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 Moore's 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
