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Homework Assignment #1

Read some articles about using films and literature to teach academic content prior to the session:

• 1. Can Literature Teach Business Decisions?, a short interview with Joseph L. Badaracco of Harvard Business School.

  2. What can literature teach us about doing business better?, a short essay by Maurice Biriotti, founder and chief executive of SHM.

  3. Understanding The Use Of Feature Films To Maximize Student Learning, a scholarly article from the American Journal Of Business Education.

  4. What Motivates the Suicide Bombers?, a scholarly essay by Riaz Hassan, ARC Professorial Fellow and Emeritus Professor in the Department of Sociology at Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.

I chose some readings from business and management since many of our degree programs are aimed in those general directions. However, many other sources from a wide variety of academic fields also align with the opinions and findings in the selections above.

Homework Assignment #2

Watch the movie Paradise Now prior to the session:

• Available via Amazon Prime: http://www.amazon.com/Paradise-Now-Kais-Nashef/dp/B002ZDS4UI

• Available via DVD from Netflix

• Posted on YouTube (not a high-quality recording): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzLwhrfh

I use this film in CU 309 Cultures in Conflict. The course was part of the old World Studies and Strategic Studies program. The course currently is available for General Education credits. It is a challenging movie for viewers, but it is worth an investment of time and energy. The film also raises many issues which are in the headlines today. And, the movie received an 89% on the Tomato-meter at Rotten Tomatoes!

Opening description at Wikipedia: "Paradise Now (Arabic: الجنّة الآن‎) is a 2005 film directed by Hany Abu-Assad about two Palestinian men preparing for a suicide attack in Israel. It won a Golden Globe for best foreign language film and was nominated for an Academy Award in the same category. 'The film is an artistic point of view of that political issue,' Abu-Assad said. 'The politicians want to see it as black and white, good and evil, and art wants to see it as a human thing.' "

In-Class Assignment

Discuss with your colleagues at the session:

• What are your immediate reactions to the film?

• What motivates suicide bombers? What deters them?

• What cultural conflicts were evident within Palestinian culture?

• What ways could the film be used to enhance student understanding of cultural conflict?

• Do the subtitles detract from your viewing experience? If so, are they enough of a distraction to steer clear of foreign films for American students?

• Are there any boundaries between art and your classroom which should be considered when choosing films for classes?

• What works of literature or cinema lend themselves to academic lessons in your content area?

• What works of literature or cinema lend themselves to our partnership with Hillcrest Retirement Center?