Political Science

In 1991, Rick Walker was wrongly convicted of murder and spent the next 12 years in prison. This program tells the story of his exoneration and the political struggle to secure financial compensation for him from the state of California. In addition to an interview with Walker himself, the film presents detailed conversations with key players in his case and the partisan budget battle over reimbursing him. Interviewees include Alison Tucher, the lawyer who proved Walker's innocence; George Kennedy, the Santa Clara County District Attorney at the time; and Joe Simitian, the state assemblyman who fought to pass the bill that gave Walker $100 for each day of his incarceration. (34 minutes)

In this program, a broad cross-section of Saudis-parents and neighbors of the accused hijackers, editors of Arab News and Asharq Al Awasat, political and military analysts, a psychologist, and others-give their perceptions of events and issues involving September 11th. Interviews provide background on and insights into the lives and minds of the alleged hijackers, the recruitment practices of al Qaeda, the co-opting of jihad for militant political ends, Osama bin Laden's cult of personality, the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, and frustration over U.S. foreign policy. This video, the first documentary to scrutinize 9/11 from the Saudi perspective, is a powerful learning tool for students of political science, the Middle East, and Islam. (Portions in Arabic with English subtitles, 53 minutes)

Congress plays a vital role in hammering out the policies that shape everyday life. Why then do so many Americans feel that it exists in a world of its own, out of touch with the very constituencies that elected them in the first place? This program scrutinizes the political landscape through the eyes of America's elected elite, presenting firsthand what politicians really do-and endure-both in Washington and in their represented states. Featured Senators Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-TX) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) speak out on topics including whether bipartisan cooperation is possible in the Clinton post-impeachment era. (29 minutes)

A neo-Nazi skinhead thinks democracy is unnatural; a typical liberal prefers to be a citizen of the world; a far-right office holder fantasizes about his hard-working, disciplined, Aryan fatherland. This program looks at Germany reunified: while there was an East/West, communist/capitalist split, Germans could forget about nationalism, which is now back with a vengeance. The liberals, we discover, don't like the Germany they have, while the neo-Nazis love a Germany that doesn't exist; after 45 years of longing for reunification, the two Germanys hardly recognize one another. (50 minutes)

This program examines America's fascinating national experience with third parties and independent candidates, covering more than 200 years of American political history. The program looks back to the birth of the two-party system and explores the most influential third-party movements in American political history, including Abraham Lincoln and the rise of the Republicans, Teddy Roosevelt's Bull Moose Party, Strom Thurmond's Dixiecrats and Henry Wallace's Progressives in the 1948 elections, George Wallace's American Independent Party in 1968, and Ross Perot. The program features interviews with leading academic experts on American politics, a rich collection of campaign memorabilia, rare archival footage, artwork, political cartoons, and campaign songs. (57 minutes)

Javal Davis was imprisoned for assaulting inmates at Abu Ghraib, but insists he is not a torturer. His fellow MP Ken Davis was never implicated, having reported the abuse to superiors. This program presents in-depth interviews with both men, detailing their side of the story and conveying their disillusionment with Pentagon officials who wanted interrogations pushed up a notch." Featuring nightmarish descriptions and images from inside the prison-highlighting deplorable conditions endured by inmates and guards alike-the program also includes insight into the mentality of reservist Charles Graner, currently serving a 10-year sentence for Abu Ghraib torture. Some content may be objectionable. (25 minutes)"

This program examines the issue of affirmative action with Lani Guinier, professor of law at the Univ. of Pennsylvania and President Clinton's controversial nominee for Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. Among the many questions examined in the program are: How do blacks and whites differ in their understanding of affirmative action? Is affirmative action still necessary to remedy past discrimination? What changes, if any, should be made to affirmative action programs? (26 minutes)

Critics of affirmative action say that it pits Americans against each other and elevates the importance of race, gender, and ethnicity at the expense of hard work and merit. Supporters claim that discrimination remains pervasive in the U.S. and that the government must continue to play a role in aiding minorities and women. This program explores the historical roots of affirmative action and the debate over its usefulness. The program looks at several different affirmative action programs, from the University of California, Berkeley, where the university struggles with how to maintain diversity without minority preferences, to the city of Chicago, whose affirmative action programs for its police and fire departments have been challenged. The program includes archival footage and features interviews with a wide array of academic scholars. (56 minutes)

This program is an indispensable tool for helping students to understand the constitutional amendment process and to see its importance in their own lives. It defines what an amendment is, explains why amendments have been needed down through the centuries, and describes the process for proposing and ratifying an amendment. Amendments used as illustrations of the process of changing the Constitution have been carefully selected for their interest value to today's students. A viewable/printable instructor's guide is available online. Correlates to National Standards for United States History Education. A Cambridge Educational Production. (18 minutes)

The U.S. Constitution is the world's oldest written charter of government in continuous effect. Much of the success of this document can be attributed to the way the Constitution has changed to meet the needs of the American people. The framers of the Constitution wisely anticipated the need to make changes to the Constitution as the world itself changed. Between 1787, when the Constitution was written, and the present time, thousands of proposed amendments have been introduced in Congress. But in that time, only 27 of those proposed amendments have been ratified. These 27 amendments tell some of the most important stories in American political, social, and cultural history. They tell the story of the founding principles of the American nation, and how that nation has changed. This comprehensive series explores each amendment, its origins, its real-world applications, its history of interpretation in the nation's courts, and its implications for the future. Combining computer graphics, original live-action video, historical artwork, and archival footage with narration and interviews, each program reveals an important chapter in the ongoing history of the U.S. Constitution.A Cambridge Educational Production.

The U.S. Constitution is the world's oldest written charter of government in continuous effect. Much of the success of this document can be attributed to the way the Constitution has changed to meet the needs of the American people. The framers of the Constitution wisely anticipated the need to make changes to the Constitution as the world itself changed. Between 1787, when the Constitution was written, and the present time, thousands of proposed amendments have been introduced in Congress. But in that time, only 27 of those proposed amendments have been ratified. These 27 amendments tell some of the most important stories in American political, social, and cultural history. They tell the story of the founding principles of the American nation, and how that nation has changed. This comprehensive series explores each amendment, its origins, its real-world applications, its history of interpretation in the nation's courts, and its implications for the future. Combining computer graphics, original live-action video, historical artwork, and archival footage with narration and interviews, each program reveals an important chapter in the ongoing history of the U.S. Constitution.A Cambridge Educational Production.

This program examines the legal issues relevant to the 13th Amendment and the controversy surrounding its passage. Legal experts explain the basis of the debate; historical reenactments of those debates provide viewers with insights into its social and economic underpinnings. A Cambridge Educational Production. (10 minutes)

The U.S. Constitution is the world's oldest written charter of government in continuous effect. Much of the success of this document can be attributed to the way the Constitution has changed to meet the needs of the American people. The framers of the Constitution wisely anticipated the need to make changes to the Constitution as the world itself changed. Between 1787, when the Constitution was written, and the present time, thousands of proposed amendments have been introduced in Congress. But in that time, only 27 of those proposed amendments have been ratified. These 27 amendments tell some of the most important stories in American political, social, and cultural history. They tell the story of the founding principles of the American nation, and how that nation has changed. This comprehensive series explores each amendment, its origins, its real-world applications, its history of interpretation in the nation's courts, and its implications for the future. Combining computer graphics, original live-action video, historical artwork, and archival footage with narration and interviews, each program reveals an important chapter in the ongoing history of the U.S. Constitution.A Cambridge Educational Production.

The U.S. Constitution is the world's oldest written charter of government in continuous effect. Much of the success of this document can be attributed to the way the Constitution has changed to meet the needs of the American people. The framers of the Constitution wisely anticipated the need to make changes to the Constitution as the world itself changed. Between 1787, when the Constitution was written, and the present time, thousands of proposed amendments have been introduced in Congress. But in that time, only 27 of those proposed amendments have been ratified. These 27 amendments tell some of the most important stories in American political, social, and cultural history. They tell the story of the founding principles of the American nation, and how that nation has changed. This comprehensive series explores each amendment, its origins, its real-world applications, its history of interpretation in the nation's courts, and its implications for the future. Combining computer graphics, original live-action video, historical artwork, and archival footage with narration and interviews, each program reveals an important chapter in the ongoing history of the U.S. Constitution.A Cambridge Educational Production.

The U.S. Constitution is the world's oldest written charter of government in continuous effect. Much of the success of this document can be attributed to the way the Constitution has changed to meet the needs of the American people. The framers of the Constitution wisely anticipated the need to make changes to the Constitution as the world itself changed. Between 1787, when the Constitution was written, and the present time, thousands of proposed amendments have been introduced in Congress. But in that time, only 27 of those proposed amendments have been ratified. These 27 amendments tell some of the most important stories in American political, social, and cultural history. They tell the story of the founding principles of the American nation, and how that nation has changed. This comprehensive series explores each amendment, its origins, its real-world applications, its history of interpretation in the nation's courts, and its implications for the future. Combining computer graphics, original live-action video, historical artwork, and archival footage with narration and interviews, each program reveals an important chapter in the ongoing history of the U.S. Constitution.A Cambridge Educational Production.