413 - Non-Fiction Film Analysis:  Pop Docs
Professor Sarah Elder
TTh 12:00 - 1:50
Reg. No.  241421

This course examines popular American documentary films looking at diverse representations of American culture.  We explore independent award-winning contemporary works with themes of gender, ethnicity, murder, justice, rock stars, popular music, sexual orientation, racism, disability and history.  Particular focus is on the curious relationship between images of reality and reality itself, and on America's love affair with reality media  Emphasis is placed on understanding the thin shifting line between fiction and non-fiction and on laying to rest the notion of documentary "truth."  We address the ethical and artistic considerations of filming real people and real communities.  Students develop analytical and interpretive media skills that are applicable to all media and learn essential elements of creative non-fiction film and video.  Students learn non-fiction critical theory including Nichols, Winston, Ruby, and Zimmerman, and analyze visual narrative story telling, spontaneous camera work, editing, audio, and common elements for artistic and/or commercial success.  The class explores different documentary styles including experimental docs, cinema verite, fake docs, collaborative making and cutting edge contemporary work.  Works of Wiseman, Pennebaker, Kopple, Maysles, Friedrich, O'Rourke, Riggs, Morris and more.  Attendance is required as well as two papers and one take-home exam.  Be prepared to see a lot of superb films!

415 - Media and Gender
Professor Elayne Rapping
TTh 9:30 - 10:50
Reg. No.  471316

Course description available from the Department of Women's Studies, 712 Clemens Hall.

416 - Chaos, War and Endurance:  Polish Poets
Professor Pawel Dybel
TTh 9:30 - 10:50
Reg. No.  067043

Modern Polish poetry brings one of the most impressive testimonies of the tragic historical events that took place in Europe in the 20th century.  The two World Wars, the Holocaust, the Stalinist purges and life under a communist regime have found powerful expression in the poetry of Nobel prize winners Milosz and Szymborska, as well as such outstanding poets as Herbert, Rozewicz, Baranczak and others.  We shall discuss the texts of these authors while trying to examine the implied original concepts and visions of history which are also of importance today.  The poets prompt us to ask questions about our contemporary uncertainties and permanent threats to which our civilization is exposed.  At the same time we shall confront these poetic concepts of history with select classical and contemporary philosophical texts on history by Nietzsche, Freud, Gadamer, White and Zizek.  The questions we shall address will include to what extent these two kinds of discourse, poetic and philosophical, correspond to each other.  We shall examine the similarities between them and in what respects they differ and why.  Is there anything that a philosopher or historian can learn from reading and reflecting upon these poetic texts on history?  And if so, then what kind of knowledge about history would they acquire?  Is poetry of any use in historical studies?