Politics in American Audiovisual Media

elective courses
proseminars

The proseminar focuses on the ways in which contemporary American audiowisual media (film, television, music video, vodeo games, other digital media) reflect broadly understood politics (geopolitics, social class, gender, race, ecology).

The proseminar focuses on the ways in which contemporary American audiowisual media (film, television, music video, vodeo games, other digital media) reflect broadly understood politics (geopolitics, social class, gender, race, ecology). Individual meetings will focus on selected media and thematic areas. Two main foci of the readings and discussions will be

a) the ways in which contemporary American audiowisual media reflect politics

b) how to politically interpret texts which ostensibly do not seem to engage politics.

Since the proseminar is focused as much on content as on research methods and skills, students will choose an audiovisual text, analyze it using a selected theoretical apparatus, and write a 15 page research paper, in addition to several other course requirements.

The selection of primary and secondary texts will reflect the individual media preferences (film, television, music video, vodeo games, other digital media) of proseminar participants.

Upon completing this course the student:

1. KNOWLEDGE

* has a knowledge of the contemporary American audiovisual media

* is aware of the evolution of the genres, conventions, and trends in American cinema, television, and digital media

* has comprehensive knowledge of the historical contexts of American audiovisual media

2. SKILLS

* is able to use critical tools

* is able to formulate critical arguments about audiovisual media

* is able to use a range of theoretical apparatuses in analyses of individual texts

3. SOCIAL COMPETENCES

* is aware of the cultural relevance of American audiovisual media

* is open to new phenomena and ideas in American culture

* understands and appreciates the role of the United States in the development of global audiovisual media

Since this is an intensive seminar (8 ECTS), the amount of work required, both in-class and outside it, is more substantial than in an average elective course. Apart from independent research, which students will conduct under the instructor’s guidance, the seminar requirements include:

* active seminar participation 20%

* in-class presentation of the final project 20%

* annotated bibliography of key secondary texts relevant for the selected graphic novel 20%

* 15-20 page research paper 40%

Final grade (comprising the above): over 90% – 5; 85-89% – 4+; 75-84% – 4; 70-74% – 3+; 60-69% – 3.