SS-416 Representing the Real

3 Credits

The course will examine the political, historical, material, and ethical aspects of representation. In particular, it will interrogate the idea of documentary as a disinterested reproduction of a neutral reality, making students aware of the rhetorical and social forces always at work in representation and presenting the documentarian as a politically engaged citizen rather than a detached, objective observer. Over the course of the semester, students will build on theory and examples to develop a detailed critical proposal for a documentary project.