This assignment is worth 100 points. It is due Tuesday, February 11 – end of the day.
The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia provide some of the most compelling political events ever on an Olympic stage. The threat of terrorism is wholly valid. Breakaway Islamic republics have resisted the Russian government for decades; threats to disrupt the games are real. Recently, the Putin government came out aggressively against homosexuality. Many of the Olympic athletes support homosexual rights; some are openly gay themselves. This will provide a platform for protest. Russia has challenged the West in Syria with its full throated support of Bashar al-Assad. President Vladimir Putin himself is a polarizing figure. Through aggressive executive order and slashing of personal freedoms he has in many ways taken the Russian state back to the days of the Soviet Union.
And then there’s Pussy Riot…
I want you to read about Pussy Riot. I want you explore the girls, their band, their politics. Your assignment is to educate yourself about Pussy Riot. Who are they? What are they? What kind of threat do they pose to Putin? I will run some interviews with the girls over the next few days. We will learn together.
And then – lets take on the edginess of these Olympics. You are to choose an issue – something political or controversial, find an issue that lies on the periphery of Russia’s Winter Games. There’s so much to choose from. Corruption. Gay rights. Terrorism. Human Rights. Prostitution. Vladimir Putin.
and Pussy Riot.
Find an article – write a reflective piece according to IOW guidelines. And then keep your eyes open during these Olympics to the issues on the fringe – and maybe front and center. My guess is you’ll find Pussy Riot in the mix.
