Welcome...and initial guidelines...

This blog will be used in the spring of 2008 by 80+ students at Drexel University to investigate the effects of Iraq on culture and the reverse. Our goal will be to better understand why the US is in Iraq, and to question whether literature can help us on this journey.

Weekly plans and other materials will always be posted in Vista, not this blog. So go to Bb Vista to get the discussion prompts and other instructions.

I intend this blog to manage our discussions and track our collective investigation.

You should have received an email from me inviting you to become a contributor to this blog. The email was sent Monday afternoon to your official Drexel email address.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Magazines

Magazines and newspapers have always been a reliable source of information. People often read these pieces seeking news, quirky articles, and even advice. Travel magazines provide their target audience with tips on the best vacation spots and how to book the most luxurious trips. The majority of the context in these magazines usually focuses on destinations as well as information about trip planning.

However, there has been quite a shift in the themes that are featured in travel magazines since the war with Iraq. Rather than having articles about the best flights, the articles about air travel are concentrating on the most recent airline restrictions and mandatory security checks. Instead of featuring websites with discounted tickets, these articles are updating the readers on the volume of shampoo they can legally pack in their carry-on.

Clearly, the war in Iraq has impacted American culture in some obscure ways. It has influenced the type of information people are interested in hearing and reading about. Entertainment has evolved quite a bit since before the war. Furthermore, workers have needed to adapt to a difference kind of writing to satisfy their readers.

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