Unit 1 Questions

Please answer each of the following questions.  If you are taking this course in a group you may then meet to discuss your answers.

1. Do you think that the lack of a constitution has affected the working of the Commonwealth? Should the Commonwealth consider creating one for the future?
   
   
2. What should the Commonwealth be doing to remain relevant in today’s societies?
   
   
3. Do you believe that CHOGM Communiques and Declarations have addressed the problems of their times?
   
   
4. What further activities should the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association undertake for parliamentary staff?
   
   
5. Do you believe that the Commonwealth can make an impact on global trade practices?

Relevant Abbreviations

CBC                  Commonwealth Business Council
CFTC                Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation
CHRI                 Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative
CoL                   Commonwealth of Learning
ComSec            Commonwealth Secretariat
CPA                  Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
RCS                  Royal Commonwealth Society

Relevant Internet Resources

Commonwealth Business Council
http://www.cbcglobelink.org/cbcglobal/index.htm

Commonwealth Foundation
http://www.commonwealthfoundation.com

Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation
http://www.thecommonwealth.org/Internal/20636/commonwealth_fund_
for_technical_co_operation/

Commonwealth Games
http://www.commonwealthgames.com/

Commonwealth Heads of Government
http://www.thecommonwealth.org/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=33250

Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative
http://www.humanrightsinitiative.org/

Commonwealth Journalists Association
http://www.cjaweb.com/

Commonwealth of Learning
http://www.col.org/colweb/site

Commonwealth Local Government Forum
http://www.clgf.org.uk/

Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group
http://www.thecommonwealth.org/Internal/38125/cmag/

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
http://www.cpahq.org/

Commonwealth Policy Studies Unit
http://www.cpsu.org.uk/

Commonwealth Secretariat
http://www.thecommonwealth.org/

Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London
www.sas.ac.uk/commonwealthstudies

The Royal Commonwealth Society
http://www.rcsint.org/

Young People’s Commonwealth
www.youngcommonwealth.org

Select Bibliography

ComSec (2009). The Commonwealth Yearbook. Cambridge,  Nexus Strategic Partnerships.

ComSec (2007). Commonwealth Heads of Government Reference Report. London, Henley Media Group.

ComSec (biennial). Commonwealth Heads of Government Reference Book. London, ComSec/Henley Media.

ComSec (2003). Making Democracy work for Pro-Poor Development. London, ComSec.

CPA (2006). Delivering Development and Democracy. London, CPA.

Doxey,M. (1989). The Commonwealth Secretariat and the Contemporary
Commonwealth. London, Macmillan.

Kisonga, E. (ed). (2007). Small States of the Commonwealth: Challenges
and Prospects. London, ComSec.

Lyon, P. (1997). Looking towards the Edinburgh CHOGM, editorial in The Round Table,
October 1997, London.

Lyon, P. (1999). Fifty Years of a Renewing Commonwealth, editorial in The Round
Table, April 1999, London.

Mayall, J. (1997). More than Bread and Circuses. The World Today, October. London,
The Royal Institute of International Affairs.

McIntyre, D. (1991). The Significance of the Commonwealth, 1965-1990. London,
Macmillan.

Paren, L., Coxon, C. and Dorall, C. (2004). The Commonwealth: a Family of Nations,
comprising Pupil Book and Teacher Resource Pack. London, ComSec.

The Round Table (2004). The Commonwealth after Abuja: Current Issues, Future
Directions. London, The Round Table.