Upcoming Research Expeditions

Openendedsocialstudies.org is pleased to announce that Thomas Kenning, founder and chief creative officer, will be undertaking several research expeditions in the coming months, all with the aim of producing new content and resources for this site.

In May, Mr. Kenning will be traveling to Moscow to participate in the annual Victory Day celebration. While there, he will be gathering information for further lessons in our proposed open source Russia textbook.

In June, Mr. Kenning will be in residence in the Philippines, developing a new curriculum unit on this fascinating syncretic culture.

Also in June, Mr. Kenning has scheduled a working trip to Tokyo with the aim of realizing long gestating plans for several lessons on the history and culture of Japan.

Finally, in July, Mr. Kenning returns to Cuba to complete work on new lessons documenting that nation’s colonial past.

Summer is traditionally the season that sees the most research and development at Openendedsocialstudies.org, and this is turning out to be one of our most exciting seasons yet!

 

 

Trading Card Propaganda: Winning Over the Children of the Revolution

This lesson was reported from:
Adapted in part from open sources.

Continue reading “Trading Card Propaganda: Winning Over the Children of the Revolution”

Cuba Libre: An Island in the Imperialist Sea

Continue reading “Cuba Libre: An Island in the Imperialist Sea”

The Duty of the Hour: The Cuban Revolution Part I

“The revolution is not an apple that falls when it is ripe. You have to make it fall.” – Che Guevara

This lesson was reported from:
Adapted in part from open sources.

Continue reading “The Duty of the Hour: The Cuban Revolution Part I”

Reform and Resistance: The Cuban Revolution Part II

“They talk about the failure of socialism, but where is the success of capitalism in Africa, Asia, and Latin America?” – Fidel Castro

This lesson was reported from:
Adapted in part from open sources.

Continue reading “Reform and Resistance: The Cuban Revolution Part II”

How to Cuba 2017

Excellent choice on going to Havana – it’s pretty spectacular and very distinct…  Though you can sense the winds of change in the air – in a few years, you get the feeling that there is going to be a lot more American money flowing in…  Get there before the McDonald’s opens.

Continue reading “How to Cuba 2017”

March 18, 2017: Havana, Cuba – The So-Called October Crisis

The commanding heights of Havana are controlled by two imposing forts on the east side of Havana Harbor.  They’re impossible to miss from the Malecon, and for nearly four hundred years, with the exception of a brief British interlude, they kept Havana safe as a rallying point for Spanish galleons laden with successive waves of Aztec, Inca, and native-mined riches.

Continue reading “March 18, 2017: Havana, Cuba – The So-Called October Crisis”

March 17, 2017: Havana, Cuba – Necropolis Cristobal Colon and Other Things Well-Named 

For the last three mornings, Yurien’s Mama and Papa have prepared and served a truly titanic breakfast – honestly enough to bring lesser men to their knees crying, “Mercy!”  Scrambled eggs, sausage, cheese, two kinds of sweet pastries, a heaping fruit plate of bananas, pineapple, and guava, bread, butter, mango marmalade, the blackest coffee you can imagine, and freshly pureed and chilled smoothie, all taken up on the roof of their little casa overlooking the sunrise on the most picturesque mogote.   Continue reading “March 17, 2017: Havana, Cuba – Necropolis Cristobal Colon and Other Things Well-Named “