In his autobiography, Edward Snowden describes his life: his first encounters with technology and the following enthusiasm he developed for coding and the internet. He talks about his career and the process up to his groundbreaking revelations in 2013 about the spying activities and large-scale data collection, especially of the NSA. The book gives valuable […]
Nora Seed has been unhappy in life for a long time. When the last sources of happiness fall away, she attempts to take her life; only to end up in a magical library. The librarian explains that this library will let her undo all her regrets in life and “try out” other versions of her […]
The musical drama West Side Story is the recent film adaptation of the stage musical by the same name. Set in 1957, the film tells the story of territorial and personal conflict between two gangs in Manhattan’s West Side. Prior to a planned ‘rumble’ between the Jets and Puerto Rican Sharks, Tony and Maria meet […]
Cadence Sinclair lives a life of luxury. Every summer is spent on a private island, called Beechwood Island, with her family and best friends. Her family comes from old money, Cadence being the eldest grandchild. Everything in their life is cushy and perfect, or so they pretend. The reality is that Cadence has had debilitating […]
This film is a classic in the dystopian science fiction genre. Gattaca presents a world driven by eugenics, in which children are genetically selected and modified during pregnancy. This leads to a society full of genetic discrimination where individuals are hired or disqualified for certain jobs solely due to their genetic makeup. The main character […]
This Postmodern utopian/dystopian novel is about artificial intelligence, religion, genetic engineering, and coping with death and guilt.Klara is an Artificial Friend sold to the sickly girl to help her cope with the loneliness and help with her daily challenges. Klara narrates the story and has a remarkable observational capability particularly noticing the little things. Because […]
A dystopian novel on the difference between freedom and security, surveillance, brain-altering surgery, and the power of mind and imagination. In the near future, the rust belt states are reigned by anarchy. Most people have lost their jobs and homes, the streets are not safe and there is a constant threat of being mugged, raped, […]
The dystopian sequel of The Handmaid’s Tale explores the experiences of three more characters regarding Gilead and its regime. It includes the accounts of Aunt Lydia and the two daughters of the narrating handmaid of the first book. It explains the views of someone who happened to be witness to the government takeover and is […]
This 6-part series explores the history of football in England. Set in the 1870s, two men from different social classes set out to change the sport forever. The series as a whole as well as individual episodes can be used to discuss Britain’s history, working conditions and sports.
A classic case of a Robinsonade, this film explores the extraordinary life of Chuck Noland. As a systems analyst executive with a terrible work-life-balance, Chuck regularly travels for work. On his way to Malaysia, his plane crashes, leaving him stranded on an uninhabited island as the sole survivor. He spends the next four years with […]
This modern short story focuses on Benjamin Button, who is born looking like a 70-year-old and aging backward. His condition is not immediately diagnosed and it takes 5 years until he engages in adult activities. When he is 20 years of age, he marries Hildegarde and has a son with her. However, while she ages […]
This Victorian Bildungsroman is about Victorian society and values ranging from accounts about upper-middle to lower class. The novel follows protagonist David Copperfield through his life and especially highlights the social issues of Victorian times. David is orphaned being quite young, visits a boarding school, and is handed from guardian to guardian. He encounters middle-class […]
This movie explores poverty in regard to social class differences, as well as identity construction, gender stereotypes, and homosexuality. Billy Elliot is an 11-year-old boy of poor family background. His father and brother are miners who stick to clear gender roles. When Billy is sent to take boxing lessons, he witnesses a ballet class and […]
Set in mid-19th-century New York City, this musical navigates themes like the American Dream, class relations and othering. After being fired from his job, Phineas is desperate for a new occupation to support his family. But it’s not just about the money; he craves to change the world with his knack for magic and entertainment. […]
Ongoing web cartoon series on social media and remote work that was started in 2007. Each cartoon usually consists of one image and a caption. They depict relatable situations at home or at the workplace, such as the particular example shown here. A woman working from home while she is laying on the couch calls […]
American Pictures is a collection of approximately 22,000 photos revealing racism, segregation, social hierarchies and white supremacy. The powerful pictures of Danish photographer Jacob Holdt were not taken with an artistic intention but rather to capture the hardship and brutal reality of America in the 1970s. Holdt’s work portraits life in ghettos ranging from poverty, homelessness […]
The cartoon “American Dream Helper” by Steve Greenberg, published in the Marin Independent Journal in November 2001, critically investigates a contemporary version of the American Dream and outlines that the pursuit of happiness can only be achieved in reality, if one just adds enough money. Based on the scenery, a woman longing for a life of material […]
This Irish novel is about social difficulties in mid 20th century Ireland, emigration, and cultural identity. The book follows Eilis Lacey, a young Irish woman who is not cannot find work. Thus, she decides to immigrate to the United States as she, too, heard of the American Dream. After some initial difficulties, she falls in […]