Film as a source of knowledge about the world

elective courses
general courses

Classroom

The feature films, documentaries and cartoons, all made in different countries throughout the last century, shown in this seminar will used as the basis for reflection on how film shapes the historic knowledge of society. The subject matter of the seminar will cover various topics from the history of Europe, including the political, sociological (also regarding customs) and economical issues. The choice of discussion topics was made on the basis of the importance of the chosen phenomena and their impact on the form of today’s world as well as the source of stereotypes that distort reality. Juxtaposition of the motion picture and the results of most recent historical research studies will also be a starting point for the discussion about the specificity of the history and civilisation of the continent as well as a way of learning about the various aspects of the history of film and film issues.

Film plays an important role in today’s world as a means to shaping the knowledge of society about the past and the present (today’s era is often called “pictorial civilisation”). At the same time the ability for reception of the motion picture is usually limited to a storyline, aesthetics and entertainment. As Jerzy Płażewski puts it, "film illiteracy is far more common than illiteracy tout court, though more difficult to notice. It does not manifest itself in abandoning consumption but on the contrary, in excessive and uncritical consumption". The aim of the seminar is to teach how to critically analyse various genres of film productions in the aspect of the historical problems that are being tackled in the course. The subject matter of the seminar will cover various topics from the history of Europe, including the political, sociological (also regarding customs) and economical issues. The choice of the discussed problems was made on the basis of the importance of the chosen phenomena and their impact on the form of today’s world as well the source of stereotypes that distort reality. Juxtaposition of the motion picture and results of most recent historical research will also be a starting point for the discussion about the specificity of the history and civilisation of the continent as well as learning about the various aspects of the history of film and the film issues.

The history presented in the seminar will be problem-orientated and in the form a review, according to Fernand Braudel “structural”, so with the stress on the category of “long duration”, including controversial issues and disputes on historiography as well as the issues of the past which are still present on the public forum. The list of topics is not finalised, participants may submit their suggestions. The format of the seminar is open, based mainly on participation and discussion.

• J. Płażewski, Historia filmu 1895-2005, Książka i Wiedza, Warszawa 2005

• J. Płażewski, Język filmu, Książka i Wiedza, Warszawa 2008

• Słownik wiedzy o filmie, Wydawnictwo Park, Bielsko-Biała 2005

• A Briggs, P. Clavin, Europa dwóch stuleci 1789-1989, Ossolineum, Wrocław-Warszawa-Kraków-Gdańsk 2000

• M. Hendrykowski, Film jako źródło historyczne, Ars Nova, Poznań 2000

• M. Hopfinger, Kultura audiowizualna u progu XXI wieku, Warszawa 1997

• Historia Europy, pod. red. A. Mączaka, Ossolineum, Wrocław-Warszawa... 1997

• N. Davies, Europa, Wydawnictwo Znak, Kraków 1999

• N. Davies, Europa między Wschodem a Zachodem, PWN, Kraków 2007

• P. Rietbergen, Europa. Dzieje kultury, Książka i Wiedza, Warszawa 2001

• A Briggs, P. Clavin, Europa dwóch stuleci 1789-1989, Ossolineum, Wrocław-Warszawa... 2000

• R. Cameron, Historia gospodarcza świata, Książka i Wiedza, Warszawa 2001

• D.J. Boorstin, Odkrywcy. Dzieje ludzkich odkryć i wynalazków, Książka i Wiedza, Warszawa 2000

• D. Strinati, Wprowadzenie do kultury popularnej, Zysk i S-ka, Poznań 1999

• A. Kłoskowska, Kultura masowa, PWN, Warszawa 1980

• H. Samsonowicz, Północ-Południe, Ossolineum, Wrocław-Warszawa... 1999

• K. Sójka-Zielińska, Drogi i bezdroża prawa, Ossolineum, Wrocław-Warszawa... 2000

• J. Baszkiewicz, Władza, Ossolineum, Wrocław-Warszawa... 1999

• J. Żarnowski, Społeczeństwa XX wieku, Ossolineum, Wrocław-Warszawa... 1999

• B. Orłowski, Technika, Ossolineum, Wrocław-Warszawa... 1999

• Cywilizacja europejska. Wykłady i eseje, pod red. M. Koźmińskiego, wyd. IH PAN, Warszawa 2005

• M. Howard, Wojna w dziejach Europy, Ossolineum, Wrocław-Warszawa... 2007

After completing the course, student:

KNOWLEDGE:

1 Has knowledge of the basic of film language and the stages of its development

2. Can to describe on the basis of selected examples the phenomena of "long duration" in the history of the world

3. Has basic knowledge about the history of cinematography

4. Has knowledge of the basic reasons for the diversification of civilization development in different parts of the world in a long chronological perspective (taking into account the views of various researchers)

SKILLS:

1. Has deepened research skills, including literature analysis, synthesis of different ideas and opinions – regarding to the history of civilization

2. Can argument logically (taking into consideration his or her own perspective and the perspectives of others), draw conclusions, synthesize.

OTHER COMPETENCES:

1. Understands the need for lifelong learning.

2. Has a better understanding of the reality that surrounds us and the links between the present and the past

Class attendance (max. 1 absence) and participation

none