Order 1359684: Oil & Water – Film Review Assignment

Geography 252

Burkham

Oil & Water – Film Review Assignment #3

For the final writing assignment you will write a 500-600 word persuasive essay based on the documentary Oil & Water, which is written and produced by Francine Strickwerda and Laurel Spellman Smith. The film follows two young men, Hugo Lucitante, a member of the Cofan tribe, and David Poritz, an American-born activist and entrepreneur, as they try to protect the Ecuadorian Amazon and provide for its people. The documentary highlights the complexities of environmental and cultural protection in an area rich in cultural, biological, and oil resources.

Your essay must include at least two additional sources. Please answer the following questions in essay format. Consider separating the paper into multiple paragraphs, but be sure to maintain cohesiveness and flow throughout. Submit the completed writing assignment in MSWord or compatible software to Canvas by Tuesday, December 4th at 11:59pm.

Part I: Introduction

· Based on the documentary, lecture, additional readings, and outside research, do you think the Government of Ecuador should continue to drill for oil in the Ecuadorian Amazon?

Part II: Evidence-based argument

· Use specific information from the film, your class notes, and/or the textbook to make your argument.

· If you support continued oil drilling, you must account for the potential environmental and social costs of oil drilling

· If you reject continued oil drilling, you must propose an economic alternative to oil drilling to make up for the lost revenue.

· Use at least two additional sources that support your argument.

· Evaluate the source of the information for its credibility.

· Analyze the article and use it to directly support your argument.

· Cite the source within the text – for example, (U.S. Energy Information Association, 2014) – and include a link or full citation at the end of the essay.

· Acknowledge and critique other perspectives on this issue as you make your argument.

Additional Readings: You should read the following articles to prepare for the paper, class discussion, and quiz but you CANNOT count them towards the two additional sources for this paper:

· Required for next Tuesday’s discussion: Oil Development, Deforestation and Indigenous Populations in the Ecuadorian Amazon: http://www.theamazonpost.com/wp-content/uploads/Southgate_Wasserstrom_Reider_LASA_2009.pdf

· A report by the U.S. Energy Information Association on the role of oil in the Ecuadorian economy

https://www.eia.gov/beta/international/analysis_includes/countries_long/Ecuador/Ecuador.pdf

· Potential benefits of oil drilling for Amazon families:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/mar/05/ecuador-amazon-split-oil-money

Film Guide: The following questions are intended to help you take notes on the film, as you generate ideas for your paper. The map of the Ecuadorian Amazon region provides some geographical context to the movie.

Who is responsible for the oil contamination in the Ecuadorian Amazon? In what ways has it affected the local population?

What are Hugo and the Cofan people doing to address this and other problems in their territory? What are the potential benefits and challenges of this strategy?

What is David doing to address the problem of oil contamination in the Amazon? What are the potential benefits and challenges of this strategy?