Narrative and Ideology
COL 249
Spring 2009
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
ENGL 247 |
When ballads were very popular songs that told stories, Andrew Fletcher (1655-1716) underlined the importance of narrative: "If a man were permitted to make all the ballads, he need not care who should make the laws of a nation." Nowadays, stories take various forms, among them film, and they circulate and are consumed in vast quantities. People make stories, and they, in turn, "make" people, helping to construct individual subjectivity and collective discourse. How do stories become "narratives" and how do the latter function as the vehicles for overt and unacknowledged ideologies? How do stories change as they become such vehicles, and how do ideologies change when they are embedded in stories? This course pursues these questions through the reading of theory and the analysis of film. It combines short lectures (mainly in the first few weeks) with much discussion, with the aim of introducing students to recent and current concepts concerning the nature of, and the relationship between, narrative and ideology. Post-1980 American films we will watch together will serve as primary texts. Analysis of the films' narrative structures is an indispensable part of the course. The readings will be available in a course-pack. |
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Essential Capabilities:
Interpretation, Speaking
Intensive discussion, oral presentation of arguments, and careful interpretation of texts, images and theoretical concepts will be emphasized.
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA COL |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Student Option |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (CSCT)(ENGL)(ENGL-Literature)(FILM-MN) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Articles and book chapters from many authors, in coursepack.
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Examinations and Assignments:
One oral presentation, two papers. |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
Attendance at both film showings and discussion is mandatory. |
| Instructor(s): Tölölyan,Khachig Times: ..T.... 07:00PM-09:50PM; Location: BTFDC314; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 18 | | SR major: 2 | JR major: 6 | | |
| Seats Available: 0 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 2 | JR non-major: 6 | SO: 2 | FR: 0 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 7 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 7 |
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