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Topic Guide – Political Scandals
Issues Roundtable – February 8, 2014
Scandals in life & politics.
What makes something a scandal? Have you ever known of a scandal—not just in the news, but at school, in your neighborhood, at a job, anywhere? What do these situations have in common, and how do they differ? Are some scandals more serious than others, and if so, how?
A Scandal by any other name: How do we define and measure the importance of scandals?
During the last discussion group, we talked about the controversy surrounding New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. But New Jersey’s not the only state with a scandal problem. In fact, according to one of the studies we found, New Jersey was the least scandalous state in the Union. What gives?
We’ve attached several texts ranking scandal and corruption state-by-state. What do you find surprising about these studies in light of recent news coverage? What are some of their differences and similarities? Which one seems most reliable to you? How would you define and measure “scandal” and “corruption”?
- The most corrupt state(s) in America [article]
- The State Integrity Investigation [website]
- New Jersey Corruption Report Card
- Infographic: America’s Not-So-Proud Tradition of Government Corruption
Prodigal politicians: Recovering from the fall-out of political scandals
Is it possible for a politician to “bounce back” from a scandal? Washington Post published a slide show of “scandal-plagued” politicians before, during, and after their scandals
Jeff Smith was a “rising star” in the MO Senate. Just a few months following his successful election, Mr. Smith fell out of favor (and into prison) after lying to the feds about an aspect of his campaign. In this 2013 interview for Huffington Post, Mr. Smith explains his downfall.
Do you agree with what Jeff says about giving politicians second chances? When are second chances ok, and when are they not?
The Show “Scandal” and the Reality of political crisis management.
The TV show “Scandal” has become a media sensation. The main character, Olivia Pope, is based on a real-life political consultant named Judy Smith. Smith is one of the top crisis managers in D.C., having served as Deputy Press Secretary to Pres. George Bush, Sr. and assisted clients such as Monica Lewinski.
“Scandal” Trailer (1:55):
Interview with Roland Martin and Judy Smith (5:00):
Judy Smith recently commented on how Chris Christie’s office has handled the developing scandal so far. What do you think of Judy’s take on Christie’s crisis management skills? Would you have handled the situation differently? How do real-life political scandals compare to TV shows? How do the lines get blurred?
The George Washington School of Political Management recently used the “Scandal” TV show as a tool to recruit new student. What do you think of using Scandal as part of GW’s marketing plan, and of the program in general? Would you ever consider a career in political management? What would you include in the curriculum?
Topic Guide – Global Women’s Issues
Issues Roundtable – February 8, 2014
Intro: Women’s Rights, Feminism, and Equality – What do these ideas mean to you?
What role does gender play in your understanding of yourself and others? Where do you see gender play out in politics, in school, at home, and in other aspects of everyday life? The word “feminism” often conjures up? Two students recently posted their thoughts on feminism to the Occasional Planet blog:
Feminism is dead, he said by Abby Mitchell
The devolution of feminism by Hafsa Mansoor
Gender, Conflict, and the Millennium Development Goals
What is the role of the international community in promoting women’s rights? What types of global issues are specific to women or men (if any), and should that influence where the UN focuses its peacekeeping efforts? The attached report gives an overview of the UN’s priorities for making the world a better place for women—do you think the goals are too ambitious, not ambitious enough, or just right? Should there be a similar document focused specifically on men and/or boys, and what could that look like? (Briefing on Gender and the UN’s Millennium Development Goals)
“Third-World” Feminism: Balancing Universal Goals with Local Realities
Third-world feminist perspectives seek to balance Western notions of women’s rights with the diverse (and sometimes conflicting) ways women across the world define themselves, understand gender, and address oppression. This article provides an interesting take on the concept.
What do you think about this distinction? How do race, class, sexual orientation, nationality, and other factors intersect with gender, and how do these intersections influence the ways we think about activism and human rights? What aspects of women’s rights should be universal, which are specific to local realities, and how should we balance the two?
The “Girls Impact the World” International Film Festival
The GIW Film Festival is an annual event showcasing short films on global women’s issues, including global health, domestic violence, education for girls, human trafficking, and economic independence. GIW is both a film festival and a scholarship program, presented by the Harvard College Social Innovation Collaborative and Connecther (learn more). The competition is open to high school and undergraduate students.
We can watch a few of the videos, and discuss our reaction to the issues and images they bring up. A few popular films from previous years include:
Today’s Women [General overview of challenges women across the globe face] (5:00)
Sex Trafficking: Modern Day Slavery in Thailand (5:01):
The Shriver Report on women’s issues in America
The Shriver report focuses on the challenges faced by contemporary American women. It is a “multi-platform media initiative led by Maria Shriver that seeks to modernize America’s relationship to women.” Ms. Shriver explains the project here.
