1 Copyright © 2016 Valerie Anishchenkova ARAB341 Filming ... · With regard to historical...
Transcript of 1 Copyright © 2016 Valerie Anishchenkova ARAB341 Filming ... · With regard to historical...
1 Copyright © 2016 Valerie Anishchenkova
ARAB341FilmingWarZones:
RepresentationsofWarsinIraq&Chechnya
Winter2017
Syllabus When&Where: Online(Canvassourcesite)Courseprofessor:[email protected]: OnlineYoumaynotbeinterestedinwar,butwarisinterestedinyou. LevTrotsky
CourseDescriptionandGoals
Bytheendofthe20thcentury,thediscourseonwarhasbecomeanintegralpartofourculture.Narrativesofwarcirculateincountlessforms–stories,images,sounds–andenterourdailylifefromeverywhere:TVandcomputerscreens,radio,newspapers,magazines,music,conversationswithfriendsandcolleagues,andsoon.Therealityisthatmodernwarisinescapable.Nowadays,culturalrepresentationsofmilitaryconflictsinmedia,film,literature,andcyberspacehavebecameasimportantasthewaritself.
Inthisclass,thefocusisnotonthehistoricalandpoliticalaspectsofwar(i.e.whathappenedwhenandwhy):instead,wewillinvestigateanddiscussthewaysinwhichmodernwarsarecinematicallydepicted,narrated,andmythologizedindifferentsocioculturallocations–theUS,theMiddleEast,andRussia.Pleasenotethatyouareexpectedtofamiliarizeyourselveswiththehistoricalbackgroundusingavailablesourcesonlineandatthelibrary.Tentat
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2 Copyright © 2016 Valerie Anishchenkova Themainobjectiveistoexploretheanatomyofpropagandaandtoinvestigatehowdiversepoliticalandculturalagendasofthelate20th–early21stcenturiesconstructawidevarietyofwhatIcall“warfictions”:thatis,ideologicallyinformedwarnarratives.Tothatend,wewillbeexamininganumberofAmerican,MiddleEastern,Russian,andEuropeanfilms(mainlymotionpictures,butalsosomedocumentariesandepisodesfromTVseries),lookingatbothsimilaritiesandcontrastsbetweenwarfictionscirculatinginthesedistinctculturalareasandtraditions.
Withregardtohistoricaltimeline,wewillfocusontwowarsinIraq(the1991GulfWarandthe2003IraqWar)andthetwoChechenwars(1994and1999)–inotherwords,themilitaryconflictsthattheUnitedStatesandRussiaengagedinaftertheendofColdWar.
Thiscoursewillfocusonthefollowingtwothematicareas:
§ Nationalidentityandwaysinwhichitisarticulatedinwarfilmsthroughrepresentationsofthemilitary;
§ Enemy-makingpracticesandtheconstructionofOthernessinwarfilms.
LearningObjectives:
o Learningaboutwarpropagandaandhowitfunctionsindifferentculturesandideologies(theU.S.,theMiddleEast,Russia);
o Learninghowtoreadandinterpretwarfilms;o LearningvariouswaysofanalyzingIraqiandChechenwarmythologiesasformulatedin
American,MiddleEasternandRussiancinematicdiscourses;o Developingcriticalthinkingskills,especiallywithregardtounderstandingglobalwar
discourses.Thisclassisdesignedforupper-levelundergraduatestudentswhoareinterestedinthesubjectofwaranditsdisseminationindifferentculturesandsocieties.AllcoursematerialsanddiscussionsareinEnglish. Pleasenotethatduetothesubjectmatteroftheclass,
anumberprimarysourcescontainexplicitandgraphiccontent Tentat
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3 Copyright © 2016 Valerie Anishchenkova
CourseMaterialsandFormat
AllcoursematerialsareavailableonCanvas.AllfilmswillbestreamingonourCanvassiteaswell:pleasecheckthePick-N-PlayandOnlineMediaReservesmodules.Pleasenotethatbecauseofthecopyrightrestrictionsmostfilmswillbescreeningfortheperiodof2weeks.Inadditiontothemainselectionoffilms,therewillbeanumberofadditionalmoviesrelatedtoweeklytopicsthatyoucanseeonyourownand,ifyouwish,useforyourshortpapersandyourfinalpaper.
GradeDistribution
Blogging: 55%Shortpapers: 30%Finalpaper: 15%
CourseRequirementsandComponents
• Blogs:
Inanonlinecourse,blogsarethemaindiscussionmediummeanttobringustogetherasagroupandgivingusanopportunitytoexchangeideasandtalkaboutthematerial.Youareexpectedtoalwaysbepreparedandtoactivelyparticipateinblogdiscussions.Rememberthatthisisaveryimportantcomponentofyourgrade.Whencontributingtoblogdiscussions,beopentoalternativeviewsandberespectfulofdifferentopinions,howeverpassionateyoufeelaboutthesubject,andpleaserestrainyourselvesfrompersonalattacks.Pleasewriteblogsindesignated“timewindows”wheneverpossible–10:00amto10:00pmonthedayoftheassignment–togivetherestofustimetoread,reflectandcommentonyourposts.Blogsarealwaysdueat10:00pm.ReadBloggingGuidelinesandRubric.Tentat
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• ShortPapers:
Youwillbeaskedtowriteseveralshortanalyticalpapers,reflectingonassignedfilmsandreadings.Eachshortpaperisexpectedtobe3-4pageslong(double-spaced,font12).Eachpapermustincludepropercitations.Ifyouwishtousefootnotes/endnotes,pleasechoosethefootnoteformat.Fordetailedcitationguidelinespleaserefertothefollowingwebsite:http://www.dartmouth.edu/%7Esources/contents.html.Paperswherecitationsarenotusedcorrectlywillreceivesignificantlylowergrades!Allassignmentsaretobesubmittedonduedaysandtimes.Latesubmissionswillbeautomaticallyassignedazerograde.PleaseuploadallpapersonCanvasinWordformat.Iwillbegivingyoufeedbackonline.ReadPaperSelf-AssessmentGuideandPaperRubric.SpecificpaperguidelineswillbeavailableinAssignments.
• FinalPaper:
TheFinalPaperwillbe10pageslong(double-spaced,font12)onatopicofyourchoosing,relatedtosubjectscoveredanddiscussedinclass.YouareexpectedtoanalyzeoneormoreoftheadditionalfilmsavailableonCanvas,usingtheanalyticalmethodsandtoolsacquiredthroughoutthecourse.Beforeyoustartworkingonyourfinalpaper,youarerequiredtodiscussthetopicofyourpaperwithmeviaemailorchat.TheFinalPaperhastoincludeabibliography(Iprefertheauthor-dateChicagostyle)andpropercitations.LinktoChicago-stylecitationquickguide:http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html
• Preparationforclass:Asyouprepareforourfilmdiscussionsandworkonyourpapers,pleasereadvariousfilmreviewsbothbyfilmcriticsandindividuals,blogs,interviewswithfilmdirectors,producersandactors,andwatchfilmtrailers.Getanideaaboutthedirector’s/producer’sbackground.Thinkabouthowallthisinformationaboutthefilminfluencesyourperceptionofthefilmitself.Tentat
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5 Copyright © 2016 Valerie Anishchenkova **ImportantNote!Studentswhojoinedtheclassatalatertimearerequiredtomakeupallmissedwork.
UniversityPolicies
• SpecialArrangements:
Ifyouhavearegistereddisabilityandwishtodiscussaccommodationswithme,pleaseletmeknowattheverybeginningofthecourse.DisabilitiescanberegisteredthroughDisabilitySupportServices(4-7682or5-7683TTY/TDD).
• ReligiousObservances:
TheUniversitySystemofMarylandpolicyprovidesthatstudentsshouldnotbepenalizedbecauseofobservancesoftheirreligiousbeliefs.Studentsshallbegivenanopportunity,wheneverfeasible,tomakeupwithinareasonabletimeanyacademicassignmentthatismissedduetoindividualparticipationinreligiousobservances.Itistheresponsibilityofthestudenttoinformtheinstructorinwritingofanyintendedabsencesforreligiousobservancesatleasttwoweeksinadvance.
• CodeofAcademicIntegrity:
TheUniversityhasapprovedaCodeofAcademicIntegritywhichprohibitsstudentsfromcheatingonexams,plagiarizingpapers,submittingthesamepaperforcreditintwocourseswithoutauthorization,buyingpapers,submittingfraudulentdocuments,andforgingsignatures.Plagiarismpolicy:allquotationstakenfromotherauthors,includingfromtheInternet,mustbeindicatedbyquotationmarksandreferenced.Paraphrasingmustbereferencedaswell.ThefollowingUniversityofMarylandHonorPledgehasbeenproposedbytheCouncilandapprovedbytheUniversitySenate:"IpledgeonmyhonorthatIhavenotgivenorreceivedanyunauthorizedassistanceonthisassignment/examination."Thispledgeshouldbehandwrittenandsignedonthefrontpageofallpapers,projectsorotheracademicassignmentssubmittedforevaluationinthiscourse.
• ClassSchedule:
WeeklyclassscheduleisavailableonCanvas(seeModules).Tentat
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6 Copyright © 2016 Valerie Anishchenkova
CourseSchedule
Tue1/3
TheArtofPropagandaFahrenheit9/11(MichaelMoore,2004,122min)Readings:1)TerryChristensenandPeterHaas,“TrueLies:TheRiseofPoliticalDocumentary”2)BillNichols,“TypesofDocumentary”
Wed1/4 TheArtofPropagandaCelsius41.11(CitizensUnited,2004,71min)Readings:1)FromWhyAmericaFights(SusanA.Brewer,2009):“OperationIraqiFreedom:WarandInfoganda”2)FromACenturyofMedia,ACenturyofWar(RobinAndersen,2006):Introduction.Blog1
Thu1/5
WarasDiscourseTheGulfWar,WhatNext?(5shortsbyArabdirectors,1991,109min):“ItisSheherazadeTheyAreKilling”(Tunisia),NouriBouzid“TheSearchforShaima”(Tunisia),NejiaBenMabrouk“EclipseofaBlackNight”(Lebanon),BurhanAlaouie“TheSilence”(Morocco),MostfaDarkaoui“HomagebyAssassination”(Palestine),EliaSuleiman.Paper1
Fri1/6 WarsinIraqandChechnya:BackgroundPowerPoint:ChechenWarsReadings:1)FromCenturyofWar:PartIII“TheFirstPersianGulfWar:TheBattleOverAccess,VideoGameImageryandSmartBombs”2)JohnHope,“FromFreedomFortresstoJihadistCamp:TheInterplayofHighandLowCultureinRepresentingtheCaucasus”
Weekend1/7-8Assignment
MilitaryandtheNation:theU.S.Jarhead(SamMendes,2006,123min)ThreeKings(DavidO.Russell,2000,115min)GenerationKill–Episode1(DavidSimonandEdBurns,HBO,2008)Readings:1)BrendaCromb,“WarFilmsWithoutWar:TheGulfWarattheMovies.”2)“FlirtingwithHollywood:InterviewwithDavidO.Russell”3)“BeyondtheChoir:AnInterviewWithDavidSimon”4)FromA‘ToxicGenre’:TheIraqWarFilms(MartinBarker,2012):“FromDoughboystoGrunts:The'AmericanSoldier'”(inlibraryreservesmodule)Blog2Tentat
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7 Copyright © 2016 Valerie Anishchenkova
Mon1/9 MilitaryandtheNation:RussiaWar/Voina(AlexeiBalabanov,2004,120min)ThunderstormGates/GrozovyeVorota–Episode1(AndreiMalukov,2006)Readings:1)LouisMenashe,“PatrioticGauze,PatrioticGore:RussiansatWar”2)FromInsidersandOutsidersinRussianCinema(StephenNorrisandZaraTorlone,2008):OlegSulkin,“IdentifyingEnemyinContemporaryRussianFilm”;AnthonyAnemone“TheVigilanteHeroinBalabanov’sFilms”Blog3
Tue1/10 MasterNarratives:AmericanIdentityTheManchurianCandidate(JohnFrankenheimer,1962,127min)TheManchurianCandidate(JonathanDemme,2004,130min)Blog4
Wed1/11 MasterNarratives:Post-ColdWarPost-9/11AmericanIdentityHomeland–Season1Episodes1-2(AlexGanza,Showtime,2011)Paper2
Thu1/12 MasterNarratives:RussianIdentityThePrisoneroftheMountains/KavkazskiyPlennik(SergeiBodrov,1996,99min)Readings:1)LevTolstoy,“APrisonerintheCaucasus”(shortstory)2)AlexanderPushkin,“PrisoneroftheCaucasus”(poem)3)BruceGrant,“TheGoodRussianPrisoner:NaturalizingViolenceintheCaucasusMountains”
Fri1/13 NationasaMadhouseHouseofFools/DomDurakov(AndreiKonchalovskiy,2002,108min)Readings:AlinaBirzache,“InSearchofCinematicHolyFoolishnessasaFormofOrthodoxPeacemaking”Blog5
Weekend1/14-15Assignment
TheOtherandPost-SovietRussianIdentityAleksandra(AlexanderSokurov,2007,92min)Readings:JamesNorton,“ConflictResolutions:AlexanderSokurov,AlexandraandtheSurvivaloftheHuman”Paper3
Mon1/16 MartinLutherKingDay
Tue1/17 Documentary:Telling“Truths”orInfoganda?AboutBaghdad(SinanAntoon,2004,90min)TheDreamsofSparrows(HayderDaffar,2005,75min)VoicesofIraq(MagnoliaHomeEntertainment,2004,80min)Deadlinetodiscuss/emailyourideasfortheFinalPaperBlog6Tentat
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Wed1/18 ConstructingOthernessandEnemy-MakingTakeanotherlookatpreviouslywatchedfilmsandanalyzetheenemy-makingpracticesinAmericanandRussianwarfilms.Readings:1)FromReelBadArabs:HowHollywoodVilifiesaPeople(JackShaheen,2001):Introduction(inlibraryreserves).2)NancyJabbra,“Women,Words,andWar:Explaining9/11andJustifyingU.S.MilitaryActioninAfghanistanandIraq”Blog7
Thu1/19 TheIraqWar:AThirdPerspectiveTheTigerandtheSnow/LaTigreelaNeve(RobertoBenigni,2005,110min)
Fri1/20 HollywoodStereotyping:ReversingtheRolesValleyoftheWolvesIraq/KurtlarVadisiIrak(SerdarAkar,2006,118min)ExcuseUs/MaaleshEhnaBinitbahdal(SherifMandour,2005,104min)Readings:BrianWilliams,“ValleyoftheWolves,Iraq:Turkey’sPopularCultureReactstotheUnsettlingPresenceoftheU.S.inIraqinFilmsandNovels”Blog8
Mon1/24 FinalPaperisdue
SampleAssignments
Blog1
DiscussrepresentationalvalueofFahrenheit9/11andCelsius41.11(thelatterbeinga"response"totheformer),supportingyourviewswiththeassignedreadings.
Focusonthefollowingquestionsinparticular:
(1)Isoneofthesetwodocumentariespropaganda?Orboth?Neither?Why?
(2)If#1istrue,whichofthesetwoisamoreeffectivepropagandatoolandwhy?Canyouidentifysomespecificcinematographicandnarrativetechniquesthatsupportthepropagandisticmessage?
(3)Personalizethisbylookingatyourselfasa"targetofpropaganda"andself-analyze:whichofthepropagandatechniques"worked"onyouandwhy?
Tentat
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9 Copyright © 2016 Valerie Anishchenkova Blog3
Wearecontinuingourlastdiscussionaboutrepresentationsofthemilitaryinfilms-vs.bothrepresentationsoftheenemyandthegeneralnational(civilian)identityathome.ThistimewearelookingathowthistakesplaceinRussiancinematicwarculture,morespecificallyintheinteractionswiththeChechen/CaucasianideologicalandculturalOther.
Somequestionstoconsider:
(1)HowisRussianmilitaryrepresentedintwofilms/TVseries(WarandThunderstormGates)incomparisonwiththeU.S.militaryinAmericanfilms?Whatarethedifferencesandsimilaritiesbetweentheserepresentationsandwheredoyouthinktheyarerooted?
(2)Yesterdaywetalkedaboutcertaintypologiesintherepresentationofsoldiersandmilitaryunits.DoyouseeanythingsimilarinRussianfilms?
(3)Talkabouttheenemy-makingpracticesinthesetwofilms.
(4)WhatdidyouthinkabouttheconceptofhomelandinWarandThunderstormGatescomparedwiththeAmericanwarfilms?
DokeepinmindthatthetwofilmsIselectedfortoday'sdiscussionrepresentaparticulardiscourseandideology(ofanuber-nationalisttype)inpost-SovietRussiawhichisexaminedintheassignedreadings.WewillbewatchinganddiscussingothergenresofRussianwarcinemanextweek.
Asalways,supportyouropinionswiththeassignedreadings.
Blog4
Thisbloghasadifferentformat:youwillbedoingclosereadingsofaselectionofscenesfromfilmsthatwehaveseenthissemesterandalsofromanumberofadditionalfilms.TheanalysiswillfocusonrepresentationsofOthernessandenemy-makingdevicesinthesescenes.
Inyouranalysis,focusonthecinematicfeatures:scenesetting,soundandmusic,color,lighting,movement,camerawork,timesequences,etc.-inotherwords,focusnotonlyonwhatisbeingnarrated,buthowitisnarrated.Isuggestthatyouwatchthesescenesinfullscreenmodetobeabletoseethedetails.
Pleasepostyourobservationsandreactionstoeachother'spostsundereachscene,as"replies."Thisblogisworthdoubleamountofpoints(10insteadof5),andyouwillhaveanextradaytocompleteit(youdon'thavetotakeextratime,butyoucanifyouwant).
PleasefinishtheassignedreadingsBEFOREyoustartblogging-JackShaheen's(inlibraryreserves)andNancyJabbra's.
Iexpectyoutoanalyzeatleast5scenes.Ifyoudothemall-evenbetter!
Tentative
10 Copyright © 2016 Valerie Anishchenkova Paper1
AnalyzeoneoftheshortsfromTheGulfWar,WhatNext?collection.Alternatively,youcancomparativelyanalyzetwoshorts.
Whattypesoffilmicnarrativesdidthiswargenerate?Whatisthemessage(s)conveyed?Howmetaphoricor,onthecontrary,straight-forwardisthecinematiclanguagehere?Doourpersonalexperiencesandbackgroundinfluencethewayweperceiveandinterpretthewar(researchthesefilmdirectorsafterwatchingtheshorts)?Thesearesomeofthequestionsyoumayponderoverwhileworkingonyourpaper.
Pleasenotethatyourpapershouldnotfocusonretellingtheplot.
Length:3pages(font12,double-spaced)
Filetype:ONLYWordfiles,sothatIcantypemyfeedbackdirectlyintoyourdocument
Pleasereadtherubricandpaperwritingtips.
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