Week 14

This week the entire class presented their projects in a press conference. It was interesting to see how all of the different groups' work came together and maintained relevant to each other. The previous days were hectic as my mailbox was constantly flooded by items coming in over the news wire. Our group spent quite a while putting together our video while maintaining contacts with media outlets and politicians. It was interesting to see how different groups chose to frame different issues and events. The question and answer portions were of particular interest, as some people were caught off guard while others managed to get around the questions successfully. I felt it was a good experience to gain a deeper understanding of the foreign policy process and the relationship between governments, media, and non-state actors.

1. What would have happened if, within each group, moles or rogue actors were secretly assigned?
2. What restraints were there on the simulation?

1. It definitely would have been very interesting if there were moles or rogue actors within the situation. There would have been much more disinformation leading to confusion and miscommunication and ensuing witch hunts to find out where the leaks are coming from. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, it would probably not be able to play out completely and create more trouble than its worth.