Thinking Globally, Debating Locally

As religious devotion increase in China, the communist government is increasingly seeking to establish stricter control and regulations over practices. Many Chinese individuals increased religious devotion resulting from a dearth of spirituality amidst economic growth. However, these groups, while permitted under the Chinese constitution, face greater scrutiny than ever. Background: Article 36 of the Chinese Constitutions notes citizens "enjoy freedom of religious belief" and bans discrimination and state-compelled worship.  China only formally recognizes five religions: Buddhism, Catholicism, Daoism, Islam, and Protestantism; however, other religious are practiced and mainly tolerated.  estimates vary--the U.S. State Department suggests that nearly 650 million Chinese individuals adhere to a religion Chinese government officials monitor unofficial and official religious activity in an attempt to prohibit any activities that could disrupt public order  The Chi...

While everyone turned toward Syria to watch the unfolding refugee crises, a forgotten calamity continued to brew in Asia--the Rohingya refugee crises. While an important global problem, this topic has also consistently been used as debate topics. Please see below for bullets outlining the main issues of the crises, suggested additional material, and potential debate resolutions. Background: Since the 1970s, the government in Myanmar targeted the Rohingya Muslim minority. Many Rohingya have fled Myanmar into neighboring Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.  The Rohingya are an ethnic minority in Myanmar and practice a Sufi variation of Sunni Islam. The majority of Rohingya live in the Rakhine State in Western Myanmar and differ from the Buddhist majority ethnically, linguistically, and religiously.  Since independence in 1948, Myanmar has consistently denied the Rohingya ethnic status. The Myanmar government refuses to grant the Rohingya populations citizensh...

The world wants to reject violence. Is non-violence effective? Let's talk about violence and civility.