Television Storytelling: Consuming Darkness
CHUM 362
Fall 2017 not offered
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| Crosslisting:
ANTH 361, FILM 362, AMST 362 |
This course investigates how and why a "dark sensibility" has emerged in television serials, with attention to its implications for television storytelling, on the one hand, and for viewer practices and subjectivities, on the other hand. While most evident on premium and basic cable channels, where it crosses dramatic and comedic genres, the downbeat tone has also been selectively incorporated into broadcast television and processed for wider distribution. What industrial and sociocultural conditions have enabled such an affective shift in an industry that, since its early days, has been known for telling reassuring stories and promoting an ethic of consumption? Does the shift constitute a break, or can it be interpreted as an intensification of features long present in televisual formats? Is the contemporary taste for darkness among demographically valued viewers merely a marker of distinction, or does it reflect and reinforce a significant shift in mood among segments of the professional middle class? Can narratives about flawed protagonists, failed institutions, and limited possibilities nourish new forms of hope and provide resources for remaking subjectivities and reimagining futures? |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA FILM |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (ANTH)(FILM-MN) |
Major Readings:
Jason Mittell, COMPLEX TELEVISION
Linda Williams, ON THE WIRE
Selections from works by Pierre Bourieu, Noel Carroll, Vincent Crapanzano, Frederic Jamison, Michael Newman, Ilana Levine, Dana Polan, Anthony Smith, Julie D'Acci, Jane Feuer and others
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Examinations and Assignments:
Weekly reasearch journal; Midterm 5 page essay; class presentation and final research paper; discussion facilitation for one class. |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
As noted, interested students will be asked to complete a short questionnaire. I will also give preference to majors.
To apply for admission, please (1) place an electronic POI request once preregistration begins and (2) email etraube@wesleyan.edu to obtain the questionnaire, which will be the basis for admission. Those admitted will be able to enroll during the adjustment period. |
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