There are many criteria to look for when it comes to the sustainability of cities and communities, for instance access to public transport, living costs and the amount of available green areas.
In March 2024, The World Economic Forum presented their most recent ranking of the world’s ten most sustainable cities. However, they also show that the rankings may vary, depending on which criteria one chooses to emphasize the most.
Look at the list from the World Economic forum in your group and choose one of the ten cities listed (No groups can choose the same city).
Make a poster with the headline “Name of city, nr of ranking most sustainable city in the world.”
Do further research and include the following on your poster:
what makes this city sustainable?
what challenges has this city faced and/or is this city facing when it comes to making sustainable changes?
what are the benefits of the sustainable choices this city has made?
what can other cities, countries and/or communities learn from how this city has worked with sustainability?
Many of us dream (or have done so) about studying somewhere that is else – experiencing a different country, culture and climate while getting a degree at the same time.
Having spent time abroad can also look good on your resume when applying for future jobs, it might say something about your ability to adapt to new settings, to working in a language not your own, and your sense of adventure.
During the month of September, you will plan your year of studying abroad, and then present this plan orally. Here’s what you need to do:
First you need to find out what you want to study and where. Remember that you must choose an English-speaking country. You can take this testhttps://www.educations.com/career-test if you need inspiration for what to study.
Find a real university that offer this study program and find out what you need to do to apply there. Grades, college interview, personal statement, recommendations from teachers??? How much does it cost to study there? Do you need some sort of student visa – how do you get that? http://www.ansa.no/ is a website that offers a lot of information about these sort of things.
What kind of student activities do this town offer? What do you want to do in your spare time? Plan this too.
Where will you live? Find a place – look at actual listings for apartments or student dorms in your chosen city. https://www.goabroad.com/articles/study-abroad/best-student-accommodation-websites
What about the culture in this country – are there rules of behavior you need to adapt to? Communications, festivals, food, religions…
Make a prezi, a power point or a video where you present your study plans. This will be graded orally.
There is no required LENGTH – I know how much you love to ask about that, but if you want a good grade you should make sure that you answer all the assignment asks of you.
Write a coherent blog post/text answering the questions below. The blog post/text should be published/handed in on Teams by Wednesday Jan. 31st, so you have to plan your time accordingly.
What was your impression of the movie?
Is this a movie about multiculturalism – in your opinion? Why/why not?
What challenges of multiculturalism are shown in the film?
How can a multicultural state face these challenges?
What benefits of multiculturalism are shown in the film?
How can a multicultural state strengthen these benefits?
How would you describe Walt’s racial beliefs at the start of the movie? Do these beliefs change?
Walt and his friend the barber have an interesting relationship. Do you think the way they talk to each other is appropriate or inappropriate? Why or why not? Do you think it is okay to speak the way they do if both individuals are okay with the language? Why or why not?
In your opinion – what is the message of the film?
You have now seen the film “The Good Lie” (2014), about four Sudanese refugees starting life in the US. Write a blog post, where you include the following:
what can be possible challenges of living in a foreign culture?
what role can intercultural communication play?
Use examples from the film to emphasize the points you make. Publish your post by Monday Sept. 11th.
Global issues include all social, environmental, economic, health and security concerns that have far-reaching impact on people and life on earth, are persistent and long-lasting, are trans-national and often interconnected. Yet somehow we are often blind to how all-encompassing this can be. Then it is a good thing that we have dedicated journalists and open-minded editors that allow a variety of stories and perspectives to be published that we ourselves have a hard time realizing the enormity of.
The Guardian published an article today in which they focus on a consequence of climate change that we do not often think about. Read about it here.
Write a blog post where you comment on the value of having visitors join our class and talk about different subjects, such as you have experinced this spring either via Zoom (refugee Kawthar Sheheda from Syria/psychologist Solfrid Raknes in Washington D.C.) or live (Fulbright Roving Scholar Renee Brekke Ebbot, who talked to about such diverse topics as water and identity).
What can we learn from such visits that is different than regular learning in the classroom? Would you like the school to invite more guest speakers, and do you have any thoughts on how the learning experience in different school subjects can be broadened and perceived as relevant by the students?
6. Towards, the end of the video, Colin Kaepernick says: “Don’t ask if your dreams are crazy. Ask if they are crazy enough”. What do you think he means and how is this shown through the video?
7. Then the NIKE symbol and slogan come up – what is the effect of this?
8. Finally, discuss the role sports and sports companies can play in fighting for a more equal world.
According to the Second Amendment to the US Constitution, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
Just last week, there was another school shooting, when 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley shot and killed four schoolmates and wounded seven others at Oxford High School in Michigan. His parents have now been arrested, charged with involuntary manslaughter because they allegedly let their son have unrestricted access to the gun he’s accused of using.
In the Rittenhouse Case, 18-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse was aquitted on charges of killing two people at a demonstration in Kenosha, Wisconsin last year (he was 17 at the time). He claimed he acted in self-defense and the jury supported him in this. His trial is dividing the nation over questions about gun rights, violence at racial justice protests and vigilantism.
Study and discuss these two cases and look at gun laws and gun violence in the USA in your groups.
Congressman Thomas Massie (R) and his wife, Rhonda, pose along with their family, all holding weapons in front of a Christmas tree, an image widely shared in social media.
Write a blog post where you comment on what you have worked with today and what you think about the main question here – do guns protect, or do they kill?
Study the two news stories below to find out more about the situation for women and girls in Afghanistan now that the Taliban is back in power.
Discuss: what do the two stories tell you about the situation for females in Afghanistan, past and present? What do girls and women have to face should they want to study? Do these stories make you more pessimistic or more optimistic on the behalf of Afghanistan’s future? Why?
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