Paranoid Empire: Masculinities and Other War Zones
Old Images for a New Imperialism?

Fall Potluck—Sunday November 9, 2003
Knapp House, 130 E. Gilman Street -- see map

5:00 Film Screening: “Battle of Algiers”
7:00 Potluck
7:30 Discussion

Why did the Pentagon recently screen Guilles Pontecorvo's classic film Battle of Algiers? The flier inviting guests to the Pentagon screening declared:

How to win a battle against terrorism and lose the war of ideas. Children shoot soldiers at point-blank range. Women plant bombs in cafes. Soon the entire Arab population builds to a mad fervor. Sound familiar? The French have a plan. It succeeds tactically, but fails strategically. To understand why, come to a rare showing of this film.

Toby Miller, Professor of Cinema Studies NYU and Anne McClintock,
Professor of English and Women’s Studies UW-Madison will lead the
discussion, focusing on media representations of the wars in Afghanistan
and Iraq, masculinity, nationalism, and much more.

Readings:
Frantz Fanon, “Algeria Unveiled” in A Dying Colonialism
Michael T. Kaufman, “What Does the Pentagon See in ‘Battle of Algiers”
Stephen Hunter, “The Pentagon’s Lessons from Reel Life; ‘Battle of Algiers’ Resonates in Bagdad”

Readings are available at http://www.library.wisc.edu/libraries/SocialSciRef/ssrhome.htm
Hard copies also on reserve at the Social Science Library, 8th floor Social Science Building.

Open to all—Please bring a dish to share

Questions? Email <btcs@facstaff.wisc.edu>