Syllabus: Race, Media and International Affairs 101

This course will examine the intersection between race, national identity, and the mass media in today's global world order. Students will learn about how people of color are beginning to challenge the journalism status quo, and how media narratives can fight or perpetuate inequalities. By the end of this course, students will gain a deeper media literacy around race and a deeper understanding of national and global politics

Course Objectives

  • To introduce students to key texts

  • To develop critical reading and analytical skills around race and media

  • To explore the relationship between international/domestic policies and race

  • To foster an environment of thoughtful discussion and intellectual growth.

  • To expose students to a range of thinkers and practitioners on issues related to race, media and global affairs

Instructor Information

  • Email: karen@resistancesummerschool.com

  • Virtual Office Hours (for Mentorship Tier Only) By appointment

Karen Attiah

Bio: Karen Attiah is an editor and columnist with the Washington Post. Her work centers on international affairs and social issues including race, gender, and politics, with a particular focus on Africa.

Before joining the Post in 2014, Attiah was based in Curaçao, freelancing for the Associated Press. She is an award-winning journalist; In 2021 she was named Washingtonian Magazine’s Star to Watch Award, 2019 the National Association of Black Journalists named her its Journalist of the Year; the previous year, she won a George Polk Award for writing about her colleague Jamal Khashoggi’s murder. She is the author of the forthcoming Say Your Word, Then Leave, a definitive account of The Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi's brutal murder and American complicity in Saudi Arabian impunity.

She holds an honorary doctorate in journalism from Dickinson College, and graduated with a Master’s of International Affairs from Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs. She is a graduate of Northwestern University. She lives in Washington D.C. with her beloved cat, Artemis.

Recommended Texts

News For All the People: The Epic Story of Race and the American Media

Course Schedule

  • Week 1

    Introduction: Race and the Birth of the United Nations

  • Week 2

    The Colonial Mass Media in America

  • Week 3

    China, Immigration and Media. (Guest Speaker: Michael Luo)

  • Week 4

    The history of Race, and global anti-Semitism (Guest Speaker: Peter Beinart)

  • Week 5

    “Covering Islam” and Palestine: Journalism’s Middle East problem (Guest Speaker: Yousef Manayyer)

  • Week 6

    Africa, South Africa and the question of “White Genocide” (Guest Speaker: Sean Jacobs)

  • Week 7

    Race, AI, and the global digital future (Guest Speaker Nanjala Nanbola)

Policies

Attendance and Participation

While attendance is not mandatory and there are no written assignments, consistent attendance and meaningful participation will help you get the most out of the course. For those requesting certification of completion for possible credit transfer, you must attend /watch 80% of the lectures.

Electronics Policy

Recordings of lectures and guest speakers is not permitted.

Resources

Materials will be posted on the student portal at Resistance Summer School.com

Accessibility

If you have accessibility needs, please contact support@resistancesummerschool.com so we an do our best to accomdate your needs.

Contact and Communication

Students are encouraged to reach out to the instructor with any questions or concerns. Email is the best way to arrange meetings. Class announcements and important updates will be sent via the course portal and email—please check regularly.

Note: This syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor. Any revisions will be announced in class and posted on the course portal.