Posted: February 1st, 2023
This take-home exam is a reflective essay. To complete this assignment, you need to take the following steps:
1. Complete the weekly readings from weeks 2 -4 (three weeks in total).
2. Watch the documentary titled Human Terrain: War Becomes Academic at this URL https://tubitv.com/movies/478118/human-terrain?start=true Links to an external site.
This documentary is a about an anthropologist who joins the US military’s Human Terrain Program as part of its campaign in Afghanistan.
3. Write a 750-1000-word essay (3-4 pages, double spaced). Maximum 1000 words is a strict requirement. Please do not go over.
4. In your essay you need to use minimum three sources from the course readings from weeks 2, 3 and 4 (inclusive). You are expected to connect, explore, develop, and explain concepts and frameworks from these academic sources and the lectures.
1. Use APA style citations in your essay.
2. Create in-text citations for each source you are using and attach a bibliography at the end of your assignment.
Use of external sources:
1. Please do not use any external non-academic sources.
2. You are also discouraged from using external academic sources. But if you do, please make sure it is not more than one and it does not take up much space. All sources must cited properly and included in the bibliography.
Pre-viewing activities:
· What does this image mean to you? How did you learn about it? What does it remind you?
· What does “War on Terror” mean to you? What do the categories of “us” and “them” correspond to in the context of US’s discourse on war on terror? What are the cultural implications of this us/them divide?
· How much do you know about the history of invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan by the US and allies? How were these wars justified to the Western public in media and politics?
Viewing activities:
· As you watch this documentary take down notes that will help you write a critical summary of the film.
· Identify under which circumstances the discussions on ethics and politics of academic knowledge come up in the film.
· Does the film present Michael Bhatia in a positive or negative fashion?
· Would you agree with the decisions Bhatia makes in joining the Human Terrain Program and during his service?
· What is the film trying to convey in general? What are the connections it draws between research, politics and ethics?
EXAM QUESTION:
Please write a 750-1000-words essay to discuss the following:
What does the Human Terrain documentary demonstrate about the concept of “weaponization of culture?” Drawing from the documentary and from other relevant course material, explain how does the “weaponization of culture” concept help us answer the following question: Can research be a politically neutral activity or not?
In your responses you are required to incorporate clear evidence from the documentary and minimum three course texts from weeks 2, 3 and 4. Please provide in-text citations of these sources and a bibliography at the end. (Bibliography is not included in the word count.)
In writing this essay you need to make sure you respond to the question above and demonstrate your comprehension of the course readings and concepts. You are not required to use external academic sources. But if you do, you are required to cite them properly.
Your essay will be evaluated based on:
· Demonstration of your knowledge of course themes related to politics of research, theory of research and the practice of ethnography
· Ability to respond to the questions by bringing evidence from the readings and the documentary
· Reading comprehension and use of course readings
· Ability to meaningfully cite academic sources in your writing to convey the new knowledge and opinions you develop with this course
· Ability to think critically
· Clarity and structure of writing
· Citation skills and formatting
SOLUTION
The documentary “Human Terrain” explores the experiences of social scientists who were deployed as part of the U.S. military’s “Human Terrain System” program in Iraq and Afghanistan. The program aimed to provide cultural and social understanding to military units in these countries, but was met with controversy and criticism.
The documentary examines the ethical and practical implications of using social science in military contexts and raises questions about the role of anthropologists in conflicts. The film also addresses the impact of the program on the social scientists involved and the communities they worked with. Overall, “Human Terrain” presents a complex and nuanced view of the relationship between military operations and social sciences, and the challenges and ethical dilemmas that arise from their intersection.
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