**IMAGES OF DISASTERS IN FILM AND MEDIA:**[^1]

**A Discussion about the Emergence,**

**Content, and Benefits of This Course in the**

**Emergency Administration and Planning Program**

![](media/image1.png){width="1.8708333333333333in"
height="2.4923611111111112in"}

David A. McEntire, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Emergency Administration and Planning

Ph.D. Coordinator, Department of Public Administration

University of North Texas

**Introduction**

Several years ago, I made a presentation at the annual FEMA Higher
Education Conference, and discussed the important role of overseeing and
building undergraduate emergency management degree programs. I used the
Emergency Administration and Planning program (EADP) as a case study and
noted some of the efforts that we were undertaking to promote our degree
at the University of North Texas. A particular point I mentioned was
that we had developed a new course to attract students into our program.
The course is entitled "Images of Disasters in Film and Media," and it
is commonly referred to as "Images of Disasters" or "Images" by our
students.

Dr. Wayne Blanchard, the well-known and respected Project Manager of the
FEMA Higher Education Program, heard this presentation and expressed
interest in what we were doing. We discussed the Images course further
at this time and we have conversed about it repeatedly over the past
several years. Dr. Blanchard has since requested that I write a short
paper describing how the course came about, what is included in its
content, and the impact it has had on our program. The following paper
covers these issues, and illustrates that the Images of Disasters course
is a unique means for attracting students to any emergency management
program.

**Background to Images of Disasters in Film and Media**

In the summer of 1999, I interviewed for the position of assistant
professor and EADP Program Coordinator at the University of North Texas.
During my conversations with the faculty, they ask me how I might
maintain or increase enrollment. I commented that there are many popular
disaster movies which could easily be integrated into a class on human
behavior in crisis situations. I explained that many of Hollywood's
portrayals are based on myths and exaggerations, and that it might be
interesting to compare the scientific literature with recent movies like
*Dante's Peak*, *Twister* and *Volcano*. The faculty seemed to be
intrigued by the idea and their positive feedback reinforced in my mind
that the idea had some merit after all. I don't know if my
recommendation had any significant impact on their decision to hire me,
but I began employment at UNT a few months later.

My first semester at UNT was extremely busy as I had to prepare several
new courses, and gain a better understanding of the status of the EADP
program and my responsibilities in it.[^2] Consequently, no thought was
given to the Images course during the first semester. I did become more
aware of the need to attract more students to the degree however. In
fall 1999, there were roughly 120 majors in the Emergency Administration
and Planning Program. While this number was certainly significant, there
were only two full-time professors and we both felt overwhelmed. I
brought this situation up to our department chair and other university
administrators and they were sympathetic with our plight. They noted
that, because of budget constraints, the only way we could obtain
additional faculty was to increase enrollment. I therefore determined
that we needed to find ways to market the program and increase credit
hour production.

A short time later, we hired Rich Weber as our professional development
coordinator. Rich was a great addition to our program, and he brought
with him a nice mix of academic and professional credentials. Rich
earned a bachelors degree in emergency management/fire science from the
University of Akron. He also worked in emergency management with the
Federal Emergency Management Agency. When he arrived at UNT, Rich would
be put in charge of networking with practitioners and seeking out grant
projects that our program could be involved with. He was successful in
this goal and helped us obtain some funding to conduct training
(pertaining to the threat of terrorism) for emergency managers and
first-responders in Arkansas and Oklahoma. However, because we were also
short-handed with faculty, we invited Rich to serve as an adjunct
instructor. He graciously agreed to help us in this area.

As I met with Rich to discuss the courses he would be willing to take
on, I asked him if he would be interested in developing and teaching the
Images course that had been kicked around in the department earlier. He
said he was willing to do so and we then spent some time discussing our
views for its content and learning objectives. We determined the class
would be offered for the first time in Spring 2001. Our attention
therefore shifted quickly to how we might get his course off the ground.

In early Fall 2000, Rich and I talked to our department chair about
marketing the course. He recommended that we approach the Center for
Media Production on campus and see if they could put together some
posters to advertise the class. We met with the individuals at this
center enter and told them about our vision for course. We specifically
told them that the class would cover the media's portrayal of disaster
and that the poster should include the course title and other relevant
registration material (e.g., course number, date and time). Within a few
weeks, they provided us a draft of the poster and we approved it after a
few small revisions. The outcome included the silhouette of a few people
with a movie camera filming a scene of utter destruction. Pictures on
the poster included a plane crash, flooding, a volcanic eruption, and a
nuclear explosion among other hazards. The poster was ridiculously
over-the-top, but it was nonetheless colorful and catchy. The
professionally designed posters (which cost us about \$75.00) were put
up on bulletin boards around campus and they automatically drew interest
in the course. In fact, several people from outside EADP contacted me to
learn more about it. We also announced the Images course in our fall
classes. By the time Spring rolled around, we had 63 individuals signed
up for the brand new course.

**Content of the Course**

As previously mentioned, Rich Weber was the first instructor to teach
the Images of Disasters course at UNT. Per our prior conversations,
Weber developed a syllabus (see attachment A) that covered the extensive
and important sociological literature on human behavior in disasters.
This included topics such as panic, looting, role abandonment, and
anti-social activity. Hank Fischer's book, *Response to Disaster: Fact
vs. Fiction & it's Perpetuation* (1994), served as the basis for the
course. Other articles on disaster myths (Mitchell et. al. 2000), on the
media's involvement in emergency management (Scanlon et. al. 1985;
Quarantelli 1996), and on the popular culture of disasters (Couch 2000;
Webb et. al. 2000) were integrated as assigned reading as well. This
material was covered in class during lectures and discussions, and the
concepts and perspectives of the authors were then brought to life with
popular disaster movies.

For example, portions of the movie *Titanic* were used to introduce the
students to the class and present an overview of the subjects to be
covered throughout the semester. It includes several scenes of panic,
role abandonment, and the breakdown of social order. *Dante's Peak* is a
great example of Hollywood's belief in extreme panic in all types of
disaster events. One segment of the movie, in particular, depicts people
frantically running from a building and driving erratically on the
streets. *Volcano* was shown to illustrate misconceptions about the role
of the emergency manager. Tommy Lee Jones leaves the emergency
operations center and appears to single handedly save Los Angeles from a
major lava flow that threatens the city. Other movies, such as
*Outbreak, Twister,* *Asteroid*, and *The Day After*, incorporate many
other themes of the disaster literature including fear, incorrect
portrayals of hazards, and the need for expanded government authority
due to insufficient citizen capacity to deal with catastrophic
incidents.

Although the Images of Disasters in Film and Media course was not
expected to have quite the same pedagogical expectations as other EADP
classes, it was graded based on attendance, participation, and two
examinations. Students were also required to write three short papers
about a newspaper article or media segment. The assignment required them
to describe how the news story may have misrepresented human behavior in
disaster or collective stress situations. Thus, from the very beginning
the course was intended to be both entertaining and educational at the
same time.

Students enjoyed Weber's course during the initial offering and it
appeared to get off on very solid footing. The course continued to be
demanded by students and enrollment levels increased over the next few
years. Wayne Blanchard also followed the advancement of the course and
was intrigued by what was taking place at UNT. He therefore contracted
with Rich Weber to develop an annotation of disaster-related films that
could be used in emergency management courses around the country. This
included information about the director, actors, plot, subject matter
and hazards associated with the film. The findings of this project are
available on FEMA's Higher Education website and can be accessed by
professors desiring to develop similar courses at their programs around
the nation or internationally (see "materials" section under
<http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/edu/collegecrsbooks.asp>).

Dr. James Kendra, a graduate of Rutgers University, was the next faculty
member to teach the Images course. Dr. Kendra was hired by UNT about the
same time Rich Weber left to pursue a professional career with the Ohio
State emergency management agency. Dr. Kendra earned a Ph.D. in
geography, but he also spent a few years as a post-doctoral researcher
at the Disaster Research Center at the University of Delaware.
Consequently, Kendra has a profound understanding of both the causes of
disasters as well as how humans react to catastrophic events.

Kendra's version of Images incorporated many of the topics and movies
that Weber had initially developed in his course (see Attachment B). He
continued to focus on the research literature on disaster myths and
required students to read Fischer's book and other readings in Weber's
syllabus. He also continued to show movies like the *Twister* and
*Volcano*. But Kendra also expanded the content of the course in other
respects.

First, he added some new readings to the class including an article by
Quarantelli (1980) on the study of disaster movies, another by Garner
(1996) on the media's reporting of air crashes, and others by Barbera
et. al. (2001) and Glass and Schoch-Spana (2002) on bioterrorism and
quarantines. In one semester, he also assigned *Disaster Movies: The
Cinema of Catastrophe* by film-studies scholar Stephen Keane. Second,
Kendra also added some unique twists to assignments. For instance,
Kendra required students write about the interaction of natural,
technological and social systems after watching the *Poseidon
Adventure*. He also had them explore how the characters in the movie
used creativity to save their lives -- a subject Dr. Kendra has
researched extensively after the 9/11 attacks in New York City. Other
writing assignments required that the students explore the advocacy role
of the media in *The China Syndrome*, the collaborative activity of
people in *The* *Towering Inferno* and *Airport*, and the accuracy of
emergency management challenges portrayed in a documentary titled *The
Price of Surprise*. He also used the class to encourage the students to
think about the four phases of disaster, and one of his writing
assignments asked the students to consider what a disaster film would
look like if it emphasized mitigation and recovery rather than
preparedness and response.

The most unique aspect of Kendra's class related to a major project the
students had to undertake. According to his syllabus:

> Students will assemble into groups and prepare a proposal for a
> disaster movie that will be both entertaining AND scientifically
> valid. Students will present the proposal to the class. Imagine that
> you are writers/directors and you are trying to sell your idea to a
> studio. You will select an appropriate disaster; outline a plot;
> emphasize its cinematic and scientific value (providing evidence for
> why you think this combination works); provide samples of engaging
> dialogue; and include other elements that you feel will make a
> persuasive case for making your film, including Powerpoint
> presentations or video or audio segments, if any, bibliographic
> sources, and other documentation of your work. . . . Projects will be
> graded according to their imagination, originality, and incorporation
> of important disaster-related themes.

Students really enjoyed this portion of the class and they took this
assignment seriously. I personally viewed one of the presentations, and
it was excellent in content and professionally done.

Dr. Kendra's participation in the Images of Film and Media course not
only attracted additional students to the program, but it caught the
attention of at least one news organization in the Dallas-Fort Worth
metroplex area. Reporters from Channel 11 (KTVT) heard about the class
and desired to film the interaction between Dr. Kendra and his students.
Unfortunately, the scheduling did not work out for the camera crew to
come to the Images course. However, the news crew did come to UNT in
January of 2006 to Kendra's Special Populations and Disasters course and
did spotlight our program. This additional publicity was a direct result
of the Images course that Dr. Kendra taught (see
<http://cbs11tv.com/video/?id=6580@ktvt.dayport.com>).

The third and final faculty member to teach the Images of Disasters
course is Dr. Jack Rozdilsky. Dr. Rozdilsky completed his graduate work
at Michigan State University and he brought further knowledge and skills
that would benefit the EADP program at UNT. Dr. Rozdilsky has expertise
in land-use planning, sustainable development and disaster recovery.
Nonetheless, Dr. Rozdilsky has a sound understanding of disaster
sociology and the research literature on the media and human behavior.

Rozdilsky maintained many of the readings and videos that were used in
earlier Images courses. He continued to require that students write
reviews of disaster movies and also relied on the film trailer project
developed by Kendra. However, Dr. Rozdilsky also added some new and
important aspects to the Images course. This included elements of
pedagogy used in films studies courses.

For instance, the role of popular culture in interpreting disaster and
the art of cinema is prevalent in Dr. Rozdilsky's course. He utilized
film studies concepts in the course, so that students could consider
disaster films in a wider context than the classic 1970s era disaster
films and the more recent crop of action/adventure blockbusters. This
was done by introducing the students to both important and controversial
films that they may not necessarily consider as disaster films per sé.

As an introduction to 'watching movies,' Sergei Eisenstein's *Battleship
Potemkin* and Leni Riefenstahl's *Triumph of the Will* were shown to
illustrate the raw power of the cinematic art form. Then key film genrés
and directors were featured by showing films that highlighted aspects of
key genrés while using stories related to disaster. Such films included:

-   Alain Resnais' *Hiroshima Mon Amour* representing the French new
    wave genré with its love story set in post-nuclear attack Hiroshima

-   Elia Kazan's *Panic in the Streets* depicting the film noir genré
    with its story concerning public health hazards

-   Gillo Pontecorvo's *The Battle of Algiers* covering the Italian
    neo-realism genré through a story concerning both state level and
    insurgent-based terrorism

-   Stanley Kubric's *Dr. Strangelove* representing the black-comedy
    genré through its 1960s nuclear war story

-   Wexler's *Medium Cool* from the cinema verité genré through its use
    of the 1968 Chicago Democratic National Convention riots as a
    backdrop to the story

-   and Spike Lee's *When the Levee's Broke* as an example of polemic
    documentary genré with its depiction of Hurricane Katrina.

Dr. Rozdilsky also added coverage of civil defense issues and 9/11 in
his course. In order to help students understand the foundation of the
field, Dr. Rozdilsky showed some civil defense training films. These
U.S. Government produced ephemeral films were shown to highlight the use
of propaganda and historical visions of preparedness which contributed
to our modern understanding of the emergency management profession.
Rozdilsky also spent a great deal of time analyzing the 9/11 disasters.
This included the showing of media reports on that day as well as the
statement given by President Bush shortly thereafter. Rozdilsky also had
students watch Fahrenheit 9/11 and write a paper about their thoughts
about the terrorist attacks on the United States. Dr. Rozdilsky's
adjustments to the course accordingly attempted to stretch the notion of
disaster films to introduce future emergency managers to the concept
that the arts and culture do have an impact on the field of emergency
management.

**Impact of this Course**

In light of the entertaining and educational nature of the Images of
Disasters course, there is little doubt that it has become popular among
students and helped our program significantly. Students have always
expressed interest in taking this course -- regardless of whether they
are EADP majors or not. In fact, the class has been offered two times a
year since Spring 2001 and over 560 students have registered for it. The
class has never been cancelled due to low enrollments, but has instead
exhibited steady attendance over time. Although it is believed this
course could easily be offered three or four times per year, it has
still been a major means for producing credit hours for the EADP
program.

In addition to boosting short-term program productivity, the Images
course has been, in the words of Dr. Kendra, "a good hook for getting
them in." Students from outside the major who have enrolled in the class
often find the subject matter to be intellectually stimulating and they
become increasingly interested in majoring in Emergency Administration
and Planning. Since the course was first offered, the number of majors
in our program has nearly doubled. While we have not studied the exact
reasons for such explosive growth, we cannot rule out the positive
influence the Images course has had on attracting new majors.

A third benefit of the Images course is that it has increased our
students' understanding of the scientific literature about disasters.
Because our students will enter the important emergency management
profession, we feel that it is imperative that they understand all
aspects of disasters. This includes not only an understanding of
physical agents but social behavior which will necessarily influence how
we manage vulnerability and the aftermath of disasters.

The final benefit of the Images course is that it helps to educate
citizens about disasters in the United States and abroad. Even if the
students who enrolled in the class do not declare EADP as their major or
work in this profession, they will have acquired new knowledge that
would be unavailable to them if they did not enroll in the course. Since
public, private and non-profit emergency management personnel rely so
much on what individuals do, this advantage of the course cannot be
overstated.

**Conclusion**

This paper has highlighted the course, Images of Disasters in Film and
Media, at the University of North Texas. It explored how the class was
introduced in the Emergency Administration and Planning Program as well
as how its content has changed over time. The paper also lists several
reasons why the course has proven helpful to the academic program,
students at UNT, the profession of emergency management, and citizens
alike.

While there are many courses that can be offered in an emergency
management degree programs and although they can each be taught with
different pedagogical methods, it is hoped that this paper may provide
additional options for faculty members at other universities. Professors
are therefore invited to adopt the course if desired and tailor it to
their own curriculum and programmatic needs.[^3]

**References**

Barbera, J., Macintyre, A., Gostin, L., Inglesby, T., O'Toole, T.,
DeAtley, C., Tonat, K., and Layton, M. (2001). "Large Scale quarantine
Following Biological Terrorism in the United States: Scientific
Examination, Logistic and Legal Limits, and Possible Consequences.
*Journal of the American Medical Association*. 286(21): 2711-2717.

Couch, S. (2000). "The Cultural Scene of Disasters: Conceptualizing the
Field of Disasters and Popular Culture." *International Journal of Mass
Emergencies and Disasters*. 18(1): 21-37.

Fischer, H. (1994). *Response to Disaster: Fact vs. Fiction & It's
Perpetuation: The Sociology of Disaster*. University Press of America:
Lanham, MD.

Garner, A.C. (1996). "Reconstructing Reality: Interpreting the Aeroplane
Disaster News Story." *Disaster Prevention and Management*. 5(3): 5-15.

Glass, T.A., and Schoch-Spana, M. (2002). "Bioterrorism and the People:
How to Vaccinate a City Against Panic." *Clinical Infectious Diseases*.
34: 217-223.

Keane, S. (2001). *Disaster Movies: The Cinema of Catastrophe*.
Wallflower: New York.

Mitchell, J. et. al. (2000). "Catastrophe in Reel Life versus Real Life:
Perpetuating Disaster Myth through Hollywood Films." *International
Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters*. 18(3): 383-402.

Quarantelli, E.L. (1996). Local Mass Media Operations in Disasters in
the USA." *Disaster Prevention and Management*. 5(5): 5-10.

Quarantelli, E.L. (1980). "The Study of Disaster Movies: Research
Problems, Findings and Implications." *Disaster Research Center
Preliminary Paper 64*. Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware.

Scanlon, J. et. al. (1985). "Coping with the Media in Disasters: Some
Predictable Problems." *Public Administration Review*. (Special Issue):
123-133.

Webb, G. et. al. (2000). "Bringing Culture Back In: Exploring the
Cultural Dimensions of Disaster." *International Journal of Mass
Emergencies and Disasters*. 18(1): 5-19.

**ATTACHMENT A**

**Images of Natural and Technological Disasters in Film and Media**

(EADP 2700:001)

Instructor: Richard T. Weber

Semester: Spring 2003

Course schedule: M 3:00 till 5:50

Course location: MH 311

Office Location: Chilton 289k

Office Hours: M-F 8-5 \[call before you stop\]

Office Phone: 940-369-7844

E-mail: WeberR@unt.edu

**Course Description:**

Examination of the popular culture pertaining to natural and
technological disasters that results from portrayals of catastrophic
events in film by the media. Discussion of what can be done to alter
myths about human behavior in mass emergency situations.

**Required Readings:** Readings available in University Union Copy
Center.

**Course Policies:**

ATTENDANCE IS REQUIRED!

Arriving late is discouraged.

Participation is encouraged.

Reading weekly assignments are required.

Showing respect to other students is expected.

Make ups will be limited to special circumstances (and with prior
notification only).

There will be no extra credit.

Incompletes will be given according to department policy.

Plagiarism and other forms of cheating will automatically result in a
failing grade.

Note: see the end of this syllabus for the university policy on
Americans with disabilities, and the department policy on cheating and
plagiarism.

**Grading:**

Students will earn points through attendance, participation, papers and
tests. Please note the following breakdown:

Attendance/participation 100

> Midterm 100
>
> Papers 100
>
> [Final Exam 100]{.underline}
>
> TOTAL POINTS 400

A standard scale will be used for grading (i.e. 90% - 100% = A; 80% -
89% = B; 70% - 79% = C; 60% - 69% = D; 59% and below = F).

*Attendance/Participation*

Roll will be taken at least once each class session and attendance will
amount to 25% of the student's grade. Attendance to class is an integral
part of the students learning experience in this course. The material
covered will directly impact the student's ability to do well and
complete the exercises given. The information covered in the brief
introductions to the movie will be testable information. Asking
questions and making comments about relevant course material is
conducive for learning. In recognition of courtesy to the other students
participating in the course, it is asked the student remain quiet during
the viewing of the film. Unscheduled quizzes can be administered by the
instructor. In other words, unannounced quizzes will be given inversely
to class participation.

*Mid-term/Final Exams*

Approximately 50% of your grade will be determined by tests. These will
consist of true/false, matching, and multiple choice. The instructor
will advise the student of the structure of the quiz or test in advance.
Students who miss the quiz or test without giving prior notification
will be given different questions or will have 10% deducted from their
final score. Should unannounced quizzes be administered, the total
number of possible points will be adjusted. No make ups will be given to
those students who are absent when unscheduled quizzes are given.
Make-ups for the mid-term and final will be limited to very special
circumstances only.

*Papers:*

The student will be required to write three small essays for the course.
Each student will write a one to 1.5 page paper about each article/news
story. The student is required to choose an article from print, radio,
web and/or television news and write a summary of the skew in the
article. The paper should specifically pertain to what myths are being
portrayed.

# 

# Course Outline

**Week 1 (Jan 13):**

Introduction to Course

Discussion of course outlay and student expectation.

Brief introduction to the field of Emergency Management.

##### Titanic

**Week 2 (Jan 20):**

###### Martin Luther King Day

No Class!

**Week 3 (Jan 27):**

***The Seige***

Fischer, H. (1994). [Response to Disaster: Fact vs. Fiction & It's
Perpetuation: The]{.underline}

[Sociology of Disaster]{.underline}. University Press of America.
Lanham: MD. pp. 11-22.

**Week 4 (Feb 3):**

##### Dante's Peak

Fischer, H. (1994). [Response to Disaster: Fact vs. Fiction & It's
Perpetuation: The]{.underline}

[Sociology of Disaster]{.underline}. University Press of America.
Lanham: MD. pp. 23-72.

**Week 5 (Feb 10):**

##### Deep Impact

Scanlon, J., et. al. (1985). Coping with the Media in Disasters: Some
Predictable

Problems. Public Administration Review. (Special Issue). pp. 123-133

**Week 6 (Feb 17):**

#### 

#### **Fearless**

#### 

Mitchell, J., et al. (2000). Catastrophe in Reel Life versus Real Life:
Perpetuating

Disaster Myth through Hollywood Films. International Journal of Mass
Emergencies and Disasters. 18(3), pp. 383-402

**Week 7 (Feb 24):**

*Outbreak*

Couch, S. (2000). The Cultural Scene of Disasters: Conceptualizing the
Field of

> Disasters and Popular Culture. [International Journal of Mass
> Emergencies and Disasters. 18]{.underline}(1). Pp. 21-37.

**Week 8 (Mar 3):**

*Volcano*

Webb, G., et al. (2000). Bringing Culture Back In: Exploring the
Cultural Dimensions of

> Disaster. [International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters.
> 18]{.underline}(1).

Pp. 5-19.

**Week 9 (Mar 10):**

> Mid-term

**Week 10 (Mar 17):**

**SPRING BREAK! NO CLASS!**

**Week 11 (Mar 24):**

*Asteroid*

Auf Der Heid, E. (2000). Disaster Response: Principles and Preparation
for

> Coordination. Accessed via world wide web on January 7, 2001 at
> http://coe.dmha.org/dr/flash.htm.

**Week 12 (Mar 31): [Papers Due]{.underline}.**

*Twister*

Quarantelli, E.L.. (1996). Local Mass Media Operations in Disasters in
the USA.

[Disaster Prevention and Management. 5]{.underline}(5). Pp. 5-10.

**Week 13 (Apr 7):**

*The Day After*

Scanlon, J. et. al. (1985). Coping with the Media in Disasters: Some
Predictable

Problems. Public Administration Review. Special Issue. pp. 123-133.

**Week 14 (Apr 14):**

###### *The Poseidon Adventure* 

Davison, W., et al. (1976). Media Sociology. [Mass Media: Systems and
Effects]{.underline}.

Praeger Publishers: New York. Pp. 70-99.

**Week 15 (Apr 21):**

***Atomic Train***

**Week 16 (Apr 28):**

***Arlington Road***

**FINAL EXAM (May 5)**

**UNIVERSITY AND DEPARTMENT POLICIES**

**Disability Accommodation**

The Emergency Administration and Planning Program, in cooperation with
the Office of Disability Accommodations (ODA), complies with the
*Americans with Disabilities Act* in making reasonable accommodations
for qualified students with disabilities. Please present your written
accommodation request to the instructor within the first two weeks of
the semester. Students registered with the ODA may present the Special
Accommodation Request from that office in lieu of a written statement.

## Cheating and Plagiarism

*Definitions*

The UNT Code of Student Conduct and Discipline defines cheating and
plagiarism "as the use of unauthorized books, notes, or otherwise
securing help in a test; copying others' tests, assignments, reports, or
term papers; representing the work of another as one's own;
collaborating without authority with another student during an
examination or in preparing academic work; or otherwise practicing
scholastic dishonesty."

*Penalties*

Normally, the minimum penalty for cheating or plagiarism is a grade of
"F" in the course. In the case of graduate department exams, the minimum
penalty shall be failure of all fields of the exam. Determination of
cheating or plagiarism shall be made by the instructor in the course, or
by the department faculty in the case of departmental exams.

Cases of cheating or plagiarism on graduate departmental exams, problem
papers, theses, or dissertations shall automatically be referred to the
departmental Curriculum and Degree Program\[s\] Committee. Cases of
cheating of plagiarism in ordinary course work may, at the discretion of
the instructor, be referred to the Curriculum and Degree Program\[s\]
Committee in the case of either graduate or undergraduate students. This
committee, acting as an agent of the Department, shall impose further
penalties, or recommend further penalties to the Dean of Students, if
they determine that the case warrants it. In all cases, the Dean of
Students shall be informed in writing of the case.

*Appeals*

Students may appeal any decision under this policy by following the
procedures laid down in the UNT Code of Student Conduct and Discipline

ATTACHMENT B

Images of Disaster in Film and Media

**EADP 2700**

Instructor: Dr. James Kendra Office Location: WH 366C

Semester: Fall, 2005 Office Hours: M 12:30-2:30 PM

Course Schedule: M 3:00-5:50 PM E-mail: jmkendra@unt.edu

Course Location: WH 222

**Course Description:**

This course will consider disaster as represented in film and in various
media. The emphasis is on understanding how the portrayals of disasters
often depart from scientific understanding, and also on evaluating how
the depiction of disasters in various media can shape both public and
official awareness of the causes of, management of, and recovery from
disaster. What do we learn about *mitigation* from popular portrayals of
disaster? What do we learn about the *management* of complex crises?
What do we learn about the *interaction* of people, technology, and the
natural environment? Moreover, what *should* we know in order to
evaluate the representation of disaster in film and other media, and to
understand disaster causes and disaster management in real life?

# Course Objectives

The course will prepare students to

1.  Understand the portrayal of disaster in film and the mass media as
    sociological and popular culture phenomena;

2.  Analyze the portrayal of disaster themes such as emergency
    management activities or collective behavior with respect to current
    scientific understanding;

3.  Recognize how the persistence of disaster myths (e.g., panic)
    affects actual policymaking;

4.  Compare media accounts of disaster with later scientific analysis;
    and

5.  Understand how portrayals of disaster in film and other media can
    influence public understanding.

**Course Texts:**

Fischer, Henry W. III. 1998. *Response to Disaster. Fact versus Fiction
& Its Perpetuation: The Sociology of Disaster.* University Press of
America: Lanham, MD.

A packet of readings is available at the copy center, and other readings
will be distributed in class or downloaded from Internet sources.

Students should also stay informed about current disaster-related events
and emerging debates related to disasters or other environmental issues.
Useful resources include the print or online editions of *The New York
Times* (www.nytimes.com) or *The Washington Post*
(www.washingtonpost.com), as well as CNN (www.cnn.com), and FEMA
(www.fema.gov).

**Course Policies:**

Attendance is required.

Arriving late is strongly discouraged.

Participation is recommended.

Reading assignments is required.

Showing respect to other students is required.

Make-ups will be limited to special circumstances (and with prior
notification only).

Extra credit assignments will not be given.

Incompletes will be given according to department policy.

Plagiarism and other forms of cheating will automatically result in a
failing grade.

Note: See the end of this syllabus for the university policy on the
Americans with Disabilities Act, and the department policy on cheating
and plagiarism.

**Grading**

Grades will be based on response papers, a final examination, and
attendance and participation.

[Response Papers]{.underline}

Students will write **four** response papers evaluating a film or other
media portrayal of disaster or emergency management that we consider in
class. The response paper should analyze the subject with regard to the
themes we will discuss in class, such as: representation of disaster
myths; depiction of emergency management procedures; scientific content;
relevance to current events; or educational potential. Each paper should
be at least 2-3 pages in length in 12-point Times New Roman with 1-inch
margins. References should be in the style used in *International
Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters* or *Disasters*. Careful
consideration of the films or other sources is essential; papers will be
graded on their presentation of well-considered observations and
interpretations. **Each response paper will be worth 10% of the grade.**

# Independent Media Review

On August 2, 2005, Air France Fight 358 crashed in Toronto. There were
no fatalities in this very serious emergency. Examine a number of
distinct, detailed, and substantive newspaper accounts and/or news
broadcast transcripts, choosing sources that focus on evacuation
behavior, coordination of resources, or other relevant aspects of
emergency response. Write a review of this coverage. Some questions to
guide your review include: How do these sources approach the crash as a
"story"? What features of crisis were covered in your sources? How does
the coverage correspond with, or conflict with, accepted scientific
understanding of disaster? What understanding of the emergency would the
audience of this news coverage come away with? The review should follow
the format of the response papers and will be due **November 7.** It is
worth **10%** of the grade**.**

[Final Examination]{.underline}

This will consist of a combination of true/false, multiple-choice, short
answer, and essay questions covering the concepts presented in class and
in the readings. **This exam is worth 25% of the grade.**

# Projects

**This project is worth 15% of the grade.** Students will assemble into
groups and prepare a proposal for a disaster movie that will be both
entertaining AND scientifically valid. Students will present the
proposal to the class. Imagine that you are writers/directors and you
are trying to sell your idea to a studio. You will select an appropriate
disaster; outline a plot; emphasize its cinematic and scientific value
(providing evidence for why you think this combination works); provide
samples of engaging dialogue; and include other elements that you feel
will make a persuasive case for making your film. Provide the instructor
with a copy of your proposal, including Powerpoint presentations or
video or audio segments, if any, bibliographic sources, and other
documentation of your work. Projects will receive a cumulative grade.
Include a description (signed by all students) of each student's
contribution to the project. Projects will be graded according to their
imagination, originality, and incorporation of important
disaster-related themes. Part of each student's grade on this project
(20% of the project grade) will be based on a peer review of group
members' contributions to the project that will assess participants'
attendance at group working meetings, submission of work as agreed, and
useful insights or suggestions.

# Attendance and Participation

Attendance will be assessed at least once each class session and **10%**
of your grade will be determined by your attendance, active, thoughtful
participation in class discussion and activities, and diligent
completion of homework assignments. Students should be aware that a
significant number of absences will make it difficult to pass the course
since information from the lectures and films as well as from the
readings may appear on the final examination. Students who miss class
will receive no participation credit for that day since they are not
present to participate in the discussion.

**August 29**

Introduction of course

### September 5

**Labor Day; no class**

### September 12

Quarantelli, E.L. 1980. The Study of Disaster Movies: Research Problems,
Findings, and Implications. Disaster Research Center Preliminary Paper
64. Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware.

Fischer, Chapter 1

#### 

**September 19**

#### Fischer, Chapter 2

#### Film: Poseidon Adventure 

**September 26**

Film: *The Towering Inferno*

Fischer, pp. 37-51

**Response Paper 1 due**

**October 3**

Fischer, pp. 52-87.

Quarantelli, E.L. 1996. Local Mass Media Operations in Disasters in the
USA. *Disaster Prevention and Management* 5: 5-10.

Film: *The China Syndrome*

**October 10**

Garner, A.C. 1996. Reconstructing Reality: Interpreting the Aeroplane
Disaster News Story. *Disaster Prevention and Management* 5(3) 5-15.

Fischer, pp. 89-110

Film: *Airport*

**October 17**

Fischer, pp. 110-123

Mitchell, J., et al. 2000. Catastrophe in Reel Life versus Real Life:
Perpetuating Disaster Myth through Hollywood Films. *International
Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters* 18(3): 383-402.

Film: *Volcano*

### Response Paper 2 due

**October 24**

#### Titanic

**October 31**

*Twister*

Webb, G., et al. 2000. Bringing Culture Back In: Exploring the Cultural
Dimensions of Disaster. *International Journal of Mass Emergencies and
Disasters* 18(1): 5-19.

**November 7**

Film: *9/11*

### Independent Media Review due

**November 14**

Discussion and Critique

Couch, S. 2000. The Cultural Scene of Disasters: Conceptualizing the
Field of Disasters and Popular Culture. *International Journal of Mass
Emergencies and Disasters* 18(1) 21-37.

**Response Paper 3 due**

**November 21**

Film: *The Price of Surprise*

Reading: Barbera, J., Macintyre, A., Gostin, L., Inglesby, T., O'Toole,
T., DeAtley, C., Tonat, K., and Layton, M. 2001. Large Scale Quarantine
Following Biological Terrorism in the United States: Scientific
Examination, Logistic and Legal Limits, and Possible Consequences.
*Journal of the American Medical Association* 286(21): 2711-2717.

Glass, T.A., and Schoch-Spana, M. 2002. Bioterrorism and the People: How
to Vaccinate a City Against Panic. *Clinical Infectious Diseases* 34:
217-223.

**November 28**

### Presentations

### Response paper 4 due

**December 5**

### Review

**December 14, Wednesday**

**Final Examination**

**WH 222 1:30-3:30**

NB: This syllabus is subject to change depending on the emerging needs
of the course.

**UNIVERSITY AND DEPARTMENT POLICIES**

## Disability Accommodation

The Emergency Administration and Planning Program, in cooperation with
the Office of Disability Accommodations (ODA), complies with the
Americans With Disabilities Act in making reasonable accommodations for
qualified students with disabilities. Please present your written
accommodation request to the instructor within the first two weeks of
the semester. Students registered with the ODA may present the Special
Accommodation Request from that office in lieu of a written statement.

## Cheating and Plagiarism

The UNT Code of Student Conduct and Discipline defines cheating and
plagiarism "as the use of unauthorized books, notes, or otherwise
securing help in a test; copying others' tests, assignments, reports, or
term papers; representing the work of another as one's own;
collaborating without authority with another student during an
examination or in preparing academic work; or otherwise practicing
scholastic dishonesty."

Normally, the minimum penalty for cheating or plagiarism is a grade of
"F" in the course. In the case of graduate department exams, the minimum
penalty shall be failure of all fields of the exam. Determination of
cheating or plagiarism shall be made by the instructor in the course, or
by the department faculty in the case of departmental exams.

Cases of cheating or plagiarism on graduate departmental exams, problem
papers, theses, or dissertations shall automatically be referred to the
departmental Curriculum and Degree Program(s) Committee. Cases of
cheating or plagiarism in ordinary course work may, at the discretion of
the instructor, be referred to the Curriculum and Degree Program(s)
Committee in the case of either graduate or undergraduate students. This
committee, acting as an agent of the Department, shall impose further
penalties, or recommend further penalties to the Dean of Students, if
they determine that the case warrants it. In all cases, the Dean of
Students shall be informed in writing of the case.

Students may appeal any decision under this policy by following the
procedures laid down in the UNT Code of Student Conduct and Discipline.

# Image of Disaster in Film and Media

**Response Paper #1 Paper Topics (*The Poseidon Adventure)***

**Choose ONE of the following**

1.  How do people's behaviors shown in this film correspond with or
    depart from scientific understanding of behavior in crisis?

2.  What constitutes redemption?

3.  Discuss the interaction of social systems, technology, and natural
    (e.g., oceanographic or geologic) processes in creating this
    accident. How do those systems interact during the escape attempts?

4.  What skills or attributes do some of the characters apply to make
    sense of their new situation and respond to new threats?

5.  Discuss individual versus group strengths exhibited in this film.

**Response paper 2 Paper Topics**

**Choose one of the following**

1.  Compare and contrast the way science/technology and
    intuition/experience are presented in at least two of the films we
    have watched.

2.  What were some interorganizational sources of conflict in *The
    Towering Inferno* and/or *The China Syndrome*, and how were these
    resolved?

3.  To what extent is the advocacy role of the media in *The China
    Syndrome* helpful? Harmful? Can you relate these observations to the
    media's role in an actual event?

**Response Paper 3 Topics**

**Choose one of the following**

1.  Discuss how social conflict is presented (either in one film, or
    compare different films). How does this conflict affect, or how is
    it affected by, the danger in the film?

2.  Compare how individual versus collaborative activity is presented in
    *The Towering Inferno* and *Airport*.

3.  Consider what a disaster film would look like if it focused not on
    response, but on mitigation or recovery. What would make such a film
    compelling?

**Response Paper 4 topics**

**Choose one of the following**

1.  Given the analyses by Glass and Schoch-Spana (2002) and Barbera et
    al (2001), as well as other readings, is *The Price of Surprise*
    accurate or reasonable in portraying emergency management challenges
    in a bioterrorism attack?

2.  What are the implications of Barbera et al's (2001) and Glass and
    Schoch-Spana's (2002) papers for current concerns about avian
    influenza?

[^1]: Appreciation is expressed to Dr. James Kendra and Dr. Jack
    Rozdilsky who provided useful recommendations on earlier drafts of
    this manuscript. However, the author retains full responsible for
    the content of this paper.

[^2]: For a discussion of the development of the Emergency
    Administration and Planning Program, please see relevant articles at
    <http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/edu/EMgrow.asp>

[^3]: For those professors desiring additional information, please
    contact Dr. David McEntire at mcentire@unt.edu.