Violence, War, Peace and the Media (American University Syllabus, 2012)
Violence, War and Peace, and the Media
Course Syllabus
Washington Semester Program
School of Professional and Extended Studies
American University
Fall Semester 2012
Professor Colman McCarthy
Office: Center for Teaching Peace / 4501 Van Ness St., NW / Washington DC 20016
Telephone: 202 537-1372.
Email: cmccarthy@starpower.net
Office Hours:
Class Days and Times:
Whether they are journalists working for the corporate media or going it along as independents, or whether they are print or broadcast reporters, or whether they are newspaper columnists or television analysts, the media are deeply involved in the issues of violence, war and peace. The course examines both the quality of the coverage and the relationship of the media to those who commit violence, wage war, or wage peace. The wars to be examined are not only conventional military conflicts but also the war zones found in domestic violence, racial violence, violence toward the environment and animals, and state sanctioned violence in the death penalty.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
This course will:
Improve the students’ understanding of the nature and the impact in society of the media coverage of the issues of violence, war and peace through lectures, assigned readings, and class discussions
Immerse the students in the academic literature on the role of media coverage of the issues of violence, war and peace
Help the students think critically about media coverage of the issues of violence, war and peace, as well as media coverage of all issues in general
Lead students to consider alternative approaches, theories, and models for media coverage of the issues of violence, war and peace
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to:
Identify key actors and forces that influence the media coverage of the issues of violence, war and peace
Analyze relevant theories offered in the literature in the fields of media coverage of violence, war and peace, and apply them to “real world” situations
Compare and contrast, as well as critique diverse interpretations of the media coverage of the issues of violence, war and peace
Articulate their own perspectives on the nature and the impact in society of the media coverage of the issues of violence, war and peace
Demonstrate active learning and engagement through such activities as: critical questioning, synthesis and evaluation of course readings and resource materials, active discussion, written and oral presentation, and analytical writing.
The course is discussion-based. Dissent is welcomed, as are minority views, eccentricities, and the occasional digression. Let’s be good listeners. Listening to other is an act of caring.
COURSE TEXTBOOKS
Murray Polner, editor, We Who Dared Say No to War (New York: Basic Books, 2008)
Colman McCarthy, editor, Peace is Possible (Washington, DC: Center for Teaching Peace, 2012)
Colman McCarthy, editor, Strength through Peace (Washington, DC: Center for Teaching Peace, 2005)
Colman McCarthy, editor, Solutions to Violence (Washington, DC: Center for Teaching Peace, 2000)
MEASURMENTS FOR ASSESSING STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
A paper, a journal, and a final exam:
The paper should be between 1,000 and 1,200 words. Due date: the eighth week of class. The ideal paper is a mix of personal reflection, analysis, and fact-based commentary. It should not be a conventional research paper, tilled from the depleted soil of term paper dullness. Write a paper that is uniquely and creatively your own that no one else could produce: perhaps about some of your life experiences, how you have dealt with hard times, how you have dealt with violence in your life or conflicts with your family and friends. Another possibility is to write your reflections on one or more of the essays in our texts and how those ideas relate to your own life. It is fine to use the first person pronoun. In fact, it is often better that way. It is a matter of expertise. You are the expert on you; or should be.
The journal, which can be hand-written or computer-typed, should contain weekly entries of 400 words or more. About what? It might be your comments about the class discussions, your reactions to the class readings, your comments about events in the news, ideas aroused by experiences outside the classroom--please omit, however, gripes about the cafeteria food and/or campus parking fines. Keep a journal so that 40 years from now, your children can read it and say, “So that’s what Mom and Dad were like in college. Amazing!” Due date: final class.
Papers or journals that are exceptionally well-written, creative, and unique earn As. Ones that are above average, flow with well hewn prose and have occasional flashes of creativity earn Bs. Papers or journals that show only an ordinary command of language and are not especially noteworthy in either style or intelligence, earn Cs. Ones that are plodding or cause the professor to fall asleep after the first page earn a D—or F, depending how long the sleep lasts.
The final exam will be based on the course texts and handouts. Please note that the exam will include a list approximately 20 quotes as well as a list of their authors. Students are expected to match the quotes with the authors. Only those quotes that were read aloud in class will be on the exam.
FINAL COURSE GRADING
The final grades for the course are based on thirds: one third the paper, one third the journal, one third the exam.
The best reason for an absence is a death: mine or yours. If you miss a class, check with a fellow student on what was covered or read aloud.
AVAILABILITY
As noted above, I am reachable at the Center for Teaching Peace, located at 4501 Van Ness St., NW, Washington, DC 20016. Appointments are easily arranged. Phone: 202 537-1372. Email: cmccarthy@starpower.net
ABOUT THE PROFESSOR
Colman McCarthy, a former columnist for The Washington Post, is the director of The Center for Teaching Peace. He has written for The New Yorker, The Nation
and The New Republic, and is the author of six books on social justice.
PROPOSED LESSON PLAN
What follows is a week by week plan of what’s ahead, and like all plans may be altered if necessary.
An examination of the relationship between journalism and peace, including our own personal involvements in decreasing violence and increasing peace.
What exactly is meant by peace? If every government claims it wants peace, and if every human hearts yearns for peace, why is it scarce? Readings: chapter one in “Strength through Peace.”
A discussion of everyday violence, from the verbal violence of cat-calling to emotional violence often seen in family conflicts. Readings: chapter two, “The Other War Zone,” in “Peace Is Possible.”
What are the thoughts of the victims of the wars In Iraq and Afghanistan? Read chapter six in “Peace Is Possible.”
Can former enemies ever be reconciled? Readings: chapter 9, “The Peace of Reconciliation” in “Peace Is Possible.” The documentary “Vietnam: Long Time Coming” will be shown.”
The media and the death penalty. An exploration of the coverage given to executions and legal cases involving capital punishment. Readings: chapter ten in “Strength through Peace” and chapter seven in “Solutions to Violence.”
How did the media report the Vietnam War? Readings: chapter eight in “Strength through Peace” and chapter eight in “We Who Dared Say No To War.” The documentary, “Letters Home from Vietnam” will be shown.
Where has nonviolence worked? An examination of how the media have reported such successful resistance movements in Denmark, Poland, Chile, and elsewhere. Readings: chapter six in “Strength through Peace.”
How are the media covering the war on animals--as waged in the nation’s slaughterhouses, hunting grounds, laboratories, circuses, race tracks. Readings: chapter 12 in “Strength through Peace,” chapter 8 in “Solutions to Violence.”
Time now for Gandhi, the Indian peacemaker. Readings: chapter three in “Solutions to Violence” and chapter five in “Strength through Peace.” The documentary, “Gandhi and His Times” will be shown.
Week Eleven
How do we deal the threat of violence to ourselves? Are nonviolent solutions possible? Readings: chapter seven in “Peace Is Possible” and chapter one in “Solutions to Violence.”
Week Twelve
When the soldiers come home: what do they face, what do they need? Readings: chapter five, “When Ear Trails the Warriors,” in “Peace Is Possible.”
Week Thirteen
A discussions of civil disobedience. Readings: chapter ten, “Resistance and Persistence” in “Peace Is Possible” and chapter ten in “We Who Dared Say No To War.”
Week Fourteen
Is racism a plague of the past. Readings: chapter five in “Solutions to Violence” and chapter twelve, “Closing the Racial Divide” in “Peace Is Possible.” in The media and Martin Luther King, Jr. Why was King presented as only a civil rights leader and not an anti-war activist. Readings: chapter five in “Solutions to Violence.”
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ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Standards of academic conduct are set forth in the University’s Academic Integrity Code which can be found at http://www.american.edu/academics/integrity/code01.htm. It is expected that all assignments will be completed according to the standards set forth in this code. By registering, students have acknowledged awareness of the Academic Integrity Code and are obliged to become familiar with their rights and responsibilities as defined by the Code. Violations of the Academic Integrity Code will not be treated lightly, and disciplinary action will be taken should such violations occur. Please see me if there are any questions about the academic violations described in the Code in general, or as they relate to particular requirements for this or any other course or work at American University.
STUDENT SERVICES
Students experiencing difficulty in this course for any reason must not hesitate to consult with the course professor. In addition to the resources of the Washington Semester Program, a wide range of services are available to support students in their efforts to meet the course requirements:
The Academic Support Center (202-885-3360, Mary Graydon Center—Room #243, AU Main Campus) offers study skills workshops, individual instruction, tutor referrals, and services for students with learning disabilities. Writing support is available in the Tenley Writing Studio (Capital Hall—Room #103), as well as in the ASC Writing Lab or in the Writing Center (Battelle Building—Room #228, AU Main Campus).
The Counseling Center (202-885-3500, Mary Graydon Center—Room #214) offers counseling and consultations regarding personal concerns, self-help information, and connections to off-campus mental health resources.
The office of Disability Support Services (202-885-3315, Mary Graydon Center—Room #206) offers technical and practical support and assistance with accommodations for students with physical, medical, or psychological disabilities. If a student qualifies for accommodations because of a disability, please notify your professor in a timely manner with a letter from the American University Academic Support Center or office of Disability Support Services (or the equivalent offices at the student’s home college or university) so that arrangements can be made to address the student’s needs.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
In the event of a declared pandemic (influenza or other communicable disease) or other emergency, American University will implement a plan for meeting the needs of all members of the university community. Should the university be required to close for a period of time, we are committed to ensuring that all aspects of our educational programs will be delivered to our students. These may include altering and extending the duration of the traditional term schedule to complete essential instruction in the traditional format and/or use of distance instructional methods.
All faculty members will design alternative means of completing classes. Specific strategies will vary from class to class, depending on the format of the course and the timing of the emergency. I will communicate class-specific information to students via AU email and/or Blackboard, while you must inform me immediately of any absence due to illness or emergency. Students are responsible for checking AU email regularly and keeping themselves informed of emergencies.
In the event of a declared pandemic or other emergency, you should refer to the AU Web site (www. prepared. american.edu) and the AU information line at (202) 885-1100 for general university-wide information, AND contact your faculty and/or respective dean’s office for course and school/college-specific information.
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This syllabus represents a general plan for the course. The professor reserves the right to adjust the syllabus and schedule, as needed.