instructions for censorship project

Hypothetical Situation: A student from Mankato State University has completed a body of work that she would like to show at the Student Center. (Slides of these works will be shown in class and will be available in a carousel for you to view privately).

Will the work be shown or not?

Your Role: You have been hired as an arbitrator working on the behalf of one of the groups concerned about the showing of this work on campus. (You will find out who you are working for in class.) Much like a lawyer would (it may help if you think of yourself as "playing" a lawyer) you must build the case for your client's position as carefully as possible. This means that you must

(1) carefully examine the position of the other groups you are up against,

(2) conduct research on local, regional and national cases of "censorship" to use as leverage and

(3) determine what concessions your client may need to make in order to avoid a stalemate.

Concerned Groups: The artist, and other artists on campus worried about whether they'll be able to show their works. Can they be assured of artistic freedom? This group is likely to define a "public space" as one where anything should be acceptable.

The Administration of Mankato State University. The Student Center is funded by the student activity fee, but is also a public building. The Administration has to try to balance the desires of the students and special interest groups within the MSU community.

Special interest groups within the MSU community include religious communities and others who would define a "public space" as one where individuals from the age of 5 years may pass through without fear of seeing something disturbing (violent, sexual, or against their own religious beliefs).

What you will turn in:

(1) a preliminary bibliography of local, regional and national cases of censorship (you will need to complete a database search to find this information. Your primary sources should be newspaper articles, NOT books about censorship. You want the original core sources, NOT a later interpretation of the facts.

(2) a report of no less than 5 pages [10 for grads] that summarizes your client's position, your understanding of the other groups' positions and your proposal regarding the works of art in question using as your evidence key local, regional or national cases that had an outcome favorable to your client's position. During the final exam period you will give a brief presentation (5-10 mins.) based on your report. You will be graded on the thoroughness of your research, the strength of your argument and the clarity/convincing quality of the final product. (While it is required that you make a short public presentation, you will not be graded on your public speaking ability).