Plato’s academy was the first formal arena for education, where young men were tutored in the rigors of logic, philosophy, and mathematics. Prior to this, societies transmitted knowledge from one generation to the next orally, and after the advent of writing, through texts. Although education throughout history has been predominantly a privilege of the elite, universal education is currently seen as a basic right, necessary for a country’s prosperity. This program traces the evolution of education through the ages, from oral traditions to its role in today’s ever- changing society, where the need to learn new job skills is a constant necessity. (53 minutes, color)

Since the 1830s, public schools have spread into every corner of America. Then and now, what kind of people have been called to teach in these schools? This program explores the importance of educators in the lives of their students, emphasizing a teacher’s influence as role model, as upholder of society’s norms, and even as agent of social change. Dedicated women who spent their careers teaching newly freed slaves and turn-of-the-century teachers of immigrants are profiled, as well as exemplary instructors of today’s struggling teenagers. Education reformer Theodore Sizer, education historian David Tyack, and author Frank McCourt are featured. (56 minutes, color)

China’s global influence has grown enormously since the turn of the new century. Now the second- largest economy in the world, its citizens are buying up consumer goods both domestically and from abroad in record numbers. In this collection of 12 ABC News segments, anchor Diane Sawyer travels from Beijing to Shanghai exploring life in the Asian nation and the part the U.S. has played in shaping its economic initiatives. Clip duration ranges from 2 to 5 minutes. Video clips include… • Overview of the Growth in China: With an economic growth rate of ten percent per year, the goal of the Chinese government is to build the nation’s infrastructure. • The Chinese Factory Worker: Many young people leave home for factory jobs, living in workers’ dormitories and sending half their wages back to their families. • Chinese Billionaire Jack Ma on the Power of American Ideas: The founder of China’s largest e-commerce Web site has changed the way his country does business. • China Embraces the English Language: By 2015 all schools will begin teaching English, “the language of international competition,” in kindergarten. • China Goes Green: In the race to be the world’s leader in green technology, China is ahead of the pack with solar power and energy- efficient, high-speed bullet trains. • Educating China: Chinese students receive 30 percent more hours of instruction per year than do American children, but focus more on memorization than creativity. • Two Taras—Same Name, Different Lives: Two college-educated women, one living in China, one in the U.S, are pursuing their professional and personal dreams. • One of China’s Most Talented: A popular competitor on China’s Got Talent is a young boy who lost his arms in an accident but learned to play piano with his toes. • American Businesses Booming in China: Half a million Mary Kay workers, three new McDonald’s opening every week, and a partnership with GM to sell electric cars—all in China. • China Helping Boost U.S. Economy Despite Currency Concerns: In 2009 $70 billion-worth of American goods were sold in China to an emerging middle class, creating 437,000 new U.S. jobs. • China Imports from Washington State: From apples to salmon and almond roca candy, Washington state exports nearly $6 billion-worth of products to China every year. • What They Liked Most about China: Diane Sawyer, David Muir, and Clarissa Ward share their favorite memories of the trip to China. 2010

In 1848, a political revolution in France foreshadowed a revolution in art. In 1851, Gustave Courbet’s A Burial at Ornans scandalized the public with its unembellished portrayal of an ordinary funeral. The shift toward Realism had begun. This program tells the sensational story of Courbet’s Burial while analyzing the subtleties and surprises that underlie its deceptively innocent facade. (32 minutes)

Since its debut, Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly has set itself apart from the mainstream media by providing in-depth coverage and analysis of national and international events in the ever-changing religious world. This 12-segment anthology of NewsWeekly segments studies the intersection between religion and America’s role in the world. Segments include… • Religion and America’s Role in the World—A Report: Based on the results of a 2008 national survey conducted by Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly and the UN Foundation, this story visits a family and their Episcopal church in Maine and explores views on U.S. global engagement and moral obligations around the world. In addition, Catholic Bishop Thomas Wenski and University of Oklahoma political science and religious studies professor Allen Hertzke comment on religion and the role it plays in U.S. involvement in world affairs. (10 minutes) • Young Evangelical Engagement in the World—A Report: Based on the results of a 2008 national survey conducted by Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly and the UN Foundation, a report from evangelical Calvin College in Grand Rapids looks at the 2008 presidential election and changing political and social attitudes among a new generation of young evangelicals, including their views on world affairs. Also, pollster Anna Greenberg interprets some of the survey results. (10 minutes) • Allen Hertzke—An Interview: In extended interview excerpts, University of Oklahoma professor of political science and religious studies Allen Hertzke analyzes the results of a 2008 national survey conducted by Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly and the UN Foundation, commenting on American self-interest, America as a force for good in the world, intervention and isolationism, foreign policy priorities, humanitarian issues and human rights, American exceptionalism, and the globalization of religious faith. (18 minutes) • Anna Greenberg—An Interview: In extended interview excerpts, pollster Anna Greenberg describes the results of a 2008 national survey she conducted for Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly and the UN Foundation on religion and America’s role in the world and takes a special look at the views of young evangelicals, analyzing how the survey findings about them could affect the American political scene. (6 minutes) • Panel Discussion—Religion and America’s Role in the World: These excerpts from a discussion at the National Press Club present the findings of a 2008 national survey conducted by Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly and the UN Foundation on religion and America’s role in the world. Joining in the conversation are UN Foundation President Timothy Wirth; John Hamre, president and CEO of the Center for Strategic and International Studies; pollster Anna Greenberg; and religion and foreign policy scholar Timothy Shah. (29 minutes) • Madeleine Albright on Religion, Foreign Policy, and World Affairs: Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, author of The Mighty and the Almighty: Reflections on America, God, and World Affairs, discusses religion’s role in foreign policy and why diplomats need a better understanding of religion in world affairs. (7 minutes) • Making Foreign Aid Work—A Report: New York University economics professor William Easterly; David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World; former USAID Director Andrew Natsios; and Haitian economist Ketleen Florestal discuss hunger, poverty, economic development, and the problems that plague foreign assistance efforts. (8 minutes) • David Price on Obama and the Muslim World: Congressman David Price (D-NC) offers insights about President Barack Obama’s 2009 speech to the Muslim world, the religious roots of American ideals and values, and the U.S. role in Middle East peacemaking. (3 minutes) • Religion and Peace in the Middle East—A Report: On the eve of Pope Benedict XVI’s 2009 pilgrimage to the Holy Land, this report from Jerusalem looks at an interfaith group of American religious leaders and their efforts at working toward Middle East peace. The initiative includes former ambassador Tony Hall, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, Bishop Munib Younan, Rabbi David Rosen, Suhail Khan, and Rabbi Steve Gutow. (6 minutes) • Food Aid Ethics—A Report: This report from Malawi looks at international food aid agencies and charities and the debate over cash assistance versus food relief. (8 minutes) • Anne-Marie Slaughter on Faith, Values, and Foreign Policy: Anne-Marie Slaughter—dean of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, former director of policy planning at the U.S. State Department, and author of The Idea That Is America: Keeping Faith with Our Values in a Dangerous World—talks about intervention, the meaning of values-based foreign policy, and the role of religious groups in policy-making. (6 minutes) • Tod Lindberg on Religion, Politics, and Foreign Policy: A political philosopher, Hoover Institution research fellow, and author of The Political Teachings of Jesus, Tod Lindberg reflects on the role of values in presidential approaches to foreign policy, how to translate ethics into policy, and whether there is a place for moral convictions in the world of international politics. (9 minutes) (2 hours 1 minute) DVD is Subtitled

Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly is acclaimed for its examination of religion’s role—and the ethical dimensions—behind top news headlines. This 14-segment anthology of NewsWeekly segments considers the relationship between religion and international affairs. Segments include… • Pope Benedict’s Foreign Policy—A Report: Filmed in advance of the pope’s 2008 address to the UN General Assembly, this report looks at the unique role the pope and the Vatican play on the world stage and in international affairs. (9 minutes) • Political Buddhism—A Report: Violent protests by Tibetan Buddhists, Buddhist ethics of nonviolence, the Dalai Lama as spiritual and political leader, and the role of the Chinese government in Tibet are explored in this report featuring Columbia University Buddhist studies professor Robert Thurman and Harvard University Chinese history professor Tu Weiming. (9 minutes) • Chrislam—A Report: This story is reported from Lagos, Nigeria—a place where tensions between Christians and Muslims have often erupted in deadly violence—and features a preacher who sees no religious fault line between the two faith groups. (7 minutes) • Muslims in Germany—A Report: A story from Berlin reports on large numbers of Muslim immigrants, tensions with German citizens, and how to offer equal opportunities for immigrants and their children. (7 minutes) • Jean Bethke Elshtein and Shaun Casey on Torture: Ethicists Jean Bethke Elshtein and Shaun Casey discuss the morality of torture, the problem of “dirty hands,” and the debate over whether torture can ever be justified. (9 minutes) • Hinduism in Modern India—A Report: A report from New Delhi looks at influences of the modern media-driven world on traditional Hindu households and families whose religious practices have changed little over the generations. (9 minutes) • Islam in Indonesia—A Report: A report from Jakarta examines the growth of religious practice in democratic Indonesia taking place alongside competing secular and Islamist political parties and a booming economy. (9 minutes) • The Church and the Fall of the Berlin Wall—A Report: A story from Leipzig looks back at the important role one church played in a Germany divided between East and West during the Cold War and in the massive demonstrations that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. (5 minutes) • Shia-Sunni Conflict—A Report: This story examines the sectarian violence and conflict between the Shia and Sunni branches of Islam and features Professor Vali Nasr, author of The Shia Revival: How Conflicts within Islam Will Shape the Future. (10 minutes) • Secular Islamic Turkey—A Report: A report from Istanbul explores the balance between Islam and secular society and the rise of more openly Islamic views in a country at the crossroads between East and West. (8 minutes) • Michael Walzer on War: Michael Walzer, a prominent political philosopher and authority on the ethics of just war, discusses Afghanistan, Iraq, the moral lessons of war, and religious commentary on U.S. foreign policy. (9 minutes) • Andrew Bacevich on American Power and Military Policy: Andrew Bacevich, a professor of history and international relations at Boston University and a retired U.S. Army colonel, talks about a wide range of ethical and policy issues, including American exceptionalism, Afghanistan, preventive war, national security, and the moral use of force. (23 minutes) • Egypt’s Coptic Tensions—A Report: This 2010 report from Cairo looks at sectarian violence and the lives of Coptic Christians in a predominantly Muslim country. (8 minutes) • Islam and Modernity—A Report: This 2009 report from Cairo explores conflicts between the modern and the traditional and considers the challenges of living a devout Muslim life while also accommodating the contemporary technological world. (9 minutes) (2 hours 11 minutes) DVD is Subtitled

With unprecedented access to three Damascus schools, this two-part series signals a growing openness within the Arab world as it examines an educational system in the throes of modernization. Stories focusing on students and their school administrators give a human face to places of learning that are striving to reconcile tradition with progress, religion with secularism, and antiquity with modernity. Produced by the Open University. Portions in Syrian with English subtitles. 2-part series, 59-60 minutes each. Copyright date: ©2009

Historically, America has displayed an ambivalence toward public school teachers, expecting much from them while frequently offering little respect, meager pay, and inadequate working conditions. This program traces the evolution of teaching as a profession, honoring educators who risked everything to stand up for teachers’ rights. Stanford University’s Linda Darling-Hammond; Lorraine Monroe, of the School Leadership Academy; and others talk about issues such as training, unionization, standards, bureaucracy, and professional growth, while four intern teachers share the lessons of their baptisms of fire. (56 minutes, color)

After filming Schindler’s List, Steven Spielberg established the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation with an urgent mission: to videotape and preserve the testimonies of Holocaust survivors and witnesses. This gripping program—a moving collection of some of the nearly 52,000 that comprise the Shoah Foundation archive—is an outstanding tool for promoting dialogue on the suffering caused by hatred and on approaches to building bridges of understanding and tolerance. (45 minutes, color)