MEDIA EDUCATION FOUNDATIONChallenging media STUDY GUIDE HIJACKING CATASTROPHE 9/11, FEAR & THE SELLING OF AMERICAN EMPIRE GUIDE PREPARED BY PEPI LEISTYNA & BOB McCANNON ACME: ACTION COALITION FOR MEDIA EDUCATION | WWW.ACMECOALITION.ORG CONTENTS HIJACKING CATASTROPHE 9/11, FEAR & THE SELLING OF AMERICAN EMPIRE NOTE TO TEACHERS.....................................................................................................................................................................................................pg. 03 USING THIS VIDEO IN THE CLASSROOM..................................................................................................................................................................04 OVERVIEW................................................................................................................................................................................................................................05 PRE-VIEWING QUESTIONS & EXERCISES.................................................................................................................................................................06 INTRODUCTION Key Points..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................07 Questions for Discussion & Writing............................................................................................................................................................................07 Assignments............................................................................................................................................................................................................................07 BLUEPRINT FOR EMPIRE Key Points..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................09 Questions for Discussion & Writing............................................................................................................................................................................09 Assignments............................................................................................................................................................................................................................10 HIJACKING FEAR Key Points..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................12 Questions for Discussion & Writing............................................................................................................................................................................12 Assignments............................................................................................................................................................................................................................13 “THINGS RELATED AND NOT”: FROM 9/11 TO BAGHDAD Key Points..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................14 Questions for Discussion & Writing............................................................................................................................................................................16 Assignments............................................................................................................................................................................................................................17 EMPIRE Key Points..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................19 Questions for Discussion & Writing............................................................................................................................................................................20 Assignments............................................................................................................................................................................................................................21 SORROWS OF EMPIRE Key Points..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................23 Questions for Discussion & Writing............................................................................................................................................................................24 Assignments............................................................................................................................................................................................................................25 “BRING IT ON” Key Points..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................27 Questions for Discussion & Writing............................................................................................................................................................................28 Assignments............................................................................................................................................................................................................................29 THE POLITICS OF CITIZENSHIP Key Points..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................30 Questions for Discussion & Writing............................................................................................................................................................................31 Assignments............................................................................................................................................................................................................................32 POST-VIEWING DISCUSSION QUESTIONS..............................................................................................................................................................33 EXERCISES FOR RESEARCH & WRITING....................................................................................................................................................................34 BIOGRAPHIES OF COMMENTATORS...........................................................................................................................................................................35 SUGGESTED READING.......................................................................................................................................................................................................44 RESOURCES Critical Journals.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................50 Web & Activist Connections...........................................................................................................................................................................................54 NOTE TO TEACHERS Hijacking Catastrophe: 9/11,Fear & the Selling of American Empire, written and directed by Jeremy Earp and Sut Jhally, is sixty-four minutes long. This discussion guide is designed to help you work with high school, undergraduate, and graduate students from a wide range of fields of study (e.g., American studies, sociology, cultural studies, critical pedagogy, communications, media literacy, journalism, history, etc.), as well as adult education students, community groups, and activists. It is structured to engage and manage the information presented in this video. Given that it can be difficult to teach visual content—and difficult for students/participants to recall detailed information from videos after viewing them—the intention here is to give you a tool to help your students/ participants slow down and deepen their thinking about the specific issues the video addresses. We’ve structured the guide so that you have the option of focusing in depth on one section of the video at a time. The structure of the guide mirrors the structure of the video, moving through each of the video’s sections with a series of key summary points, questions, and assignments specific to that section.We encourage you to select, modify, and build on these activities, adapting them to meet class/workshop objectives and time constraints. It is important to note that while this guide offers direction, it should not discourage students/participants from asking and pursuing their own questions and interests. Previewing Questions & Exercises: