Lesson Report:
**Title: Establishing “Ground Truth� on the Houthis: Bias, Missing Perspectives, and Local-Language Research Skills**
This session used the case of the Houthis in Yemen and the Red Sea to deepen students’ understanding of institutional/media bias and the challenges of establishing an objective “ground truth.� Students practiced comparing non‑Western and U.S. policy-oriented coverage, mapping regional actors’ positions, and learning practical strategies for accessing local-language sources (Persian/Arabic) via translation tools. The class ended with a detailed framing of their upcoming 1.5–2 page situational report assignment, emphasizing source triangulation and inclusion of local perspectives.
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### Attendance
– **Number of students explicitly marked absent:** 4
– **Absent:** Hermine, Idina, Beknazar, Ayn Azik (noted as “going to be absent for a little whileâ€�)
– **Present (mentioned):** Albina, Azamat, Makrona, Zoe, Sophie, Nino, Elena, Mukadas, Altanay, Zamira, Adam
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### Topics Covered (Chronological)
#### 1. Opening, logistics, and framing of the class
– Brief welcome back; mention of Multicultural Week (food, games) as a light opener.
– **Apology and clarification about missing reading:**
– The assigned “Waltâ€� reading did not appear on eCourse due to the instructor’s research deadlines.
– Acknowledged that the reading is still not sorted, but emphasized that there is ample material to work with today.
– **Stated goals for the session:**
1. Continue examining **institutional bias** using a concrete case study: **the Houthis in the Red Sea**.
2. Use this case to **connect to students’ individual projects** they started identifying on Tuesday.
3. Introduce the **1.5–2 page situational report** (sitrep) assignment, due **one week from today**.
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#### 2. Activity 1 – Non‑Western news scan on the Houthis
– **Core pedagogical goal:**
– Reinforce the semester-long theme of **collecting as much unbiased information as possible** and working toward a **“ground truthâ€�** on a contentious international issue.
– **Initial task setup:**
– Students worked **in pairs**.
– **Instructions:**
– Find **one news headline** about the Houthis, **no older than one week**.
– The source must be **non‑Western**:
– Examples allowed: **Al Jazeera**, Russian media, other international or local non‑Western outlets.
– Explicitly **avoid stereotypically Western news sources.**
– Once found, **screenshot the headline and main image** (if present).
– Post the screenshot to the class **Telegram group chat** to build a shared “columnâ€� of articles.
– Clarified that **Russian sources and local media** are acceptable; “Russian bias we can deal with today.â€�
– **Impromptu attendance check:**
– Conducted roll call mid‑setup (see Attendance section).
– **Quick background on the Houthis (mini-lecture):**
– Recognized that some students **did not know who the Houthis are**.
– Defined them as:
– An armed/political group based in **Yemen**, involved in the broader context of the **Yemeni revolution and conflict** over the past 5–10 years.
– The **de facto ruling group** / group that took control and is **currently in power** in much of Yemen (while noting control is still contested).
– Ideologically/sect-wise: **Shia**, contrasted later with Saudi Arabia’s Sunni leadership.
– Brief aside on uncertainty about their Russian name (e.g., “Housikiâ€�) without resolving it.
– **Technical skills: searching by time:**
– Instructor asked: “How are you trying to find this article? Do we know how to sort by time on Google?â€�
– Some students already knew; the instructor (and a student, Azamat) ran a **short live tutorial** on:
– Using Google’s **time filter** to restrict results to the **last week**.
– General awareness of search interface functions.
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#### 3. Debrief of non‑Western coverage: recurring frames and absences
– After students had posted their non‑Western articles, they were asked to:
– With their partner, **scan headlines and images** in the group chat.
– Identify:
– **Ideas or images repeated** across sources.
– **Important elements that seemed missing**.
– Explicitly discouraged from simply feeding text into ChatGPT; the goal was to **develop their own critical reading** skills.
– **Reported observations from students:**
– **Visual framing:**
– Frequent use of **military imagery**:
– “Lots of guys with guns.â€�
– Houthis presented primarily in **armed, militant poses**.
– **Role framing:**
– Houthis framed as **de facto decision makers / leaders** in Yemen.
– **Actor mentions:**
– **Iran** and the **U.S.** often appear in conjunction with Houthis.
– Some headlines highlight a **humanitarian crisis** in Yemen.
– Instructor noted these as early evidence of **recurring narrative patterns** in non‑Western coverage.
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#### 4. Activity 2 – U.S. Think Tanks and State Department sources
– **New task:** find **U.S. policy-oriented / governmental perspectives** on the Houthis.
– **Instructions:**
– Again, work with a partner.
– Find an article on the Houthis from **no earlier than January 1** (cutoff ~ one month).
– Source must be:
– A **U.S. think tank** (especially Washington, D.C.–based), or
– A **U.S. State Department** publication.
– Students who did not know the term **“think tankâ€�** were encouraged to Google a list of major U.S. think tanks.
– Once found, **screenshot the headline and any main image** and post it to the Telegram group chat.
– Example think tank mentioned: **Washington Institute for Near East Policy** (student example; instructor asked them to find something up to date—Jan 1, 2026 counted even on New Year’s Day).
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#### 5. Debrief: Comparing Western/think tank coverage with non‑Western coverage
– Once think tank / State Department articles were collected:
– Students were asked to **repeat the comparative exercise**:
– Note what is **similar** across these U.S.-based policy articles.
– Note what is **missing**.
– **Key points raised:**
– Focus on **aid issues** and **international actors**:
– Emphasis on **which states are involved**, alliance structures, and policy implications.
– Fits the mission of such organizations: analyze global events and propose **policy prescriptions**.
– **Portrayal of the Houthis:**
– Students generally reported that Houthis are framed:
– As **rebels** at best, **terrorists** at worst.
– As **responsible for humanitarian crises**.
– As **bombing or attacking merchant ships** in the Red Sea.
– Instructor summarized: there is a **clear negative framing**.
– **Comparison with non‑Western articles:**
– When asked directly whether there was a **significant difference** in portrayal between non‑Western and U.S. think tank/State Dept headlines, most students said **not really**.
– Both sets relied heavily on:
– **Militant imagery** (armed men, “scary guys with gunsâ€�).
– Similar emotional cues regarding **danger, terrorism, instability**.
– Instructor noted that this case **complicates the usual West vs non‑West dichotomy**:
– In this issue, **Western and many non‑Western English‑language outlets** converge on a **very similar affective framing** of the Houthis.
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#### 6. Identifying missing perspectives and mapping regional actors
– **Prompt:** Given the similarity across these sources, **whose perspectives are missing?**
– Students named:
– **Ordinary Yemenis** (civilians living under Houthi governance / in conflict areas).
– The **Houthis themselves** (their self-description and political framing).
– **Iran**’s direct perspective.
– Other regional states that play key roles.
– Instructor then moved to a **geographic and alliance-mapping segment**:
– Brought up a regional map showing **Yemen, the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and surrounding states**.
– **Discussion of key regional actors and their stances on the Houthis:**
– **Saudi Arabia:**
– Strongly **anti‑Houthi**.
– Sectarian dimension: **Saudi state is Sunni**, Houthis are **Shia**.
– Saudi government position (as distinct from the Saudi public) is clearly opposed; has been a leading participant in the Yemen conflict.
– **Qatar:**
– Initially more **aligned with Saudi Arabia** against Houthis.
– Has shifted toward a more **neutral or intermediary** stance in recent years.
– **Israel:**
– **Highly antagonistic** toward the Houthis.
– In terms of **direct belligerence**, Yemen (via the Houthis) has actively targeted **Israel-linked shipping**.
– Reviewed:
– Geography of **Red Sea and Bab el‑Mandeb strait**.
– Strategic fact that Israel’s access to the broader oceans via the Red Sea is vulnerable to **Houthi attacks on merchant vessels they see as connected to Israel**.
– **Iran:**
– **Primary external supporter** of the Houthis.
– Provides **funding and weapons**.
– Has stated that if **U.S. targets Iran**, the Houthis will attack Israel, implying a coordinated deterrence/proxy strategy.
– The instructor acknowledged Iran has been **preoccupied in the last week** (implicitly with other regional crises), which may affect recent public statements.
– **United Arab Emirates (UAE):**
– **Aligned with Saudi Arabia** against the Houthis.
– Another important actor that substantially **dislikes the Houthis**.
– **Oman and Southern Transitional Council (STC):**
– Oman: has **some stake** and an intermediary/diplomatic role, but not discussed in depth.
– STC: a “new-ishâ€� southern entity was mentioned (likely the **Southern Transitional Council**), but instructor stressed that due to time limits they were **hyper-simplifying** and not diving deeply into this internal Yemeni faction.
– **Synthesis:**
– When cross-referencing the actor map with the sources students found, the instructor noted:
– Most of the accessible, English-language material (Western and many non‑Western outlets) **aligns with perspectives of states that are hostile or at least unsympathetic to the Houthis**:
– U.S./Western coalition
– Saudi Arabia, UAE
– Israel
– The **two major missing voices** in the day’s sample were:
– **Iran** itself (directly, in its own state or semi-state media).
– **The Houthis’ own media** and official communications.
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#### 7. Why are key perspectives missing? Structural and methodological issues
– **Question to class:** Given extensive Googling, **why is it so hard to find** direct Houthi and Iranian perspectives?
– Initial student hypotheses:
– Houthis lack funding and capacity for a **media apparatus**.
– **Restricted access** for independent journalists in Houthi-controlled areas.
– Algorithmic limitations and bias in **Google search** and indexing.
– Certain platforms (**e.g., Telegram**) are **not indexed by Google**, so content there is invisible to standard search.
– Instructor acknowledged these as **partial explanations**, but pushed toward a **more fundamental limitation**:
– **Language barrier**:
– Nearly all in-class searching had been done **in English**.
– The Houthis and Iranian state/state-adjacent media primarily publish in **Arabic** and **Persian (Farsi)**.
– Concluding from English search results that “they have no media presenceâ€� is **invalid**:
– It only indicates they **may not have a large English-language presence**, not that they lack media entirely.
– Key teaching point:
– The “last mileâ€� of building a **balanced factual picture** often involves:
– **Locating and accessing local-language sources**.
– Overcoming **language and indexing barriers**, not just ideological bias.
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#### 8. Skill-building: accessing local-language media and using translation tools
– **Problem posed:**
– “You need to find **Iranian perspectives** on the Houthis (e.g., Iranian news about them from no earlier than Dec 31). You do **not** know Persian. How do you do this?â€�
– **Proposed workflow, collaboratively constructed:**
1. **Use translation tools to generate search queries:**
– Take an English search phrase (e.g., “Houthis Yemen Red Seaâ€�) and **translate it into Persian** using:
– Google Translate or
– AI tools (e.g., Gemini, ChatGPT).
– Use the Persian phrase as the **actual Google search query**.
2. **Identify likely local sources:**
– Scan the results page—even if you **cannot read the content**—for signs of **Iranian origin**:
– **Domain endings** such as **`.ir`** suggest an Iranian host.
– Avoid obviously Western outlets publishing in Persian (e.g., **BBC Persian, Euronews, DW**), if the goal is to get the **Iranian domestic/state-media perspective**.
– Use **Persian-language Wikipedia**:
– Not as a primary source, but as a **hub of references** that link out to **native-language news and official sites**.
3. **Translate content for comprehension:**
– **Browser-based tools:**
– Use Edge/Chrome’s **“Translate this pageâ€�** function for an immediate but rough translation.
– Instructor cautioned that browser tools often **break text into chunks**, which can **degrade translation quality** and context.
– **Higher-quality translation with AI:**
– Save the page as a **PDF**:
– Windows: use the **Print** dialog and choose **“Microsoft Print to PDFâ€�** to capture the article (including images and graphs).
– Mac: a student noted you can also print to PDF from the standard print dialog (they referenced “Command-D,â€� though the key point was that Mac also allows printing to PDF).
– Upload the PDF to an AI model (e.g., GPT, Gemini) to:
– Get a **context-aware translation**.
– Extract and translate **text, infographics, and captions** in one go.
– Students also mentioned:
– Adjusting **Google’s regional search settings** to focus on results from **Iran** or the relevant country.
4. **Repeat the process for Arabic sources** (Houthis’ own media or Arabic-language coverage), though the class did not go deep into Arabic in this session.
– **Meta-lesson:**
– English is the **lingua franca**, but **not all crucial information is available in English**, especially:
– Nuanced **local perspectives**.
– Official narratives from **non‑Western, non‑English governments or actors**.
– Students are expected to **exploit modern translation tools** to **triangulate** those missing perspectives, not to treat Google’s English results as the entire information universe.
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#### 9. Assignment briefing – Situational Report (SitRep)
– **Due date and length:**
– **Due one week from today (next Thursday).**
– Length: **1.5 pages, maximum 2 pages**.
– **Format and connection to prior work:**
– The report will follow the **outline format** students worked on **last Thursday**.
– Instructor will **post full instructions and formatting guidance on eCourse tonight**.
– **Topic selection:**
– The SitRep should be on the **contemporary international issue** each student selected **on Tuesday**.
– **Criteria:**
– Must involve **multiple states**.
– **Not allowed**:
– Issues that are purely **domestic civil wars** with no clear international dimension.
– Purely **intra-faction conflicts** within a single country without cross-border implications.
– Students are **allowed to change topics** if:
– Their original issue turns out to be insufficiently interesting, or
– They cannot find adequate information to support the assignment.
– **Content expectations:**
– The SitRep should aim to **establish a factual baseline (“ground truthâ€�)** on the selected issue.
– Students are expected to **triangulate sources**:
– Do **not** rely only on:
– Mainstream **English-language news**, or
– Official **government sources** from one side.
– Instead, they should:
– Seek out **local-language sources** (using translation workflows practiced in class).
– Attempt to include **multiple perspectives**, especially those of **local actors** and **non-dominant narratives**.
– Example clarification:
– **Protests in Iran** can be a suitable topic, **if** students articulate **why** and **how** they are an **international issue** (e.g., foreign involvement, regional implications, sanctions, etc.).
– **Administrative clarifications:**
– This SitRep is **not the same** as a previous document already uploaded; it is a **new assignment** based on **Tuesday’s topic** selection.
– Submission will be **written and uploaded** (exact submission modality implied to be through eCourse).
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### Actionable Items
#### High priority (before/around posting materials)
– **Upload missing reading and assignment details:**
– Post the **Walt reading** to eCourse (if still needed in upcoming lessons).
– Post the **full SitRep assignment sheet**, including:
– Due date and time.
– Required **outline structure**.
– Explicit **source requirements** (e.g., must include at least one local-language or translated source).
– Clear reminder that the topic must involve **multiple states**.
#### Before next class / within the week
– **Reinforce translation workflow expectations:**
– In the assignment description, restate the **step-by-step expectations** for:
– Translating queries.
– Identifying local (.ir, etc.) domains.
– Using browser translation vs. PDF + AI translation.
– **Clarify acceptable topics and “international angleâ€�:**
– Provide a short **list of example topics** that meet the “multi‑stateâ€� criterion (e.g., Red Sea security & Houthis, Ukraine war, South China Sea, etc.).
– Add brief notes on how domestic issues (e.g., protests in Iran) can qualify when framed in an explicitly **international context**.
– **Check-in with absent/long-absent students:**
– **Hermine, Idina, Beknazar, Ayn Azik**:
– Consider reaching out to:
– Confirm their status in the course.
– Ensure they have the **SitRep assignment** details and understand upcoming deadlines.
– Offer guidance on catching up with **institutional bias and source-triangulation concepts**.
#### Longer-term / course-continuity items
– **Plan a follow-up session on local actors’ own media:**
– A targeted class or segment explicitly focused on:
– **Analyzing Houthi-produced or Iran-produced material** (via translation).
– Comparing their self-framing to the Western/non‑Western headlines students saw today.
– **Refine evaluation criteria for SitReps:**
– Develop a clear rubric that:
– Rewards **triangulation**, **awareness of bias**, and **inclusion of missing perspectives**.
– Penalizes overreliance on **single-perspective** or purely English-language mainstream coverage.
– **Track students’ research skills development:**
– Monitor how effectively students:
– Use **time filters** in search engines.
– Identify and leverage **local-language sources**.
– Distinguish between **Western-branded** Persian/Arabic media and genuinely **local/state** outlets.
Homework Instructions:
ASSIGNMENT #1: Situation Report on Your Selected International Issue
You will write a concise 1.5–2 page situation report on the contemporary international issue you selected earlier this week, using it to practise what we did with the Houthis/Red Sea case: triangulating different kinds of sources, dealing with institutional bias, and working past the language barrier to approximate a “ground truth� and identify missing perspectives.
Instructions:
1. **Confirm (or change) your issue**
1.1. Start by confirming which issue you are writing about. This should be the *contemporary international issue* you selected on Tuesday.
1.2. You are allowed to change your topic if:
– You’ve found it too narrow or uninteresting, or
– You can’t find enough information, or
– You realize it doesn’t really have an international dimension.
1.3. Your issue **must involve multiple states**. That means:
– No purely internal civil war with no meaningful foreign involvement.
– No conflict that is solely between factions inside one state *unless* there is a clear and important international angle (foreign governments, international organizations, external funding, sanctions, cross-border fighting, etc.).
1.4. If you choose something that looks “domestic� (e.g., protests in Iran), you must explicitly frame and explain the *international* side of it: Which outside states or international actors are involved, and how?
2. **Clarify the scope and core question of your report**
2.1. Narrow your focus. A situation report is short (1.5–2 pages), so you cannot cover everything.
2.2. Decide:
– **Time frame**: Are you focusing on events over the last year? Last few months? A recent escalation?
– **Core question**: For example,
– “What is the current situation around X border dispute, and how are the main actors framing it?â€�
– “How is the international community responding to Y intervention, and what narratives dominate?â€�
2.3. Write this core question on a notepad; use it to keep your research and writing tightly focused.
3. **Gather English-language sources from multiple perspectives**
Using the Houthis exercise as your model, begin in the “easy� space—English-language sources—but make them diverse.
3.1. Find at least a few **mainstream international or Western sources**, such as:
– Major global outlets (e.g., BBC, Reuters, AP, etc.)
– Large U.S./European newspapers or networks
3.2. Find **non-Western or alternative outlets**, similar to what you did with Al Jazeera and Russian media in class:
– Regional outlets in the area where your conflict takes place (e.g., Al Jazeera, regional broadcasters, Russian-language media, etc.).
– International but non-Western news organizations.
3.3. Find at least one **analytic or official source**, matching what you did with U.S. think tanks and State Department texts:
– A think tank report (preferably based in a capital closely involved in the issue, such as Washington, Brussels, Moscow, etc.).
– Or an official government or ministry/State Department statement about the issue.
As you skim these:
– Note the **headlines** and any **key images** (just like we did with the Houthis).
– Ask: *What terms do they use to label the actors (e.g., rebels, terrorists, resistance, freedom fighters)?*
– Ask: *Whose voices or governments are centred, and who is discussed only indirectly?*
4. **Identify whose perspectives are missing**
4.1. Based on your first round of English-language reading, make a quick list of:
– The **main actors** involved (states, armed groups, political movements).
– **Allies and opponents**, similar to how we listed Saudi Arabia, Iran, Israel, UAE, etc., around the Houthis.
4.2. Then ask:
– Which actors’ perspectives appear *constantly* in my English sources?
– Which actors’ perspectives are **barely present** or only described *by others*?
4.3. Highlight at least two “missing� or underrepresented perspectives. In the Houthi case, we discovered that:
– The Houthis themselves,
– Yemenis on the ground, and
– Iran’s own media
were largely missing from easily found English coverage. Perform the same kind of diagnosis for your issue.
5. **Use translation tools to reach local and actor perspectives**
This step is crucial and directly reflects the last part of the lesson: dealing with the language barrier and the limits of English.
5.1. Identify what **local languages** are relevant:
– Example: If your issue involves Iran, Farsi/Persian. If it involves a conflict in the Arab world, Arabic, etc.
5.2. Use a translation tool (Google Translate, DeepL, or an AI model) to **translate a search query** into the relevant language, just as we did when we searched Persian for Iranian views on the Houthis. For example:
– Start with simple English keywords: `[your issue] + [country name]`
– Translate this to the target language.
– Paste the translated phrase into a search engine.
5.3. In your search results, look for **local or national outlets**:
– Pay attention to country-specific domains (e.g., `.ir`, `.ru`, `.tr`, etc.) that likely indicate locally based media.
– Be cautious with big international brands (e.g., BBC Persian, Euronews Arabic); they may still represent non-local institutional perspectives even if they are in the local language.
5.4. Open at least one or two promising local articles (or statements, press releases, etc.) from:
– Actors directly involved (government ministries, political groups, armed organizations).
– Local or regional news outlets reporting from inside or near the conflict area.
5.5. Translate these pages:
– You can use your browser’s built-in translation to get a rough idea.
– For better quality, consider saving the page as a PDF and feeding it to an AI translator, as demonstrated in class.
– Your goal is *not* to get perfect literary translation, but to understand how they frame events, which facts they highlight, and which vocabulary they use.
6. **Triangulate the narratives**
6.1. Put your notes from all sources side by side:
– Western/English mainstream sources
– Non-Western or alternative English sources
– Think tank/government sources
– Local-language/actor-based sources (via translation)
6.2. Look for **patterns**:
– What adjectives and labels recur? (E.g., “illegal invasionâ€�, “counter-terror operationâ€�, “resistanceâ€�, “terrorismâ€�.)
– What kinds of **images** are used (e.g., men with guns, suffering civilians, leaders at podiums, maps)?
– Where do different sources **agree** on basic facts (dates, numbers, events)?
– Where do they **contradict** each other or emphasize totally different things?
6.3. Identify and write down:
– Which **perspectives are dominant** across all sides (even those you thought would differ).
– Which **voices remain underrepresented** or missing, despite your efforts.
7. **Plan your report using the outline format from last Thursday**
7.1. Structure your situation report following the **outline format you practised last Thursday**.
7.2. If you don’t remember every heading, consult the outline that will be posted alongside this assignment and mirror its structure as closely as you can.
7.3. In general, your outline should move logically from:
– A concise **description of the situation**,
– Through the **key actors and alliances**,
– To the different **framings and narratives**,
– Then to **missing perspectives/information gaps**, and
– Ending with a short **preliminary assessment** based on your triangulation.
8. **Write your 1.5–2 page situation report**
8.1. Length and format:
– Aim for **at least 1.5 pages** and **no more than 2 pages** of written text.
– Use clear paragraphs and headings consistent with the outline format.
8.2. Style:
– Write in a **neutral, analytical tone**, similar to a professional brief.
– Avoid rhetorical flourishes, emotional language, or advocacy; your goal is to report and analyze, not to argue a political position.
8.3. Content to include:
1. **Opening section**:
– Briefly state *what* the issue is, *where* it is happening, *who* is involved, and *why it matters internationally*.
– This should be 1–2 short paragraphs that someone unfamiliar with the issue can quickly understand.
2. **Factual background**:
– Summarize the core events and timeline relevant to your chosen time frame.
– Stick to points that most of your sources agree on (your attempt at “ground truthâ€�).
3. **Key actors and relationships**:
– Identify the main states, organizations, and groups involved.
– Explain who supports whom and who opposes whom (as we did when mapping Saudi Arabia, Iran, Israel, UAE, and the Houthis).
– Clarify why their positions matter.
4. **Competing labels and narratives**:
– Highlight different names or labels used for the same events or operations, similar to “Operation Prosperity Guardianâ€� vs. “Battle of the Promised Conquest.â€�
– Explain briefly which actors use which terms and what those labels try to imply.
5. **Media and source comparison**:
– Compare how Western, non-Western, and local/actor sources each portray the situation.
– Note repeated themes (e.g., “terrorismâ€�, “self-defenceâ€�, “humanitarian crisisâ€�) and consistent imagery.
– Point out where narratives converge and where they diverge.
6. **Missing perspectives and information gaps**:
– Clearly state which perspectives you still could not access (e.g., local civilians, particular factions, certain governments).
– Reflect briefly on why: language barriers, censorship, lack of media infrastructure, search algorithms, etc.
– Explain how the absence of these voices might skew our understanding.
7. **Preliminary assessment**:
– End with a short section (a paragraph or two) summarizing:
– What you think we can reasonably say is happening **on the ground**, and
– What remains uncertain or contested.
– Keep this grounded in the evidence from your sources rather than personal opinion.
9. **Document your sources**
9.1. At the end of your report, include a short **source list**. For each source, give at least:
– Outlet or organization name
– Article/report title
– Author (if available)
– Date of publication
– URL (for online sources)
9.2. You do not need a specific citation style unless otherwise required in this course, but be **consistent** and clear enough that someone else could find the same materials.
9.3. Make sure your list reflects the **variety of perspectives** you consulted:
– Mainstream Western/international sources
– Non-Western/regional sources
– Analytical/government/think-tank sources
– At least one translated local or actor-based source, if at all possible.
10. **Prepare and submit your final document**
10.1. Ensure your document:
– Follows the outline-based structure used in class.
– Is between 1.5 and 2 pages of main text.
– Has your **name** and the **title of your issue** clearly on the first page.
10.2. Review for clarity, neutrality, and coherence:
– Check that a reader unfamiliar with your topic can follow the situation and understand the different perspectives.
– Confirm that you have clearly indicated where information is solid and where it is uncertain or disputed.
10.3. Submit your completed situation report through the course’s online platform by the deadline (one week from this class session, as indicated with the assignment posting).