SYLLABUS

SYG 4003, SOCIOLOGY THRU FILM, SPRING 2005

Class Number: 18189, Section: U01

University Park Campus, Florida International University

Building PCA (Paul Cejas Architecture), Room 150

WEDNESDAYS, 2-4:45, JANUARY 12 TO APRIL 27, 2005

PROFESSOR: Dr. Abraham D. Lavender, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, FIU.

Office: Building DM, Room 322B

Phone: 305-348-2247

The best contact is abelavender@aol.com.

“There is no denying the tremendous power movies have in shaping our perceptions of the past” (flyleaf of Past Imperfect: History According to Movies, required for this course)

“Film is more than the twentieth-century art. It’s another part of the twentieth-century mind. It’s the world seen form inside.” (Don DeLillo in Turning Points in Film History, by Andrew J. Rausch, required for this course).

“American motion pictures still dominant the world market with an impact that is difficult to measure. Their role in American culture has been a powerful one since the 1930s and is a hallmark of our culture today” (flyleaf of Hollywood’s America: Social and Political Themes in Motion Pictures)

“Ever since Edison’s peep shows first captivated urban audiences, film has had a revolutionary impact on American society, transforming culture from the bottom up...” (flyleaf of Movie-Made America)

“If you want to know about the United States in the Twentieth Century, go to the movies...Movies–even bad ones–are important sociological and cultural documents” (Hollywood’s America: United States History Through Its Film)

PURPOSE OF COURSE:

The purpose of this course is to learn how the movie industry in the United States reflects values in the U.S., how the movie industry is influenced by values in the U.S., and how the movie industry influences values in the U.S. The future of movies will be discussed. We will look at five demographic groups based roughly on ethnicity, religion, race, language, and lifestyle. The five groups are Native-Americans, African-Americans, Hispanics, Jews, and Gays. We will see how movies have portrayed the groups, and how and why those portrayals are changing over time. We also will look at the extent to which these groups are or are not represented in the movie industry in the U.S. We see that movies don’t just happen, but that they are influenced by larger forces and also influence the larger society. For each group, there will be a movie, class discussion, and lecture by the professor.

READINGS:

Two books are required, and assignments will be made as appropriate depending on the specific topic being discussed. In addition, handouts will also be distributed and become part of the required readings as appropriate and available. The student who wants to start early can begin by reading Turning Points in Film History. The two books are:

(1) PAST IMPERFECT: HISTORY ACCORDING TO THE MOVIES, edited by Mark C. Carnes. This book discusses about sixty movies, analyzing the accuracy or inaccuracy of the movies. Sections will be assigned throughout the course.

(2) TURNING POINTS IN FILM HISTORY, by Andrew J. Rausch, foreword by Joe Bob Briggs. Read all of this book for the first test about the middle of the semester.

GRADING:

There will be two tests. Each will cover, about equally, class material and required readings. The questions will be a combination of short essays, short answers, multiple choice, fill in the blanks, and possibly a few true or false. The final grade (except for attendance) generally will be a combination of the tests, but the highest test will count double.

ATTENDANCE:

Attendance will be taken frequently, and the professor reserves the right to adjust a grade downwards for any student who misses more than three classes. Education also consists of the class atmosphere, hearing other student comments, observing class interactions, etc. Students who do not regularly attend classes will be at a grade disadvantage in this class.

TENTATIVE LIST OF MOVIES (SUBJECT TO CHANGE):

“Little Big Man” (Native-Americans/American Indians)

“The Perez Family” or “Hispanic Hollywood” (Hispanics)

“Rosewood” (African-Americans)

“An Empire of Their Own” (Jews)

“The Celluloid Closet”or “The Silver Screen” (Gays)

In addition to these major movies, selected parts of other movies will be shown to illustrate points. Possible movies included here will be “Dances With Wolves” and “Smoke Signals” (American Indians); “Hispanic Hollywood,” “Bronze Screen,” and “My Family ” (Hispanics); “Amistad,” “Color Purpose,” and “Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood,” (African-Americans); “Fiddler on the Roof” and “The Chosen” (Jews); and “And the Band Played On”and “Making Love” (Gays). The professor has a collection of movies about the history of the movie industry. Selections will be shown from “In the Beginning: A Celebration of the American Silent Film,” “The Hollywood Ten,” and others.