Semester:
Spring
Visions and Voices: Race, Film, and American Politics
Race, Film, and American Politics is a course that examines the multifaceted ways in which racial and ethnic identity has been represented in American film. Drawing on political science, sociology, anthropology, and film and media studies, we will assess the ways in which the mainstream media in the United States — focusing primarily on the Hollywood film industry — has portrayed different population groups and shaped our understanding of what it means to be American. The course will address issues of social stratification, and consider the intersection of identity and politics by analyzing historical shifts in cinematic representation in the United States.