Friday, April 28, 2006

Teaching -- fiction / book suggestions for ethics?

I'm teaching an honors ethics section next semester... I have a variety of ways to make it an honors section, but hubby and I were talking today, and I think I'd like to use some less traditional texts as supplements..

So -- I'm looking for fiction or easy-read non-fiction that deals with social problems..

I'd also be interested in movies that could inspire good discussions of social problems..

So far, I'm thinking of the following

"Nickle and Dimed" by Barbara Erinrich (sp??) about the plight of the working poor.
"My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult about medical ethics, use of another person etc...
'Transister Radio" by someone I can't recall -- about transexual issues and problems...
hubby has a few good suggestions for international relations issues...

I'd like something about business ethics (I'm even considering "Office Space") --

Something good about euthanasia, the death penalty, affirmative action, same-sex marriage etc... would be good..

I'd also like to know if you have suggestions as to how to organize the class. I know I read somethng on someone's brilliant blog about a course where the students divided the work up and then presented the ideas and lead discussions...

I'm kind of thinking about dividing my group into four parts -- each with a different topic. Each topic would be covered in a week... maybe with me doing the philosophical stuff the first meeting and the students doing their thing the second meeting... creatively presenting a moral quandry from the book and leading the class in discussions.

Suggestions?? feedback??

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