Week 3 Announcements

Announcements

1. Your Week 2 quiz must be completed by this evening (Monday, June 13, 2011) at 11:59 PM AZMST. All other week 2 assignments are due by this same deadline.
2. Your week 3 assignments are due by Monday, June, 20, 2011 by 11:59 PM AZMST.  Please be sure you've done the following assignments by the deadline: 
1. Week 3, Blog #1:(25 points)
2. Week 3, Blog #2 (25 points)
3. Week 3, Blog #3 (25 points)
4. Week 3, Blog #4 (25 points)
5. Week 3, Blog #5 (25 points)
6. Week 3 Quiz  (20 points)
3. Office hours will be held Monday (June 20) on Google Chat beginning at 2:30 PM and lasting until 4:30 PM.  Please feel free to get on chat and say hello or ask any questions you may have about the course material.

Week 3: (June 13-19, 2011): Youth & Human Rights

This week's material expands on the materials we covered in weeks 1 and 2 by exploring more global perspectives on poverty, violence, and exploitation of youth in different contexts.  This week, we begin with exploring human rights frameworks directed specifically towards youth and children.  We then move on to exploring facets of child labor experiences in the US and internationally.  On Wednesday and Thursday we will explore the darker side of human rights violations by examining issues of child prostitution and child soldiers respectively.

Please be forewarned that this week's material, particularly Wednesday and Thursday are highly disturbing.  The materials cover instances of extreme abuse and exploitation of children and are at times, difficult to read and watch.  I wanted to give you all fair warning about the materials as I do not wish to cause students undue distress.  However, I feel it is very important to explore these issues if we are to have a robust picture of justice issues facing youth both in the U.S. and around the globe.  I am sure many of you will feel quite strongly about these pieces, particularly the materials on child soldiers and child sex workers.

As you explore the materials this week, feel free to utilize the Cyberspace Cafe as a discussion space isolated from the larger public audience of the blog to explore questions and concerns that may arise in the process of engaging with the course materials.

Also, I wish to extend an invitation to contact me directly if you wish to discuss the materials further or to explore the resources on campus for student support should the materials be upsetting.  Please note that there are student support resources offered for ASU students that I have linked in the Start Here section of our Blackboard course.

It is not my intention to cause alarm or scare you off from the materials.  My intention with this warning is to provide a space for students to engage with the materials in a safe manner that respects  boundaries.

Keep some of the questions raised above in mind as you consider the materials this week. Please be sure to explore the tips in the previous week's blog posts for more advice on writing your blog posts. 

I hope to chat with some of you during office hours today.  If you cannot make my office hours, please feel free to post questions in the Cyberspace Cafe. See you in cyberspace!