Does this make me an imperialist?

[Dumb]

I've been offered a position teaching English and World History to 8th grade students (13- and 14-year-olds for those not familiar with U.S. grade structures) - in Puerto Cortes, Honduras. I'm excited to go, but I'm having some moral qualms now...on a certain level, I acknowledge that I'm contributing to the supremacy of the English language, and with it the hegemony of American culture at the expense of Latin American cultures.

Should I worry? Does this make me an imperialist? Or is this just a dumb question that I shouldn't even worry about?

[28350]

You're teaching kids in Honduras

[Fawkes]

Learning a language seems to me to be nothing other than productive. You're teaching these kids a language that will 1) probably be useful for them in the future because, let's face it, imperialism exists and 2) will help them intellectually. Learning languages is good for cognitive development. So, provided there are no attempts to diminish their usage of Spanish (or any other languages) and no implication that English is in some way superior, I see nothing wrong. The World History course is where I'd be more concerned, any idea how much flexibility you're going to be given with the curriculum?

[DDR]

It's like me teaching Spanish abroad, does it constitutes spanish imperialism? No it doesn't.

[Dumb]

Wow, so far 100% think this is a dumb question. That really hurts, comrades! :lol:

[Agent Ducky]

Comrade, you're not imperialist and this isn't a dumb question. I almost didn't vote for that because it's not a dumb question =P I can totally see where you're coming from with your qualms about taking a job like this, but you're really helping and doing good by doing that ^_^

[Salyut]

I've been offered a position teaching English and World History to 8th grade students (13- and 14-year-olds for those not familiar with U.S. grade structures) - in Puerto Cortes, Honduras.

Are you a education major or is this one of those "teach english in xyz" things? Teaching history = fuck yeah.

[Dumb]

Are you a education major or is this one of those "teach english in xyz" things? Teaching history = fuck yeah.

The latter - this was a "Teach in Honduras!" program. I wasn't a history student per se, but took - and did well in - several history classes in university, and my comparative politics courses covered significant historical ground. (I was a poli sci major).

[La Comédie Noire]

I say go for it, maybe you can turn a few kids onto class struggle. :)

[Koba1917]

It would help kids in the other countries understand their own government and society itself. Which will always help a revolution :D

[Tablo]

Not in any way are you close to being an imperialist. You can do a lot of good teaching kids history and English. Even if you have a strict curriculum you can certainly spice it up with a bit of your own political leanings.

[F9]

I was close, really close to facepalm man, no you are not in any way imperialist for teaching people.Sounds like a great opportunity so i would take it no second thought;)

[robbo203]

Wow, so far 100% think this is a dumb question. That really hurts, comrades! :lol:

Thats because it is - a really dumb question! Sorry to be blunt...

Imperialism is a condition that relates to the self expanding nature of capital. It is immanent to capitalism and there is no such thing as an "imperialist" part of the world versus a "non-imperialist" part of the world. Every single country in the world, every single square inch of the world, is latently or manifestly imperialist in this sense because capitalism itself is everywhere

Those who go on, for example, about "western imperialist powers" attacking Libya conveniently overlook that Libya too under Gaddafi has been an imperialist power in its own right with overseas investments under the aegis of sovereign wealth amount to 70 billion dollars - some estimates put this much higher depending on how you define "investment"

So relax. All this talk of "imperialism" is just a distraction from a proper understanding of the capitalist world we live. Imperialism is a symptom of capitalism not some separate phenomenon. Feel free to go anywhere in the world you want. After all, the capitalists of the world whether they are based in Brunei or Tokyo or London dont feel any compunction about moving their capital anywhere in the world as it suits them. Why the hell can't workers do the same with their labour power? Why should we be imprisoned within the territorial units established by capitalism?

Some day soon the world will belong to everyone and the bourgeois advocates of the nation state with their absurd quasi-religious reverance for these artificial boundaries and so called national sovereignty will be no more than a footnote in some history book

[flobdob]

You should be more worried about the murders (http://hondurasresists.blogspot.com/2010/12/state-led-terrorism-attempts-to-stop.html) and abductions (http://hondurasresists.blogspot.com/2011/01/resistance-leader-survives-kidnapping.html) of left wing journalists (http://hondurasresists.blogspot.com/2011/04/director-of-radio-uno-survives.html) and teachers (http://hondurasresists.blogspot.com/2011/03/educator-killed-repression-against.html), and the brutal repression of communities (http://hondurasresists.blogspot.com/2011/01/buenos-amigos-eviction-detentions-and.html), workers[/URL] and [URL="http://hondurasresists.blogspot.com/2011/01/campesinos-of-guadalupe-carney-continue.html"]campesino (http://hondurasresists.blogspot.com/2011/03/honduras-is-burning-eyewitness-report.html) movements (http://hondurasresists.blogspot.com/2011/04/new-bloodshed-in-aguan.html)since the coup which took Zelaya out of power.

[El Chuncho]

Strange question that can be met with a resounding

lgI2ZQVyrBo

You are only teaching Honduran children English as a section language, you are hardly going in like a conquistador and forcing them into (linguistic) slavery!

[Os Cangaceiros]

language is oppressive. just ask my bro John Zerzan.

[GallowsBird]

An history teacher who is a leftist fancy that! :laugh:


But seriously most teachers of History I have known have been leftists so you'd be in good company. As for the language side; it is good to know more languages than your first language and like it or not English is one of the world's "lingua franca" so it does make sense to learn it. Just like in England with French (and vice versa).

[caramelpence]

I can't believe no-one has said this yet - congratulations!

[PhoenixAsh]

Yes, yes it does. War to the imperialist teachers who try to teach people English and history!!! :-P

But seriously, no...it really isn't. and I hope you are going to have a wonderful time and grasp this opportunity to learn yourself with both hands.
Congrats!

[Comrade J]

Great opportunity to teach kids about Latin America and how it has been consistently exploited by Britain, Spain, Portugal and now the United States, thanks to the WTO, the IMF and the compliance of the Latin American bourgeoise.

A really fantastic book you should read before you go is Open Veins of Latin America (http://www.amazon.com/Open-Veins-Latin-America-Centuries/dp/0853459916).

Obviously kids aged 13-14 aren't going to understand that in immense detail, and of course the curriculum might not allow you such freedom, but there will be no doubt opportunities to really educate the kids beyond what the government wants them to learn.

Btw, just a side note - if you fly into Toncontin Intl. Airport in Honduras, you'll be landing at the second most dangerous airport in the world. The approach is surrounded by hills and mountains and is so technical that only pilots specially trained to land there can do so, and it relies heavily on spotting certain landmarks and knowing when to turn and descend, including a random house with a swimming pool. You might want to take the bus :lol:

[Metacomet]

I think what your doing is a good thing.

Congrats on getting the position, and I wish you the very best.

[Shader]

If you don't go there, someone else would go. Probably an imperialist. So go instead of them, and teach them the "right way" ;) :laugh:

[Thirsty Crow]

Yes, of course you're an imperialist. Cause I can scream "IMPERIALIST SCUMMMM!!!!!" at pretty much everyone I want to, y'know :tt2:

(shit, I thought I'd be the first one to cast a positive vote, just for the hell of it, but people beat me to it :crying:)

[bailey_187]

yes it does. honduran kids should never learn anything but spanish.

[Bright Banana Beard]

My family is from there. Don't hang out at night unless there is events, stay away from gang (yes, MS-13 and 18th ST gang exists in Honduras, although they mostly exist in big population city.)

I would seriously suggest to completely learn Honduran slang, customs, and know the AREAS VERY WELL. Why the slang? So the sellers won't overcharge you.

Also, drinks Barena, Port Royal, aguardiente, limónadas, and avoid Salva Vida at all cost.

The food will be very fresh but you gotta take the diarrhea pill with you, since your stomach aren't used to it. Try to avoid the confrontation with the police, they will fuck up your life if you pissed them off.
Be prepared that many people including children will occsionally use "puta," they considered it a norm.

Once you know all this, you will be fine and are definitely going to have a blast there.

[CHEtheLIBERATOR]

To me the english is not that big of a deal and if you were just doing that I would say you were doing good by helping the poor. However I think that teaching world history is definitely imperialist. By teaching the dogma of the the American pov of "world history" to 3rd world children you are assisting in there imperialist agenda. I think if you don't need to take the job, you shouldn't

Good luck to you

[☭The Revolution☭]

It's... just a language. It's not like you're forcing them to speak it. It's good other languages.

[Thirsty Crow]

To me the english is not that big of a deal and if you were just doing that I would say you were doing good by helping the poor. However I think that teaching world history is definitely imperialist. By teaching the dogma of the the American pov of "world history" to 3rd world children you are assisting in there imperialist agenda. I think if you don't need to take the job, you shouldn't

Relax.
The most important thing here is the flexibility afforded to the teacher with respect to the curriculum. I don't think that you have enough information to conclude if OP will be forced to present the "dogma of the American POV on history".

[praxis1966]

I say go for it, maybe you can turn a few kids onto class struggle. :)

It'd be a great idea, but he'd better watch his ass... You know, given the junta's official suspension of civil liberties and all. Something tells me that Honduras is inches away from discovering its own inner Sandinista or FMLN, though, lulz...