Legacy of the Mongol Empire

By Ethan Johnson

Acts of war fuel change—changes in foreign and domestic relations, changes in politics, and most often changes in national boundaries. The conquests of Genghis Khan in the 12th and 13th centuries C.E. absorbed such boundary lines into the Mongol Empire, extending his rule from the steppes of Mongolia to the eastern shores of the Black Sea. His reign over such a vast expanse of land and large collection of people was due to his strict military leadership, paired with a powerful army to carry out his will. At the head of his army was a handful of generals who answered to him directly, and obediently followed his orders.

Volume 5, ArchivesContent EditorsNovember 15, 2015Mongol Empire, trade, history, conquest, Silk Road, China, dynastyComment

Outcry from Tibet

By Hsin-Ta Tsai

Should the universality of the UDHR be applied to the people of Tibet in the first place, discounting its sociocultural context? To answer this question, we have to consider the appropriateness of having some principles or a set of human rights regulations that all cultures and nations can agree upon, a rather Western cosmopolitan view on international ethical issues. In cosmopolitanism, national borders are morally irrelevant because “a truly moral rule or code will be applicable to everyone.” However, it raises concerns knowing that most of the debates about international ethics come from Western traditions of moral theory.

Volume 5, ArchivesContent EditorsOctober 29, 2015nation, China, religion, politics, law, government, human rightsComment

A Distinction Between Sense of Personal Identity and the Produced Self

By Cameron Bunker

The self can be defined as an individual’s experience that one is a separate entity from other beings. This paper will discuss this notion of self, how it is produced linguistically, and its relation to the sense of personal identity.

Volume 5, ArchivesContent EditorsOctober 29, 2015psychology, theory, method, identity, personalityComment

The Paradox of Globalization

By Christopher Albert Jacques D'Silva

The advent of globalization has brought about sweeping changes that have left indelible marks on societies. While newfound interconnectedness between cultures, information, and people creates an increasingly homogenized planet in some respects, such trends also have the effect of isolating certain non-members of the so-called “global community.” This residual marginalization has typically affected those who obstinately cling to the past, and those who are simply dubious towards the current state of affairs. For these persons, methods of coping with this social and psychological schism run the gamut from complete denial and delusion, to important modulations of acceptance.

Volume 5, ArchivesContent EditorsMay 30, 2015culture, novel, identity, globalizationComment