August 31, 2007

Iraq film symposium focuses on war and U.S. foreign policy

"Hijacking Catastrophe: 9/11, Fear and the Selling of American Empire" will be shown on Sept. 12 and "Ground Truth" will be shown on Sept. 13. Both films, which are free and open to the public, will be shown at 6 p.m. in Beering Hall, Room 2280. Refreshments will be served.

"Hijacking Catastrophe" addresses the lead up to and causes of the war, as well as U.S. foreign policy related to the war. Valentine Moghadam, professor of sociology and director of Women's Studies, and Harry Targ, professor of political science and coordinator of the Committee on Peace Studies, will comment on the film and lead discussion.

"Ground Truth" examines recruitment to military service, training, combat and homecoming. It also describes the efforts of eight soldiers to reintegrate into their communities and families. Open discussion will follow the movie.

Campus Progress and the Committee on Peace Studies are sponsoring the event. The Committee on Peace Studies, which is housed in the Department of Political Science, is an interdisciplinary committee of faculty from the English, history, philosophy and child development and family studies departments, and the women's studies program. Purdue undergraduate students can earn a minor in peace studies. The committee also brings speakers to campus and organizes presentations on issues related to peace and justice.

Campus Progress is a new Purdue student organization affiliated with the Center for American Progress. This national organization works to help young people make their voices heard on issues through an online magazine, student publications, public events and grassroots issue campaigns.

Writer: Amy Patterson Neubert, (765) 494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu

Sources: Harry Targ, (765) 494-4169, targ@purdue.edu   

Jackie Tabor, student member of Campus Progress, jtabor@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

To the News Service home page