Freedom of the Press, Privacy, Transparency, and Accountability Assignment

Choose one article/website listed below to read and/or investigate.  On binder paper, please complete the following questions in paragraph form.  (3 paragraphs)

1.  Summarize what the article/website is about as well as its main points.
2.  Read the article or website carefully and discuss (in detail) what you learned.
3.  What are some things that surprised you or interest you in particular?
4.  In what ways does the content of your website connect to the democratic ideas of the freedom of the press, right to privacy, government transparency, and/or government accountable to the people.

Website/Article Links:
Wikileaks.org
"The War Logs" (New York Times collection of WikiLeaks releases)
ProPublica site on government surveillance
The Guardian's Series on the NSA (National Security Administration) Files
"How Laura Poitras Helped Snowden Spill His Secrets" Article (New York Times Magazine)
"WikiLeaks' War on Secrecy: Truth's Consequences" (Time Magazine)

Journal #8: Pillars of Democracy

Link to Foreign Policy/Democracy PowerPoint

Out of the list of "pillars of democracy" in the above PowerPoint, which two do you think are the most important or do you feel most strongly about.  Please explain.  Write at least one well-structured paragraph.

Amartya Sen's "Identity and Violence" Reading and Context Clues Handout

If you were absent today, please view the PowerPoint on "Close Reading Strategies," and then read the first 5 paragraphs while doing the following:  number each paragraph, underline/highlight important points (one per paragraph), left column annotation, right column annotation (one of each per paragraph).  DO NOT do this without first viewing the PowerPoint.
 

Close Reading Strategies PowerPoint Link

Example of Annotation Strategy Link

Link to the reading

Link to the handout

Final In-Class Essay (DATE CHANGE: Thursday 10/17 AND Friday 10/18): Explaining the Conflict

Link to Essay Description

Link to Essay Planner (optional)

Link to AXES Support Paragraph Formation (optional)

Journal #7: "The Underground War in Gaza"

1.  In what ways does Joe Sacco, author of “The Underground War in Gaza,” attempt to remain neutral and show both sides of the conflict?  Explain (in detail) what parts of the piece seem to present the Israeli military’s position and what parts of the piece show the Palestinian perspective.  

2.  Do you think Sacco manages to remain unbiased, or does his own perspective seem to permeate his neutral journalistic stance?

Israel-Palestine Peace Organizations Group Research Project links

10th Grade PowerPoint Requirements link

Peace Project Requirements link

Short Essay: Israeli and Palestinian Literary Analysis

In what ways does the literature of Etgar Keret (Israel) differ from the literature of Darwish and Kanafani (Palestine)?   In what ways do you think these authors reflect the political situation of their particular region?

Use your chart to contrast the subjects/themes, tone, characterization, and setting.  Discuss at least two literary elements.

Requirements:  

•May be hand-written or typed

•Short Introduction (4 sentences) that contains a THESIS statement. 

•Two body paragraphs (8-sentences)

•Conclusion paragraph (4 sentences)

Journal #6: Before we read literature from Israel and Palestine...

In one paragraph, describe what you think Israeli and Palestinian literature will be like?  For example, what are their stories going to be about?  How might the subjects, characters, setting, and tone of Palestinian literature differ from that of Israeli literature?  Think about the realities of living in a conflict zone while responding, as well at the role of the arts in a conflict zone.

Reflection Questions on the film, Promises (Due Monday, 9/30)

Please answer the following questions in complete sentences on binder paper.

1.  What happens to people when "normal" means being surrounded by war? (5+ sentences)
2.  Over the course of the film, how do the children change? (5+ sentences)
3.  What is the message of the film?  Overall, what is the film trying to teach us about peace-making? (5+ sentences)
4.  What kinds of circumstances do you think contribute to extremism on each side of the conflict? (5+ sentences)   (In other words, what kinds of things make people accept and adopt extremist points of view?)
Total = 20 points

Comparative Media Analysis: Gaza Flotilla Raid of 2010

Before attempting this assignment, familiarize yourself with the Gaza Flotilla Raid by viewing the following Associated Press video:   Gaza Flotilla Raid AP Coverage May 31, 2010

In this assignment, we are going to compare and contrast news media on the Israeli-Palestine conflict to try to find the persepctive and bias in each media outlet's reporting.  You will read three articles on the raid of a "Flotilla" of humanitarian aid attempting to break through the Israeli blockade of Gaza that happened on May 31, 2010.  Take notes describing how the articles are different.  Make one column for WAFA (The Palestinian News Agency), one column for Al Jazeera (the major news agency for the Arab world), and one column for The Jerusalem Post (Israeli news agency).

Your task:  As you read each article, briefly summarize the content of the article paying careful attention to whose perspective it appears to represent.  You will notice differences in the content as well as who is being interviewed.   After you summarize the content on your chart, please write two paragraphs summarizing your findings and discussing what you think really happened.

Here are the links to the three articles:
WAFA (The Palestinian State News Agency)
Al Jazeera (Arab News Agency)
Jerusalem Post (Israeli News Agency)

Article in Spanish

Journal #5: Walls Between People

Answer in one 8-10 sentence complete paragraph.
1.  What kinds of problems do you think are created when walls are put up separating ethnic groups, or groups of people with differing cultures/religions?
2.  WHY do you think a physical separation of peoples causes these problems?

Journal #4: Analyzing Tone: "Operation Blend In" and "Arab, American, Muslim, Marine"

In The Arab-American Handbook, read "Operation Blend in" by Maz Jobrani (pg. 145) and "Arab, American, Muslim....Marine" by Bill Bazzi (pg. 149).  For each of the readings, answer the following in paragraph form in your journal.

1.  What is the author's message in each of the essays?  How do know?  (USE QUOTES/PARAPHRASES)
2.  How would you describe the author's tone (attitude)?  How do you know?  (USE QUOTES/PARAPHRASES)

(10 points total, at least 2 paragraphs)

Israel-Palestine Conflict Vocabulary Powerpoint

Click here to download vocabulary Powerpoint.

Op-Ed Article: What Putin Has to Say to Americans

Today, an op-ed piece by Russian President Vladimir Putin was published in the New York Times about the conflict in Syria.  Given the cold relations between the United States and Russia in recent months, this is unprecedented.  Please read the op-ed piece by Putin, as well as two or three reader comments listed below the piece.

Write 2 paragraphs on binder paper discussing what aspects of his argument you found to be strong and what aspects of his argument you found to be weak.  Think about who his audience is and how that might impact his message.  Also think about what his motivation might be for writing this piece.  Finally, discuss what you learned from the comments below Putin's piece.  Were there points you agreed with or disagreed with?

Link to Article

Homework 9/11/13

1. Summarize your assigned section of the Timmerman article (“Odyssey of Food and Clothing”).  8-10 sentence paragraph

2. Following our game in class, please answer questions 1-5 on page 114 of Rethinking Globalization text in complete sentences on binder paper.