Critical Social Thought 349PA - Advanced Topics: 'Natural's Not in It: Pedro Almodóvar'

This course studies the films of Pedro Almodóvar, European cinema's favorite bad boy turned acclaimed auteur. On the one hand, students learn to situate films within the context of contemporary Spanish history (the transition to democracy, the advent of globalization, etc.) in order to consider the local contours of postmodern aesthetics. On the other hand, the films provide a springboard to reflect on larger theoretical and ethical debates related to gender, sexuality, consumer culture, authenticity, and authorship.

Prereq: 8 credits in Spanish, Film Studies, Critical Social Thought, and/or Gender Studies.