About Course
General Description: Interpretation and analysis of communication theories and concepts through discussion of critically acclaimed international films.
This course is designed to teach students how to evaluate communication theories, improve techniques for developing communication theory, and discuss everyday communicative situations using international films as a shared text. Common theories of human communication are explored, including intra- and interpersonal communication, public communication, organizational communication, and intercultural communication theories.
Note: This is not a film criticism course. The course is designed to use the film as a source to observe character interactions, dialogue, and so on as useful information to contextualize communication theories.
Sample film trailer
About Course
Course Goals
- Enhance understanding of research paradigms and elements of sound and useful communication theory
- Explore a variety of general communication theories from humanistic and social scientific approaches
- Use film as a shared text for identifying and explaining communication theories in practice
- Introduce students to the world through film
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, students should be able to
By the end of this course, students should be able to
- Use terminology associated with communication theory development and analysis
- Describe how communication theories are developed and categorized
- Evaluate communication theories using analytical frameworks
- Explain the difference between social scientific and humanistic approaches to communication
- Analyze communication phenomenon from different paradigmatic perspectives
- Analyze communication situations and events using general communication theories
- Explain and demonstrate oral and written communication competence, which can be used to enhance professional success
Required Readings /Assignments
Graduate students will have an additional reading requirement. Reading materials will be made available on D2L.
For assignment information, see the course outline (link at top of page).
Films
*IMPORTANT NOTE: Some films include very explicit content, including violent and sexually explicit content (e.g., nudity, sex, blood, and torture). You will be made aware of these films in advance and provided alternative films to watch if this type of content should violate your personal, religious, political, or philosophical beliefs.
Features
- 3 Idiots
- Wasteland
- A Separation
- Rafiki
- The Lives of Others
Shorts
- Five Minutes
- Boats
- Skin
- Elly
- A King's Betrayal
- Address is Approximate
Pedagogy
Methods of Instruction
- Intensive reading
- Lecture
- Class discussion
- Group and individual activities
- Films and post-film debriefs
Assignments
- Intensive reading
- Quizzes or exams
- Papers
- Presentations--e.g., speeches or podcasts
- Group and individual activities
FAQ
Will films be subtitled? Yes, it's the best way to watch films. Hearing the tones and expressions of actors is important. So, for the films that include non-English dialogue, you will be reading subtitles. Dubbing is B.S.
Will there be reading? Yes. This is a college-level course.
Will we be meeting the whole time, from 6:00 to 9:45 p.m.? Yup. Some of the films are over three hours long and, at least on days we watch shorter films, we'll have a double feature.
But what if I miss a class? You'll be watching a make-up film and doing a little extra writing.
Of course, there will be a lot of discussion and I have tentative agreement from a few actors and directors for some Skype calls. I think, ultimately, you will have a lot of fun.
Will there be reading? Yes. This is a college-level course.
Will we be meeting the whole time, from 6:00 to 9:45 p.m.? Yup. Some of the films are over three hours long and, at least on days we watch shorter films, we'll have a double feature.
But what if I miss a class? You'll be watching a make-up film and doing a little extra writing.
Of course, there will be a lot of discussion and I have tentative agreement from a few actors and directors for some Skype calls. I think, ultimately, you will have a lot of fun.
Resources
- Intercultural Film Series (UK)
- Intercultural film database
- International Movie Database (IMDb)
- Roger Ebert's Reviews
- How to Write a Film Script Treatment
- How to Write a Film Review
- Logline vs. Tagline (also frame your script pitch in terms of movies we watch)
Recommended Films
- The Lives of Others
- A Separation
- Cinema Paradiso
- The Dead Lands
- Rising from the Ashes
- Handsome Devil
- And Breathe Normally
- Rafiki
- Samson and Delilah
- A Silent Agreement
- Legend No 17
- The Eagle Huntress
- Smoke Signals (Canada, U.S.)
- Omar (Palestine)
- Let the Right One In (Sweden)
- The Band's Visit (Israel)
- Quinceañera (U.S., in Spanish)
- Babi Leto (Czech Republic)
- Waltz with Bashir (Multiple Countries)
- Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (India)
- Kavkazskiy Plennik: Prisoner of the Mountains (Russia)
- The Reluctant Fundamentalist (U.S., U.K., Qatar)
- The Intouchables (France)
- Whale Rider (New Zealand)
- City of God (Brazil)
- A Separation (Iran)
- Poetry (South Korea)
- Lost in Translation (U.S.)
- Skin (South Africa)
- Funny Games (Germany)
- The Singing Revolution (Estonia)
- Hedwig and the Angry Inch (U.S.)
- Persepolis (France)
- Central Station
- American Beauty
- Do the Right Thing
- Baran
- Burnt Money
- Winter's Bone
- Gran Torino
- Salmon Fishing in Yemen
- West is West
- Nationale 7
- East is East (1999, Damien O’Donnell)
- Bicycle Thieves (1948, Vittorio De Sica)
- Dirty Pretty Things (2002,Stephen Frears)
- The Singing Revolution (2006, James Tusty, Maureen Castle Tusty)
- The Namesake (2006, Mira Nair)
- La Misma Luna (2007, Patricia Rigging)
- Good Bye Lenin! (2003, Wolfgang Becker)
- Chinaman (2005, Henrik Ruben Genz)
- Jalla! Jalla! (2000, Josef Faras)
- Hsi Yen (1993, Ang Lee)
- Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002, Phillip Noyce)
