May/June 2014 by SPAN magazine

MAY/JUNE 2014 Rs. 20

Freedom Press From Print to Pixels

Telling the Stories to End Gender-Based Violence Creativity and the Immigrant

of the

Women Inspiring Change “The photograph is of a roadside girl who believes in herself. Even though she comes from a poor family, she is strong and has the willpower to study. What inspired me most was seeing her dedication. The photograph was taken near the IIM campus in Ahmedabad,” says Prabha Jayesh Patel from Ahmedabad, who won the grand prize in the Best Overall category.

he U.S. Consulate General Mumbai organized a photo contest on the theme “Women Inspiring Change,” in March, to mark International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month. The theme celebrated individual acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in their families and communities, and who inspire a future generation of girls. http://goo.gl/55LnU4

“My grandmother was sitting in the small room beside our hall just like every day, but that day it was as if she was waiting for me to notice, and I did. I couldn’t resist getting my camera out and clicking,” says Varad Pawar from Mumbai, who was a runner-up in the Best Overall category. Right: “When I was on a...trip to Kaziranga National Park, I came across an Assamese woman weaving on a handloom in a village. The morning light beautifully filtered through the bamboo mesh,” says Dr. Pramod Bhalchandra Bansode from Mumbai, who was a runner-up in the Best Overall category. Far right: “Women were gathered at a meeting of Bachat Gaths as part of a selfhelp group to pool funds. United, they are able to achieve more,” says C.R. Shelare from Amravati, who won the grand prize in the Best Composition category.

May/June 2014

http://span.state.gov

V O LU M E LV N U M B E R 3

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Prospects for the Middle East By Howard Cincotta

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Seven Ways to Stand Out as an Applicant By Don Martin and Wesley Teter

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A Scribe’s American Experience By Sandeep Joshi Freedom’s Watchdog By Vince Crawley

Climate Reporting

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Telling the Stories to End Gender Violence By Carrie Loewenthal Massey

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Q&A With Michelle Bekkering By Raktima Bose

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Climate Change: Through the Media’s Lens By Steve Fox

From Print to Pixels By Michael Gallant © Getty Images

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Journo By Douglas Frantz

19 Publisher Walter T. Douglas

Editor in Chief David Mees

Editor Deepanjali Kakati Hindi Editor Giriraj Agarwal Urdu Editor Syed Sulaiman Akhtar Copy Editors Raktima Bose, Shah Md. Tahsin Usmani Editorial Assistant Yugesh Mathur Web Manager Chetna Khera

Art Director Hemant Bhatnagar Deputy Art Directors Qasim Raza, Shah Faisal Khan Production/Circulation Manager Alok Kaushik Printing Assistant Manish Gandhi

Front cover: Illustration by Hemant Bhatnagar. Photographs © Getty Images

Education

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Offbeat and On the Road By Anne Walls

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News Scape

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Creativity and the Immigrant By Michael Gallant

Research Services Bureau of International Information Programs, The American Library

Art

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LOÏC LAGARDE/Courtesy Flickr

Press Freedom in America By Gene Policinski

TAD MERRICK

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Press Freedom

Published by the Public Affairs Section, American Center, 24 Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi 110001 (phone: 23472000), on behalf of the U.S. Embassy, New Delhi. Printed at Thomson Press India Limited, 18/35, Delhi Mathura Road, Faridabad, Haryana 121007. Opinions expressed in this 44-page magazine do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Government.  Articles with a star may be reprinted with permission. Those without a star are copyrighted and may not be reprinted. Contact SPAN at 011-23472135 or editorspan@state.gov

Courtesy Gene Policinski

Press Freedom in America By GENE POLICINSKI

A free press has allowed the United States to debate hot button issues in an informed manner and, in the process, provided the framework for major changes in society.

2 MAY/JUNE 2014

itself over time if any idea, even an unpopular one, is suppressed. The English poet John Milton—in a work titled “Aeropagitica,” published in 1644, to protest the government licensing of printers—wrote: “Let her [Truth] and Falsehood grapple; who ever knew Truth put to the worse in a free and open encounter?” Milton argued that truth ultimately would defeat falsehood if debate could occur openly and without government interference—and that such open debate was the only way to finally put to rest ideas that society rejected. Newspapers have been reporting conflict from the United States’ earliest days. There were woodcut images circulated of Redcoats firing on Colonials in Boston. Most Americans know about “Custer’s Last Stand,” in which U.S. soldiers were massacred by Native American fighters. But not many may know that—as noted in the Newseum’s book, “Crusaders, Scoundrels,

Left: The Newseum’s 250,000-

SAM KITTNER/Newseum

square-foot news museum in Washington, D.C. offers visitors a state-of-the-art experience that blends news history with up-to-the-second technology and hands-on exhibits. Right: The News Corporation news history gallery at the Newseum.

To share articles go to http://span.state.gov MAY/JUNE 2014 3

MARIA BRYK/Newseum

free press is where a nation talks to itself. In the United States, Americans have long used newspapers, broadcasts and now online news sites to express differing political views, to praise or criticize government policies and officials and to woo voters to particular points of view—in short, to fuel the engine of self-government. More than two centuries ago, the United States of America’s founders believed a free press had to be among the basic freedoms protected by the First Amendment. They provided constitutional protection for the news media of their time—newspapers—even as many of those same publications roasted them in terms that make even today’s news reports seem very tame. The very basic theory in support of freedom of the press is that a society and its government will not be able to consistently make the right decisions for

Newseum

http://newseum.org

First Amendment Center www.firstamendmentcenter.org

Battle of Bighorn http://goo.gl/oCYnk

Bill of Rights, 1791 http://goo.gl/JQlZ

Pentagon Papers http://goo.gl/sILj9

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Journalists” by Eric Newton—reporter Mark H. Kellogg of the North Dakota-based Bismarck Tribune was killed in the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876, along with General George Armstrong Custer and more than 200 troopers. From wartime policies to taxation to civil rights for African Americans, from women’s rights in the 1800s to gay rights in 2014, a free press has allowed the United States to debate hot button issues in an informed manner— and in the process, provided the framework for major changes in society. The free and open exchange of ideas also has provided a “safety valve” by being a means for minority or unpopular voices to be heard by the nation. The disclosures in major newspapers in the United States, in the past year, of surveillance methods used by the National Security Agency (NSA) have sparked a nationwide discussion on “how much is too much” in terms of a loss of privacy in the name of national security. While the final outcome is yet to be determined, the stories have provided a means for “self-correction” in which NSA practices are reviewed and perhaps revised more in line with the views of a majority of Americans. Still, in the United States as elsewhere, the role and right of news outlets to publish all facts and opinions would be tested. Government officials, powerful people and even rioting mobs have sought to silence news operations and to intimidate journalists through excessive taxation, criminal prosecutions and by violence. Just seven years after the United States ratified the Bill of Rights—including the First Amendment and its

SEBASTIAN JOHN MARIA BRYK/Newseum SAM KITTNER/Newseum

SAM KITTNER/Newseum

protection of free press and free Left: The HP new media gallery at the speech—in 1791, Congress enacted Newseum. the Sedition Act, which permitted the Right: The arrest of editors critical of the presiJournalists Memorial dent or Congress. The 1798 Act was at the Newseum used to jail about two dozen journalhonors reporters, photographers and ists, but public opinion turned against broadcasters who the law. The editors eventually were have died reporting freed and the Act was allowed to the news. expire after just a few years. Below right: The Sometimes the attacks on newsNBC News interactive papers took a violent turn: on newsroom. November 7, 1837, a pro-slavery Bottom right: The mob attacked the warehouse where Times Warner world Elijah Lovejoy had his fourth printnews gallery at the ing press. Lovejoy and others fired Newseum. on the mob, but he was killed. In 1971, in what came to be called the “Pentagon Papers” case, the Nixon White House moved in court to block The New York Times, The Washington Post and others from printing documents providing inside details about U.S. involvement in Vietnam. But the U.S. Supreme Court refused to permit such “prior restraint,” saying a free press had a right to print what it knew, even when the nation’s top officials were opposed. The First Amendment Center’s annual State of the First Amendment reports show American reverence for the idea of unfettered news reporting: in 2002, more than nine in 10 Americans said it was “essential” or “important” to be informed by a free press. But fear can affect how people see the value of a free press. The survey has asked each year since 1997, “Does the press have too much freedom?” At any given time, about 20 percent of Americans respond “Yes.” But just a few months after the 9/11 terror attacks, virtually 50 percent said the press had too much freedom. After falling to a record low of 13 percent saying “Yes” in 2012, those agreeing soared to 39 percent in 2013, when the survey was taken just a few months after a bombing during the Boston Marathon. Thomas Jefferson wrote in a letter in 1787 that “the good sense of the American people is always going to be the greatest asset of the American government. Sometimes they might go astray, but they have the ability to right themselves. The people should always have the media to express opinions through. “The basis of our government being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” America just would not be “American,” we would not be a free people, and democracy would not function, without a free press. Gene Policinski is the Chief Operating Officer at the Newseum Institute in Washington, D.C.

MAY/JUNE 2014

Journo

The rights to unhindered news coverage and unfettered debate are hard-won freedoms. Promoting and protecting them requires commitment from the next generation of journalists worldwide.

ometimes I hear ex-reporters say they are “recovering journalists.” Not me. Despite joining the U.S. State Department in 2013, I remain a journalist to my core. I remain committed to the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which says that “Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press,” and committed to the necessity of a vigorous press. I remain a believer that the public must be kept informed and that powerful people and institutions must be accountable. For more than 35 years, I was the lucky young guy from a small town in Indiana who got to travel the globe for some of the world’s best newspapers—The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post. Unwittingly, I followed the advice of Confucius, who said, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” From the time I was a cub reporter raising questions about school board finances, I was always thrilled by the chase for information and the ability to challenge any person or institution on my beat. I’m no longer young, but I’m just as lucky today. My colleagues and I are as committed as any journalist to the values enshrined in

6 MAY/JUNE 2014

Courtesy David Peterson

By DOUGLAS FRANTZ

Douglas Frantz

the First Amendment. From Secretary Kerry’s spokeswoman hosting daily briefings for the media, to her co-workers who run the Edward R. Murrow Program, which hosts reporters from around the world as they hone their skills, we stand behind what we believe. As a fundamental principle and foreign policy objective, press freedom is something that the United States not only stands for but advocates. Across this huge department, people are working every day on behalf of an open press around the world. The rights to unhindered news coverage and unfettered debate are hard-won freedoms. Promoting and protecting them requires commitment from the next generation of journalists worldwide. In many places, journalists face genuine threats. They are intimidated; they are beaten, jailed and sometimes killed. The State Department is committed to protecting them whenever possible. By protecting them, we are protecting the universal right to freedom of expression. Douglas Frantz is Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. He shares a Pulitzer Prize for the New York Times coverage of the 9/11 attacks.

Courtesy Sandeep Joshi

A first-hand account of the

three-city Counterterrorism and Law Enforcement tour organized by the U.S. State Department’s Washington Foreign Press Center.

A Scribe’s

American Experience

t was not the perfect beginning to our much-anticipated visit to the United States. The day we—five journalists from India, four from Pakistan and three from Bangladesh—landed in Washington, D.C. on January 6, 2014, to commence our “reporting tour,” the East Coast was gearing up to witness one of its worst winters in decades. As we stepped out of the airport to board a taxi, icy winds welcomed us. “Polar vortex [strong polar winds] is here...get ready for sub-zero day temperature tomorrow,” warned the radio jockey. We looked at each other and smiled in agreement—come what may, we are here to make the most of this opportunity. Next day, we were ready to kickstart our three-city “Counterterrorism and Law Enforcement” tour organized by the U.S. State Department’s Washington Foreign Press Center. The program was designed to give us a sense of how the U.S. administration and its law enforcement agencies have undergone changes with regard to addressing security issues and facing terror-related challenges, post 9/11. Our program coordinator, Doris Robinson, media relations officer for South and Central Asia at the Foreign Press Center, had planned out our interactions with an interesting mix of officials and policymakers. This helped us understand how the U.S. security apparatus works. Our meetings with officials of the State Department and some think tanks gave us a local and global perspective

about different terror groups and how they are influencing geopolitics. Alberto Fernandez, coordinator of the Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications, explained how the U.S. government is fighting the propaganda war by terror groups on social media, while Justin Siberell, deputy coordinator of regional affairs and programs at the Bureau of Counterterrorism, helped us understand various other aspects of global terrorism. Meetings with experts at the Wilson Center and the Brookings Institution focused on how things are shaping up in the United States and South Asia vis-à-vis activities of various terror groups. One of the most fascinating aspects of our trip was the visit to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) headquarters and the interaction with its officers. The FBI museum, known as Crime Museum, inside the J. Edgar Hoover Building, traces the history of this iconic agency and showcases memorabilia collected from the 9/11 Ground Zero. It also highlights how the FBI helped Indian agencies in the Mumbai terror attack investigation. Our next destination was New York. The FBI sleuths at New York City’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces explained what changes law enforcement agencies have undergone in making the city secure. Experts from the Brennan Center for Justice and the Center on Global Counterterrorism Cooperation talked about their role in dealing with terror issues in the United States and globally. We, how-

ever, were disappointed not to have visited any of the New York Police Department’s operations centers. The most sobering moment during our tour of New York City was the visit to the 9/11 Memorial. The time we spent there made us realize the scale of devastation that took place more than a decade ago and how the resilient U.S. society responded to it. Our last destination was sunny Los Angeles where we met one of America’s most famous police officers—Los Angeles Police Department’s Deputy Chief Michael Downing, who also heads the city’s Counterterrorism and Criminal Intelligence Bureau. He told us how his police force has undergone changes to face any Mumbai-like terror attack, while his junior officers explained how their community policing program was making the city safer. We were also shown the training academy for officers and the bomb disposal facility. We met officials from the National Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events (CREATE) at the University of Southern California and the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management. While the former is helping the U.S. government analyze the changing face of terror, the latter is a unique example of how various civic agencies in the United States cooperate and collaborate during emergencies. Sandeep Joshi is a special correspondent with The Hindu.

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REPORTING TOUR

By SANDEEP JOSHI

W Freedom’s hen Edward R. Murrow, in his landmark broadcast, highlighted notorious personal attacks by Senator Joseph McCarthy, the veteran CBS newsman was adding his own voice to two centuries of American tradition upholding freedom of the press. McCarthy’s inquiries against people suspected of being Communists or supporting communism—called “witchhunts” by opponents—were contributing to an atmosphere of fear and to what Murrow and others felt was a serious threat to cherished civil liberties.

By VINCE CRAWLEY

A free and independent press provides people with information they need to play an active role in the government and life of their country.

LOUIS LANZANO © AP-WWP

The precedent and the law protecting a free press

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The John Peter Zenger case of 1735 set the precedent for American press freedom as a watchdog against oppressive government. In this case, a colonial jury broke with English legal tradition, which outlawed as “seditious libel” all published criticism of the government— including true and accurate criticism—that might cause public unrest. The jury decided that Zenger, a printer, could not be guilty of sedition because his newspaper’s criticism of the British government was, in fact, true. This finding established truth as a legal defense for charges of libel and would eventually

become part of the foundation of U.S. libel law. The American Revolutionary War was triggered in no small part by the Stamp Act of 1765, intended to tax independent newspapers out of existence. In an era when news traveled no faster than horses could run or ships could sail, when opinions could be broadcast only as loud as a man could shout, newspapers were the primary way for revolutionaries and royalists to get their messages to a wider audience. “Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.” The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution in 1791, elegant in its simplicity, enshrines one of the most basic beliefs of the nation: the importance of the press in nurturing democratic government. To this day, in the United States and in all other free and democratic nations, these convictions continue to apply: a free and independent press provides people with the information they need to play an active role in the government and life of their country, and people must have the freedom to speak their mind and to publish criticism of their government. The First Amendment itself was the result of a lengthy political debate conducted through newspapers and its authors knew exactly what kind of freedom they were letting loose. The press of their day was highly opinion-

ated, partisan and filled with vicious personal attacks.

Political polarization, from Washington to Lincoln

“He that is not for us is against us,” bannered the Gazette of the United States, backing the government of the first president, George Washington (1789-97). The Gazette proclaimed that its mission was to oppose the “raging madness” of those who criticized administration policies, including “politicians” such as Thomas Jefferson. The opposition printed lively newspapers of its own, writing that President Washington was “reveling in neo-monarchical ceremony” and accusing him of “incompetent soldiering,” according to University of Chicago First Amendment law professor Geoffrey R. Stone, whose 2004 book “Perilous Times” details the history of American free speech in time of war. Thomas Jefferson strongly supported press freedom, but he also had few kind words for the newspapers themselves and repeatedly called for press reforms and balanced reporting. “Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government,” Jefferson once wrote, “I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” Yet, he also said, “I deplore…the putrid state into which our newspapers have passed and the malignity, the

vulgarity, and mendacious spirit of those who write for them.” Decades later, political polarization during the Civil War resulted in a barrage of press criticism against President Abraham Lincoln. In 1863, an editorial in the Chicago Times said Union soldiers were “indignant at the imbecility that has devoted them to slaughter for purposes with which they have no sympathy.” When an angry Union general closed down the newspaper, Lincoln ordered it reopened.

The government and the press U.S. law twice has sought formally to limit freedom of the press. The Sedition Act of 1798 was passed during the presidency of John Adams, when the nation was on the brink of war with France. It was aimed at opposition newspapers but had a built-in expiration date that elapsed when Jefferson was elected in 1800. Passed during World War I, the Sedition Act of 1918 prohibited “false, scandalous, and malicious writing” against the U.S. government or Congress. The act was repealed in 1921. An accompanying law, the Espionage Act of 1917, remains in force and makes it illegal to interfere with the armed forces or to aid an enemy of the United States. During World War I, the U.S. postmaster general interpreted the provision broadly to prohibit

anti-war newspapers from being delivered through the mail. In 1971, during the Vietnam War, the U.S. government obtained, on national security grounds, a federal court order to halt The New York Times from its ongoing publication of the Pentagon Papers. These documents, prepared by the Department of Defense, analyzed the history of U.S. involvement in Vietnam and had been classified as top secret. When The Washington Post then began publishing the same material, a judge in a different federal district refused to halt their publication. Within days, the case reached the Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of the newspapers. The Court found that the First Amendment’s guarantee of free speech meant that the government could not exercise “prior restraint” on the content newspapers chose to publish. Today, while government officials sometimes seek to prevent sensitive information from being discovered by the press, there are no legal restraints on newspapers or broadcasters on national security grounds. Modern broadcast journalism began in the 1920s and 1930s and came of age in the 1950s, when television began to take over from printed papers as the primary source of news for most Americans. Government

Reprinted from the U.S. Department of State publication, “Edward R. Murrow: Journalism at Its Best.”

broadcast licenses at that time required fair and balanced reporting through the so-called Fairness Doctrine. Murrow’s March 9, 1954, report on McCarthy carried such impact because it broke the standard format of telling both sides of a story in the same broadcast and instead highlighted McCarthy’s tactics. McCarthy responded at a later date on the Murrow program. Those who saw it thought he looked ill at ease and it did not help his cause. The broadcast also displayed the new power of television. Many newspapers had been reporting and questioning McCarthy’s tactics, but it was Murrow’s “See It Now” March 9 broadcast that brought McCarthy’s actions into America’s living rooms. “It is well to remember that freedom through the press is the thing that comes first,” Murrow told the New York Herald Tribune in 1958, stressing his own belief in a great democratic institution. “Most of us probably feel we couldn’t be free without newspapers, and that is the real reason we want the newspapers to be free.”

Go Online Edward Murrow

http://goo.gl/mRK5Oy

The Trial of John Peter Zenger http://goo.gl/vZOrje

Fairness Doctrine

http://goo.gl/fHa8sm

Vince Crawley was a staff writer in the Bureau of International Information Programs of the U.S. Department of State.

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A LOOK BACK

Watchdog

Courtesy InSapphoWeTrust

American journalists navigate the transition toward online reporting.

FROM PRINT TO

By MICHAEL GALLANT

ot even two decades ago, tens of millions of Americans learned about current events by reading daily newspapers; weekly, monthly and quarterly magazines; and other widespread incarnations of ink-on-paper journalism. But circa 2014, the paradigm has shifted. Instead of picking up the local gazette, American readers often browse news apps on their phones; rather than flipping through the pages of a magazine, many gravitate toward websites like Google News and Yahoo News to learn about what’s going on. In fact, computers, tablets and smartphones have snagged much of the audience that traditional print media used to hold, offering consumers instant access to local, national and international news alike. For journalists as well as readers, it’s been a momentous shift—one that carries with it great benefits, opportunities and challenges.

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Opening doors “One huge advantage of online journalism is being able to publish the news at a faster rate,” says Katrina Rossos, an online journalist living in New Jersey. “With the majority of people connected to the Internet through computers, phones and tablets, readers expect to receive information as soon as it happens. With online journalism, breaking news stories can be updated as soon as new information becomes available.” Bill Leigh, a San Francisco consultant with nearly 20 years of experience as a writer and editor for print magazines, sees similarly dramatic changes throughout the world of journalism. “What we’re seeing now is a huge number of new online news sources, some really exciting writing happening in blogs and greater number of voices involved in immediate intellectual discourse,” he says, referencing the reader comments and discussion forums that often accompany online

ONLINE JOURNALISM

PIXELS To share articles go to http://span.state.gov MAY/JUNE 2014 11

GEOFF LIVINGSTON

Go Online

Society of Professional Journalists © Getty Images

http://www.spj.org

news. “There’s much more of an exchange of ideas happening in real time.” Long before an article gets published online, digital media often plays a key role in the researching and development of stories. “Journalists have access to a much wider range of sources,” says Bill Grueskin, a dean and professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York City. “They’re no longer limited by the names and phone numbers that they might have in their directories.” Thanks to the Internet, even the very act of sharing news stories has become remarkably easy. Traditionally, spreading news to a public audience required large amounts of money, warehouses and printing presses, broadcast licenses and antennae, Grueskin says. These days, anybody can start a website and publish articles, available to a global audience, in minutes.

New technologies, new questions Thanks to the Internet, fresh voices can be heard around the world, offering unique perspectives and knowledge related to current events. Yet, with so many online news sources, large and small, known and unknown, and all available at the touch of a key, how do readers decide which to trust? Similarly, how do reputable journalists differentiate themselves from those who may distort facts, spread political or corporate propaganda, or simply have, in Grueskin’s words, a personal ax to grind? For both questions, there isn’t necessarily a straightforward answer. “It can be hard for consumers to know the quality of the news that they’re seeing

on their smartphones or computer screens,” says Grueskin. “Right now, the burden falls on readers to suss out what’s relevant and what’s not.” The environment can be daunting, he says. The growth of digital media has reshaped not just the ways that journalism is consumed and created, but also the field’s underlying business models—a phenomenon evidenced by the large number of print publications that have shut down or moved to web-only editions, as well as the large number of new online news sources that have risen, in recent years. “A lot of magazines and newspapers have struggled to find the right model for making money, even major publications like The New York Times,” says Leigh. “A lot of those publications used to earn large amounts of revenue from print advertising and classified ads, but because of all of the competition online, and even websites like Craigslist, much of that income has dropped.” Many publishers continue to experiment with hybrid print and online approaches, Rossos says, each searching for a balance of free and paid content, advertising and distribution, that allows them to continue to publish and succeed. Despite such business struggles, both Leigh and Rossos see print journalism continuing to find readers within the United States—though in a far more limited context than in pre-Internet days. Michael Gallant is the founder and chief executive officer of Gallant Music. He lives in New York City.

The American Society of Journalists and Authors http://asja.org

Online News Association

http://journalists.org

“

It can be hard for consumers to know the quality of the news that they’re seeing on their smartphones or computer screens.

Telling Stories to End

e v i t i ists s n se urnal eal

Gender Violence

h Wit ng, jo ark r ge. rti an sp chan o p c l he statistics are devastating: 35 re iapercent c of women worldwide have experienced o s some form of physical or sexual violence, according to the World Health Organization. In some countries, the number goes up to 70 percent. But these statistics can change, believes Bruce Shapiro, executive director of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma at the Columbia University School of Journalism in New York. Change begins, says Shapiro, with telling the victims’ and survivors’ stories. “Journalism and social reform go hand in glove and one of the most encouraging signs I’ve seen is the growing presence of these women’s stories not only in America but in worldwide news coverage,” he says. Through these stories, the public learns “the extent of gender-based violence and the many forms it takes,” as well as its “very well established psychological impact,” says Shapiro. People also learn that gender-based violence is not inevitable. Increasingly, Shapiro finds reporting that addresses ways to counter

14 MAY/JUNE 2014

By CARRIE LOEWENTHAL MASSEY

violence, including effective bystander interventions, women’s self-defense training and reinforcing the message that “it’s not okay to say that sexual assault is a woman’s fault for being provocative.” Shapiro notes a particularly influential series of reports about sexual violence on college Courtesy The Plain Dealer

Illustration by HEMANT BHATNAGAR. Photographs © Getty Images, GUS CHAN/The Plain Dealer

the

“

I think as a reporter if you cover this issue all the time you have to be willing to back off if you get the sense it’s not the right time to tell the story.

”

Left: Rachel Dissell and Gus Chan, the reporter and photographer who covered the Johanna Orozco story. Above right: Johanna Orozco (left) at a court in 2007.

n March 5, 2007, Johanna Orozco’s exboyfriend destroyed the lower half of her face with a shower of bullets from a sawed-off shotgun. Weeks earlier, she had reported him for rape. He had spent four days in a detention center, and then he walked free. She was 18 years old; he, a year younger. Journalist Rachel Dissell of The Plain Dealer met Orozco as she lay in her hospital bed following the shooting. Dissell began to talk with her, and Orozco responded by writing on a whiteboard until surgery nearly a month later would restore her speech. Dissell knew from the start there was an important story to tell about dating violence in the context of what happened to Orozco. But as she came to know Orozco more, the real heart of the narrative developed: an account of recovery and personal resilience. As Dissell crafted the nine-part series that followed Orozco’s journey, she strived to balance sensitivity to Orozco’s emotions and her physical and psychological needs with Dissell’s own need to tell a story that would resonate with the audience she felt most needed to hear it. “When we wrote the series we kept parts of it very short, reading at a fifth grade level. We

were very specifically thinking about young readers and high school students needing to read this. That was because we figured out from Johanna that she probably wouldn’t have talked to an adult or listened to an adult about getting help, but she would have listened to her friends,” says Dissell. The story had quite an impact. Orozco received about 600 messages through social media and emails from school-aged people wanting to talk about her experience and share their own stories, according to Dissell. It also resulted in legal change, after a few years of additional lobbying by Orozco and others. In 2010, Ohio passed a law that enables teens in abusive relationships to obtain orders of protection against their abusers. Another law now mandates that all middle and high school students in the state learn about dating violence in their health education classes. Orozco went on to work for several years with a domestic violence center in Cleveland. She would go to middle and high schools and tell her story in a “way kids could really relate to,” says Dissell. Today, Orozco focuses mainly on raising her family, but she still speaks publicly about her experience, says Dissell. —C.L.M.

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GENDER VIOLENCE

GUS CHAN/ The Plain Dealer

A Story of Recovery, Change and Hope

Go online

WHO factsheet on violence against women http://goo.gl/3t19w

Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma http://dartcenter.org/

Center for Public Integrity’s work on campus sexual assaults http://goo.gl/Ob90uI

Johanna: Facing Forward

Courtesy Cleveland.com

http://www.cleveland.com/johanna/

says Shapiro. “It’s become a major issue for student activists across the country who are tired of universities brushing sexual violence claims under the rug.” And the Obama Administration has taken notice as well, announcing in January the formation of a task force to help universities address the issue of sexual assault on campuses.

A sensitive topic Rachel Dissell

campuses. In 2011, the Dart Center recognized the nonprofit Center for Public Integrity and its team of investigative reporters for their work on the issue and a six-part narrative—produced jointly with National Public Radio—that centered on survivors of sexual assault. The series covered women’s personal experiences and struggles for justice, intertwining them with data on campus sexual violence. It led to government investigations of several major universities, according to Shapiro. The report also inspired “widespread activism by young women themselves,” 16 MAY/JUNE 2014

Stories like those of the campus assault survivors require much care in their compilation. Reporters face the challenges of winning their interviewees’ trust and protecting them from further harm and stigmatization. “When the subject is a sexual assault victim or a battered woman…[she] may simply not trust the reporter to convey the reality of a terrible traumatic set of experiences. A person who has been traumatized…has experienced the worst kind of betrayal by the world we can imagine,” says Shapiro. Rachel Dissell, a reporter for The Plain Dealer, has interviewed numerous violence survivors, young and old, close to and long after the time of

their assaults. “I think as a reporter if you cover this issue all the time you have to be willing to back off if you get the sense it’s not the right time to tell the story. You can’t get so wrapped up in it that you have to tell the story. Ultimately, it’s not about you. It’s their story and you have to allow them to have some control of that,” says Dissell. Yet, Dissell keeps at the work of trying to tell these stories, of “shining a light where it needs to be shined and giving a voice to people who aren’t usually listened to,” because she knows how crucial it is. “It’s a hard topic because people have so many misconceptions, so many dugin opinions about sexual assault,” says Dissell. “I can look at really good, concrete data on sexual assault and know who is likely to be attacked, and it doesn’t match people’s perceptions, and I think, oh wow. There is so much work to be done. And it is done so much through personal stories.” Carrie Loewenthal Massey is a New York City-based freelance writer.

RICHA VARMA

Michelle Bekkering

Excerpts from an interview with Raktima Bose. What are the challenges faced by women who want to participate in public life? There are actually several challenges. Women historically haven’t been represented in public life in large numbers and sometimes it’s a cultural attitude against this that holds them back. Beyond that, there can be challenges and barriers that are felt more by women than by men. For instance, if we are talking about women getting involved politically, in running for office, there are a lot of things they need to consider. First is raising money; and for a lot of women who maybe don’t earn as much as men or are not the primary breadwinners, that’s a challenge to overcome. Another issue we see often is a lack of self-confidence. So, for instance, there was a study that if you take a man and a woman, with equal skills, and you ask

the man, “Can you do a certain job?” and ask the woman the same question, the majority of men would say, “Absolutely, I’ll be able to do that,” while a majority of women would qualify their response, “I could do it, but I need to first gain some more skills on the way.” The study noted that men view opportunities as based on their future potential while women view opportunities as based on their prior accomplishments. For many women, this holds them back altogether, or delays their pursuit of leadership roles. How can we change the mindsets of people who resist participation of women in public life? There are a couple of ways to change the mindset. The first is the old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words. The more a society visibly sees women in public leadership positions, the less strange it will be. The second thing is that we need to educate people on the positive correlation between an increase of women’s leadership in public life and benefits for their communities and countries. A significant challenge for women in public life is that they are often judged by different criteria than men. For example, they often have a dual burden—first of all, they’ll be judged on how they carried out their duties. Secondly, they will then be judged on how they represented and benefited women as a whole. We work with women leaders to understand this, to fulfill their job duties efficiently while also acknowledging their unique opportunity to serve as advocates for all women. What role can nonprofit organizations play in empowering women for greater participation in public life? NGOs are absolutely instrumental. They have an important role to play through issue-advocacy programs, To share articles go to http://span.state.gov MAY/JUNE 2014 17

Graphic by HEMANT BHATNAGAR

Michelle Bekkering is the resident country director for Indonesia at the International Republican Institute (IRI)— a nonpartisan, nongovernmental organization dedicated to advancing democracy worldwide. Bekkering joined IRI in 2005. She visited New Delhi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kolkata in March and April and interacted with women in university groups, local business associations, civil society organizations as well as gender activists.

Photographs by RICHA VARMA

leadership development programs, and educational initiatives such as teaching women their rights. I also want to emphasize the importance of networking. To conduct successful women’s empowerment strategies, you actually need to have coalitions between women in a variety of fields—political parties or government, NGOs, business, media, etc.—because each sector has unique contributions they can bring to the table as well as supporters. In the Women’s Democracy Network at IRI, a hallmark of our program was our 15 country chapters; coalitions of women in these sectors which worked together to increase the number of women elected to public office. In your experience, how has empowering the women of a country helped its socioeconomic growth? Studies have proven around the world that the more women that are in leadership positions, primarily referring to women elected to government, you will see a decrease in corruption, increase in GDP, lower rates of illiteracy, and also increased spending on education. Notable benefits not just for women but for the whole society. We also find that having more women elected to leadership positions actually has a positive effect on peace and security issues. So, for instance, if you are looking at a country that’s going through conflict, having more women involved in negotiating peace treaties can equate into more inclusive and lasting peace agreements, and having more women involved in the reconciliation processes can ensure justice for women who have maybe been victimized during the conflict. And finally, women tend to look at issues referred to as “women’s issues” as “social issues,” how these issues affect families, the communities. That’s important. 18 MAY/JUNE 2014

To what extent can rules or laws that advocate gender equality help in empowering women? They are very helpful and I can’t stress that enough. What I have seen in my career is that laws are very useful tools for women who have nothing else to cling to in the face of abuse or repression. It gives them something tangible to point to—something to prove that they are equal members of society, that they must be afforded the same rights and opportunities. How does the International Republican Institute help promote empowerment of women? IRI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded in 1983. IRI’s goal is to advance freedom and democracy worldwide through support to issue-based political parties, engaged citizenry and transparent government bodies and responsive government officials. A key avenue of our work is increasing the role of marginalized groups in the political process—specifically women. IRI has, for the past 30 years, conducted women’s training across the world. In 2006, it created the Women’s Democracy Network (WDN) which conducts programming designed to increase women’s political participation, leadership and election to public office. WDN is currently active in 61 countries. How important is it to ensure more participation of women in student organizations? How does starting early help? Student organizations are one of the key avenues to fostering women’s empowerment as they offer early opportunities to be involved in structured organizations, gain experience and

Above left and above: Michelle Bekkering interacts with students and members of a women’s trade union in New Delhi.

pursue leadership positions. It’s interesting to note that while in many countries, like the United States, more young women than men are earning degrees, less than a third of our university student government presidents are women. We have to continually encourage women, especially when they are young, to pursue leadership positions. This is a good place to start. How important is mentorship in nurturing the upcoming generation of women leaders? I think it’s invaluable. Life is a progression. A mentor will encourage you, and help you increase your selfconfidence. They also can help you avoid pitfalls by learning from their own mistakes or successes. And it’s also a great way to learn new skills to broaden your thinking on things. Mentors are really good in helping you look at issues and problems from new perspectives. One thing that I always have thought was the hallmark of the WDN is that the entire division is built upon the importance of mentorship. WDN understood the importance of bringing women from different countries together so that they could share best practices of women’s empowerment strategies, so that other women could benefit from these great examples and utilize these best practices back home. Mentorship is really a responsibility; it’s a two-way street. I think that anyone of us who have succeeded in our goals need to mentor others as a way to thank those who helped us.

Climate Change Through the

Global warming is a real phenomenon and the media needs to approach it in an informed manner.

s the Winter Olympics opened in Sochi, Russia, in February this year, The New York Times published a prominent article headlined “The End of Snow?” examining the damaging effects of climate change on the ski industry. Some weeks later, Chipotle Mexican Grill, a Colorado fast-food chain, caused a minor media firestorm when its annual report mentioned that global warming could cause it to “suspend” guacamole—a key vegetable ingredient—from its menu.

MAY/JUNE 2014

CLIMATE REPORTING

By STEVE FOX

Courtesy 350.org

“

Bill McKibben

Scientists long ago reached a strong consensus on the

dangers of global

warming, but for years afterward journalists kept treating it as an open issue.

”

20 MAY/JUNE 2014

“The sky is not falling,” Chipotle spokesman Chris Arnold reassured the Los Angeles Times. “We have guacamole in all of our restaurants. As a public company...we are required to disclose any potential issues that could have an impact on our business….” American media covers many different aspects of climate change, from recent scientific findings to fears about its effects on recreation and dinner. Coverage increased about 30 percent in 2013 from 2012, partially because of droughts, hurricanes and other severe weather in many parts of the United States, says Douglas Fischer, editor of The Daily Climate, an aggregator of climate news. Despite widespread coverage, a November 2013 study by the Yale University Project on Climate Change Communication, done with George Mason University, found a seven percentage point increase since Spring 2013 in the number of people in the United States who don’t

believe in global warming. Overall, 23 percent of those surveyed don’t think climate change is occurring, while 63 percent do, with 47 percent blaming human activities. Public opinion has been swayed by a small but strident group of climate change deniers and a systematic campaign to sow doubt about the issue, says Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale Project. “A huge consensus—about 90 percent—of scientists say global warming is happening, and that it is human-caused and a serious problem,” Leiserowitz says in an interview. “But only about 20 percent of Americans know that....” Journalists are partly to blame for public confusion, says Bill McKibben, an environmental journalist and author whose 1989 book, “The End of Nature,” is regarded as the first book for a general audience on global warming. “As a journalist by training, I have to say this is an issue where our

ÂŠ Getty Images

Go Online The Daily Climate www.dailyclimate.org

Yale University Project on Climate Change Communication http://goo.gl/nALjsp

Bill McKibben http://www.billmckibben.com/

Society of Environmental Journalists http://www.sej.org/

Environmental Defense Fund http://www.edf.org/

profession has done a terrible job,” McKibben says in an email. “Scientists long ago reached a strong consensus on the dangers of global warming, but for years afterward journalists kept treating it as an open issue, interviewing over and over again the few skeptics, none of whom were publishing scientific papers.” Porter Fox, who wrote The New York Times article, agrees that journalists should stop treating climate change as if it were a debatable issue. “It’s Journalism 101 to tell both sides of the story, but there is no other side of this story,” he says in an interview. “It’s absolutely irresponsible to put someone who doubts the basic science alongside someone who is using facts and math to explain the reality that the Earth is warming.” Beth Parke, executive director of the 1,200-member Society of Environmental Journalists, believes climate change coverage is steadily improving. “You can’t just say journalists have done a lousy job,” she says in an

22 MAY/JUNE 2014

interview. “Which journalists? Are we talking about talk show hosts, or people writing for Science News? There are a lot of journalists working very hard to accurately report on a complex story. It’s also true that journalists traditionally have not told American society ‘You have to take your medicine.’ And it’s difficult when you get into a topic that’s so depressing. Lots of people would rather read about Justin Bieber.” Richie Ahuja, regional director for Asia at the Environmental Defense Fund, a nonprofit environmental advocacy group, says news stories may not affect public attitudes on climate change significantly. “Coverage comes in cycles—it flares up when there’s a seminal event like a hurricane, but then it goes away,” Ahuja says in an interview. “That’s just the nature of the news media. But if you talk about media more broadly, it has been able to drive societal change. For example, it would be nice to see climate change issues embedded in the story

lines of Bollywood films. That would be a good way to start conversations.” Noting that most people have “limited shelf space in their brains for this issue,” Leiserowitz says that understanding climate change can be distilled into what he calls five “meta-ideas that can be expanded upon to help people make informed decisions.” They are:

1. It’s real. 2. It’s us. 3. It’s bad. 4. Scientists agree. 5. There’s hope.

Leiserowitz believes journalists should allow for confusion and lack of knowledge on climate change. “It would be great if everyone in the U.S. took a course on climate change,” he said. “But Americans don’t speak with one voice on this issue and journalists have to meet them where they are.” Steve Fox is a freelance writer, former newspaper publisher and reporter based in Ventura, California.

Middle East

By HOWARD CINCOTTA

Steven A. Cook is Hasib J. Sabbagh senior fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, D.C. He is an expert on Arab and Turkish politics as well as U.S. Middle Eastern policy. Along with numerous articles in foreign policy journals, magazines and newspapers, Cook is the author of the 2012 book, “The Struggle for Egypt: From Nasser to Tahrir Square.” His blog is called “From the Potomac to the Euphrates.”

What are the chief elements of continuity and change in President Barack Obama’s Middle East policy? How have events in the region changed American policy priorities? Broadly speaking, U.S. interests in the Middle East have remained the same over the course of President Obama’s presidency as they were under his predecessors: ensuring the flow of energy resources from the Gulf, guaranteeing Israeli security, and making sure no single country dominates the region. The uprisings in the region have not changed those interests, but there is a

debate in Washington about how best to achieve them under the rather unsettled political circumstances in the Middle East. President Obama came to office intent on dialing back the “Freedom Agenda” rhetoric of the Bush Administration even as President Obama devoted more resources to supporting democratic change than his predecessor. Yet, as the trajectory in major Arab countries like Egypt has changed, the White House is scaling back its commitment to democracy and governance funding. Secretary of State John Kerry has undertaken a highly visible effort to

reach an Israeli-Palestinian settlement. How do you rate the prospects for success? What would be the consequences if negotiations fail? It’s unlikely that there will be a settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. For entirely domestic political reasons, the Palestinians cannot meet Israel’s minimum requirements for peace and the Israelis cannot meet the Palestinians’ minimum requirements for peace. I am not aware of any progress on any of the core issues. It strikes me that the framework agreement that the United States is going to table reflects the fact that there

To share articles go to http://span.state.gov MAY/JUNE 2014 23

POLICY

for the

Courtesy Steven Cook

Prospects

An interview with Steven Cook of the Council on Foreign Relations.

“

I was struck in India by the confluence of interests between Washington and New Delhi, but also the difficulties of realizing the full potential of the bilateral relationship.

”

has been no real progress. People have been predicting that if the talks fail, there will be violence. Maybe. We just do not know. Much of the violence against Israelis in the past was a function of rivalries among Palestinian factions to demonstrate their nationalist bona fides. With Hamas greatly weakened as a result of the failure of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and the squeeze that Cairo is applying on the group, I wonder whether this competitive violent dynamic is as strong. Still, at the least one can imagine that Mahmoud Abbas will be under pressure to resign. Syria has become an interconnected civil war, humanitarian crisis and regional sectarian conflict. What do you see as the policy options for the United States at this point? For the international community generally? There are no good options for the United States. The best approach is to focus on where Washington has responsibilities: Turkey, Jordan and Israel (although the Israelis can take care of themselves). The United States has devoted $5.3 billion in refugee relief. It should do everything possible to help the Turks, Jordanians and to the extent it can, Lebanese, deal with the humanitarian disaster in and around Syria. The five Security Council nations and Germany (P5 plus 1) are engaged in nuclear negotiations with Iran. How do you assess the status of the talks and the prospects for a final agreement?

24 MAY/JUNE 2014

I am not an Iran expert, but it strikes me that the possibility of a series of interim deals is far greater than a “grand bargain.” In important ways, the legitimacy of the Islamic Republic is based on a “conflictual” relationship with the West, especially the United States. A grand bargain that addresses all outstanding issues would only undermine one of the clerical regime’s reasons to be. You have written extensively about the Arab Spring and Egypt in particular. How do you see the current situation in Egypt? What are the policy options for United States in Egypt at this point? Egypt’s present and future reality is one of instability, uncertainty and violence. As the military establishment and the elite seek to establish some version of the old political order, large numbers of Egyptians—and not just Muslim Brothers—will continue to oppose this project. Under those circumstances, the only way for the military to establish political control is through repression, which in turn, radicalizes the political arena. Unfortunately, the United States has few policy options. The stakes are so high for Egyptians in their struggle to define their political system and society, there is very little the United States can do to influence the outcome. On the security end, the Egyptians are now battling an insurgency in the Sinai Peninsula. They deserve Washington’s support in this effort. Delaying or withholding aid as some have suggested in response to the July 3, 2013 coup will not make Egypt less unstable and more democratic. What are the prospects for Arab democracy and reform generally? We have the example of Egypt, of course, but also that of Tunisia. Has the Arab Spring run its course, or is this a much longer-running political process? You’ll have to wait for my next book, “Thwarted Dreams: Authoritarianism and Violence in the New Middle East” for the full answer. In short, a variety of structural and political factors are conspiring against hoped-for democratic transitions. These have to do with the

fact that the uprisings were not genuine revolutions, the persistence of the institutions of the old political orders, or the absence of formal institutions, as in the case of Libya. Tunisia may be the exception that proves the rule, but I’m not willing to believe all the hype about Tunisia just yet. Turkey is playing an increasingly important role in the region, but recently the government of Prime Minister Erdogan has been facing significant domestic political opposition. What are the consequences for Turkey’s influence in the Middle East, and for U.S. policy? Turkey’s strategic position in the Middle East has eroded dramatically over the last year. Ankara has difficult relations with every major Middle Eastern state. The Turks overplayed their hands when they sought to position themselves as leaders of the region. The cultural affinity, soft power and moral authority in the region that Ankara claimed were greatly exaggerated. Now Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has major political problems and he has resorted to the tactics of recently deposed Arab dictators. In a blog posting about your recent trip to India, you commented that many Indians tend to view U.S. policy largely through the lens of the ArabIsraeli issue. Could you talk about that a little? And about other experiences or observations from your India trip. I would not say that they view the region specifically through the lens of the Arab-Israeli conflict, but I did come across many Indians who strongly supported Palestinian statehood and were deeply suspicious of American foreign policy in the Middle East because of U.S. support for Israel. I was struck in India by the confluence of interests between Washington and New Delhi, but also the difficulties of realizing the full potential of the bilateral relationship. Neither the United States nor India seem ready politically or bureaucratically to take the next step in developing strategic ties. Howard Cincotta is a freelance writer living in Virginia.

Seven Ways to Stand Out

Applicant By DON MARTIN and WESLEY TETER ÂŠ Getty Images

he final stage of the undergraduate and graduate application process yields both relief and stress for prospective students. Applications have been submitted, and now comes a period of time that can be a bit stressful: waiting for the decision of the admissions committee. Based on our experience reviewing thousands of undergrad and grad school applications over nearly three decades, here are seven ways to help you stand out as an applicant: Relax. The application process is a major learning experience. Staying positive and calm allows you to be reflective. Worrying and obsessing during the final stages of putting the application together will likely hinder your ability to think clearly and prepare the best application possible.

Allow enough time. Take a few weeks to gather and compile all of the required material. Then check and recheck. Do not wait until the last second before pushing the send button for your application. Believe us; admissions personnel can tell because often there are mistakes, missing information or essays that were clearly written for another program.

Follow directions. Not doing so raises major questions about how the candidate

EDUCATION

as an

Be professional. Studying overseas in the United States is a big deal and can be stressful. You should be confident and selfassured, but not to the point of being perceived as overly aggressive, abrasive or demanding. If something goes wrong, keep your cool. This makes a positive impression.

Focus on content and presentation. A candidate might have the greatest standardized test scores, a superb

grade point average (GPA) and impressive letters of recommendation. But if the application contains obvious misspellings or grammatical mistakes, it’s going to be a problem. Admissions committees will assume the applicant was not entirely serious about his or her application. Stay true to yourself. Embellishing your application or making excuses for weaker parts of your application will not help. Presenting yourself in a genuine and honest way is very important. As the saying goes: “Be yourself—everyone else is already taken.”

Ask the right questions. It is very disheartening for the admissions staff when applicants ask questions for which answers have been

repeatedly provided on the admissions office website or in printed materials. Two of the questions are, “What are your application deadlines?” and “Do you offer financial aid?” They clearly demonstrate either a lack of real interest in an institution or program, or lack of initiative in doing some research, or both. Ask questions that show you took time to thoroughly investigate the program/institution to which you are applying. Don Martin is a former admissions dean at Columbia, University of Chicago and Northwestern; and author of “Road Map for Graduate Study.” Wesley Teter is a former regional director for EducationUSA in New Delhi. He is also the editor of the multimedia outreach campaign, 10 Steps to Study in the United States.

Interviewing Strategies for Business School and Beyond By DON MARTIN and WESLEY TETER

nlike other types of graduate programs, business schools often require or request an interview in person or virtually. Your level of preparation is critically important. Taking ample time to prepare can help you be more relaxed and confident during your interview. Below are a few tips to help you prepare: • Remember that from the first point of contact you are being evaluated. If you are invited to interview, be professional in your exchanges with the school official or interviewer. For example, confirm your appointment one or two days in advance, if possible—a brief and upbeat email is a great way to make a positive impression and show that you are respectful and well-prepared. • Be sure to review your application essays and résumé before your

26 MAY/JUNE 2014

• a.

appointment. Your interviewer may have detailed questions about what you submitted in your application. Prepare answers to potential interview questions like the following: Can you walk me through your résumé? This question is essentially an icebreaker. Be clear and succinct as you outline your personal and professional story and how you came to apply to business school. How did you go about choosing where to apply? Think carefully about how you first heard about the program and explain your motivation to apply. Talk about the specific factors that led you to choose this particular program. What other programs are you interested in and why? Feel free to answer this type of question using examples and

explain what you are looking for in a business school. • Use the interview as an opportunity to learn more about the program where you are applying. Along these lines, it is important that you have questions of your own prepared in advance. This shows respect to your interviewer as well. If you are interviewed by an alumnus, you might ask about their most rewarding or challenging experience as a student. The key to a successful interview is to show that you are fully informed about the program and will succeed in business school and beyond. Further, you will need to demonstrate how exactly you hope to benefit from and contribute to the incoming class. Above all, be yourself and enjoy the opportunity to interview.

might adhere to policies and procedures once admitted and enrolled. If there is a word limit for essay questions, follow it. If you are asked for two letters of recommendation, do not send more. If you are asked not to follow up via email or phone, don’t.

Journalism Programs at

U.S. Colleges and Universities

ournalism is a great option for those who have an inquisitive, perceptive nature and strong writing skills. Students who wish to study journalism need to develop their ability to work under intense pressure, tight deadlines and conduct investigative research. It is a discipline of collecting, analyzing, verifying, writing and presenting news regarding current events, trends, issues and people. It’s a field that continually evolves, with new ways of disseminating news through diverse platforms, including newspapers, television, radio, magazines, websites and social media. U.S. universities offer a wide variety of programs and options to train students to be professional journalists. Accreditation It is important for international students to apply to U.S. institutions that are accredited. For more information, visit www.chea.org and the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications at http://www2.ku.edu/~acejmc/ Undergraduate degree Students interested in journalism will be expected to be knowledgeable about a wide range of subjects, such as history, politics, science and literature and have an understanding of current events. Courses at U.S. universities can differ depending on specializations. The first two years

may cover basics of writing, reporting and editing across different types of media. The last two years will continue to focus on these skills, and also enter into discussions of ethics, law and journalism history. International students can apply directly to journalism schools (J-schools) or major in journalism. Graduate degree Master’s degree programs in journalism in the United States are usually one to two years long and are open to students with a recognized bachelor’s degree in any field, provided the student is able to demonstrate aptitude for the discipline. Graduate programs provide students opportunities to work with latest technologies, network with professionals in the industry and gain real-world experience. Students can specialize in areas such as investigative journalism, documentary, business journalism, science reporting, political reporting and digital media. Theoretical learning and hands-on projects form an integral part of almost all programs. Many universities now offer joint graduate programs in law, business administration, South Asian studies and public health for students pursuing master’s in journalism. Admissions process Application and admissions requirements for a journalism degree are different from school to school; it is impor-

tant to research programs to find the best fit. Basic admissions requirements Application & fee: Available on university websites, note deadlines for international students. Transcripts: Official transcripts of secondary school records for undergraduates and bachelor’s records for graduate program. Test scores: High TOEFL or IELTS scores are important for all; SAT or ACT scores needed for undergraduates; GRE scores for graduate studies. Essays & writing samples: Applications require one to three essays on various topics; some may request writing samples. Letters of recommendation: Up to two letters from educators or supervisors who know you and your work very well. Finance: Provide information regarding financial contribution. EducationUSA advisers can provide more information and guidance on how to apply to U.S. colleges and universities. EducationUSA is supported by the U.S. Department of State to provide international students with accurate, comprehensive and current information about U.S. higher education. EducationUSA is located in seven cities in India; visit http://www.educationusa.info/India to find your nearest center. Article courtesy EducationUSA India.

To share articles go to http://span.state.gov MAY/JUNE 2014 27

Five unique U.S.

SUMMER VACATION

OFFBEAT

destinations.

and on the Road

Las Vegas, Orlando and Los Angeles—the last two being the homes of Disney World and Disneyland, respectively. Though they are all popular for good reason, what if you’re tired of overplayed tourist spots? Read on to discover five offbeat travel destinations that will keep you coming back for more.

Main Street District in Sedona, Arizona.

TRAVEL

ummer is here and that means it’s time to hit the road. But before you spend most of your vacation at yet another overcrowded tourist destination, why not consider a less-traveled holiday locale? According to Travel + Leisure magazine, the top five tourist destinations in the United States are New York City, Washington, D.C.,

MR. TINDC/Courtesy Flickr

By ANNE WALLS

North Fork

Long Island, New York

lot of summer scene-sters flock to the congested and pricey Hamptons on the South Fork of Long Island. But savvy travelers visit the North Fork instead. There, in a cluster of quaint seaside villages, they find time for antiquing, exploring spacious beaches and enjoying the feel of small-town America. There’s even a scenic Main Street with candy shops, bakeries and more. Not only is the North Fork less crowded than its flashier sister to the south, it’s also smack in the middle of Long Island wine country. It has over 40 beautiful wineries, all a short walk or bike ride away.

What to do Besides taking a self-guided bike tour to the wineries and hitting the many beaches, the North Fork also offers plenty of familyrun farms to not only visit and shop at, but also tour. A great place to go is Wickham’s Fruit Farm, where you can pick fruit straight off the trees and bushes.

Where to stay Because the North Fork endeavors to keep its small-town feel, you’ll be hard-pressed to

find any chain hotels. Instead, stay at an oldworld bed-and-breakfast like the Bartlett House Inn, housed in an old Victorian home. For more modern lodgings, try The Greenporter, a chic, updated motel-turned-hipsterboutique-hotel with a highly rated restaurant and a great pool.

Where to eat Not surprisingly, delicious seafood is plentiful at this beachside town and the North Fork is brimming with both high-end and casual dining options. For your morning coffee, be sure to visit The Blue Duck Bakery for delightful breads and pastries. For your post-wine tasting night out, try Noah’s, where all the seafood is locally harvested and the produce comes from North Fork farms. Don’t miss the BBQ’d local oysters.

North Fork

Bartlett House Inn

http://www.northfork.org/

http://www.bartletthouseinn.com

Wickham’s Fruit Farm

The Greenporter TOBIAS CARROLL/Courtesy Flickr

http://www.wickhamsfruitfarm.com/ http://greenporterhotel.com/

MAY/JUNE 2014

Above: A bird statue at the pier in North Fork, Long Island. Right: Rosé and red wine at Peconic Bay Winery in Long Island. Above right: A screenshot of Bartlett House Inn’s website. Left: A screenshot of Wickham’s Fruit Farm’s website. Far left: Southold Beach at the North Fork.

exciting river crossings, Zion also offers lush fields of flowers, abundant wildlife and the opportunity to camp under the stars in one of the finest national parks in the United States. Hike Angelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Landing along a

Virgin River at Zion National Park.

ÂŠ Getty Images

Zion National Park

ith its unique rocky landscape and breathtaking vistas, there are few sights as beautiful as Zion National Park in the Southwestern United States. Besides the abundance of photograph-worthy hikes and

CHRIS GOLDBERG/Courtesy Flickr

CGP Grey www.CGPGrey.com/ Courtesy Flickr

Utah

HENRIK JOHANSSON/ Courtesy Flickr

Zion National Park http://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm

Canyon Trail Rides http://www.canyonrides.com/

Zion Human History Museum

ANDY WITHERS/Courtesy Flickr

WOLFGANG STAUDT/Courtesy Flickr

RICH LUHR/Courtesy Flickr

http://goo.gl/FZ7SV/

Top left: Visitors at Zion National Park. Top right: The West Rim trail below Angel’s Landing. Above: The park’s rocky landscape. Above right: Waterfall beyond Double Arch Alcove on Taylor Creek Trail at Zion National Park.

crisscrossing trail of razorback mountain ridges—you have to use huge chains to help pull yourself up and along the trail— to get a vista of the stone formations formed by the Virgin River. Wade through the river itself as it snakes through the beautiful sandstone canyons of The Narrows. You can even stay in a log cabin on a buffalo ranch! Zion is meant to be explored and discovered.

What to do Explore the red-walled canyons on horseback with Canyon Rides. Head over to the Zion Human History Museum to

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learn about American Indian culture, historic pioneer settlement and Zion’s growth as a national park. There are also opportunities to canyoneer and raft down the Virgin River. If you have time, pop over to the nearby Bryce Canyon for a completely different landscape of tall, pointed rock formations called hoodoos. Definitely an unforgettable sight.

Where to stay The main types of accommodations in Zion are the lodge in the park itself, as well as the many campgrounds. If you want something smaller than the lodge

but a little more accommodating than a tent, try one of the motels in Springdale, the small town right outside the park gates. For a real Western experience, head just outside the Eastern Gate of the park to Zion Mountain Ranch, a cluster of 30 or so cabins in the middle of an official buffalo preserve.

Where to eat While in the park, eat at the Red Rock Grill in the lodge. In Springdale, try some authentic Southwestern/Mexican food at Casa De Amigos or try some local beer at the Zion Canyon Brewing Company.

Above: Tourists enjoy a carriage ride in Charleston. Right: The Cooper River Bridge, also known as the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, in Charleston.

f you’re searching for Southern charm without the hoopla of Atlanta or the crowds of Savannah, look no further than Charleston. A charming town full of antebellum beauty, Charleston is a capital of Southern hospitality, with plenty to see and do. Visiting Charleston is like stepping back in time. Visitors can even take ghost tours to explore the city’s Civil War past. In fact, Charleston has been named the Top U.S. City by Condé Nast Traveler 2013 Readers’ Choice Awards for three years in a row. The city’s rich past plays a big part in its present existence. Houses and buildings in the oldest part of town still proudly display their bullet wounds from Civil War skirmishes and horsedrawn carriages clip-clop down the cobblestone streets.

MIKE MCBRIDE/Courtesy Flickr

Charleston

John Rutledge House

http://www.charleston-sc.gov/

http://goo.gl/vMXEnF

Charleston Footprints

Husk

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http://goo.gl/L5drPG

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LORNE SYKORA/Courtesy Flickr

Charleston

South Carolina

TOM GILL/Courtesy Flickr

IAN MAY/Courtesy Flickr WALLY GOBETZ/Courtesy Flickr

Above: A dish of shrimp and grits at a restaurant in Charleston. Below: Husk restaurant in Charleston.

After your carriage ride, take a walking tour with Charleston Footprints, guided by a seventh generation native of the town. You’ll see colonial churches and graveyards, historic parks with monuments and cannons, gardens and flowering trees, old taverns and wharves, former cotton warehouses and factories, alleys famed for pirates and duelists, and incredible views and stories of the famed Charleston Harbor.

designated in the National Register of Historic Places. The family-owned bed-andbreakfast has an interesting past that includes the writing of drafts of the Constitution of the United States within its walls.

Where to eat

When in the South, you have to eat like a Southerner. For a high-end dining experience, try Husk, named Bon Appetit magazine’s Best New Restaurant in 2011, for inventive takes on Southern Where to stay staples like deviled eggs When in such a historiwith pickled okra and trout cally-steeped place, it’s only roe, and new delicacies like fitting to stay in a place South Carolina shrimp and equally tied to the past. Try okra stew with Carolina the John Rutledge House, a gold rice and flowering stately inn that has been basil. 34 MAY/JUNE 2014

COREY SEEMAN/ Courtesy Flickr

What to do

alled “the Riviera of the Midwest,” the picturesque towns that dot the southeastern tip of Lake Michigan are perfect summer beach getaway destinations, so you can swim, play volleyball, hop on a fishing boat or explore scenic lighthouses, all along Silver Beach. The town of St. Joseph stands out because of its charming streets, welcoming activities and allAmerican feel. St. Joseph also has a dedication to the arts and hosts an art fair for two weeks every July. In 2012, their public exhibit was called “Beached Pirates” and for

the whole summer, there was a life-sized pirate statue at almost every street corner! There are also quite a few wineries nearby, providing a playground for the adults on your trip as well.

What to do If you like water, St. Joseph is the place for you. Boating, fishing, water skiing and more are all waiting for you in the relatively warm Lake Michigan. If shopping is more your thing, wander up and down State Street for charming antiques, home goods and more. And no visit to St. Joe, as the locals call St.

Joseph, is complete without a trip to its scenic lighthouse.

Where to stay For a great view of the lake and luxurious accommodations, head to the Boulevard Inn. For a cozier experience, try the Painted Turtle Inn, a modern bed-andbreakfast with a nautical feel.

Where to eat The highest-rated restaurant in town is Silver Beach Pizza, a casual family spot famous for pies. For a real Americana burger, head to a bar and bistro called The Buck.

Above left: The St. Joseph lighthouse on Silver Beach by Lake Michigan. Left and below: The lakefront at St. Joseph. Below right: A pirate statue installed in St. Joseph during the 2012 art fair.

Silver Beach Pizza

http://www.sjcity.com/

http://silverbeachpizza.com/

Boulevard Inn

The Buck

http://www.theboulevardinn.com/

http://eatatthebuck.com/ KEVIN GALENS/Courtesy Flickr

St. Joseph

COREY SEEMAN/ Courtesy Flickr

St. Joseph

Michigan

KEN LUND/Courtesy Flickr

Sedona

Arizona

Above: Sedona’s main attraction is its array of red sandstone formations. Below: A Pink Jeep Tours’ vehicle negotiates a steep incline at Coconino National Forest in Sedona. Below right: Balloon ride over Sedona at sunrise.

Sedona http://www.sedonaaz.gov/

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What to do One of the most exciting things to do in Sedona is hike one of the many trails leading to an energy vortex and then sit quietly and try to feel the power and beauty of the landscape and its natural wonder flowing through you. One of the most accessible and beautiful vortexes is found on Bell Rock. Once you’re centered, it’s time for some biking and horseback riding. Be sure to take a Pink Jeep Tour through the red desert for some gravity-defying adventure.

Where to stay For a luxurious stay alongside the babbling Oak Creek, try L’Auberge de Sedona, which has been listed as one of Condé Nast’s Top 50 Hotels in the United States. L’Auberge is even petfriendly. But there’s another kind of lodging option. Because so many Sedona homeowners are only part-time residents—many people spend their winters there to escape their chilly hometowns—it’s also possible, and often cheaper, to rent an entire house for your stay through websites like airbnb.com or vrbo.com.

Where to eat When you’re in Sedona, you have to have some authentic Southwestern cuisine and the most famous place in town to get it is the Elote Café. Tourists and locals alike don’t mind the long waiting time because the enchiladas, burritos and, of course, the delicious buttery corn dish called Elote are worth it. Anne Walls is a writer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles, California. SCOTT ABLEMAN/Courtesy Flickr

ystical, magical Sedona is a red rock desert oasis with familyfriendly adventures like horseback riding and all-terrain vehicle tours. This Old West town has a cowboy flair, Native American history and plenty to do, including exploring the famed “energy vortexes,” said to bring healing and good fortune. Sedona is a natural draw for health enthusiasts and offers a plethora of yoga classes, natural food stores, outdoor activities and memorable desert views.

SCAPE Courtesy PES University/Facebook

he New Delhi American Center, in association with the Earth Day Network, organized an Earth Day Celebration for school students on April 22. The activities included a poster-making contest on “Green Cities,” the theme for Earth Day 2014; a natural color producing workshop with traditional scroll painters of Bengal and a theatre-based sensitization workshop on environmental issues. The students also performed two environmental skits during the event. https://www.facebook.com/americancenternewdelhi

hrough a grant from the U.S. Consulate General Chennai, the Florida-based Poynter Institute for Media Studies conducted a series of journalism workshops in Chennai, Kochi and Bangalore in March. Titled “Strengthening Journalism: Poynter Collaborative Learning Workshops,” they featured American editors, media executives and educators discussing ideas and best practices with Indian journalists and educators, while exploring how to strengthen the ties between journalism and education in both countries. The participants also discussed digital tools and citizen journalism. http://www.poynterevents.org/poynter-india RAM RAJ DORAISWAMY

ANUSHA MEHAR/Courtesy Kolkata Sanved

Photographs by ROBIN BANSAL

group of students from PES University, Bangalore, won the second prize at the SAE Aero Design West 2014 competition, in Texas, in the Overall Micro Class category. The annual competition, in April, provides a platform for undergraduate and graduate engineering students to explore real-life engineering challenges. http://goo.gl/FwxKZL

he U.S. Consulate General Kolkata joined hands with Kolkata Sanved, which works to help victims of trafficking and violence through dance therapy, to celebrate the nonprofit organization’s 10th anniversary in April. The New York-based Battery Dance Company and 100 survivors and leaders from India, Bangladesh and Nepal performed at the event to advocate the use of creative therapies in the healing of marginalized communities. http://goo.gl/yHIAVM

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Creativity and the

Immigrant By MICHAEL GALLANT

Bernadette Amore

http://www.bamore.com

Immigration and American Art http://goo.gl/qvEmOG

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DON ROSS

Go Online

B. AMORE

Left: B. Amore used found gloves as patterns for brass cutouts in this work, entitled “Birds of Passage.” The gloves signify people “flying across vast distances, the story of immigration,” she says.

TAD MERRICK

Artist Bernadette Amore discusses the impact of the immigration experience on her work and American art as a whole. The seeds of Amore’s fascination with immigration were planted at an early age. “I’m not an immigrant myself, but I am third-generation Italian American, I grew up with my grandmother who was born in Italy, and Italian was the language spoken at home,” she recalls. Amore always had a strong sense of herself as Italian, and not American, she continues with a laugh. “That lasted until sometime in my 20s, when I discovered the term ‘Italian American.’ ” Amore’s artistic path was further shaped by her mother, who worked at the International Institute in Boston, helping refugees from Europe find their way in the United States. “Many of the displaced persons were from

Below: “This is one of the most recent pieces incorporating found gloves which are bronzed,” says B. Amore of her sculpture “Canterbury Pilgrims,” which also makes use of acrylic and wood. “Each quirky glove represents a different individual, a distinct history, yet we are all on the same human journey.”

ART

merican artist Bernadette Amore has earned international renown for her evocative sculptures and insightful writings, all deeply creative works touched by the same, central theme: di passaggio. “It’s Italian for ‘in passage,’ ” says the artist, who goes by the name B. Amore and currently lives and works in Vermont. “I’ve always thought about the temporary nature of life, how we are all here for such a short time. I consider immigration the metaphor for the human journey.” Artistic explorations of the immigrant experience have, in fact, directly inspired many of Amore’s most famous works, including sculptures in the United States, Japan, Italy and beyond.

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concentration camps after World War II,” says Amore. “My mother would often cry at dinner, recounting the tragic stories of the people she’d met. On weekends, my brother and I would go to the Institute with her and meet these refugees, many of whom became lifelong friends.” “So I grew up in a sea of immigrant groups,” Amore continues, “people displaced by events that they had no control over.” Though the disciplines of visual art and writing electrified her from an early age, Amore began a career in social work before deciding to become a professional artist. She pursued artistic studies at the University of Rome and Accademia di Belle Arti di Carrara, both in Italy, earning prestigious awards, including a Fulbright Grant and Mellon Fellowship along the way. One of Amore’s largest immigrationthemed works came to public attention in 1999, premiering at Ellis Island, home of

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the Statue of Liberty in New York, and traveling internationally afterward. “Life line—filo della vita,” a six-room installation, included artifacts and writings from Amore’s family, as well as copiously researched quotes and photos from hundreds of Italian immigrants who came to the United States through Ellis Island in the 1900s. “The exhibit dealt with the immigrant journey and my family members were like characters in that journey,” she says. “They existed in the whole novel of immigration.” The exhibit was also published as a bilingual book entitled “An Italian American Odyssey.” The nexus of immigration and art from which Amore draws so much inspiration is, itself, part of a longstanding American tradition. “Even in colonial times, there were artists from multiple countries coexisting, building on European and native traditions,” says Drew Sawyer, a Ph.D. candidate studying art history at Columbia University and a fellow at New

York’s Museum of Modern Art. “Even in the 20th century, it’s hard to think of an important American artistic movement or community that wasn’t impacted in some way by immigrants in the United States.” Perhaps today more than ever, Amore says, immigration continues to fuel explosively original art within the United States. “American art is such a complex entity, and what people see in glossy magazines and museums is just one splinter,” she says. “Especially in larger cities like Los Angeles, New York and Boston, we’re seeing more art made by more diverse kinds of people and, as a result, the art is much richer. There’s a color, form and message that is much more personal. It all reflects the immigrants, and their stories and experiences, that have made America such a rich experiment.” Michael Gallant is the founder and chief executive officer of Gallant Music. He lives in New York City.

B. AMORE

Far left: “This is a marble boat with an egg made of Indian black granite and symbolizes the sense of life passage,” says B. Amore, describing her sculpture “The Other Shore.” “The egg has always been a metaphor for self—the boat for life journey.”

Below: “Mirror Mundi” by B. Amore features photos that the artist took all over the world. “The main image at the front of the ‘egg’ form is of a turbaned man from India,” the artist says.

CHRIS BURKE

TAD MERRICK

Left: B. Amore worked with laborers who came to Vermont from Mexico, using gloves that they donated, along with coffee sacks, silk flowers and other materials to create her work, “Workers’ Mandala/ Tracing the Journeys.”

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“Rosetta Stone,” a sculpture by B. Amore, features the words “give love,” “receive love” and “gather love” translated into many languages. The words come from an Indian, Meher Baba, says Amore.

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KEN NOBLE