Engaging students in global issues demands teaching tools that situate young scholars within often unfamiliar environments. Documentary filmmaking—a medium that traditionally places the viewer right beside the subject and inside their domain—has the potential to meet that need. The Global Environmental Justice (GEJ) Documentaries project aims to demonstrate the educational possibilities of film by offering a curated selection of documentaries and teacher’s guides on interdisciplinary topics of environmental justice.

This four-part series explores the curation and development of GEJ and how documentaries can be used to shape and expand curricula. Featuring Jason Carbine, Professor of Religious Studies at Whittier College, Rebecca Overmyer-Velázquez, Professor of Sociology at Whittier College, and Gary Marcuse, filmmaker and Project Director for GEJ, these four episodes offer guidance on how GEJ documentaries are used in the classroom and why documentary films make particularly robust instructional sources.

In this first episode, our guests chat about the background of GEJ and their involvement in the project. Jake and Rebecca outline the process of applying for grants, selecting the films, and writing and editing the teaching guides. Further, Gary explains how his previous roles contributed to his current one, acting as a bridge between filmmakers and educators to create collections and guides that aid student learning. Finally, our guests highlight the important step in GEJ’s development of recruiting faculty and fielding feedback from librarians on accessible pricing.

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