2024 - Spring

Reporting in Closed Societies

Course Number: JOUR-GA 1182.024

Day & Time: Mon | 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Location: 20 Cooper Square, Room 653

Instructor: Nanfu Wang

Even in the world’s most open societies, misinformation, censorship, and public distrust of news media present significant challenges to nonfiction storytelling and reporting. But these challenges are much greater in societies and communities where the flow of information is highly restricted by authorities. This can occur in authoritarian systems that operate with no democratic accountability or in communities that restrict access to outsiders and impose strict rules on how members interact with each other and the outside world. Shedding light on these issues is the first step toward promoting greater openness and spurring positive change.

This course will explore the challenges of reporting in such environments and provide students with practical skills for managing these challenges effectively and ethically. Students will learn from case studies and meet journalists and filmmakers who document authoritarian systems and closed communities through their writing, reporting, and filmmaking.