Film, Media, Theater 330VM - Advanced Courses in History and Theory: 'Viral Media'

This course will explore the idea of virality and contagion in the media, from early film to social media today, attending to the conceptual and historical links between globalization and the spread of biological and digital viruses. We will study the history of "hygiene films" used to educate publics about contagion and sanitation; explore how cinematic narratives of epidemics both real and imagined have shaped ideas about who spreads disease and how; analyze visualizations of viruses and epidemics; and interrogate the idea of "going viral" and the ways certain kinds of information -- and misinformation -- circulate in online media.

This course is open to juniors and seniors; Prereq: 8 credits in the department.