Topic Overview: The Civil War in Guatemala

I have chosen to write about the conflict in the Central American nation of Guatemala. From 1960 to 1996 the country was in the middle of a civil war that devastated the nation and its people. The battle between the government military and the guerrillas stemmed from political differences and several changes of power in the government ensued. This resulted in a number of casualties over the 36 year span and it wasn't until the mid 90's that formal peace talks began. Even though all the rebel guerrilla forces have been demobilized via the 1996 Peace Accord Implementation, the affects of the civil war are still visible.

Here's a link that overviews the war and its background:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/guatemala.htm

This topic connects to the theme of this class because it deals with the significance of inequality within a world that becomes more and more globalized. Within this topic, is is apparent that globalization has an effect on Guatemala on a political standpoint, which fuels the conflict. Also in analyzing and researching this topic, it will allow me to critically reflect my social perspective of the events in Guatemala.

Personally, I want to get a better understanding of political and social conflict in a changing world that comes closer together with globalization. I believe that looking at the events in Guatemala's civil war, I can see how contrasting global ideals affect small portions of the world such as Guatemala. Lastly, I wast to study this topic to be more adept in social matters involving race and ethnicity.