Annotated Biography
“Norway/Russia: Don’t Jeopardize Asylum Seekers.” Human Rights Watch, 5 Feb. 2016, www.hrw.org/news/2016/02/03/norway/russia- dont-jeopardize-asylum-seekers. Accessed 3 Apr. 2017.
Unfortunately, there was no author listed as the writer but the source of the article is the Human Rights Watch, which closely follows all progressions and conflicts that people face around the globe. The main claim seems to be that Russians asylum seekers need to be given a fair review of their cases before they are sent back from Norway to Russia. The thesis states that these cases are often overlooked and these people are being returned to a country that they once fled. The intended audience seems to be the Norway government and people who could change the current system to be more friendly and fair to Russian asylum seekers. Its secondary audience would be anyone looking to keep up on global human rights issues.
The article is written by the Human Rights Watch group and it does have an obvious bias towards its argument that asylum seekers deserve a fairer process. The article is meant to inform and perused people so it is slanted in its delivery of information. The articles strengths would be its ability to put an emotional spin on pure facts, while making it clear that a change is needed to protect these asylum seekers. It is very detailed and gives compelling facts that may not have been well known before reading this article. The only weakness the article has would be its heavy bias with no real rebuttal to any possible augments made against the facts. The facts and information would greatly help me show that while most people think asylum seekers come from 3rd world country’s they are wrong. Russia is a prime example of a first world country committing offenses against human rights and forcing people to become asylum seekers. This material is very relevant and right on point in helping me create facts centering around Russia and its asylum seekers. Tiffany marked it as a troubling place and it is important that people see the global scale of these issues which this article nails home.
“Rescue Lives in Baltimore, MD.” IRC, International Rescue Committee, www.rescue.org/united-states/baltimore-md. Accessed 3 Apr. 2017.
The Author of this article is unidentified but the sponsor of the article is the International Rescue Committee. They are located across America and help Asylum seekers and refuges who are fleeing their home country to come to a safer home. The articles main purpose is to inform the reader about the struggles and the massive number of people fleeing their homeland each year. Its thesis is that these people deserve a free life away from harm and deserve a chance to be happy in America. The intended audience would be anyone looking to understand the local reality of asylum and immigration seekers. This article focuses on Baltimore and gives fact that most people would not know or care to overlook. It secondary audience after informing people would be to illicit a response to get people to act and help out the cause.
While the article could be bias it does not show up all the time. They do list facts and tell stories that presents their cause in a good light, but the article is not always noticeably bias. It could be considered slanted in the way that they list how their organization tries to help all these incoming people. The strength of this article is its ability to make the reader feel connected and have them get involved. It is a great idea for AWE to have something like this under their own Baltimore part of the map. It makes a reader go from looking for information to wanting to be involved. The weakness of this article is that it has many cool facts but not a lot of substantial facts that can be used. The information would defiantly help out the argument and has given me a really good idea for what to include in the Baltimore point of the map and how to structure it. Lastly the information is relevant in the way that it really hits home. Like one fact is that the maker of the famous old bay spice was not even from this country, but immigrated here.
“RESTORING WHAT’S BEEN LOST.” USCRI, U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, refugees.org/explore-the-issues/refugees-facts/. Accessed 3 Apr. 2017.
While the site is run by the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants it does not list an author for this page. The site is dedicated to helping people from around the world whether refugees, asylum seekers, or immigrants resettle in the U.S. The thesis seems to be that there is a scarcity of resources available to seekers which can cause them to lose hope of ever finding a normal home and life. The main claims are that more needs to be done to help these people. The developed world is not taking in enough seekers to help offset the massive number of people displaced, and that this is a global issue that effects millions around the world. The intended audience for this site would be people looking to learn more about issues that plague seekers and refugees while also hoping to obtain donations from people.
The article is very good at presenting facts in a colorful and well laid out manor, which seems to keep any bias down to a minimum. The page is set up in a way where the facts are broken down and while it does not have a very personal connection the facts do a good job at convincing a reader to act while have no slant or bias. The strength of this page is the ability for it to lay out so many dry facts, but keep the reader’s attention through every last one. The page breaks down each fact in a picture or drawing and makes you feel closer to the fact. It also helps break up the page. The weakness of it would be the lack of a personal story to tie into all the facts given. There really is not true weakness and the map found on here is a great template for the project I am looking to do. It supports my idea in every way imaginable from facts to providing me with a map to see how I should start my own. The information will help me write about some points on the map as well as providing information in general about seekers and refugees.
Sturm, Nora. “UNHCR Calls for Urgent Action as Central America Asylum Claims Soar.” UNHCR, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 5 Apr. 2016, www.unhcr.org/en- us/news/latest/2016/4/5703ab396/unhcr-calls-urgent-action- central-america-asylum-claims-soar.html. Accessed 3 Apr. 2017.
Nora Sturm is the author of the article and her background consists of being a Research and Communications Officer for the UN Secretary-General as well as working for the UNHCR, Human Rights Watch. The thesis is that more needs to be done to protect and help the people of central America due to its growing asylum and refuge seekers. In some countries, the number of seekers has increased tenfold. The main claim made is that Mexico and other countries cannot handle the sudden wave of seekers fleeing and entering its borders. This creates issues in providing for them and protecting them. The authors intended audience would be information seekers on global issues. A person would not visit this sight unless they wanted news on issues around the globe.
The article seems relatively unbiased in its form of presenting facts and saying more needs to be done. It could be slanted to better state her argument but it is not a very noticeable or prevalent slant. The article is very emotional and passionate in its writing but it feels weak on the research and facts part. I can tell she wants to pull on heart strings but the facts seem to get lost in the writing. While the strength is in the passion on the article its weakness seems to be the lack of facts supporting the overall information. The information in this article does support my paper and helps to show that a global issue requires a globe response. The material has some good points but it is not the most relevant to my paper. I can use pieces of it but it helps me see how to add emotion into the facts but also warns me not to get carried away.