Assignment #1: Reformers Then and Now

Length: 2 to 3 pages typed (double-spaced), honor code attached
Due date: Friday, January 31

In the 1920s, the U.S. saw a host of sweeping social reforms that were to change the landscape of society. In several key cases, the mood of reform influenced research and policy-formation concerning young people and the media.

In this assignment, you are to reflect upon the various social reforms that took place in the 1920s and the discourse (language, symbols, metaphors, themes) reformers of that day used to justify their actions. Next, select an example of a group or individual whose discourse represents a call for media reform today (see the lists below for starting points). Your example can come from a news report, a popular book, a web site, or some similar source.
Compare and contrast the example from the contemporary period with what you learned about 1920s media reformer discourse. In what ways are they similar? In what ways are they different, and in each case, how do the historical contexts inform these differences?

Below are a few sources for contemporary reform movements, but you are not limited to these.
http://www.corporations.org/media/#reformgroups (lists many sites)

http://www.onemillionyouth.com/