SOC 411 - Films and Society

(3 units) CO10, CO11

This course is designed to provide a sociological analysis of society and social relations through contemporary films. The course will examine the social content of selected films that address central social issues, focusing on diversity and equity based on class, race, gender, and other aspects of life in the U.S. and around the globe, including films on themes depicting real life experiences of people in America and elsewhere in the world, historically and today.

Prerequisite(s): SOC 101.

Grading Basis: Graded
Units of Lecture: 3
Offered: Every Spring

Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. identify and understand the nature, dynamics, and contradictions of class, race, and gender inequality and its impact on social relations in contemporary American society through a critical analysis of contemporary films and documentaries (CO 10).
2. critically examine multiple theoretical perspectives on class, race, and gender that have broader historical dimensions and societal implications for diversity and equity through a critical analysis of contemporary films (CO 10).
3. demonstrate an appreciation of the impact of class, race, and gender relations that have broader economic and political consequences for diverse populations in the United States through a critical analysis of contemporary films and documentaries (CO 10).
4. identify major social events in films viewed about countries other than the U.S., and analyze their social surroundings, political environment, and popular responses to conditions confronted by diverse social groups amidst great adversities (CO 11).
5. describe and analyze how people have altered the political landscape of their countries throughout the world and transformed social relations through collective political action, as conveyed in selected films viewed in this course (CO 11).

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