Assignment 2: Sex Lives of Cannibals
King Leopold’s Ghost gave you the opportunity to understand how colonialism was experienced by indigenous populations, while Sex Lives of Cannibals offers a perspective on post-colonial independence in the South Pacific. Many of us have heard the question “why doesn’t that country just do things differently?’, but this is meant to show you that this question is more complex than it seems. Responses to each question will be about a paragraph and the total should not be longer than 3 pages. Successful responses will include references and evidence from the book, as well as insightful observations that demonstrate your ability to think critically.
Format should use standard font (TNR, Arial), standard size (12), and a citation system when necessary. Submissions will be digital, so submit as either a .docx or .pdf. Any other formats will not be accepted. Unedited papers will lose points up to 25% of the grade, depending on the severity of the issues.
In a few sentences describe colonialism in Kiribati. Which European country controls Kiribati and what is the relationship with resource extraction? How does this country’s colonial past relate to the current difficulties it experiences?
Kiribati is one of three countries that will disappear in your lifetime because of sea level rise. You have now spent 272 pages getting to know this obscure country, so it is time to make some judgement calls. Identify two cultural characteristics that you found interesting, or surprising, and provide details from the book to describe them. Now describe how the past and current governments of Kiribati are handling climate change (visit: https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2019/04/23/548776/pacific-climate-migration-a-political-tug-of-war# for more information). Finally, does the loss of I-Kiribati culture represent a significant loss of culture? If not, at what point do we start saying yes?
Troost discusses several instances of the role of international aid in Kiribati. Identify two examples of international aid and describe some of the tensions that arise from aid. How can a country like Kiribati overcome some of the challenges associated with international aid?
Briefly discuss the relationship between Kiribati and China and provide examples from the book. How do you think this will affect the US?
Troost coins the phrase “Coconut Stalinism”. Define it and give examples of how this affects the lives of the I-Kiribati.