Instructor: Frank Russell
Course Description
One of the most important functions of journalism is calling our attention to what we might otherwise ignore. And all too often, the people we ignore are the poorest and most powerless among us, both in our own countries and around the world. This course introduces students to journalistic writing that chips away at classism, colonialism and ethnocentrism through vivid encounters with The Other and/or uncomfortable examination of our own (and the writer’s) biases.
Course Objectives
- Familiarize students with classic and contemporary works of literary journalism that are exemplars of the theme of the course;
- Engage with the historical contexts in which these works of journalism were reported and written;
- Distinguish and recognize various information-gathering techniques, including participant-observation, undercover reporting and interviewing;
- Distinguish and recognize various narrative techniques, including different approaches to plot, character development, setting, action, dialog, style, structure, point of view and theme;
- Recognize the ethical issues that arise when one delves deeply into the lives of real people, especially those who are most vulnerable.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will:
- Be aware of and potentially able to apply the range of reporting and writing techniques available to the literary journalist.
- Appreciate the power of good journalism to increase awareness of the plight of the poor and the powerless and be catalyst for action and change.
- Be able to articulate, orally and in writing, what makes a work of literary journalism compelling.
- Understand the historical, social and political underpinnings of some of the intractable problems addressed by literary journalists during the past century.
- Improve their writing in English through reader’s journals, essays and instructor critiques.
Class/Learning Activities
Discussion of readings, in-class presentations, readings, written assignments.
Workload
Type of work | Description | Hours |
Readings | Out-of-class reading assignments | 60 |
Reader’s Journals | Weekly responses to the readings | 40 |
Presentations | Each student will give a presentation on a set of readings | 20 |
Essays | 3 papers on the readings | 120 |
Lecture/discussion | 13 3-hour classes | 40 |
Total workload | 280 |
Assessment
Type of assessment | Learning outcome | Impact on final grade | Date of assessment |
Presentation | 1-6 | 10% | TBA |
Reader’s Journal | 1-6 | 30% | Weekly |
Essays (3) | 1-6 | 60% | 9th, 12th and 15th week |
Required Reading
Books:
- Yagoda, Ben and Kevin Kerrane (eds.) (1997). The Art of Fact. New York: Touchstone.
- Kingsley, Patrick (2017). The New Odyssey. New York: Liveright.
Additional Possibilities:
- Boo, Katherine (2014). Behind the Beautiful Forevers. New York: Random House.
- Conover, Ted (1987). Coyotes. New York: Vintage.
- Hersey, John (1946/2019). Hiroshima. BN Publishing.
- Kidder, Tracy (2009). Mountains Beyond Mountains. New York: Random House.
- LeBlanc, Adrian Nicole (2004). Random Family. New York: Scribner.
- Lowery, Wesley (2016). They Can’t Kill Us All. London: Penguin.
- Macy, Beth (2018). Dopesick. Boston: Little, Brown.
- Nazario, Sonia (2007). Enrique’s Journey. New York: Random House.
- Taibbi, Matt (2018). I Can’t Breathe. New York: Random House.
Articles and Websites:
- Mogelson, Luke (2017). “The Impossible Refugee Boat Lift to Christmas Island,” New York Times Magazine: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/17/magazine/the-impossible-refugee-boat-lift-to-christmas-island.html
- Media and Migration, Covering the Refugee Crisis: https://en.unesco.org/news/media-and-migration-covering-refugee-crisis
- Migration Crisis: https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/projects/migration-crisis
- The Ethics of Reporting on the Refugee Crisis: http://www.rai.it/dl/siti/html/The-Ethics-Of-Reporting-On-The-Refugee-Crisis-f8371972-281b-41f3-aa9f-6bf035c338d1.html
- Ethical Reporting on Migration and Refugee Crisis: https://europeanjournalists.org/blog/2015/12/14/ethical-reporting-on-migration-and-refugee-crisis/
- The 10 Best Articles on Refugees and Migration: https://openmigration.org/en/web-review/the-10-best-articles-on-refugees-and-migration-262016/
- Moving Stories: https://ethicaljournalismnetwork.org/moving-stories-international-review-of-how-media-cover-migration