Think of your thesis statement as the logical goal of the first paragraph. Everything you say here should lead towards (or from) that thesis. Anything that doesn’t lead in that direction – unless you are presenting a view different from yours, which you want to argue against—doesn’t belong in your paragraph. Think of the paragraph as a funnel, where the contents are being concentrated and filtered to one end.

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The topic is about the film( Milk 2008 ) Director : Gus Van Sant

Assignment Objectives: Enhance and/or improve critical thinking and media literacy skills by:

1. Developing a clear and concise thesis statement (an argument) in response to the

following question: Does the film have the power to transform political sensibilities?

2. Writing an outline for a five paragraph analytical essay building on a clear and

concise thesis statement, including topic sentences and secondary supports.

3. Identifying and explaining three scenes from the film text in support of the thesis

statement/argument.

4. Writing an introductory paragraph for the outlined analytical essay

Be sure to read thoroughly the writing conventions below before beginning this assignment.

Note: You are NOT writing a full essay; rather, you are outlining an analytical essay by completing the dialogue boxes below.

Writing a Critical Review (analytical) Essay

Every essay that you write for this course must have a clear thesis, placed (perhaps) somewhere near the end of the introductory paragraph. Simply stated, a THESIS (or ARGUMENT) expresses, preferably in a single sentence, the point you want to make about the text that is the subject of your essay. A THESIS should be an opinion or interpretation of the text, not merely a fact or observation. The best possible THESIS will answer some specific questions about the text. Very often the THESIS contains an outline of the major points to be covered in the essay. A possible thesis for an essay on character in Perry Henzell’s The Harder They Come might read somewhat as follows:

The protagonist of THTC is not a hero in the epic sense of the word, but a self-centered young man bred of economic oppression and cultural dependency. The characters in this film have no real psychological depth, but are markers for a society of consumption and momentary glory.

(You might then go on to exemplify from the text and argue in favor or against this interpretation: your essay need not hold to only one perspective.)

What single, clear QUESTION does the above THESIS attempt to answer?

Each essay should be organized into five (5) paragraphs, each based on one of two to four major ideas, which will comprise the BODY of the essay. Each paragraph must have a topic sentence, often (but not always) towards the beginning of the paragraph, which clearly states the ARGUMENT or point to be made in the paragraph. Following the thesis set forth above, the first paragraph might begin with a sentence like “Ivan’s desires and his destiny are signaled in the opening shots of the film, where the friendly, jumbled interior of the bus is contrasted with Ivan’s first view of the outer world: a world of shiny white cars and beautiful women.” Avoid topic sentences that fail to make an interpretative statement about the work or that merely state something any reader might observe; for example, “The first characters we see are country people on a bus to town.”

Underline the THESIS and each TOPIC SENTENCE in every critical review essay you submit. This exercise will force you to make certain that you have expressed and developed the ideas in your essay clearly and logically. (In other words, do not do this exercise five minutes before you submit the essay but, rather, as you are working on the very first draft.)

Always use present tense verbs in your critical review essays about film texts. Present tense is the verb tense of analysis. Past tense, on the other hand, is the tense of narration. In each essay, you will be analyzing a particular text, not retelling or summarizing the story. If you find yourself slipping into past tense as you compose, you are probably narrating rather than analyzing.

Use specific passages from the text to support each point that you make in your essay. You may simply refer to an event in the text, or you may paraphrase what a character or the narrator says. But the best EVIDENCE will most often be direct quotes from the text.

The Introductory Paragraph – Some Approaches

In your essay, an opening or introductory paragraph may not always be the first one you write. But it will be the first one your readers read and you need to engage your readers’ attention and interest and present all you need to make your thesis clear and convincing.

Some Pitfalls to Avoid

Dictionary definitions: Define key terms and concepts in your opening paragraph, but don’t quote directly from the dictionary to do so. Use a dictionary – more than one dictionary – to formulate the definition in your own words.

Generalizations about “life,” “society,” “people today,” etc.: You don’t want to begin your essay with the kind of statement that teeters on that fine line between opinion (those ideas you will go on to prove) and belief (those ideas unprovable with the evidence offered by the text). Rather than a statement like, “Almost every man has a sense of pride and will go to war to prove it,” try something more specific to the text you are analyzing. “The character of Roland exemplifies how personal pride and personal valor do not always lead to the most fortunate conclusion.”

The painfully obvious: Avoid opening statements like “Dante’s Inferno is about a journey to hell,” or “Roland is the hero of The Song of Roland,” unless such statements are in some way controversial and challenging to traditional interpretations of the text. Try to avoid any kind of tautological formula – “something is something else” – in the opening sentence, especially, but also elsewhere as an “argument.”

Try to distinguish between historical or biographical fact: “Dante’s Inferno was written in fourteenth-century Italy,” and interpretation, especially when you are considering the intention of an author: “Dante wrote his Inferno to expose the problem of Florentine political corruption to the world.” The latter may be a part of your theory or thesis (or conclusion) but if you use it as a statement of fact (an “intentional fallacy”) you will have to prove it rather than merely argue it – a slippery and difficult and perhaps not particularly useful task. Beware also of using vague or imprecise generalizations of terms such as “dramatic,” “realistic,” or “critical,” which differ in their literary and historical significance.

Challenges to Meet

Try for a (syntactically) shapely and relevant opening sentence: be thoughtful and original and persuasive. Always look for interesting ways into your essay: an epigraph, perhaps, or an important episode that seems to set the stage for what you want to say, or a succinct comparison with another well-known work, which will help your reader understand the point you want to make.

Always (particularly in a comparative essay) identify your texts early on. (Usually with full title, full authors’ names, and date/period of publication.)

Think of your thesis statement as the logical goal of the first paragraph. Everything you say here should lead towards (or from) that thesis. Anything that doesn’t lead in that direction – unless you are presenting a view different from yours, which you want to argue against—doesn’t belong in your paragraph. Think of the paragraph as a funnel, where the contents are being concentrated and filtered to one end.

Critical Review #1 Due March 14, 2018

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Using proper MLA bibliographic formatting, cite the film text in the box to the right:

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1. Develop a thesis statement pertaining to the assigned film text and whether or not it, the film, in your view has the power to transform one’s political sensibilities. Your argument should express your point of view regarding the politics of difference, political sensibilities, and political transformation(s) as related to the film. Remember, you’re writing (developing) an analytical essay. Submit your thesis statement in the box located to the right. Be sure to proofread your work.

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2. Develop three (3) topic sentences that articulate the major ideas that will comprise the body of your essay. Remember that your topic sentences should clearly state the argument or point to be made in the respective paragraphs and must map back to your thesis statement. Submit your topic sentences in the box located to the right. Be sure to proofread your work.

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3. Identify three (3) scenes from the film that support your thesis statement. Briefly explain your choices of scenes and how the scenes specifically support your thesis statement. Also, provide the exact time the scenes begin and end within the film text. Submit your reply in the box located to the right. Be sure to proofread your work.

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4. Lastly, fully develop your introductory paragraph. Remember that the best possible thesis will answer some specific question about the text. In this case a question related to the film’s power to transform political sensibilities regarding difference. Your thesis statement should appear parenthetically within the paragraph you present. Submit your answer in the box located to the right. Be sure to proofread your work.

How do maximalist and retrenchment modes vary in terms of their approach to soliciting advice.

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Watch the video clip “American Foreign Policy from Truman to Obama,” and answer the question below.

Which foreign policy style described by the author involves an all-out approach to problem solving involving military, political, and economic affairs?

Isolationism

Maximalism

Retrenchment

Cyclicalism

2. In terms of the influence of public opinion on foreign policy making, presidents tend to:

Follow closely the preferences of the public

Use the unpopularity of Congress to shield them from public criticism

Believe their policies will be unpopular

Take their time before engaging in action in order to cultivate support

3. How do maximalist and retrenchment modes vary in terms of their approach to soliciting advice. Provide some examples of presidents who fit each type.

4. According to the video, why was Lyndon Johnson hesitant to enter the conflict in Vietnam, and how did his strategy play out in the long term?

5. The author argues that presidential personality is an important part of understanding foreign policy. What was surprising to him about Ronald Reagan’s approach to foreign policy? Which “type” did he fit and why?

Posted: A Year AgoDue: 17/03/2018Budget: $20

What are the consequences of not voting to the community?

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Using this text answer the questions in a small essay

Imagine walking into a village in another country. You find that a local military officer is about to shoot three people lined up against the wall. You ask, “Why are you shooting these people? They look quite harmless.”

The officer says, “Last night somebody in this village shot one of my men. I know that somebody in this village is guilty, so I am going to shoot these three to set an example.”

You say,”You can’t do that! You’re going to kill an innocent person. If only one shot was fired, then perhaps two of these people are innocent, perhaps all three. You just can’t do that.”

The officer takes a rifle from one of his men and hands it to you saying, “You shoot one of them for me and I’ll let the other two go. You can save two lives if you shoot one of them. I’m going to teach you that in civil war you can’t have these holier than thou attitudes.”

Social Responsibility

In your own words, answer the following questions.

In what ways is voting said to be a civic responsibility?

What are the consequences of voting to your community?

What are the consequences of not voting to the community?

etc?
How would you try to convince non-voters to participate, given possible differences in age, education, culture,

How do the two countries differ in their cultural patterns? How does communication play a role in each culture?

ions
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Write a 1,400- to 1,750-word paper that demonstrates an example of poor intercultural communication that significantly affected international commerce or foreign policy.

Illustrate the lack of intercultural communication by clearly defining cultural patterns (theories, identity, and bias, for example) and communication devices (such as communication foundations and taxonomies) between two cultures. Select one or two intercultural communication theories needed to address and possibly resolve the example you have given.

Include answers to the following questions in your paper:

How do the two countries differ in their cultural patterns? How does communication play a role in each culture?

What communication devices were used by both parties in this example?

How did these devices work or not work in this particular intercultural communication example?

What key intercultural communication theorist would you enlist to help solve this intercultural communication problem? Summarize the position of your selected theorist and explain how their ideas might apply to the situation.

What approaches or theories may work to resolve your poor intercultural communication example?

Utilize at least two external peer-reviewed sources.

Discuss how our view of the presidency as an institution has evolved over time

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Please watch the video, “Andrew Jackson: Good, Evil, and the Presidency” athttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kJmw3nzuB4, review the text (if necessary), and respond to the questions below.

After completing the questions, you will be posting your responses as your initial discussion post. This initial post is due no later than Friday at 11:59pm. Students may NOT edit initial posts once posted. Discussion scores will be based on the original post.

Your initial post should be a minimum of 8 lines in length and be written in sentences (rather than just listing the letter, or a short phrase).

Before Sunday 11:59pm, please respond to two other classmates’ initial posts (not follow-up posts) for Question #5, Part 2, with meaningful responses that address the substance of their post. Each of these follow-up posts should be a minimum of 4 lines in length.

Question 1

According to Jackson’s biographer James Partin, which of the following is NOT among the contradictions exhibited by his subject?

Democratic autocrat

Urbane savage

Atrocious saint

Populist technocrat

Question 2

In the eyes of the historians interviewed, which of the following is NOT one of Jackson’s key accomplishments?

He was loved by the American people

He enlarged the possibilities of American democracy

He advanced a more far-reaching role for the federal government

He broadened the reach of the presidency as an institution

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT a reason Jackson remains controversial?

His policies encroached on the rights and lands of Native Americans

He advocated more democracy in the realm of voting rights

He was moody and hot-tempered

He was a slave owner

Question 4

According to the video, Jackson was viewed during his lifetime as the most popular living president, the “idol of the American people.” Why is this? What factors contribute to the popularity of an American president?

Question 5

The history principle holds that “past events shape current viewpoints and perspectives.” Describe how this is evident in the presidency of Andrew Jackson, both among his contemporaries and in more recent years.

Part 2. Discuss how our view of the presidency as an institution has evolved over time. Is this evolution positive or negative? Why?

Describe at least two examples of legal and illegal aspects of the organization and operation of political action committees that are described in this video.

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– Done by Friday 10 pm in Pacific Time Zone

Please watch the video clip “Colbert PAC – Trevor Potter” and answer the question below –http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/379369/march-30-2011/colbert-pac—trevor-potter

(When you get to the CC website, search on “Trevor Potter” and several videos will come up. Select “Colbert PAC – Trevor Potter.”)

1. According to the former FEC chairman Trevor Potter, what is a political action committee (PAC)?

a) an entity created to lobby bureaucrats in executive agencies

b) a key solution to the collective-action problem

c) an organized group that makes policy-related appeals to government

d) a group that raises and distributes funds for use in election campaigns

2. According to this discussion, which of the following is NOT allowable under the law governing nonconnected PACs?

a) spending money to charter private jets for personal use

b) using private contributions to advocate for a political party or policy

c) advertising on behalf of a favored candidate with their approval

d) soliciting money from ordinary citizens who have not volunteered their contact information

3. Which of the following is NOT one of the various types of PACs discussed in this video?

a) candidate committee

b) personal committee

c) joint fund-raising representative

d) party committee

4. According to the former FEC chairman Trevor Potter, what is a PAC, and what kinds of activities do PACs engage in?

5. Describe at least two examples of legal and illegal aspects of the organization and operation of political action committees that are described in this video.

6. Based on what you know about the function of PACs in federal elections, what are the advantages and disadvantages of this feature of American politics?

1.Identify and discuss the public service culture present in the case and explain why Wise argue that public service motivation is found more in the government than in private sector.

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Questions for Case study 11

1.Identify and discuss the public service culture present in the case and explain why Wise argue that public service motivation is found more in the government than in private sector.

2.Discuss if the Healy’s motivation for accepting the Red Cross presidency is in line with the public service motives?

3.Discuss what the case study indicates about the modern complexities of professional personnel in the public setting?

4.Does the Wise reading offer some specific answers to contemporary problems of public personnel motivation? If so, how?

Write an essay in which you 1) explain the debate between Eggers/O’Leary and Donahue, detailing their arguments carefully, 2) tell how their claims hold up in light of the 2 policies above, and 3) given all of this, tell which of the authors (Eggers/O’Leary OR Donahue) you find most persuasive and why.

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Due 10/3 via SAFEASSIGN on the blackboard site. Please see the video for instructions about how to submit. Maximum 4 single space pages. Check the syllabus for late paper policy.

In this essay you will consider arguments about where policy decisions should be made (Federal, state, or local) in the context of recent policymaking in the areas of social welfare and the environment. To prepare to write the essay, read:

1) textbook Chapter 3

2) “The New Federalism” which includes short readings by Eggers/O’Leary and Donahue (pdf)

SOCIAL POLICY

3) https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/most-welfare-dollars-dont-go-directly-to-poor- people-anymore/

Data illustration at https://features.marketplace.org/yourstateonwelfare/ ENVIRONMENT

4) https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/07/climate/california-auto-emissions-trump.html Data illustration at https://www.c2es.org/content/state-climate-policy/

Write an essay in which you 1) explain the debate between Eggers/O’Leary and Donahue, detailing their arguments carefully, 2) tell how their claims hold up in light of the 2 policies above, and 3) given all of this, tell which of the authors (Eggers/O’Leary OR Donahue) you find most persuasive and why.

In 300-500 words share whether or not you believe the assigned documentary film text has the potential to transform one’s political sensibilities and how the documentary film text compares to the feature-length non-documentary film text that examines the same historical political movement and/or figure. And, if you believe that your personal political sensibilities have been (re)shaped or transformed by a particular film and/or style of film, say so. Again, the objective here is to share your thoughts pertaining to the major thesis presented in Democracy and Difference

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In this class we have identified as one of our objectives the ability to fully engage, in critical ways, popular culture and its influence upon our political selves, our political sensibilities. With our focus on “deep differences” we find ourselves examining both documentary and feature-length film texts.

In 300-500 words share whether or not you believe the assigned documentary film text has the potential to transform one’s political sensibilities and how the documentary film text compares to the feature-length non-documentary film text that examines the same historical political movement and/or figure. And, if you believe that your personal political sensibilities have been (re)shaped or transformed by a particular film and/or style of film, say so. Again, the objective here is to share your thoughts pertaining to the major thesis presented in Democracy and Difference

In your own words, answer the following questions. What ethical values did “you” bring into the “village?” What values did the military officer bring into this situation? What options do you now have as a result of your intervention? What are the likely consequences of each option? What choice do you make at the end? Can you resolve your choice with ethical standards?

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1. Personal Responsibility

Hypothetical Situation (from Joseph Nye, Understanding International Conflicts (Longman, 2003) page 21.

Imagine walking into a village in another country. You find that a local military officer is about to shoot three people lined up against the wall. You ask, “Why are you shooting these people? They look quite harmless.”

The officer says, “Last night somebody in this village shot one of my men. I know that somebody in this village is guilty, so I am going to shoot these three to set an example.”

You say,”You can’t do that! You’re going to kill an innocent person. If only one shot was fired, then perhaps two of these people are innocent, perhaps all three. You just can’t do that.”

The officer takes a rifle from one of his men and hands it to you saying, “You shoot one of them for me and I’ll let the other two go. You can save two lives if you shoot one of them. I’m going to teach you that in civil war you can’t have these holier than thou attitudes.”

In your own words, answer the following questions.

What ethical values did “you” bring into the “village?”

What values did the military officer bring into this situation?

What options do you now have as a result of your intervention?

What are the likely consequences of each option?

What choice do you make at the end?

Can you resolve your choice with ethical standards?