Michael Benton (writing available online)

As citizens of a globalized world it is imperative that we begin to develop a broader awareness of the interconnected cultures and societies that influence and shape world events. Anyone remotely aware of the American social/cultural landscape must recognize that many of our citizens are unaware of the broader relations and connections of the world in which they live in. Many Americans tend to have a narrow understanding of world history, educated through ethnocentric American textbooks and informed through mediatized narratives filtered through the lenses of the dominant center, both of these effectively ignore the realities of the margins (culturally, economically and socially). Many concerned citizens struggle to carve out meaning in the contemporary data stream and suffer the neglect of a mainstream media that limits itself to predigested dualistic positions. In this simplified media environment, vast regions of the world are presumed to be unable to speak for themselves and rarely, in the mainstream corporate media that serves as the news for a majority of American citizens, do we receive sustained and in-depth critical analysis of issues through the voices and experiences of multiple interested parties.  --Michael Benton, August 9,  2016

Benton, Michael Dean. "American Sniper." Letterboxd (January 28, 2015)

---. "A Nation Starts to Mobilize: Something's Happening Here." North of Center (October 12, 2011)

---. "The Anti-50 Shades of Grey: The Wachowski's Jupiter Ascending." Letterboxd (February 7, 2015)

---. "A Quick Game of Blog Tag." Dialogic (March 12, 2007)

---. "Astroturf and Front Group Research: The Center for Union Facts." Dialogic Cinephilia (January 20, 2014)

---. "Astroturf Organizations Spreading Propaganda: 'Don't Make Us Pay.'" Dialogic Cinephilia (March 3, 2011)

---. "'Be Me, for Awhile': Ideological Becoming and Future Objectivity in Let the Right One In." Dialogic Cinephilia (September 12, 2014)

---. "Bluegrass Film Society 2006/2007: 24 Films, From 24 Countries, in 24 Weeks." Dialogic (July 30, 2006)

---. "City of God, Schindler's List and Contextual Viewings." Dialogic (September 5, 2008)

---. "Decoding the Success of The Matrix: A Contextual Analysis of the Influences of Postmodern Theory and Underground Cultures." (English Department, Illinois State University: 2000). [Professor has copies]

---. "Defining Community; Conceptual Awareness; Textual Positions; H.L. Goodall." Dialogic (November 16, 2004)

---. "Dialogic Cinephilia 5.0" Dialogic Cinephilia (March 6, 2014)

---. "Easy Ammo and Evil Acts: Comments on the aftermath of the Aurora shooting." North of Center (August 2, 2012)

---. "Exploring the Nature and Causes of Violence in Films." Uprooting Criminology (February 10, 2014)

---. "Fragile Victory in Egypt: Will U.S. foreign aid impede the will of the Egyptian people?" North of Center (February 16, 2011)

---. "Gender and Sexuality at Carnegie Center." North of Center (January 29, 2010)

---. "Getting Off on John Cameron Mitchell's Shortbus North of Center (March 30, 2011)

---. "'he could resist': The Lexington Tattoo Project and A Noosed Life." North of Center (February 3, 2013)

---. "Here There Be Monsters: A Response to the Public Outcry Surrounding the San Diego High School Shootings." Dialogic (August 20, 2007)

---. "If a Tree Falls: Enforcing the Green Scare." North of Center (September 28, 2011)

---. "Initial Thoughts on the Aftermath of the Verdict in the Trial of George Zimmerman." Dialogic Cinephilia (July 16, 2013)

---. "Introductiuon and Discussion of The Battle of Algiers." Dialogic Cinephilia (February 20, 2014)

---. "James Allen: Without Sanctuary; The Debate Over the Hanging of a Barack Obama Effigy on the University of Kentucky Campus; The History of Lynching in America." Dialogic (November 3, 2008)

---. "Learning From El Mexterminator and Cyber Vato: Social Anxiety as a Performative Pedagogy." Reconstruction 2.4 (Fall 2002)

---. "The Many Headed Hydra: Sailors, Slaves, Commoners, and the Hidden History of the Revolutionary Atlantic" Politics and Culture #3 (August 10, 2010)

---. "Michael Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story." The Smirking Chimp (Nove,ber 3, 2009)

---. "Monsanto (Multinational Agricultural Biotechnology Corporation)." Dialogic Cinephilia (November 24, 2014)

--- "My Understanding of Anarchism 5.0" Dialogic Cinephilia (March 17, 2017)

---. "Notes on Anti-Oedipus: Capitalism and Schizophernia." Dialogic (February 20, 2014)

---. "Occupy: One Year Later." North of Center (September 5, 2012)

---. "On Anarchism." Dialogic (June 10, 2010)

---. "On Feminism." Dialogic (August 31, 2007)

---. "Pantheist Anarchists -- Should We Fear Them?" Dialogic (February 23, 2009)

---. "The Politics of Meat 3.0" Dialogic (March 9, 2009)

---. "Quentin Tarantino, King of the Mooks - One Basterd’s Inglourious Response." North of Center (August 30, 2009)

---. "Response to Jarhead." Bluegrass Film Society (November 6, 2005)

---. "Review: Exit Through the Gift Shop." North of Center (March 2, 2011)

---. "Review: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo." North of Center (January 9, 2010)

---. "Rich Media, Poor Democracy: Researching the Issues." Dialogic (January 21, 2009)

---. "Selma" Letterboxd (January 18, 2015)

---. "'The Stars are Projectors': A Modest Appreciation of Modest Mouse." (October 24, 2006)

---. "Steve McQueen’s Hunger (2008): A Powerful Exploration of Political Resistance and Retributive Justice." Uprooting Criminology (December 2, 2013)

---. "Thanksgiving." Dialogic (November 25, 2006)

---. "Thoughts on Blogging by a Poorly Masked Academic." Reconstruction 6.4 (2006)

---. "Top Films From 1930 to the Present." Dialogic Cinema (Ongoing Archives)

---. "Violence in Films." North of Center (Novemver 9, 2011)

---. "What Does Our Nation Value: Examining Two Cases of Student Demonstrations and Police Responses (or non-responses)." Dialogic (November 10, 2011)

---. "What I Learned in Pittsburgh: The 2009 G20 Summit and Protests (Part 1)." North of Center (October 7, 2009): 1, 3.

---. "A Different Hope: What I Learned in Pittsburgh (Part 2)." North of Center (October 21, 2009): 1, 3.

---. "Letter to the Editor." North of Center (November 4, 2009): 7.

Benton, Michael Dean and Michael Marchman. "So long—it’s been good to know ya: Remembering Howard Zinn." North of Center (February 13, 2010)

Benton, Michael Dean, et al. "ENG 282 1st Week: Responses to An Oversimplification of Her Beauty (2012)." Dialogic Cinephilia (January 29, 2014)

---. "ENG 282 2nd Week: Code Unknown (France/Germany/Romania: Michael Haneke, 2000)." Dialogic Cinephilia (January 28, 2014)