Tagalog: U.S. - Philippines Conflict Resolution Game for AP Students Created by Ruth Paget

Tagalog: U.S. - Philippines Conflict Resolution Game for AP Students Created by Ruth Paget

Objective:

As of May 7, 2023, the Philippines has a new president and is carrying out military operations with the United States.

Find out who the president is and set up a timeline for how relations were restored since 2018.

Prior Game:

Re-establish ally status with the Philippines on a firmer basis than prior agreements to contain nuclear weapons transit to the Western Pacific by China (PRC).

Historical Background:

According to the New York Times (October 16, 2018 – Malcolm Cook), the government of China has nuclear-armed submarines in operation in the South China Sea.

If these nuclear-armed submarines travel through the Luzon Strait between the Philippines and Taiwan to the West Pacific, missiles on these submarines could be within striking distance of the continental United States.

(For Mr. Cook’s article, click the following:  https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2016/10/18/can-the-us-philippine-alliance-survive-duterte/the-us-needs-the-philippines-for-its-strategic-location)

A U.S. Department of State Bilateral Fact Sheet on the Philippines dated January 31, 2020 lists many long-standing trade, diplomatic, and military agreements between our two countries yet tensions remain.

(For the U.S. Department of State Fact Sheet, click the following:

https://www.state.gov/u-s-relations-with-the-philippines/  )

To think of ways to improve relations between our two countries, go through the levels below until you reach the conflict resolution games.

Divide your group into two groups

Group 1 will do Tasks 1 - 4

Group 2 will do Tasks 5 - 8

Groups 1 and Group 2 will meet separately to do Task 9.

Groups will meet together to do Task 10.

Task 1: Country Profile

-Locate the Philippines on a map and note surrounding countries and seas.

-What is the name of the capital city?

-What is the name of the president of the Philippines?

-How many islands make up the Philippines?

-What is the dominant religion of the Philippines?

-What is the major religion of Mindanao Island?  How did Mindanao come to practice this religion?

Task 2: National Language: Tagalog

-What are the characteristics of Tagalog?

-Does Tagalog have dialects on the different islands of the Philippines?

Task 3: Ethnic Groups

-What are the major ethnic groups that make up the Philippines?  Resources for answers might include encyclopedias and the online CIA Factbook.

Task 4: Colonial Status

-What ruler was the Philippines named for?

-What countries have been colonizers of the Philippines?

-When did the Philippines gain its independence?

Task 5: Filipino Food

-Learn about Filipino food to identify foreign and indigenous influences as well as to learn about the country’s food system:

Suggested cookbooks:

-7000 Islands:  A Food Portrait of the Philippines by Yasmin Newman

-The Philippines Cookbook by Alejandro Reynaldo

-Is the Philippines self-sufficient in food?

-What efforts have been made towards self-sufficiency in food by the Philippines?

Task 6:  Glimpses into Filipino Culture

-Watch the film The Debut by Gene Cajayon about Filipino-American youth culture.

-Watch Parts Unknown: Philippines by Anthony Bourdain

Task 7: Possible Improvements for Filipino Quality of Life

-What material resources do Filipinos need to improve their quality of life?  Ask Filipinos, if possible.

-Could the U.S. provide these resources to the Philippines?

Task 8: Possible Improvements to American Quality of Life

-Are there resources in the Philippines that Americans could buy to improve our quality of life?

Task 9:  Try Some Filipino Food

-Go to a Filipino restaurant in your neighborhood and try chicken or pork adobo (stew made with vinegar) and halo-halo (a Filipino sundae)

-Try making these items at home if you do not have Filipino restaurants in your neighborhood

-Discuss what you have learned in tasks 1 - 8.  Make notes and a formal record if you would like.

Task 10: Do a Mock Conflict Resolution Game

-Round 1

Group 1 will represent the Philippines and Group 2 will represent the United States.  

Even if you do not want to represent the country your group is in, try to learn another point of view in Round 1 to help you in Round 2.

Design a conflict resolution sheet that covers:

-U.S. view of the conflict (use State Department resources and media sources that other participants can look up via hyperlinks)

-Filipino view of the conflict (use Filipino governmental resources and media sources that other participants can look up via hyperlinks)

-U.S. needs for products and services

-Filipino needs for products and services

Relations between the United States and the Philippines are at an impasse as of March 3, 2020.  Trade between our two countries may create an atmosphere for friendly diplomatic relations to resume.

Both of our countries have rural areas that need the following services that could be used to re-establish friendly diplomatic relations:

-medical services

-dental services

-pharmacies

-bookstores and libraries

-bookmobiles

-delivery services

-recycling centers

-public health workers

-cultural event workers

-teachers

List areas where the two countries have products and services the other might need and come up with two areas where exchanges could happen to help promote the well-being of citizens in both countries.

-Round 2

Have the groups represent the country the country they did not represent in round 1 and redo this exercise to try and find two different areas of cooperation between the U.S. and the Philippines.

(Note:  The Philippines trains many nurses that work for international clients.)

Homework: Do the tasks that were not assigned to your group.

Tagalog Game Created by Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Hangul: The Korean War Treaty Negotiation Game Created by Ruth Paget

Hangul:  The Korean Treaty Negotiation Game Created by Ruth Paget

Historical Background:

The conflict in the Korean Peninsula began on June 25, 1950 with fighting ending on July 27, 1953.

No treaty was written or signed to end this war with the result that North and South Korea today are divided with a demilitarized zone (DMZ) at roughly what is the 38^th parallel.

North Korean troops are stationed on one side of the DMZ and South Korean and American troops are stationed on the other; the Korean War has never been settled and is still on.

Game Objective:

Write a treaty ending the Korean War that provides the Korean people with:

-food

-clothing

-shelter

-energy resources for heat and cooling

-reunification of families

-self-determination

Level 1: Identify Parties Who Participated in the initial Conflict and Entered Into it through Time

-Use encyclopedias or the online CIA Factbook to determine who started the war and for what reason

-Identify all parties who have contributed to tensions in this region

-Resources you might consult include World Book Encyclopedia, Britannica, and infoplease.com for access to college-level encyclopedias

Level 2: Treaty Language Considerations

-Look up information on the Korean alphabet called hangul

-Hangul has diverged in format between North and South Korea.  How does this situation affect drafting a treaty?

Level 3:  Food Insufficiency Concerns

North Korea experienced famine from 1994 – 1998.

-How does North Korea refer to this period of famine and why?

-Identify what caused famine.  What foods in particular might have been affected?

-Is North Korea self-sufficient in food even with good harvests?

-Could food insufficiency affect North Korea’s foreign policy?

Level 4: Gain Knowledge of Korean Food

Read books about Korean food and think about self-sufficiency versus imports:

-Cook Korean!  A Comic Book with Recipes by Robin Ha

-Everyday Korean by Kim Sunié

-Growing Up in a Korean Kitchen by Hi Soo Hepinstall

-Korean BBQ: Master your Grill in Seven Sauces by Bill Kim

-Korean Food Made Simple by Judy Joo

-Korean Home Cooking: Classic and Modern Recipes by Sohui Kim

-Koreatown: A Cookbook by Deuki Hong

-Maangchi’s Big Book of Korean Cooking from Everyday Meals to Celebration Cuisine by Maangchi

-Maangchi’s Real Korean Cooking: Authentic Dishes for the Home Cook by Maangchi

-Seoul Food Korean Cookbook: Korean Food from Kimchi and Bimibap to Fried Chicken and Bingsoo by Naomi Imatome-Yun

-Vegetarian Dishes from my Korean Home by Shin Kim

Level 5: Public Health Issues

-What sanitation systems are in place where the treaty might be negotiated and signed?

-What are medical facilities like?  Are there medical supplies readily available?

-What are hotels like?  Are recycling systems in place to help prevent the spread of disease?

-What rodent control systems are in place.

Treaty negotiators do not want to become sick from bad food or rapid spread of disease.  They also need rest.

Level 6: Treaty Negotiation Procedural Considerations

-What is the Korean War called by the various parties who have participated in it?

-Who would legally represent these countries in negotiation?

-What shape of table would negotiators have?  This was a consideration for signing the treaty to end the Vietnam War.

-What catering considerations have to be taken into account?  North and South Koreans might want their own caterers even though they eat the same food.

-How would interpretation be set up?

-How would translation be set up?

-How would transportation be set up?

Level 7: Read A.H. Maslow’s A Theory of Human Motivation

-Determine what North and South Koreans need in terms of food, clothing, and shelter.  Providing for people might make acceptance of treaties easier.

-Look at both of these regions for climate concerns.

-Research Korean domestic architecture and public transit systems to see if they meet current housing and transportation needs?  How will demographic growth affect these two areas?

Level 8:  Read Getting Past No: Negotiation in Difficult Situations by William Ury

-Use the framework in this book from the Harvard Negotiation Project to identify obstacles to the peace process in the Korean Peninsula

Level 9: Read Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In by Roger Fisher and William Ury

Use this book as a framework from the Harvard Negotiation Project to identify needs that must be met and to brainstorm various ways of meeting them

Level 10: Treaty Conclusion Meal

Try cooking a Korean meal at home or go to a Korean restaurant and sample some of the following items:

-pan chan: assorted vegetable appetizers that can be sour or savory

-dak gu yi: grilled chicken with sauce

-bul go gi: grilled beef with sauce

-on ji gu bok um: stir-fry squid with vegetables

-Korean sushi

-kalbi: ribs with sauce

-barley tea

Notes:

-Where does beef come from in Korea?  Who owns this region?  How did the beef get introduced there or is it indigenous to the territory?

-Learn how to use Korean chopsticks

Game on and congratulations to Parasite for winning Best Picture!

Hangul Created by Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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The Bento Advantage Game: Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905) by Ruth Paget

The Bento Advantage Game:  Russo-Japanese War (1904 – 1905) – Japan Victorious – Created by Ruth Paget

Objective:

Analyze the role of food in the Russo-Japanese War and Draw from its Lessons

Historical Background:

Japan was the first Asian power to defeat a European power in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904 – 1905 according to the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Russia had moved into Siberia, but still needed seaports at this time.  Russia invaded northeastern China for seaports, but then had to deal with Japan, an equally expansionist country.

Japan defeated Russia on land in northeastern China and on sea.  This victory of a small island nation against the vast Russian Empire was extraordinary.  The victory established Japan as an imperial power and probably gave the nation confidence to attack the United States at Pearl Harbor decades later to begin World War II in the Pacific.

History books deal with strategy, casualties, deaths, and sometimes weather.  In this game, I would like players to analyze the role of food to see if it might have been a decisive factor in the Japanese victory over Russia.

Generals have the responsibility for making sure troops and their families are fed to make defensive forces strong and free of disease for readiness and morale.  Spoiled food, for instance, can spread disease and destabilize troops.

Generals also have to think about food procurement if fighting in foreign lands.  Food shipped from the homeland might spoil in transport.  Eating food available locally has a better chance of not being spoiled.

Both Japanese and Russian cuisines have dishes that resemble Chinese ones or that use ingredients available in China.

What may have made the difference in the Russo-Japanese War is the bento box lunch – a sanitary and efficient way of serving large numbers of room temperature meals made using local ingredients found in China.

Level 1: A Sample Bento Box Lunch

Bentos are served at room temperature, which saves money for storage.  If metal bentos with lids and metal chopsticks are used, you could make a bento with the following ingredients:

-1/2 bento box full of cooked rice

-steamed vegetables such as broccoli divide the rice from the rest of bento contents.  Whole cherry tomatoes could be placed among the broccoli as well.

-pickled vegetables take up ¼ of the bento.  Pickled plums (umeboshi) and pickled ginger would be nice additions to pickled cucumbers and pickled cabbage

-the savory addition – ¼ of the box could be slices of rolled omelet with vegetables that are doused with oyster sauce, soy sauce, or tahini.  Canned fish such as whole sardines or mackerel sections could also be part of the savory section. 

Level 2: Learn about Japanese Food

The bento books below describe modern bentos, both Japanese and Western while the other Japanese food books provide ideas for food that could go in a bento:

-Bento for Beginners: 60 Recipes for Easy Bento Box Lunches by Chika Ravitch

-The Just Bento Cookbook: Everyday Lunches to Go by Makiko Itoh

Other Japanese food books with dishes borrowed from China in some cases are listed below:

-The Complete Tassajara Cookbook:  Recipes, Techniques, and Reflections from the Famed Zen Kitchen:  Over 300 Vegetarian Recipes by Edward Espe Brown

-Japan: The Cookbook by Nancy Singleton Hichisu

-Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art by Shizuo Tsuji

-The Japanese Grill:  From Classic Yakitori to Steak, Seafood, and Vegetables by Tadashi Ono and Harris Salat

-Japanese Soul Cooking: Ramen, Tonkatsu, Tempura, and More from the Streets and Kitchens of Tokyo and Beyond by Tadashi Ono and Harris Salat

-Mastering the Art of Japanese Home Cooking by Masaharu Morimoto

-Ramen Obsession:  The Ultimate Bible for Mastering Japanese Ramen by Naomi Imatome-Yun and Robin Donovan

-Sushi Cookbook for Beginners by Kirsten Barton

-Tokyo Cult Recipes by Maori Murata

-Washoku:  Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen by Elizabeth Andoh

Level 2: Learn about Russian Food

Much of Russia is frozen tundra in winter yet they can feed their people when logistics for food delivery function well.  The following books reflect a cuisine created in and for harsh winter conditions:

-Classic Russian Cooking:  A Gift to Young Housewives by Elena Molokhovets

-Festive Ukrainian Cooking by Marta Pisetska Farley

Russians are also Orthodox Christians and celebrate their holidays with food in similar fashion to the Ukrainians.

-The Food and Cooking of Russia:  Includes more than 200 Recipes by Lesley Chamberlain

-The Russian Heritage Cookbook:  A Culinary Tradition Preserved in over 400 Authentic Recipes by Lynn Visson

Level 3: Learn about Chinese Food

-All Under Heaven:  Recipes from the 35 Cuisines of China by Carolyn Phillips

-China:  The Cookbook by Kei Lum Chan and Diora Fong Chan

-The Chinese Kitchen Garden: Growing Techniques and Family Recipes from a Classic Cuisine by Wendy Kiang-Spray

-Chinese Street Food by Howie Southworth

-Chinese Takeout Cookbook by Lina Chang

-Complete Chinese Cookbook by Ken Hom

-Cooking South of the Clouds:  Recipes and Stories from China’s Yunnan Province by Georgia Freedman

-The Dim Sum Field Guide by Carolyn Phillips

-The Essential Wok Cookbook by Naomi Imatome-Yun

-Every Grain of Rice: Simple Chinese Home Cooking by Fuschia Dunlop

-Fragrant Harbor Taste: The New Chinese Cooking by Ken Hom

-The Joy of Chinese Cooking by Doreen Yen Hung Fren

-Land of Fish and Rice:  Recipes from the Culinary Heart of China by Fuchsia Dunlop

-Land of Plenty by Fuschia Dunlp

-Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking by Eileen Yin-Fei Lo

-The New Classic Chinese Cookbook by Mai Leung

-Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees:  Essential Techniques of Authentic Chinese Cooking by Kian Lam Kho

-Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook:  Recipes from Hunan Province by Fuchsia Dunlop

Level 4: Identify Russian Foods Similar to Chinese Foods

Level 5: Identify Japanese Foods Similar to Chinese Foods

Level 6: Create a Bento that Reflects Your Heritage

-Read You Eat What You Are: People, Culture, and Food Traditions by Thelma Barer-Stein, PhD to set up a bento that meets dietary needs

Level 7: Make a Japanese Bento

Level 8: Make a Chinese Bento

Level 9: Make a Russian Bento

Level 10: View Food as Communication

-Read The Food of China by E. N. Anderson, paying close attention to the food as communication chapter

-Read Japanese Society by Chie Nakane

Think of what the bento symbolizes and write this up in a personal journal along with the bento menus you created

Level 11: Consider Resource Management

Think of how to maximize your food resources at home to achieve no-waste status, which also allows you to better manage your food bill.

Enjoy learning about bentos, Japanese food, Chinese food, and Russian food.

Bento Created by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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