FMST 2416 - CINEMA AND TRAUMA

Minimum Credits: 3
Maximum Credits: 3
Trauma studies now stands at the forefront of contemporary cultural theory, straddling such disciplines as history, psychology, philosophy, and literary criticism. This seminar encourages graduate students to examine and contribute to the rapidly emerging sub-field of cinema/trauma studies. We will focus on the two mid-twentieth century events that continue to anchor many definitions of historical trauma: the Holocaust and Hiroshima. What do films that address these events teach us about the politics and ethics of representing experiences often referred to as unrepresentable'? How does cinema force us to refigure debates about the "limits of representation" and the nature of "the event" itself? Is cinema an agent of memory or memory's eraser? A broad range of films will inform our discussion of such questions - documentary and fiction, tragedy and comedy, mass cultural successes and lesser-known art films or genre films, films from the past and present.
Academic Career: Graduate
Course Component: Seminar
Grade Component: Grad LG/SNC Basis

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