In this class we will view a series of films related to global politics. Students will be expected to attend a once-a-week class and participate in the discussion following each movie. The goal of this course will be to help students learn about current events as well as world history through watching movies, and completing short reading assignments relating the films to current events. At the end of the course students should have a better understanding of global political forces, and should have gained skills in critically assessing popular films.

The Requirements:
Readings will be assigned for each movie watched as a group. They will be short essays/articles relating to the subject matter of the film to present day.

Reaction papers will be required for each movie seen together as a group. Papers should be 1-2 pages long and should compare the week’s movie, reading, and your own reaction. Paper topics will be assigned the week a movie is watched and will be due the following week. Alternately you may write a short (4-6 page) research paper on a given section instead of the two or three short papers. This must be approved by one or both of us at any time up to the last week of the section you are writing it on, and it will be due the week following the section. In order to write the longer paper, all movies in the appropriate section must be attended

You must attend all classes for which you write a paper, with a maximum of two papers missed over the semester. You may not miss any movie from a section if you plan to write the longer paper for that section. Passing the class will require that students complete the assigned work with a check average, out of a check/check-plus/check-minus system.