SESSION TWO: Equality or Comity? Race Relations in America

Today's lesson focused on an attempt to define "race" and to track its origins while outlining a brief history of race relations. Our primary goal was to examine the changing definitions of "race" and to connect these definitions to their historical and political purposes. Race and its resulting social implications is quite a sticky and elusive topic; nonetheless, we were able to agree to the following significant points: 1) that "race" is a scientific concept commonly connected to its cultural companion "ethnicity;" 2) that "race" and "ethnicity" are NOT synonymous; 3) that "race" developed primarily as an ideology to support global colonialism; 4) that "race" in America evolved through a number of historical events - colonialism, expansionism, post-war reconstruction, anti-colonialism and civil rights, political correctness, and the contemporary phenomenon of the racial chameleon (Entman and Rojecki, chapter 1); and 5) that "race" and the racial relations that ensue from varying definitions of "race" are defined, illustrated and programmed through many media forms. (Above is a poster advertising a "human zoo" in Stuttgart, Germany in 1928, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism.) For more info, take a look at Race and Racism.

FOR NEXT WEEK...
READING: Chapters Two and Three - "White Racial Attitudes in the Heartland" and "Culture, Media, and the White Mind"
PROJECT: Write a half-page research paper proposal. The proposal should include the following: 1) a description of the stereotype you will investigate; 2) a statement about the connection between this stereotype and media; 3) a conclusion and/or thesis about the media-stereotype connection you indicate.
MEDIA: Please view the following media clips for next class.
The Cosby Show (pilot)
The Jeffersons
In Living Color

- JOURNAL 2 - Outline your stereotype example. Include one piece of research (online) defining and/or illustrating your stereotype. Make a statement about the connection between this piece of media and your stereotype. (This will be the basis for your research proposal.)

SESSION ONE: Introduction

Our first class lingered on introductions and a review of the syllabus and course requirements - including online journals, a research paper, a life arts project and a final presentation. To view the course syllabus, schedule and project requirements, select the desired post from the Blog Archive section of the sidebar.

FOR NEXT WEEK...
READING: Preface and Chapter One, "The Racial Chameleon"
PROJECT: Find an example of a racial stereotype. Bring your example to share in class!

Weekly journals must be posted to this site. Simply review the question below; select the "Comments" link; type your response in the text box - MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SELECTED "Anonymous" - and click the "Login and Publish" button. And, voila, you're homework assignment is complete! Let's give it a try.

- JOURNAL ONE - Define race.

Welcome to COM450!

Throughout this course, we will analyze the relationship between media representations of Black communities and the individual and social experiences of Blackness these images suppose to represent. A variety of media will be examined: cartoons, radio, television, films, newspapers, magazines and the Internet. A special focus will be given to Black cinema.

To receive a passing grade in this course,
students will be expected:

1. To purchase (and read!) the required course text The Black Image in the White Mind: Media and Race in America online or at Manhattan Books - 150 Chambers St.
2. To attend regular class sessions, field trips, guest lectures and film screenings.
3. To post weekly online journal entries.
4. To complete a 7-10 page research paper.
5. To complete a creative life arts project.
6. To give a final LAP public presentation.

COM450 CLASS SYLLABUS

COM450A - MEDIA AND THE BLACK EXPERIENCE
Wednesdays 6:00-9:30 p.m., Spring 2007
College of New Rochelle - DC37 Campus

Prof. Jennifer Heuson - jenheuson@yahoo.com
Office hours: by appointment
Website: http://mediablackness.blogspot.com/

This seminar analyzes the relationship of the media (films, TV, radio, and theater) with the members of Black communities: both encoders (writers, performers, creators and entrepreneurs) as well as decoders (audiences and consumers). The seminar focuses on an analysis of the Black cinema as an expression of the evolving consciousness from the perspective of the social historians. The students will view and analyze specific feature films, documentaries, television and radio programs. A Life Arts Project is required.

Course Objectives

1. Investigate how media depict, describe and define Blackness, and examine the impact of these depictions on identity, morality, equality and community.
2. Understand how and why racial images are constructed, and explore the ethical, economic and political aspects of the creation of racial difference through various media.
3. Identify and critique stereotypes pivotal to the construction of Black identity. Examine the impact of these stereotypes on Black and White communities and on concepts of race.
4. Recognize the historical development of Black communities and their connection to the media representations unique to various time periods (e.g. Civil War; Civil Rights).
5. Examine counter-movements of representation used to empower black communities.
6. Investigate a racial issue present in contemporary media.
7. Analyze readings, films and course lectures through weekly online assignments.
8. Create a video documentary examining racial representation and meaning.

Course Requirements

• Students are expected to complete ALL required reading and assignments. Students will complete weekly journal assignments online at: http://mediablackness.blogspot.com/.
• Students are expected to turn in a research paper in proper MLA style with an annotated bibliography. Students will complete AND present a Life Arts Project.
• Students are required to attend and to participate fully in every seminar. Arriving late and leaving early will count against your final participation grade.
• Students are expected to attend class sessions and all field trips, guest lectures and film screenings.

Grading
LAP 25%, Research Paper 25%, Online Journals 20%, Final Presentation 10%, Class Participation/Attendance 20%

• Late assignments will be downgraded. The research paper and LAP will not be accepted late.
• Students MUST attend LAP presentations to pass this class.
• Students who miss a class will be expected to complete the reading and view material screened for that week. Students will be allowed two excused absences. Additional absences will result in a grade reduction of one letter.
• Students who do not attend field trips, guest lectures or film screenings will be counted absent. Missing such events will count toward the allotted two absences.
• Students are expected to be in the classroom when class begins, at the top of the hour, and to stay for the entire period. Students who leave early will be counted absent.
• The use of cellular phones is prohibited in class.

Required Text
Entman, Robert M. and Andrew Rojecki. The Black Image in the White Mind: Media and Race in America. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 2000.

COM450 CLASS SCHEDULE

Media and the Black Experience
Schedule and Assignment Due Dates

January 24th
SESSION ONE: Introduction
Discuss course syllabus – objectives, schedule, assignments, grading and text. Review writing requirements, and introduce online class journal. Ensure students can log on and post entries. Introduce research paper and Life Arts Project. Discuss definitions of “race.”

• Writing Assignment: Journal 1
• Project homework: Define race.
• Reading: Preface, pp. xi – xxvii

January 31st
SESSION TWO: Equality or Comity? Race Relations in America, Past and Present
Define “equality” and “comity.” Briefly review the history of race relations in America. Examine notions of segregation, isolation and the romanticized Other. Scrutinize archival and contemporary media examples depicting racial tension, assimilation and harmony.

• Writing Assignment: Journal 2
• Project homework: Find a contemporary example of a racial stereotype.
• Reading: The Racial Chameleon, pp. 1 – 15

February 7th
SESSION THREE: Race, Racism and Representation
Examine the construction of “Black” and “White” by investigating how media represent race. Evaluate stereotypes critical to race relations, and explore the development of contemporary ambiguity and/or indifference. Critique racist cartoons, photographs and news clips.

• Writing Assignment: Journal 3
• Project homework: Research paper proposal (1/2 page).
• Reading: White Racial Attitudes in the Heartland, pp. 16 – 45; Culture, Media, and the White Mind: The Character of Their Content, pp. 46 – 59

February 14th
SESSION FOUR: Defining Blackness
Look at varying representations of Blackness, and study how these representations, both positive and negative, come to define Blacks and their communities. Examine multifarious interpretations of Black images by Blacks and Whites, by gender, nationality, education and economics.

• Writing Assignment: Journal 4
• Project homework: Research paper annotated bibliography (min. 5 sources).
• Reading: The Meaning of Blackness in Network News, pp. 60 – 77

February 21st
SESSION FIVE: Blackness Controlled – The Case of Violent/Poverty Stereotypes
Explore connections between stereotypes of Black violence/poverty and actual violence/poverty. How do these stereotypes impact notions of Blackness? Critique media examples for circular relations between violent/poor Black images and violent/poor Black human beings. Screening: The Murder of Emmett Till. PBS, 2003. (53 min.)

• Writing Assignment: Journal 5
• Project homework: LAP worksheet and proposal (1/2 page).
• Reading: Violence, Stereotypes, and African-Americans in the News, pp. 78 – 93; Benign Neglect in the Poverty of the News, pp. 94 – 106
  

February 28th
SESSION SIX: Representing Power – Conflict and Public Policy
Analyze media representations of defiant or empowering Black communities and Black leaders – e.g. Martin Luther King, Jr., Louis Farrakhan, Malcom X, Nelson Mandela. Consider the impact of racial representation on the creation of public opinion. Compare national policies regarding racial segregation, assimilation, equality, justice, religious freedom, education and marriage.

• Writing Assignment: Journal 6
• Project homework: LAP contract and annotated bib (min. 3 sources).
• Reading: Affirming Discord, pp. 107 – 124; Black Power, pp. 125 – 143

March 7th NO CLASS
SESSION SEVEN: Representing History
Explore methods of representing and re-creating Black history through film and art. FIELD TRIP SCREENING or EXHIBIT: Dreamgirls or New York Divided.

• Writing Assignment: Journal 7
• Project homework: Work on research paper and LAP interview.

March 14th
SESSION EIGHT: Difference and Distraction in Network Television
Look at the modes of racial representation present in past and current network television. Contrast Black and White images, and consider their impact on identity and community. Screening: Color Adjustment. Dir. Marlon Riggs, 1992. (87 min.)

• Writing Assignment: Journal 8
• Project homework: Work on research paper and LAP interview.
• Reading: Prime-Time Television: White and Whiter, pp. 144 – 161

March 21st
SESSION NINE: Consuming Color – Racial Separateness in Advertising
Scrutinize Black images in advertising, looking at racist undertones, misrepresentation, stereotyping and identity creation. Contrast White images, and discuss the role of advertising in racial assimilation and social control. Examine past and present ads in various media formats.

• Writing Assignment: Journal 9
• Project homework: Submit final research paper (7-10 pages).
• Reading: Advertising Whiteness, pp. 162 – 181

March 28th NO CLASS
SESSION TEN: Documenting Race Today
Support fellow CNR/DC-37 students in a screening of films, photographs and sound recordings documenting color in the five boroughs of New York City. Details to be announced. FIELD TRIP EXHIBIT Colors of New York City

• Writing Assignment: Journal 10
• Project homework: Work on LAP interview.

April 4th
SESSION ELEVEN: Black, White or Colored – Race in Hollywood
Evaluate a brief history of Black images in Hollywood. Study racial representation from early cinema to contemporary times. Contrast Black and White roles in Hollywood films and their impact upon identity and social segregation. Introduce subversive images of Blackness. Screening: Siren of the Tropics. Starring Josephine Baker, 1927. (86 min.)

• Project homework: Submit LAP questions and background information.
• Reading: Race at the Movies, pp. 182 – 204

April 11th
SESSION TWELVE: Colored Media Today
GUEST SPEAKER: Professor Marlene Graham
Learn what it takes to make colored media today! Evaluate the difficulties of creating images of equality, diversity and harmony while appealing to audiences AND making money.

• Project homework: Work on LAP interview.
• Reading: tba

April 18th
SESSION THIRTEEN: Subversive Blackness
Power and Protest in Black Cinema I: Examine Black images of power and protest in Hollywood. Screening: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. Dir. Stanley Kramer, 1967. (108 min.)

• Project homework: Submit LAP video interview (3-5 minutes).
• Reading: Murphy, A.D. “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?” Variety. Dec 1967.

April 25th
SESSION FOURTEEN: Subversive Blackness
Power and Protest in Black Cinema II: Examine Black images of power and protest in the Blaxploitation films of the 1970’s. Screening: Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song. Dir. Melvin van Peebles, 1971. (97 min.)

• Project homework: Work on LAP transcription and reflection.
• Reading: Morris, Gary. “Blaxploitation: A Sketch.” Bright Lights Film Journal. Mar 1997.

May 2nd
SESSION FIFTEEN: Subversive Blackness
Power and Protest in Black Cinema III: Examine Black images of power and protest in International Black Cinema. Screening: Orfeu Negro (Black Orpheus). Dir. Marcel Camus. Brazil, 1959. (107 min.)

• Project homework: Work on LAP transcription and reflection.
• Reading: Ehrenstein, David. “Black Orpheus.” The Criterion Collection.

May 9th
SESSION SIXTEEN: Subversive Blackness
Power and Protest in Black Cinema IV: Examine Black images of power and protest in the Black Cinema of the 1980’s and 1990’s. Screening: Do the Right Thing. Dir. Spike Lee, 1989. (120 min.)

• Project homework: Final LAP due (7-10 pages).
• Reading: Ebert, Robert. “Do the Right Thing.” The Criterion Collection.
  

May 16th
SESSION SEVENTEEN: The Truth About Color
Evaluate and critique media examples and arguments encountered throughout the course. Synthesize contradictory stories into a coherent narrative of racial representation. Incorporate an examination of the role of media, and discuss the future of Blackness in America.

• Project homework: LAP presentations (5 minutes).
• Reading: Reflecting on the End of Racial Representation, pp. 205 – 226

May 23rd
SESSION EIGHTEEN: Documenting Race Today
Produce and attend a public screening of class life arts projects!!

Screening material listed includes only full-length viewings. We will also examine numerous radio, magazine, news, television and film clips. Many segments will be screened in class, but you will sometimes be required to view media online.

COM450 Research and LAP Requirements

Media and the Black Experience

Research Paper – RACIAL STEREOTYPES (a single, specific example)

Students are required to complete a research paper of not more than 7-10 pages. The research paper MUST be in MLA format. For more info, please go to http://owl.english.purdue.edu/.

Students will do the following to complete the research paper:

• Find a contemporary example of a racist stereotype. 1/31
• Write a proposal to research the stereotype (1/2 page). 2/7
• Find five sources, and write an annotated bibliography. 2/14
• Write a draft of the research paper. 2/14 – 3/21
• Turn in the completed paper NO LATER THAN 3/21.

Creative LAP – WHAT IS RACE? (a documentary video project)
Students are required to complete a documentary Life Arts Project of not more than five minutes. The LAP will be completed on digital video.

Students will do the following to complete the LAP:

1. Write the documentary proposal.

• Select an interview subject. 1/24 – 2/21
• Complete the LAP worksheet. 2/21
• Write a project proposal (1/2 page). 2/21
• Find 3 sources. Write an annotated bibliography. 2/28
• Complete and sign the LAP contract. 2/28

2. Prepare for the documentary. 2/28 – 4/4

• Conduct background research (2-3 pages). 4/4
• Prepare interview questions (1 page). 4/4

3. Complete the documentary. 4/4 – 4/18

• Film the interview (5 minutes max.) 4/18
• Transcribe the interview (3-5 pages). 4/18 – 5/9

4. React to the work you have done (2-3 pages). 4/18 – 5/9
5. Turn in the final LAP paper (7-10 pages). 5/9
6. Share your project. ☺ ☺ ☺

• Give an in-class presentation of your LAP (3-5 minutes). 5/16
• Invite friends and family to attend a public screening and pizza party on the last day of class! 5/23