Global Journalism (410-0-20)

Topic

South Africa

Instructors

Ava Thompson Greenwell

Meeting Info

Meets in Non-General PurposeRm: Mon 9:00AM - 11:50AM

Overview of class

Johannesburg, like Chicago, is a bustling city with a mixture of wonder and woe. From persistent inequalities in housing and education to gleaming edifices of financial success, these "tale of two cities" twins have much in common. South Africa has made progress since the fall of racial apartheid in 1994, but there is much work still to be done. The multiracial "Rainbow Nation," is a young democracy with a constitution considered one of the most progressive in the world. But many of the rights promised have yet to be fulfilled for Johannesburg's 4.4 million people. These gaps provide ample material on which to report. The 2019 national election period was only the sixth time that blacks had been allowed to vote.

Your trip will begin with briefings with experts, visits to the Apartheid Museum and other attractions, and tours - from the fashionable Sandton, "Africa's richest square mile," to the famous Soweto, a key site in the struggle against apartheid.

We will apply a "solutions journalism" lens to our reporting on the following tentative topics:
* The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR)
* Gender Based Violence
* Experimental News Media Platforms
* Education

In this course, you will:
* Develop a global view of the urbanization and human rights issues facing major cities.
* Better understand, through the lens of South Africa, the forces shaping the developing continent, including technology, age, gender and immigration issues.
* Learn interviewing and reporting strategies in a foreign country.
* Produce a reporting project that, it is hoped, will be published after the trip

Class Materials (Required)

None

Class Attributes

Attendance at 1st class mandatory

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Only students in the MSJ program may enroll in these classes
Add Consent: Department Consent Required