Humanities Arts Cultural Stu 0250 - Issues of Representation

This course will examine historical and contemporary stereotyping and representations of class/race/gender/ethnicity/sexuality in contemporary media, and discuss music videos, documentaries, experimental film and video that challenge such notions. Through readings, screenings and discussions the class will inquire into the reasons for and consequences of stereotyping and the ways in which tensions of content, form and voice contest exploitative representation. A section of the class will be dedicated to films from global south and third cinema. We will engage in textual analyses of the material discussed in class to critique and compare how the techniques employed to marginalize are challenged and employed to provide voice and self-representation to the otherwise silenced. The class will respond to these messages and representations through written assignments and a video production project analyzing and exploring the effects they have on socio-political, cultural, and personal relations. Screening Series: Monthly, student-curated screening and discussion event, open to the public and the school community at large. The screening series will show a selection of films and videos seen and discussed in this course. HACU 250 will expose students to critical readings and a kaleidoscopic collection of music videos, clips, ads, social issue documentaries and experimental film and video that challenge notions of race, gender and class through tensions of content and form in regards to representation and voice. The screening series will provide students presentation and film screening event organization skills and engage with the community in discussions about pressing issues in contemporary culture. Enrolled students and top 5 waitlist students who DO NOT attend the first class session risk losing their place on the class roster.

Independent Work Multiple Cultural Perspectives Writing and Research Lab Fee: $65. Prerequisites: Introductory courses in Media Studies, Ethnic Studies, Queer Studies, Tutorial in FPV. In this course, students are expected to spend approximately 20 hours weekly on work and preparation outside of class time.