Blog Post #6
First plan was go from point A to point B. That was it.
In this thrilling episode of Serial 2, Sarah Koenig and her team investigate the question that I have been eagerly waiting to be addressed about the Bergdahl case: Why did Bowe Bergdahl walk off? It was said in other episodes that Bergdahl was upset at the poor leadership in his platoon which triggered his decision to cause a DUSTWUN, but this episode illuminated that there was more to scratch the surface in terms of the lead-up to this action. In the Serial 2 podcast, the correspondents utilize a multitude of various sources to display their credibility and quality of information sources. Primary sources include direct testimonials from Bowe Bergdahl, himself and interviews from soldiers from his platoon, including those in leadership roles in the platoon. The podcast includes information from government reports, with many sources cited from Wikileaks particularly. The podcast relies on interviews and testimonials from those who are directly associated with Bowe, whether they be family or friends or military personnel.
In terms of secondary sources, Koenig and her team use some secondary sources such as references to news articles and various interpretations of the Bergdahl case in their own opinion based on the testimonials of Bowe, himself. The way that the podcast is directed creates a though-provoking, compelling telling of this convoluted problem that helps illuminate the problems with the war in Afghanistan, especially with the U.S.’s relationship with the Taliban. One thing I would note would be the music, and the experience that it creates to engage the listener to the story. Alongside the usage of captivating background music, the Serial team utilizes many interesting interviews, mostly from Bowe Bergdahl, but from his family, intelligence analysts, military personnel, etc. to provide different perspectives to this story. The team is strategic in how they include more information about the history of the war in Afghanistan and how it is relevant to understanding the Bergdahl case and how the U.S. military functions.
The research from Serial is vast and goes deeper than the Bergdahl case itself. I have learned how to connect the case to the history of the war in Afghanistan and the mindset of the Taliban and association with groups like the Haqqani family. The podcast, in essence, is weaving a complicated story, and with the usage of facts and information about the region of Afghanistan, the investigation of Bowe’s past and mental state, along with the realities of the efforts of the U.S. government, is the pinnacle of the effectiveness that the podcast delivers, in terms of the clarity of their research. Overall, I absolutely am engrossed with the structure and delivery of the Serial podcast and it excellently displays the Bergdahl case with all of its complexities and through different avenues of sources that it utilizes to paint the picture of the case as something bigger than one would initially believe.
It makes sense of you’re Bowe Bergdahl.
