GOV 222 CC:TORTURE&HOLLYWOOD POST 9/11

Torture, Hollywood, and Transitional Justice Post 9/11  Since the September 11th terrorist attacks, and the resultant U.S.-led "Global War on Terror," torture has been a popular money maker for Hollywood film and television producers. While “torture in Hollywood” existed pre-9/11, the portrayal of torture since then has taken on several new dimensions: the number of scenes of torture increased dramatically in this time period; the torturers are portrayed as heroic figures; and torture is almost invariably portrayed as “working.” The course is an examination of these trends in the popular cultural portrayal of torture in Hollywood productions. The course also explores the social-scientific question “so what?” What are the potential implications of Hollywood’s portrayal of torture since 2001, especially in the public policy and justice realms?  The particular portrayal of torture by Hollywood in the post 9/11 era — the heroic (if reluctant) torturers saving lives as a result of their actions while taking down terrorists — not only reflects the particular political zeitgeist of this era, but also influences how Americans “feel” about torture. The course explores two consequences: the impact of Hollywood’s portrayal of torture on public support for its use by Americans and the impact it has on support for bringing torturers to justice in the United States.