SYLLABUS

SYG 4003, SOCIOLOGY THRU FILM, SUMMER 2005

PROFESSOR: DR. ABRAHAM D. LAVENDER

University Park Campus, Florida International University

BUILDING OE ROOM 134

MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS, 6:25 B 9:10, MAY 9 TO JUNE 22, 2005

Professor=s Office: Building DM, Room 322B

Phone: 305-348-2247 The best contact is abelavender@aol.com.

AThere 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)

AFilm 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).

AAmerican 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)

AEver 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)

AIf you want to know about the United States in the Twentieth Century, go to the movies...MoviesBeven bad onesBare 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. All of Turning Points is to be read. For Past Imperfect, assignments will be made as appropriate depending on the specific topic being discussed. In addition, any handouts which might be distributed (depending on whether the budget allows) will become part of the required readings. The student who wants to start early can begin by reading Turning Points in Film History. The two books are:

(1) TURNING POINTS IN FILM HISTORY, by Andrew J. Rausch, foreword by Joe Bob Briggs. As noted, read all of this book.

(2) 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.

GRADING

There will be one exam. The exam will be on Wednesday, June 15, one week before the end of the semester. The test will be have 44 questions, worth 2 points each, and will be mostly multiple choice with some true/false. About half of the questions will cover all assigned readings in both books and any handouts given in class, and about half of the questions will cover class lectures and discussions. Attendance will be taken 12 times during the semester, and will count a maximum of 12 points, 1 point for each attendance. In effect, good attendance is required for a top grade. In the two classes after the exam, movies and special projects will be presented, but, as noted, attendance will be required for a top grade. (Attendance will not be taken the first day of class, May 9, because of unsettled schedules and issues).

Attendance

Class discussions, student interactions, and the ambience of the class also are important to the learning process. This is not a correspondence school, and you are expected to attend. If you are one of those students who seldom attends class, then this class probably is not the class for you. Students who have a summer work schedule that precludes usual class attendance will be at a disadvantage. Note the comments on attendance under AGrading.@

TENTATIVE LIST OF MOVIES (SUBJECT TO CHANGE):

ALittle Big Man@ (Native-Americans/American Indians)

AThe Perez Family@ or AMy Family@ (Hispanics)

ABambozzled or Rosewood@ (African-Americans)

AAn Empire of Their Own@ (Jews)

AThe Celluloid Closet@or AThe 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 ADances With Wolves@ and ASmoke Signals@ (American Indians); AHispanic Hollywood,@ ABronze Screen,@ and AMy Family @ (Hispanics); AAmistad,@ AColor Purpose,@ and ASmall Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood,@ (African-Americans); AFiddler on the Roof@ and AThe Chosen@ (Jews); and AAnd the Band Played On@and AMaking Love@ (Gays). The professor has a collection of movies about the history of the movie industry. Selections will be shown from AIn the Beginning: A Celebration of the American Silent Film,@ AThe Hollywood Ten,@ and others.