Abby Landesman

Pd. 9
September 4, 2016
Course on Captivity

Teacher: Dr. Landesman

Contact: 330212@mcpsmd.net

Welcome to this years class on captivity! Throughout the course, you will learn about different
kinds of captivity and how they affect people. Below are the units we will cover.

Lesson 1: Definitions
How is captivity usually defined? How are we going to define it in this course? Some
people in captivity are considered victims, while others in captivity are considered
deserving. How do different forms of captivity affect our views of the captives?

Lesson 2: Literal Cages

Unit 1: Animals in Captivity
This unit will focus on animals being kept as pets as well as those in zoos. Why is
it okay for other species besides humans to be kept for entertainment?
Possible Reading: Choice and control for animals in captivity, by Laura
Kurtycz
Unit 2: Prisoners in Americas Prisons
America has one of the largest prison systems in the world. What is our view of
prisoners and how are they treated? How does being behind bars affect their
transition back into society?
Possible Reading and Video: American Slavery, Reinvented, by Whitney
Benns, and video Angola for Life: Rehabilitation and Reform Inside the
Louisiana State Penitentiary, by The Atlantic
Unit 3: Prisoners of War
In jail, prisoners are considered dangerous or deserving. If a POW makes it back
from war, they are considered heros. Why? What kind of torture do they endure
and how does this affect their mind?
Possible Readings: Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand, Does wartime captivity
affect late-life mental health? A study of Vietnam-era repatriated prisoners of
war, by Crystal Park
Unit 4: Holocaust
During World War 2, Jews and other groups of people were put in concentration
camps. What allowed people to survive these harsh conditions without giving up
hope? Additionally, those who escaped capture were often hid in peoples homes,
having to be absolutely silent to avoid being found. What was this like?
Possible Reading: The Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank
 Abby Landesman
Pd. 9
September 4, 2016
Unit 5: Kidnapping
The news often tells stories of kidnapping. Some result in people being kept in a
basement for years, subject to physical, mental, and sexual abuse.
Possible Movie: Room (2015)

Lesson 3: Metaphorical Cage

Unit 7: Mental Illness
Sometimes, people can be trapped within their own minds, preventing them from
doing all of which they are capable. How can being trapped without physical
boundaries be just as debilitating as being behind bars? Included in this unit is a
guest speaker who will talk about their experience with mental illness.
Unit 8: Domestic Abuse
Many people are the victims of domestic abuse. Often, nothing is physically
stopping them from seeking out help, and yet leaving the dangerous situation is
something that takes a lot of effort, and a lot of people cant do it. Why?
Possible Reading: Compelling Reasons Women Stay, from DAP
Unit 9: Societal Expectations
Often, societys expectations prevent people from doing what they want. For
example, gender roles puts a lot of pressure on girls and boys to act like girls
and boys. This can manifest in preventing boys from wearing nail polish, but
also in preventing girls from going to school. How do expectations affect you?
Possible Readings: Masculinity and the stalled revolution: How gender
ideologies and norms shape young mens responses to work-family policies, by
David Pedulla, Education and agency: Muslim women and the tensions of
traditional and modern expectations, by Shabnam Khan.

Lesson 4: Slavery
Unit 10: Americas Past
Slavery in the United States didnt end too long ago. This subject is important to
learn about when looking at captivity. This unit we will be looking at primary
sources to analyze the subject.
Unit 11: Modern Slavery
There are different types of modern slavery, and we will be looking at most of
them, including bonded labor, human trafficking, etc.
Possible Reading: Badges of Modern Slavery, by Amir Paz Fuchs

Feel free to come outside of class for extra help, or even if you would like to discuss something
we couldnt get to in class! My door is always open.
 Abby Landesman
Pd. 9
September 4, 2016
Links to readings and videos:

Animals in captivity:
http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&A
N=111057805&login.asp&site=ehost-live
Prisoners: http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/09/prison-labor-in-america/406177/
POW:
http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=psyh&
AN=2012-22623-002&login.asp&site=ehost-live
Domestic Abuse:
http://www.domesticabuseproject.com/get-educated/compelling-reasons-women-stay/
Societal Expectations:
http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=psyh&
AN=2016-32236-002&login.asp&site=ehost-live
http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=psyh&
AN=2011-99190-013&login.asp&site=ehost-live
Modern Slavery:
http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&A
N=117789334&site=ehost-live