Michael Otterman has over ten years of experience in journalism and human rights and is the author of two books— American Torture: From the Cold War to Abu Ghraib and Beyond (Pluto Press/Melbourne University Publishing 2007) and Erasing Iraq: The Human Costs of Carnage (Pluto Press 2010, with Hil and Wilson). He is a graduate of Boston University (BS, Journalism, 2003), University of Sydney (MA, Peace and Conflict Studies, 2006) and was Visiting Scholar at the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, Sydney, from 2006 – 2009, where he lectured and advised students. Michael specializes in the following areas:
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Investigation and Analysis
While researching American Torture, Michael poured over thousands of pages of declassified documents, steered numerous Freedom of Information Act requests to completion, conducted in-depth interviews with torture victims and whistle-blowers, and exploited online databases such as LexisNexis and ProQuest to piece together a previously untold history of US use of torture. The Midwest Book Review called American Torture a “hard-hitting survey revealing how torture became a standard practice in the War on Terror— a ‘must’ for any college-level collection strong in ethics or social issues.” Michael’s second book, Erasing Iraq, highlights the work of Iraqi diarists and bloggers and features interviews with Iraqi refugees conducted in Syria and Jordan. The book, to be released March 2010 by Pluto Press, is an “articulate, extremely well researched overview of both the situation in Iraq today, and the decades of U.S.-backed policy it took to create this nightmare scenario,” wrote author Dahr Jamail. Michael can partner with non-governmental organizations, states or private foundations and individuals to investigate, verify and catalogue claims of human rights abuse. Using clear and concise language, he can draft compelling reports, testimonies and press releases to appeal to donors and the media.
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Web-based Advocacy
Human rights practitioners and organizations must exploit new media to get their message across. Michael’s americantorture.com is a clearinghouse of news, source material, and criticism of US torture policy— a site, according to The Atlantic’s Andrew Sullivan, “dedicated to covering the issue with the urgency and timeliness it demands.” Since its launch in early 2007, it has received over 60,000 visits from users across the globe. Four co-bloggers supplement his work on the site. Together they represent an array of backgrounds— journalism, academia, psychology, and military— exploring the issue of torture. In 2009, an americantorture Twitter feed was added to provide readers with the latest news and observations. Michael can craft and maintain your online presence using blogs and social networking tools to ensure maximum visibility for you or your organization.
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Communications and Outreach
Michael has launched books, chaired events, organized conferences and delivered lectures across the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. His talks have been sponsored by Amnesty International, Citizens for Global Solutions, Human Rights Watch, and numerous campus organizations, anti-war groups and labor unions. Michael has appeared as a guest on PBS’ The Tavis Smiley Show, BBC World, Dutch TV’s Nova, and ABC Australia, while his writing has appeared in The Australian,The Guardian and New Matilda, among other outlets. Michael has also worked closely with campaign coordinators at Amnesty International and Citizens for Global Solutions to craft messages related to their security and human rights campaigns. He helped facilitate the US Guantanamo Cell Tour— an interactive campaign that brought a replica GTMO cell into eight US cities. Michael can manage press events and further relationships between your organization and media outlets, other human rights organizations and government bodies.
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Photography and Filmmaking
Imagery inspires action. An avid photographer and videographer, Michael has captured images across the world— from Damascus to DC. His most recent photo exhibition, “Between Iraq and a Hard Place,” featured images of Iraqi refugees in Syria and was held at Sydney’s Customs House at Circular Quay. In 2005, his documentary, Dogs Out, was short listed at Tropfest Australia—the world’s largest short-film competition. In conjunction with NYC-based Scott Greenfield Productions, Michael can film, edit, and produce YouTube clips, short or long features, or in-depth documentaries to increase exposure of your organization and highlight important causes.