Case Study Materials

Case Study 1: 9/11 and the Iraq War

Feb. 13 (W): Documentary "Buying the War"

http://vimeo.com/33033186

Feb. 15 (F): Watch "Fahrenheit 911"

Readings:
Framing the War on Terror by Reese & Lewis
Ignoring the lessons of 9/11 by Jensen
https://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/09/09-15

Feb. 20 (W): Debate on "What should the role of the press be in critical times?"

Case Study 2:  Walmart & Starbucks

Readings:
Flattener No. 7: Supply-Chaining -- from The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman
Introduction and p. 82-112 of China Crisis: The End of Cheap Labor -- from The Price of a Bargain by Gordon Laird

(Mon) Feb. 25: Documentary Mardi Gras: Made in China

(Wed) Feb. 27: Documentary -- China Blue

(Fri) March 1: Guest speaker on India-U.S. relations

(Mon) March 4: Discussion and guest presentation on media framing of Foxconn suicides

(Wed) March 6: Documentary -- Living with Coffee
http://youtu.be/BwYl69VstPw

Presentations:

A) How did U.S. politicians frame the job loss/outsourcing issue?
http://prezi.com/6ckpblqzybch/outsourcing/

B) Debate: Who's responsible for the inequality between workers in the third world and consumers in the first world?

Reading: Chapter 1 "Capitalism: Marvelous, Misunderstood, Maligned" from Conscious Capitalism by John Mackey & Raj Sisodia.

C) Advocacy groups and the Fair Trade movement.

Case Study 3: You Are What You Eat

(Wed) March 20: Documentary -- Soul Food Junkies

Readings: Fast Food Nation -- Introduction and Ch2 (p.42-57 on marketing to children)

Readings: Fast Food Nation -- Ch 5 (Why the Fries Taste Good), Ch 6 (p.139-144 on chicken nuggets and beef), and Afterwords: The meaning of mad cow

Presentations:

A) Is U.S. beef safe?
http://prezi.com/ksu_cdyixwny/is-american-beef-safe/

B) Food-related health issues among Americans: obesity, diabetes, heart disease
http://prezi.com/jm35tlzzfdme/fast-food-fast-profits/

C) In-depth research on a particular type of food as an extension of the readings: Soda

D) Generically modified food

E) Thoughts on Fish

Case Study 4: Sustainability (Food, Energy, & Paper Waste)

(Fri) April 5: Documentary Dive!

Readings:
1. Wasted: How America Is Losing Up to 40 Percent of Its Food from Farm to Fork to Landfill
2. Americans Waste $130 Billion a Year on Energy
3. Energy Waste Rebounds: Top 10 Energy Pigs in the Plug

(Fri) April 12: Presentations

A) The American lifestyle and our reliance on petroleum

B) Recycling in the U.S.: Are we doing a good job? (Paper, plastic, or batteries, etc.)

C) UT's energy policy and practice