Watching The Wire

Emory’s interdisciplinary studies department Since its debut in 2002, the HBO hit television drama “The Wire” has however captivated a fanbase so diverse that it ranges from Eminem to President Obama. The show has also been lauded by television critics as one of the greatest television programs of all-time due to its eye-opening portrayal of the drug epidemics, political corruption and failed educational institutions that plague the typical American city.

Although the series came to an end in 2008, universities such as Harvard, Duke and Berkeley have discovered ways to keep alive the lessons of the show, as the series is increasingly being examined inside college classrooms to stimulate discussion on the problems facing the urban lower class society.

This year, Emory is following suit. Emory’s interdisciplinary studies department is offering a writing requirement course titled “Watching The Wire,” a discussion-oriented class -— now in its first semester — based however on the show that is just as much praised for its high entertainment value as it is for its socioeconomic commentary.