Description
This presentation reflects on the pedagogical opportunities of incorporating zine-making into an undergraduate module titled ‘The Military, Security and Society’ which is part of the University of East Anglia’s BA Sociology programme. This module introduces students to Critical Military Studies by (1) exploring different sociological explanations of the relationship between the military and society, (2) tracing military power across different social sites, and (3) reflecting on possibilities for social change.
At the end of the module, in dedicated workshops, students are invited to co-create zines on topics which enable them to critically engage with military power. Through the cutting, re-arranging, re-writing, and sticking of the module handbook (designed for this purpose) along with other materials, students work together to co-produce commentary which traces and engages with the implications of military power, and reflects on possibilities for resistance and change, in a creative, empowering and perhaps even hopeful way. Importantly, the workshops create space for students to explore valuable connections between the personal and political, encouraging them to engage with their own relationships with military power. This presentation will detail how zine-making was incorporated into the module and will reflect upon the pedagogical and practical opportunities and challenges encountered throughout.
