OVERVIEW OF ASIA

Doug Taylor

Most people wouldn't think of Winnipeg as a hotbed in Canada for discussion of Asian issues. But teachers like Doug Taylor have been working towards developing courses and programs to do just this. About 40 schools in Manitoba, including rural ones, have jumped on board the Asian bandwagon.

"If you're studying to be comfortable with world facts and understanding connections between countries, it probably makes sense to take an Asia Studies program," he said.

Doug has travelled to the Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Singapore. The teacher from Kelvin High School in Winnipeg has brought his enthusiasm of Asia into the classroom and teaches two introductory courses on the subject.

Doug's particular focus at the Conference is to examine the geopolitical issues within the Asia Pacific region. For example he explains, a starting point to understanding Asia is to define it.

There is a series of definitions that may be used. Some say that the Asia Pacific region comprises an inverse triangle that stretches from India to Indonesia and up to China and Japan. Others include a sub-region which consists of Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand (known as "Australasia"). What about Canada, the United States, Mexico, Chile, Russia and many other countries that border the Pacific Ocean. Are they part of the Asia Pacific region because they are in the Pacific rim?

And still complicating matters, economists and political experts have generated further categories within the region which includes headings like governments and economic developments in Pacific Rim countries which can be further categorized into institutional monarchies, socialist republics, parliamentary democracies, developed nations, newly industrializing countries, resource-rich developing countries, etc.

"We have to hone in geographically and wrestle with the question of what countries comprise the Asia Pacific region and why," he said.

Another question to keep in mind when one looks at that whole area is whether there are hard feelings that go back hundreds and hundreds of years. Can Japan be a catalyst to bring Asia together? And if so how would it be accepted by Koreans? How does China fit in? What about India? There are a lot of ill feelings that have to be overcome, Doug said. The key question is can these ill feelings be overcome?

With respect to Asia, Doug would like students to look at the role of the Association of East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in the new world order. These are examples of people coming together in alliances. Another key question which also needs to be addressed is "how can the Asia-Pacific countries come together as an alliance?"

Doug encourages students to question the perspectives that they use to look at Asia based on the idea that capitalism / industrialization equals prograss. We also shouldn't get hung up on some of the value-laden statements that are used to describe capitalism such as "moving away from agricultural-based societies to urban ones is progress" or "that it's the dollar bill that's going to provide a better lifestyle for people," he said.

"We know that many Asians live a tough life. They work in fields, there's a lot of uncertainty, but is that necessarily terrible. Are we passing judgement on whether they should want a life that we consider better," he said.

Students generally have different needs as they move up the learning ladder, he said. In the initial phase, young people usually ask, What is it like? How are conditions different? How can we make it better? During the next phase, they begin to wonder whether they can make it better. Today, Doug's students have taken it one step further by travelling to and volunteering in Asia.

"There's never a simple answer in life and there certainly isn't a simple answer when one looks at the Pacific Rim countries," he said. "Questions abound and this is a good thing. We must learn to become critical thinkers."