Glossary
African National Congress (ANC)
A political party and liberation movement in South Africa that fought against apartheid, with Nelson Mandela as a key figure.
Example:
The African National Congress (ANC) played a pivotal role in organizing both peaceful and armed resistance against the oppressive apartheid regime.
Al-Qaeda
A global terrorist organization of Islamic extremists and Salafist Jihadists, founded by Osama bin Laden, originally formed to fight the Soviet Union in Afghanistan.
Example:
Al-Qaeda gained global notoriety for orchestrating the 9/11 attacks on the United States, targeting symbols of American economic and military power.
Apartheid
A system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination enforced in South Africa from 1948 to the early 1990s.
Example:
Under apartheid, non-white South Africans were subjected to severe restrictions on their rights, including forced removals and limited access to education and healthcare.
Augusto Pinochet
The military dictator of Chile from 1974 to 1990, responsible for reversing land reform policies and committing widespread human rights abuses.
Example:
Augusto Pinochet's regime in Chile was characterized by the suppression of dissent and the killing of thousands of political opponents.
Civil Disobedience
The active, nonviolent refusal to obey certain laws, demands, or commands of a government or occupying power, as a form of protest.
Example:
The Montgomery Bus Boycott, where African Americans refused to ride segregated buses, is a classic example of civil disobedience used to challenge unjust laws.
Francisco Franco
A ruthless dictator who ruled Spain from 1936 to 1975, known for using violence and oppression to maintain power.
Example:
Under Francisco Franco's authoritarian regime, thousands of political opponents, particularly Catalans and Basques, were killed, and only Catholicism was officially permitted.
Human Rights
Fundamental rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status.
Example:
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations in 1948 to establish a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations.
Idi Amin
The dictator of Uganda from 1971 to 1979, who expanded the military and used it to persecute specific tribes and expel thousands of Asians.
Example:
Idi Amin's rule was marked by severe human rights abuses, including the systematic persecution of ethnic groups like the Acholi and Lango.
Imperialism
A policy of extending a country's power and influence through colonization, use of military force, or other means of domination.
Example:
European imperialism in the 19th century led to the carving up of Africa into colonies, driven by the desire for raw materials and new markets.
Jihad
An Islamic concept referring to a struggle, which can be an internal spiritual effort for self-improvement or an external struggle for the defense of Islam.
Example:
For many Muslims, the concept of Jihad primarily signifies a personal commitment to living a righteous life and upholding the principles of their faith.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
An influential American civil rights leader who campaigned against racial segregation in the U.S. during the 1950s and 60s, using nonviolent protests inspired by Gandhi.
Example:
Martin Luther King, Jr. organized impactful sit-ins, marches, and boycotts, including the historic March on Washington, to advocate for racial equality.
Military-Industrial Conflict
A concept describing the close relationship between a nation's military and the defense industry, often leading to increased arms trading and intensified global conflicts.
Example:
The rise of the Military-Industrial Conflict after World War II meant that powerful corporations had a vested interest in the continuation of arms production and sales, sometimes fueling international tensions.
Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi
The leader of the Indian nationalist movement who popularized nonviolent protest and civil disobedience as a means to achieve independence.
Example:
Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi inspired millions with his philosophy of nonviolent resistance, famously leading the Salt March to defy British colonial rule.
Nationalism
A strong identification with one's own nation and support for its interests, often leading to movements for self-determination or independence.
Example:
The rise of nationalism in colonized territories after World War II fueled numerous independence movements across Asia and Africa.
Nelson Mandela
An anti-apartheid revolutionary and political leader who became the first President of South Africa, symbolizing the struggle against institutionalized racial segregation.
Example:
After 27 years of imprisonment, Nelson Mandela emerged to lead South Africa's peaceful transition from apartheid to a multiracial democracy.
Political Ideologies
A set of ethical ideals, principles, doctrines, or symbols that guide a social movement, institution, or group, explaining how society should work.
Example:
The Cold War was largely a global struggle between the competing political ideologies of capitalism, championed by the United States, and communism, advocated by the Soviet Union.
Salt March
A major act of nonviolent civil disobedience led by Mahatma Gandhi in 1930 to protest the British salt tax in colonial India.
Example:
During the Salt March, thousands of Indians walked to the Arabian Sea to illegally collect salt, symbolizing their defiance against British economic exploitation.
Shining Path
A Maoist guerrilla group in Peru that waged a violent insurgency from the 1980s to the late 1990s, aiming to overthrow the government and establish a communist state.
Example:
The Shining Path drew support from rural peasants but employed brutal tactics, including bombings and assassinations, in its fight against the Peruvian government.