Cartoons in their groups

Anti Mosque/ Anti Muslim Community/ Racism

Pro Mosque/ Pro Muslim Community

First Amendment/ International

Leaders- President Obama/ Imam Rauf/International

Cultural Center vs Mosque

Content/Analysis Guidelines
1. Intro: Summarize, but not everything! Apply the “Fred Rule.” What’s the most startling, most interesting “news” from your study of these cartoons? What are your key findings?
2. What is the overall message conveyed in the cartoons regarding immigration and undocumented workers? In other words, how are the immigrants and the issues framed by the editorial cartoonists?
3. How would you characterize the overall tone of the cartoons—positive/negative, etc.? Why?
4. What stories about race and ethnicity are reinforced or challenged in the cartoons?
5. What are the different messages being cultivated about the immigration debate in our country?
6. What terms are used to describe undocumented immigrants? Are the terms considered degrading or derogatory?
7. Is there a difference in the tone of the cartoons published in different news sources or drawn by different cartoonists? What difference do you find between domestic and international cartoons?
8. What are the major differences and similarities between how different cartoonists frame immigration?
9. Relate your conclusions to framing theory and other relevant media effects theories and media literacy concepts that we’ve discussed. How are the cartoonists constructing a specific “reality” about immigration?
10. Can you suggest the potential impact of the cartoons? How are we encouraged to “think” about the immigration and undocumented immigrants working in the U.S.?
11. Be sure that the conclusions you present in your team essay are supported by the editorial cartoons you coded and analyzed.
12. Be specific and use examples from the cartoons to support your major arguments.

Please note: I’m not asking you to take a position in the debate over immigration reform. In other words, your team essay or multimedia project is NOT about whether you oppose or support the criminalization of undocumented workers. In order to conduct a “fair and balanced” analysis of the cartoons, you must be able to analyze—fairly—how the cartoonists frame the issue without your personal opinions interfering. It’s very important to be aware that our selective perceptions, attention and retention processes are forms of bias that need to be set aside in order to analyze media objectively.