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For your final presentation and paper, conduct an in-depth study of a problem (fact finding) that affects a
specific community and prepare and advocacy-lobby plan. Refer to Benjamin Shepard’s Promoting Community
Projects as Social Activism.
1. The issue/problem: Gather facts on a specific issue that affects a community. Your group will research the
history of the problem, its incidence and its prevalence. Use reliable sources.
The need community: Gather facts on the need/benefit community. You will engage in extensive fact finding
about this community. Learn as much as possible about this community to understand its strengths, needs, and

2.What is in place now to solve the problem? Who is doing/has done what to address the problem? Answering
these questions will help you identify the target for change.
What is the general public opinion about the problem? Check Public Opinion Polls.
What laws (local, state, federal) are in place now to address the problem?
Are there any pending bills to address the problem? If so, who is the sponsored of the bill? What is the current
status of the bill?
Are there any legislative committees responsible for this problem?
What government agencies, advocacy organizations, community groups, or agencies exist now to address the
problem? What have they’ve done or are doing now to address the problem?
Are there any other individuals, groups, or organizations doing something about the problem?
3. The target for change: Use your research (Answers to questions 1 – 2) to identify the target for change.
What or who needs to change? An organization? A social welfare agency? A law? A procedure? A specific
individual or group? Keep in mind that you should identify a specific policy objective. This step requires a lot of
discussion among group members.
4. Strategies and tactics: Prepare your advocacy plan.
Describe the tactics and strategies you will use to achieve the policy objective.
Explain your rationale about your strategies and tactics. Are you confident that by choosing these strategies
your group will garner the power necessary to achieve your policy objective?
5. Implementation: Taking action
Describe the steps you have taken to implement your advocacy/lobby plan.
Note, this is not theoretical. Only write what you have actually done to achieve this plan.
List the resources needed to implement each strategy and tactic you selected
What obstacles did you face?
Getting the word out: What media did you use to make your efforts known to stakeholders and
Generate support for your cause?

 

Sample Solution

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The film is unique in its category as a melodrama as it manages to meet and defy many criteria for the genre simultaneously. Melodramas are associated with reality, which does not necessarily constitute a good narrative. “In the melodrama, exaggerated feelings and circumstances work to arouse empathy in the viewer, whereas, in most Korean art films, directors have filled their works with the mundane” (Paquet, 2000a, par. 2).

However, the heavy-handed emotional and dramatic elements in the genre create a sort of stereotype around the films and the expectations that the audiences have. Melodramas are purposefully directed to initiate an emotional reaction through contrived manipulation of the audience’s feelings. Ironically, despite the genre, there is no evident drama in the film. Even individual elements such as the protagonist’s diagnosis or the encounter with Da-rim are not inconceivable acts of fate but are shown to be grounded in the realities of life.

While Christmas in August is technically a melodramatic film and does not seem unconventional, it has a unique style. It relates closely to the Asian concept of melodramatic films. “Asian films and other artworks portray suffering as being integral to life, a necessary condition to individual enlightenment” (Paquet, 2000b, p.43). The emotional resonance is based on sincere human feelings that can be seen in the life of a rational human being.

The film’s spark is based on the dramatic irony around the protagonist’s diagnosis, which inherently defines his behavior despite other characters not being aware of the fact.HurJin-Ho in Christmas in August takes a much different and subtle approach to the plot.

The film finds its emotional substance in moments of beauty and lightheartedness that the character experiences. Complex emotion such as familial or romantic love is perceived by viewers without any traditional cinematic symbols of affection ever being shown. The inconceivably minor moments such as a gesture or a longing gaze turn out to be central to the theme (Jin-Ho, 1998). The protagonist attempts to adopt a principle of living your life to the fullest doing what you love and being with those dear to you.

The cliché of terminal illness is an overused plot device that becomes the central theme of many films. Such movies are inherently predictable to the audience due to the apparent outcome. Christmas in August uses terminal illness as a tool to begin the narrative, but the emotional focus of the film tries to keep that revelation in the background, only coming up in the most intimate moments. This gives the narrative a sincere emotional gravitas, which is critical in a deeply personal exploration of life.

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References
Jin-Ho, H. (Director). (1998). Christmas in August. Web.

Paquet, D. (2000a). Genrebending in contemporary Korean cinema. Web.

Paquet, D. (2000b). Christmas in August and Korean melodrama. In F. Gateward (Ed.), Seoul searching: Culture and identity in contemporary Korean cinema (pp. 37-54). Albany, NY: SUNY Press.

 

 

 

 

 

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