Drawing from two or more academic disciplines to analyze a question or problem.

History Civil WarLiterature

Legal Studies Torture warrantsEthics (philosophy)“English” (writing)Speech and Communication

National Studies (American Studies - US)Area Studies (Latin American)Ethnic Studies (African American, etc.)Women’s StudiesEcology (biology, earth science, society)

What is the highest human good? What is right and wrong? What is the source of values by which we

guide our lives? How can we choose among values when

they conflict?(UCI Philosophy Undergraduate Program)

Absolutist - Prohibition in all cases

Situational – Depends on the situation.Best interest. Question of exchange.

Absolute Torture is never acceptable(Scarry)

Limited Legal Permissible in certain casesPermissibility (Dershowitz)

Limited Moral Permissible but illegal, noPermissibility warrants

As noted by Dershowitz

Safety and security of a nation’s citizens

Preservation of civil liberties and human rights

Visibility and accountability in a democracy

How do these come into conflict?

How do you get from one to the next?

A. Time is running outB. The person has the informationC. Interrogation by torture is necessaryD. Failure to torture will mean greater loss

QUESTION: Can you raise objections at each step?

What is the effect of the focus on Alan Dershowitz?

The torture warrants debate leaves out the details about the people actually detained after 9/11

KHALID EL-MASRI

German Citizen Born in Kuwait but

married a German woman

Handed over to the CIA and, according to a lawsuit, tortured in Afghanistan.

KHALID AL-MASRI

The name of a person alleged to have made contact in Germany with the 9/11 hijackers

No relation to El-Masri

The years after 9/11

Operatives working for Al Qaeda, Taliban

Islamic (and more generally Middle Eastern)

Enemy Combatants (not prisoners of war,do not have legal protections)

Relies on various oppositions:

West vs. EastChristian vs. IslamUS vs. terrorists (enemies)

"Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists.” George W. Bush, 9/20/01

Names someone or something (a force) againstthe United States

Figure of evilFighter with access to arms, including nuclear,

and “weapons of mass destruction”Anti-democratic

State of the Union Speech January 28, 2003

TRANSCRIPT

http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2003/01/20030128-19.html

YOUTUBE VIDEO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgwqCdv3YQo

(Part 6, :30 – 2:40)

Evidence from intelligence sources, secretcommunications, and statements by people now in custody reveal that Saddam Hussein aids and protects terrorists, including members of al Qaeda. Secretly, and without fingerprints, he could provide one of his hidden weapons to terrorists, or help them develop their own. -----------------------------------------------------------But chemical agents, lethal viruses and shadowy terrorist networks are not easily contained. Imagine those 19 hijackers with other weapons and other plans -- this time armed by Saddam Hussein.

How does the terrorist fit into US racial thinking?

Historical opposition between white/black

Historical opposition between white/other(including Asian, Mexican Am, etc.)

21st Century growing acceptance of anational multi-racial society.

Where does the terrorist figure fit in?

Race not biological, not essential

Racial constructions as appearing in history(historically contingent)

Shifting meaning and codes (race changes)

Role of the contemporary global context?

The Case of Jose Padilla

US citizen born in Brooklyn

Abdullah al-MuhajirArrested in 2002Held for 3+ years without

chargesEnemy combatantSays he was tortured

Where does the United States hold terrorists?