Hi Folks I should begin by saying (a) I personally do not like using popular films, (b) I have done so occasionally anyway, and (c) I will do so again this semester even though I do not like using popular films.
Like Del, I am not so certain that we have much control over what is learned when our students are presented with a feature length film. While I devote substantial time to creating lectures, seminar topics, PowerPoint presentations, web-based platforms, and even experiential learning opportunities for the intentional purpose of teaching our discipline, I fail to see how viewing a feature length film / video even comes close to accomplishing the same. At best it seems like asking a student to spend two hours in silent contemplation, in order to subsequently tell them (a) why we wanted them to see the film, and (b) how that experience should help them understand a couple sociological concepts. Even poorly crafted lectures can do that. And given that we have little to no control over the lesson plan (plot?) of a movie, and given that most mass media films are not created by academics for the purpose of teaching intellectual constructs, knowledge, skills, etc., then I personally believe the best we can do is concern ourselves with what the screenwriter intended to accomplish / teach, and whether or not they were effective (e.g., film critique). In this context, I must agree with Sister Edith. I saw the film Crash, and personally liked it. Indeed, our sociology club scheduled a showing of the film. On the other hand, I do not believe the film does a fair job at presenting sociological perspectives on race relations, individual discrimination, and prejudice. Furthermore, it ignores the more serious sociological concerns regarding racist ideology and institutionalized racism. And as Sister Edith attests, the film seems to unknowingly embed its own stereotypes while trying to point out the harm that can come from stereotypes. In general, I personally believe that the two hour long intended lesson of the screenwriter will inevitably trump our own intentions for showing a popular film. Indeed for introductory students, I think it somewhat presumptuous to even ask them to see the film the same way we do, and to be able to interpret it from a sophisticated sociological perspective. All that being said I also realize that this generation of students likes / loves videos. Thus, using visual media as pedagogy for teaching concepts does make a lot of sense. I think we need to take particular care to determine our lesson plan first, and then seek an assortment of visual media that tend to mirror our professional interpretations of the concepts we intend to teach. In addition, I think we need to strongly limit the amount of visual stimulation our students will be given. For example, I personally think we can use two to five minute vignettes effectively to teach concepts, and probably more effectively than can be accomplished with a feature length immersion. By way of example, one scene in the film Crash involves an upper middle class white Anglo woman having her locks changed by an urban latino man with lots of tattoos. After he leaves, she tells her husband to have the locks changed the next day because she thinks the latino is a gang member who will break into her home. That one scene might work well to initiate a sociological discussion. Alternatively, I personally think Michael Moores vignette A Brief History of America (a video clip from the feature length film Bowling for Columbine http://www.michaelmoore.com/books- films/bowlingforcolumbine/media/clips/index.php ) would stimulate a good discussion regarding prejudice and fear of crime, genocide, the nature of racial stereotypes, etc. At least, I believe this would be more effective than showing the entire film, and asking students to develop a sociological analysis. I think it is our purpose in the classroom is to model and develop in our students sociological perspectives on social phenomena. While I do believe the careful and sparing use of visual media can be an aid in this goal (e.g., media as pedagogy), I do not believe substituting popular media for content (e.g., watching a popular film as opposed to reading a good sociological manuscript) accomplishes the same thing. Peace to you all, Robert Robert J. Hironimus-Wendt, Ph.D. Sociology and Anthropology Morgan Hall 421 1 University Circle Macomb, IL 61455-1390 phone: (309) 298-1081 fax: (309) 298-1857 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] "Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can." -- John Wesley
