Political Science

Featuring rare archival footage and interviews with sculptors, art historians, gallery and museum directors, this video examines how monuments connect us with the past, how they are destroyed and new ones raised at times of social cataclysm, and how every turning point in society has begun history anew in a struggle with old monuments.

Filmmaker Steven Bognar documents the story of his father, Bela, who, as a young Hungarian idealist, took up arms against Soviet tanks in the streets of Budapest in 1956.

Predictions of Fire is a revealing study of the controversial and internationally acclaimed Slovenian arts collective NSK, as seen through the lens of 20th century European history.

Chronicles the efforts of the newly independent Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to establish a democratic society, to avoid involvement in the ongoing wars in the northern Balkans, and to join the European Community.

Examines the process whereby former colonial territories have gained their independence and the right to govern themselves. Archival footage, interviews and maps trace the changes during the last three decades throughout Africa, Asia, the Carribean and the Pacific.

Examines UN efforts to encourage governments to develop policies supporting sustainable development and the improvement of the quality of people's lives without destroying natural resources.

Africa today is a continent beset by drought, famine, war and debt. In Zambia, a news reporter examines these problems and discusses potential solutions that might be applicable to the entire continent.

Examines the role of UN peacekeeping forces who stand between opposing sides in trouble spots of the world, hoping to encourage people to resolve their problems peacefully rather than resort to war. Through the eyes of a UN peace- keeper, we get a firsthand view of the duties of these "men and women in the middle."

Discusses the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted in 1989, which established the standards that help to guarantee children a right to life, liberty, a name, a nationality, an education and good health. The video shows the plight of many children throughout the world and what UN agencies are doing to improve their lives.

Over one quarter of the world's population today cannot read or write. This video shows how the UN, along with governments and other organizations, is working to solve the problem of illiteracy worldwide, with the goal of substantially reducing illiteracy during the coming decade.

Examines the political turmoil and sectarian violence that has racked Northern Ireland for the last twenty years by profiling the efforts of the Social Democrat and Labor Party (SDLP) to achieve peace in Northern Ireland through nonviolent means.

Produced in collaboration with a distinguished group of historians, archaeologists, art historians and political scientists, explores the history and cultural heritage of the Middle Eastern world.

Examines the controversial historical issues surrounding the Israeli destruction of Palestinian villages and the confiscation of Arab-owned land during and following the Arab-Israeli War.

Profiles Hanan Ashrawi, former spokesperson for the Palestine Liberation Organization during the Middle East peace talks with Israel, but who later turned down a position in the new government in favor of continuing her efforts on behalf of peace and human rights.

This video reveals what the CIA's clandestine action looks like, not from the Washington offices of policy circles but from the ground, where words like 'covert action' are translated into suffering, dislocation and death.

Examines an unusual episode of the Mexican Revolution, on March 9, 1916, when Pancho Villa's guerrilla band attacked the small border town of Columbus, New Mexico.

Examines the history of Haiti, from the 1804 revolution to the occupation (1915-34) by U.S. Marines, and the repressive Duvalier regimes of `Papa Doc' and `Baby Doc.'

Offers a rare look at Latin America's oldest dictatorship, that of General Alfredo Stroessner, who took power in 1954.

Examines the plight of Guatemalan Indian peasants victimized by the government's counterinsurgency program which has led many Guatemalans to go into exile or to become internal refugees inside the country.

Examines the popular movement for land reform in Brazil. The film shows massive demonstrations, marches and protests throughout Brazil, including the establishment of a large camp of some 1500 landless peasants at an unused private farm in Rio Grande do Sul.