappointed they did not mention or attempt to include non-secular or Buddhist traditions. I felt the Chinese New Year Celebration was not the center focus, the center focus was Christianity. It seemed to mislead many international students who wanted a way to celebrate a holiday that is important to them while they are far from home.

Another thing that suprised me were the assumptions made about my friend and I. A couple volunteers asked us if we were conversation partners. Others were suprised when she explained that she is from Michigan and not China. I know they were understandable assumptions based on the event we were attending but, they still made my friend uncomfortable. Additionaly, I was confused by the mistakes made in the flags used in for a photo booth which gave students from other countries the chance to take pictures with the flags of their nationality or home countries. One of my friends who participated in this photo booth is part Eritrean and part Eithopian. Both of the flags for her countries were wrong. One had a purple stripe when it should have been blue and the other displayed a crest associated with a cruel dictator. It would be helpful to international students if they were able to review their flags and explain which ones are appropriate.

This event relates to the topic of International Affairs because it gathered people to learn and celebrate the Chinese New Year, a holiday Americans generally know little about. This event gave others like me with minimal exposure to Chinese culture the chance to experience the unfamiliar customs firsthand. Experiencing unfamiliar customs firsthand is a valuable experience. I can use this experience to enhance what I am learning in my courses. I can also use it to connect with and form deeper bonds with those from China.

Overall, I appriciated the opportunity to learn more about the Chinese New Year. I do hope however to experience a more authentic and inclusive celebration of Chinese culture. For, I have interest in learning more about cultures and religions that are very unfamiliar to me. Christianity is a large part of American life so I am very familiar with it. I would like to expand my world view through experiencing other religions and their veiwpoints.

 

 

TEDx Red Light, Breaking the Cycle of Human Trafficking Reflection

On November 27th I attended a non-IA event at 1015 McPherson. The event was TEDx Red Light, Breaking the Cycle of Human Trafficking. This event showcased how survivors were able to overcome their experiences of being trafficked for sex. Each talk focused on a different aspect of how survivors lives are impacted by sex trafficking. An Ohio judge spoke about a program he instituted in his court to help rehabilitate human trafficking victims instead of sending them to prison like they are criminals. Two survivors told the stories of how they became trafficked, how it affected their lives, and how they escaped it. One survivor even brought her son and together they explained how it shaped their lives.

The topic of the TEDx talks that night related to content in many of my courses. The texts I have analyzed for class directly address it. For example: while reading “How the War on Trafficking was Made to Unite the Right and Left” I found similarities to the TEDx talks I heard. They were similar through connection to religion and their refusal to address prostitution as a separate issue. During the TEDx talks the survivors addressed how their faith was important in how they made it through their hardships. Many of the organizations fighting human trafficking in the article are also using faith to help people survive. Both the TEDx speakers and the policy of the United States and Conservative Christian human rights groups considered prostitution to almost always be a result of trafficking. When I first became interested in the issue of human trafficking I believed the same thing. Now, as a result of learning different perspectives I am not so sure.

I think Anne Tickner would address this problem similar to Gallagher from the “How the War on Trafficking was Made to Unite the Left and Right article”. Anne T. Gallagher said “It fails to seriously interrogate the deep economy of human exploitation- to ask what would happen to global wealth and productivity if such exploitation were suddenly removed” (Grant 5). Gallagher like Tickner looks at the ideology of the problem. They look at what would happen if that ideology is changed and how it will cause a chain reaction. For Tickner it is how a better perception of women will create a more prosperous nation. For Gallagher it is about how the issue of human trafficking is not black and white and if exploitation were removed completely there could potentially be bad effects.

I recently finished the podcast “Sold in America”. This podcast examined human trafficking through all the possible angles. One episode focused on prostitutes and how laws addressing human trafficking negatively affected them. I interpret Gallagher’s quote to be addressing this issue. Prostitutes explained how laws banning sex work put them in danger. When sex work is legalized and regulated they are able to do their work in safer conditions.

The difficulty I face as I learn more about this issue is finding a good solution. From looking at many sources I think what is needed to make up a good solution is very complicated and it must have many parts including the following: The people buying sex should be prosecuted instead of the women selling it. There should be tougher legislation and more resources to punish those who are trafficking others. Sex work should be legalized and regulated. More resources should be provided to survivors and the homeless.

Noor, Tagouri. “Sold in America” 28 Nov. 2018

Grant, Melissa. “Beyond Strange Bedfellows How the ‘War on Trafficking’ Was Made to Unite the Left and Right.” Politicalresource.org, 2018, www.politicalresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/PE_Summer18_Grant-1.pdf.

“I am not a Witch” Reflection

I attended the screening of “I am not a Witch” on October 24th from 7pm to 9pm at the Gateway Theatre. This screening was provided by Ohio State University’s Global Engagement Center. Viewing this film was an academic event. The film relates to the topics I have learned about in other courses, particularly my Peace Studies Course. “I am not a Witch” relates to my Peace Studies course through exploring problematic cultural practices.

“I am not a Witch” relates to the topic of problematic practices by depicting the results of what happens to women accused of witchcraft in modern day Zambia. After women are accused they are taken to a witch doctor to determine if the claims are true. When the claims are found true the women are sent to live in witch camps where they are forced into labor for the state and cannot leave. The director of this film directly drew from cultural practices in Zambia and Ghana that continue today to create this film. In my Peace Studies course we are currently addressing the question of whether or not cultural pluralism can be an acceptable defense to oppressive practices. Cultural pluralism is when minority cultural practices are respected to maintain independence. When we ask this question we are ultimately trying to determine whether foreign intervention should be used to protect human rights. To find the answer we discussed: just war theory, the “Universal Declaration on Human Rights”, the “Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women”, and the theories of Michael Walzer and Charles Beitz.

From our class discussions I developed the opinion that extreme human rights violations should warrant foreign intervention. Not all human rights violations should result in foreign intervention because human rights are a very broad category that most modern countries do not fulfill. For example: we discussed the former practice in Saudi Arabia of making it illegal for women to drive. We decided this is a human rights violation, discriminating against women and limiting movement, but it should not be responded to with foreign intervention. It is not resulting in the loss of life or torture so it is better to let the culture evolve on its own so the people do not become resentful of the forced implementation of western values.

I believe the cultural practices of witch camps in Zambia warrant foreign intervention. The women in these camps are having their basic human rights violated so the international community must take action. The basic human rights violations are the women being held against their will and being subjected to forced labor. These are extreme violations because the women do not have any freedom. In the example from Saudi Arabia the women still had limited freedom so foreign intervention would result in more harm than good. I think foreign intervention in Zambia or Ghana to end the practice of witch camps would result in more good than harm.

Tree of Hope Service Event Reflection

I attended the Tree of Hope service event on September 25th, 2018 from 7pm to 8pm in Smith-Steeb Hall. During this event I made a card for a refugee family who is moving to Columbus. Making a card made me more deeply consider what it would be like to be in their situation. Because I more deeply considered what it would be like to be in the situation of these refugees, this event caused me to gain perspective on my privilege. When looking beyond the event to consider my privilege, I also considered how this event related to international affairs.

Making a card made me more deeply consider what it would be like to be in their situation. When making the card I considered what kind of pictures and words I would like to receive. I would want to receive a card reassuring me I was coming to a welcoming community, a caring atmosphere, and an assurance that things will get better. I tried to convey this message in my card by including positive imagery of Columbus; I choose to draw a cloud of hearts over the skyline on the front of the card. I also used the following statement to convey that message. “I hope you enjoy Columbus! Some fun things to do are: Cosi, Franklin Park Conservatory, Columbus Museum of Art, and the Columbus Zoo. We are happy to have you here and [we are] excited to welcome you to the community”. I hope the family who receives the card feels a little more welcome, cared for, and assured that things will get better.

Because I more deeply considered what it would be like to be in the situation of these refugees this event caused me to gain perspective on my privilege. I gained perspective by analyzing my privilege and comparing it to situations refugees are in because they do not have the same privileges. Because I am a white, young, American citizen I would be able to move to another country more easily than someone who has brown skin and is not an American citizen. If more people analyzed themselves in the same way, the difficulties refugees face could be decreased. The Trees of Hope event should be done in schools for that reason. It will make kids more empathetic to people different from them and it will introduce them to principles their parents might not teach them, like being kind to someone who does not look like you.

This event relates to the topic of international affairs because it involves refugees from other countries receiving the welcome cards. These families have dealt with conflict in their home country, a tough process to settle in the United States, and they now have to adjust to living in a foreign country. Safety and security, migration, and living abroad apply directly to these experiences. These categories also are major parts of the study of international affairs. When the categories are studied more vigorously and applied to policy consistently the experiences of the refugees coming to America will be less tedious and difficult.

Front of card.                                 Inside of card.

 

G.O.A.L.S.

In May 2019 I will be interning at the Canadian Parliament with a group of students from Ohio State University. My experience at the Canadian Parliament aligns with all of the five components of G. O. A. L. S. This alignment will positively impact my contributions to my International Affairs Scholars group and to my job at the Honors and Scholars House. I will be better equipped to share how I relate to and am personally involved in fulfilling the G. O. A. L. S. that are the center of the Scholars programs. My internship aligns with the global awareness component because I will be studying how a foreign government operates. I will be able to compare and contrast their politics with ours, learn about their most urgent issues, and experience the unique relationship between the English speaking and the French speaking Canadians. I have even been informed that there is a good possibility I will get to meet the prime minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau.

My experience interning at the Canadian Parliament also aligns with the original inquiry component. To decide which member of parliament I will intern for one of my program directors, James Baker, evaluates our political ideals through our applications. He then paired me with a parliament member he believed fit me best, Joyce Murray. In my sample writing pieces for the application I included a paper I wrote discussing the role of women in politics in 2016 and another where I talked about my ambition to fight inequality in all forms. Baker saw where mine and Murray’s interests overlapped. For example: she is the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Digital Government and I am interested in digital law enforcement like the legal consequences to the Russian interference in the recent United States presidential election. By working with Murray I will be able to learn about this topic in depth and engage in research. In other words, I will be able to take a personal inquiry and study how it is addressed in a foreign government.

My study abroad experience aligns with the academic enrichment component by giving me the opportunity to apply what I am learning at Ohio State University. I am majoring in International Studies so I am taking courses about foreign governments and how they work. I am also on the pre-law track so I am taking classes about legislation. When I am interning at the Canadian Parliament I will be gaining experience in both topics, foreign governments and legislation.

Another component my trip will address is leadership development. It will address leadership development through my participation in independent work and team projects. I will need to confidently complete tasks on my own and problem solve as various situations arise. I will also need to take charge in group tasks when they center around issues relating to my Parliament member. By the end of my internship I will have strengthened my ability to be a leader in a professional environment.

Finally, this study abroad experience will require service engagement. I will be committed to assisting my Parliament member on addressing the issues she has been compelled to work on. She is compelled by personal motives and what is important to her constituents. Canadians have decided Joyce Murray should devote some of her legislative power to digital government. Digital government is one of many social issues that I will get to address during my internship.

Career

Since August 2018, I have been employed at the Kuhn Honors & Scholars House as a student assistant. As a student assistant I have many duties around the office including: answering calls, replying to emails, relaying information about the various programs we offer, assisting staff on long-term projects, performing general upkeep, and being the first line of communication for parents, perspective students, and current students.

About Me

Hello!

My name is Danielle Wollerman (but most people call me Dani).

I am a third year Ohio State University student. My major is International Studies and I have two minors, Arabic and Studio Art.

I am proud to have achieved the following during my time at Ohio State: I completed the two-year International Affairs Scholars Program and my own research project, “The Female Refugee Experience in Central Ohio”, as a member of the Undergraduate Research Library Fellowship.

Currently, I am a Student Assistant at the Kuhn Honors and Scholars House where I assist applicants, students, and parents understand the programs we offer. I also assist professional staff with events and projects. Additionally, I am a fellow for Community Refugee and Immigration Services (CRIS) where I complete graphic design projects, paint murals, and contribute to social media campaigns.