Homework: Crossing the Mexican border

Date assigned
Tuesday, May 13


Assignment
Watch "Illegal Border Crossing in Mexico" (located here).  Write a 300-word response about this documentary and the one we watched last weekend and post it at the Google Group.


Due date
Thursday, May 15

In class/homework: Private prisons, immigration, and the War on Drugs

Date assigned
Monday, May 12


Assignment
Read three articles about private prisons:

1) http://www.propublica.org/article/by-the-numbers-the-u.s.s-growing-for-profit-detention-industry

2) http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/12/12/how-private-prisons-profit-from-the-criminalization-of-immigrants/

3) http://www.policymic.com/articles/20186/war-on-drugs-how-private-prisons-are-using-the-drug-war-to-generate-more-inmates

Write a one-page response, either handwritten or posted on the Google Group.


Due date
Tuesday, May 13

In class: Mexican-American relations

Map of Mexico, 1830s and 40s: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/File-Mexico_1835-1846_administrative_map-en-2.svg

Map of US territorial acquisitions: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/United-states-territorial-acquistions-midcentury.png

2010 Arizona anti-immigration law: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/24/us/politics/24immig.html

Georgia enacts similar law, crops rot in fields: http://blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2011/06/17/gas-farm-labor-crisis-playing-out-as-planned/

http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/georgias-new-immigration-law-leading-to-crops-rotting-in-farmers-fields/

http://boingboing.net/2011/06/22/georgias-anti-immigr.html

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0611/57551.html

http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2012/05/17/the-law-of-unintended-consequences-georgias-immigration-law-backfires/

Homework: Crossing Mexico's Other Border

Date assigned
Thursday, May 8


Assignment
Watch the Vice documentary "Crossing Mexico's Other Border" (located here)  Be prepared to discuss in class on Monday.


Due date
Monday, May 12

4th quarter project

You may choose one of the following three options for your 4th quarter project:

1) Read a book (approved by Mr. Reinholt) about the Middle East, Latin America, or China.  Write a paper similar to the one we wrote for the 1st quarter African film project.

2) Make a piece of propaganda (on an approved topic from 2nd semester) about the Middle East, Latin America, or China, and write a 2-page paper describing the methods you used (just like the 2nd quarter propaganda project).

3) Write a country research paper about a Latin American or Asian country (approved by Mr. Reinholt) of your choosing just like our 3rd quarter final project.


Deadlines for this project

#1 - Tuesday, May 13 - Tell me which option you're choosing and get your book/propaganda topic/country approved (if you need book suggestions, ask me)

#2 - Thursday, May 22 - Turn in an outline of your ideas for your project

#3 - Thursday, May 29 - Turn in a rough draft of your project

#4 - Thursday, June 5 - Final project is due

In class: Mexican Revolution propaganda poster

Date assigned
Tuesday, May 6


Assignment
After reading about the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920), make a propaganda poster about one of the 7 men discussed (Diaz, Madero, Villa, Zapata, Huerta, Carranza, or Obregon).  It can be a message that is either for or against.  After finishing the poster, write a paragraph describing the methods you used (example: dehumanization, religious symbolism, etc.) and the message you are trying to convey to the Mexican people based on the history of the revolution.


Due date
Tuesday, May 6

News sources for current events

Alternative
Democracy Now - http://www.democracynow.org/

Al Jazeera - http://america.aljazeera.com/

Slate - http://www.slate.com/

The Young Turks - http://www.tytnetwork.com/

ProPublica - http://www.propublica.org/

Mother Jones - http://www.motherjones.com/

The Nation - http://www.thenation.com/

TomDispatch - http://www.tomdispatch.com/

Vice - http://www.vice.com/en_us

Informed Comment - http://www.juancole.com/

Truthout - http://www.truth-out.org/

TruthDig - http://www.truthdig.com/

The Guardian - http://www.theguardian.com/us

Pando Daily - http://pando.com/


Traditional
New York Times - http://www.nytimes.com/

Washington Post - http://www.washingtonpost.com/

National Public Radio - http://www.npr.org/

Wall Street Journal - http://online.wsj.com/home-page

BBC - http://www.bbc.com/news/


Partisan
MSNBC - http://www.msnbc.com/

Fox News - http://www.foxnews.com/