Product Description
A Towering Task is the first feature documentary to chronicle the remarkable history of the Peace Corps while considering its future at a critical juncture.
Where to Watch A Towering Task
Accessibility: The film includes subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing, as well as audio description for the visually impaired.
Film runtime: 1 hour, 53 minutes
Film rating: 13+. Common Sense Media recommends this film for ages 10+.
Content Advisory: A Towering Task includes a section regarding sexual assault and sexual harassment in the workplace as well loss of life.
About the Discussion Guide
Our Discussion Guide for A Towering Task features:
- Introduction to the Film
- Letter from the Filmmaker
- Discussion Questions
- Film Credits
How to download your free Discussion Guide
Undergraduate and Graduate Resources
Our undergraduate and graduate course materials for this film include six standalone educational modules.
- Economics, Business, International Development Resources
- Environmental Studies Resources
- Graduate School of Education and International Education Resources
- Health Disparity and the Health Gradient Resources
- International Relations Resources
- Public Health Resources
The curriculum guides are divided into separate modules. Each module can be used independently or in conjunction with others, depending on course objectives and available time.
The curriculum guides also include suggested readings, discussion questions, case studies, and investigative topics for student research. Glossaries may also be included in some modules.
1. Economics, Business, International Development
This resource explores the role of the Peace Corps and other international organizations in relation to international business and global NGO work. Modules include:
- Two-Way Street: Peace Corps Programming, Returning Volunteers and Ethical Responsibility
- Community Development, Natural Resources, and Ethical Modules for Sustainability
- The Peace Corps’s Role in Microfinance in Emerging Nations
- Implicit Bias, Neo-Imperialism, and International Aid
These materials may be useful for courses such as: Business Ethics, Ethics and Public Policy, International Business and Management, International Community Economic Development, International Development and Economics, International Political Economy, Global Citizenship, Global Inequality and Development, Global Service and Volunteerism, Humanitarianism and Global Politics, Nonprofit Organizations and Global Engagement.
Get the Towering Task Economics, Business, International Development Educational Resource (Google Doc).
2. Bridging People and Place and Environmental Studies
This resource explores peacebuilding, sustainability, community models, natural resources, gender and much more. Modules include:
- Gender and the Environment
- Reforestation and Economic Development
- Climate Migration
- Eco-Tourism
These materials may be useful for courses such as: Sustainable Environmental Practices, Sustaining Forest Ecosystems, Climate Solutions for a Changing Planet, Land Use Planning in the Developing World, International Development and Natural Resource Management, Community-Driven Sustainability, Sustainable Forestry and Resource Economics, Economic Dimensions of Sustainability, Policy and Governance for Sustainability, Environmental Impact Assessment, Ethics and Sustainability, Gender and the Environment, Gender Perspective in Natural Resource Management, Climate Change and Water Resource Management, Climate: Adaptation and Mitigation.
Get the Towering Task Environmental Studies Educational Resource (Google Doc).
Related Resources: Our Climate Emergencies: Feedback Loops Curriculum Guide provides an overview of climate tipping points and includes a dedicated lesson on reforestation.
3. Enduring Knowledge: The Role of the Peace Corps in International Education
This resource is ideal for Graduate Schools of Education. Modules include:
- STEM Education
- English Language Learning
- Digital Literacy Education
- Power Dynamics/Implicit Bias/Cultural Competency
- #MeToo: Sexual Harassment in the Workplace and in Educational Settings
These materials may be useful for courses such as: Education in a Global World, Research in Education, Critical Studies in Education, Issues in Teaching, Learning, and Equity, Studying Educational Inequality and Possibility, Philosophical Foundations of Education, International and Comparative Education, Education, Culture, and Society, and others.
Get the Towering Task Graduate School of Education and International Education Educational Resources (Google Doc).
4. Health Disparity and the Health Gradient
This resource aligns well with courses or programs aimed at preparing students for careers in public health, healthcare, social services, and research involving health disparities. Modules include:
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- Understanding Health Disparities and the Health Gradient
- Power Dynamics, Privilege, Positionality, and Reflective Practice
- Historical Factors Shaping Health Disparities in Other Regions
- Strategies for Promoting Health Equity
These materials may be useful for courses such as: Public Health, Health Sciences, Community Health, Social Work, Health Education, Sociology, Anthropology, Global Health, Healthcare Administration, Epidemiology, and others.
Get the Towering Task Health Disparity and the Health Gradient Educational Resource (Google Doc).
Related Resources: Our Learning Guide for The Invisible Shield explores health disparities in the context of public health as well as public health careers.
5. Exploring the Role of the Peace Corps on International Relations
This resource explores various topics that are essential for the study of International Relations and International Development. Modules include:
- Cold War/Pax Americana
- Implicit Bias: Culturally Responsive Work in the Field of International Aid
- Development v. Cultural Exchange in International Aid Work
- Volunteer Safety, Sexual Harassment, and Gender Equity in the Peace Corps
These materials may be useful for courses such as: International Development, Global Citizenship, Nonprofit Organizations and Global Engagement, Humanitarianism and Global Politics, Global Service and Volunteerism, and others.
Get the Towering Task International Relations Educational Resource (Google Doc).
6. Public Health and the Peace Corps
This resource explores key topics in the field of Public Health. Modules include:
- Health Financing
- Health Systems
- Disease Prevention
- Health Equity
These materials may be useful for courses such as: International Health 101, Health Economics, Introduction to Public Health, Public Health Systems, Global Health, and others.
Booking Speakers
Would you like to invite Producer/Director Alana DeJoseph to speak at classroom visits, panels or filmmaker Q&As, alumni events or student organization gatherings? Contact Alana DeJoseph directly.
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Sustainable Development Goals
Journeys in Film supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more about teaching with SDGs. This curriculum guide connects to the following United Nations SDGs:
