Readings 

• Robert Coates. 1947. The Law. New Yorker Magazine, Nov 29: 41-43.

Read (and be prepared to discuss) at least 2 of 3 (and watch no. 4):

1. Blavatnik School of Government. Civilian experience of war. Oxford, UK: The Oxford Institute of Ethics Law and Conflict. (there are a series of brief summaries of some of the ways civilians are victimized by war–read them and be familiar with this perspective).
2.  Jonathan Swan, Adam Entous and Maggie Haberman. 2026. Behind the scenes, Vance gathered unvarnished views of Iran War.  Sept 10, New York Times. (pdf; screen reader-friendlier version)
3. Harvard Kennedy School of Government. 2026. Why is the war in Iran so expensive (interview with Linda Blines)? April 7, Harvard University. 
4. France 24 English. 2026. US media coverage of the war: Fact, fiction and propaganda (video). March. 

Week 1 (material specific to week 1–These are to help you tie course material to real social problems)

• What is a social problem?
• More on social problems
• Structural and individual explanations
• Some basic questions to ask
• Outline / summary for the week

Videos

• From the documentary ‘Why we Fight’ (the concept of ‘blowback‘)

Course resources: Thinking about social problems (these are here for your use throughout the course–you’ll understand why as we progress and discuss social problems and the ‘framework of questions’)

• Causes
• Consequences
• Who benefits?
• How are problems framed, and by whom?
• What to do?