engl485:%post.racialhollywood%film%aquality%post%will%identifyand%explainkey%concepts%andpassages%fromthe%readings%...
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ENGL 485: Post-‐Racial Hollywood Film Spring 2014, Professor Joe Tompkins
Course Description: It’s often said that we live in a “colorblind” society where race no longer matters—or at least, that racial discrimination and inequality is no longer the problem it had once been. In this course we’ll engage critically with this notion vis-‐à-‐vis contemporary Hollywood film. In particular we’ll consider how Hollywood cinema has contributed to the current “post-‐racial” ethos via the narrative and formal constructions of specific racial and ethnic identities (e.g., white, black, Arab), and how dominant representations of race relations intersect with issues of nationality, gender and class.
Class Procedures: The class will be conducted in style that is largely discussion based, with occasional short lectures. The assigned readings will be accompanied by films, which can be viewed on our Sakai site, under the ‘ShareStream Pick-‐n-‐Play’ tab. Students are expected to view each screening listed on the syllabus for a particular week. You are also expected to attend each class meeting, with readings in hand, and ready to contribute to class discussions. Since this is an upper-‐level course, it is pitched at an advanced level. This means A LOT will fall on your shoulders, both in terms of keeping up with the reading (which is relatively high; around 60-‐100 pages per week) and in terms of my expectations for the quality of your participation and writing.
Readings: The assigned readings for this course are available in PDF format on our Sakai site. Please print the readings and bring them to class for discussion purposes. Also, the following required texts are available through the bookstore:
• The Theory Toolbox, by Jeffrey Nealon and Susan Searls-‐Giroux (2003). • Affirmative Reaction: New Formations of White Masculinity, Hamilton Carroll (2011).
At times the reading will be difficult, but don’t let this bog you down. Instead, come up with a game plan—a strategy for reading and understanding the material. For example:
• Give yourself ample time (and space) to concentrate on the readings; avoid doing other things like going online, texting, checking Facebook, or watching TV.
• Read with a pen in hand: If a word or idea comes up that you don’t know, write it down and look it up; if it’s still unclear, ask questions in class.
• Know that things will have to be re-‐read: Once is not enough for a lot of these texts, so read them slowly and carefully; when you encounter a tough passage, go back and read it a second time. You’d be surprised how much this helps.
Above all, keep in mind that READING IN THIS CLASS IS WORK. It’s not meant to entertain you; it’s meant to challenge you—to force you to think differently and to unsettle taken-‐for-‐granted assumptions. This requires work on your part. So remember: there may be dull readings, but there are also dull (i.e., lazy) readers—don’t’ let this be you! Required Work & Grading: Course Participation/Reading Blog (40%):
v Daily Posts and In-‐class Participation (20%): In order to ensure thoughtful and productive participation, students will blog about assigned readings and films. Each entry should be approximately 200-‐300 words and must be posted by 12noon on the day of our class meeting. For days when multiple materials are assigned, students should complete one post, drawing connections across materials.
A quality post will identify and explain key concepts and passages from the readings (including page numbers when appropriate), documenting what the student finds to be the major take-‐aways and most interesting/surprising aspects of the reading. In addition, students should draw connections to the corresponding films or other media examples if suitable. I’ll be reading your posts regularly, but I will not be formally evaluating each entry. Rather, I will consider the overall quality of your blog posts holistically at the end of the semester. I strongly encourage students concerned about their final course grade to schedule an appointment with me early on in the semester to discuss their blog and participation.
v Two Expanded Posts (20%): Students will select two posts to expand throughout the
semester. Expanded posts should be approximately 1000 words, and turned in as hard copies at the beginning of class on the due date (see syllabus). No late papers will be accepted unless students obtain an extension in advance or present evidence of an emergency. Students should use these posts as opportunities to dig deeper into particular themes, arguments, or concepts and to draw connections across our course materials and discussions.
v Class Participation Grading Rubric:
o ‘A’ participants: Attend class regularly; arrive with assignments completed,
as well as notes/observations on readings, and questions; builds on others’ comments; makes contributions that reflect understanding of the material.
o ‘B’ participants: Attend class regularly; arrive unprepared or with superficial preparation; make comments that are off topic or reflect a lack of attention to the discussion; sometimes move the conversation forward.
o ‘C’ participants: Attend class regularly; show little evidence of having read or thought about the material; comments reflect no understanding and fail to move the conversation forward.
Attendance (10%):
In order to earn a passing grade, you must attend class regularly. You will be allowed 2 unexcused absences; anything beyond that will result in a diminishing attendance grade.
Midterm Exam (25%):
Students will complete a midterm exam that consists of short answer and short essay questions. The midterm will take place March 11.
Final Project (25%):
Students will create a final project, which can take one of two forms:
• Analytic Paper (2000-‐2500 words) • Video Essay or Short Film
The parameters are open, and more details will be forthcoming. For now, please know that all final projects must engage the course material (readings, discussions, etc.) in an effort to critically examine a pop culture text (e.g. a film, TV show, website, news report, music text, star persona, etc.). Also know that this will be a staggered process, involving:
• Project proposals due on 4/3. Students must submit a formal 200-‐500 word abstract that describes the project’s general parameters and goals.
• Final projects are due via email 5/1. No exceptions.
Students are strongly encouraged to meet with me throughout the semester regarding their projects.
Course Schedule Week 1: Introductions T 1/14: Introductions Th 1/16: Theory Toolbox, Chs. 1-‐4 Week 2: Theoretical Frameworks T 1/21: Hall, “The Work of Representation,” pp. 171-‐191 Th 1/23: Theory Toolbox, Chs. 5, 6 and 10; Omi & Winant, “Racial Formations”
v Watch: Race: The Power of an Illusion (Part 2) Week 3: Applying Theoretical Frameworks T 1/28: Hall, “The Whites of Their Eyes” & Joseph, “Imagining Obama” Th 1/30: Alsultany, “Arabs and Muslims in the Media”
v Watch: Homeland: Season 1 (episodes 1-‐4 if possible) Week 4: Defining Racism T 2/4: Tatum, “Defining Racism” & Jensen, “Beyond Race, Gender, and Class” Th 2/6: Giroux, “Don’t Worry, We are all Racists!”
v Watch: Crash (2004)
Week 5: Race Privileges T 2/11: Brown, “Race Preferences and Race Privileges” (from Whitewashing Race) Th/2/13: Dyer, “Matter of Whiteness” & Lipsitz, “Possessive Investment in Whiteness”
v Watch: Race: The Power of an Illusion (Part 3) Week 6: Defining Postracism T 2/18: Ono, “Postracism” & Bonilla-‐Silva, “Colorblind Racism” 1st EXP. POST DUE Th 2/20: Levinson, “Top of the World” & “Moving Up and Moving On”
v Watch: The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) Week 7: Postracial America T 2/25: Golub, “History Died for Our Sins” (and Theory Toolbox, Ch. 7 recommended) Th 2/27: Thornton, “Psyche and the Affect of Post-‐Race America”
v Watch: The Help (2011) Week 8: Multiculturalism & Hollywood T 3/4: Banet-‐Weiser, “What’s Your Flava? Race and Postfeminism in Media Culture” Th 3/6: Beltran, “The New Hollywood Racelessness” & “Fast and Bilingual: Fast &
Furious and the Latinization of Racelessness”
v Watch: The Fast and the Furious (2001) Week 9: Midterm T 3/11: MIDTERM EXAM Th 3/13: no reading Week 10: Spring Break T 3/18: no class T 3/20: no class Week 11: Neoliberal Culture and Postracism T 3/25: Giroux, “Spectacles of Race and Pedagogies of Denial” Th 3/27: Hasinoff, “Fashioning Race for the Free Market on America’s Next Top Model”
Week 12: Neoliberal Culture and Postracism T 4/1: No Class (“Gator Day”) PROJECT PROPOSALS DUE 4/3 Th 4/3: Mukherjee, “The Ghetto Fabulous Aesthetic in Contemporary Black Culture”
v Watch: Barbershop (2002) Week 13: Neoliberal Culture and Postracism T 4/8: Silva “Hardened Selves” & Hsu, “The End of White America?” Th 4/10: Affirmative Reaction, Introduction
v Watch: Brokeback Mountain (2005) Week 14: Group Presentations T 4/15: Affirmative Reaction, Ch. 3 & 4 (Group Presentations) Th 4/17: Affirmative Reaction, Ch. 5 & 6 (Group Presentations)
v Watch: 8 Mile (2002); Gran Torino (2008); Million Dollar Baby (2004); Traffic (2000)
Week 15: Postracialism and Comedy T 4/22: Rossing, “Deconstructing Postracialism: Humor as a Critical, Cultural Project” Th 4/24: no reading; 2nd EXPANDED POST DUE T 4/29: no reading FINAL PROJECTS DUE 5/1 (11:59p)