College Seminar - American History (102-7-24)

Topic

Native Americans in Film and TV

Instructors

Douglas Metoxen Kiel
847/467-4821
Harris 229

Meeting Info

Harris Hall L05: Tues, Thurs 11:00AM - 12:20PM

Overview of class

In 1893, Thomas Edison unveiled the kinetoscope and allowed audience members to glimpse the Hopi Snake Dance by peeking into the device's viewing window. Since the birth of the motion picture, films portraying Native Americans (often with non-Native actors in redface) have drawn upon earlier frontier mythology, art, literature, and Wild West performances. These depictions in film have embedded romanticized and stereotyped ideas about Native Americans in the imaginations of audiences throughout the United States and around the world. In this course, we will critically examine representations of Native Americans in film and TV, ranging from the origins of the motion picture industry to the works of contemporary Indigenous filmmakers who challenge earlier paradigms. We will reflect upon revisionist narratives, Indigenous aesthetics and storytelling techniques, reflexivity, and parody. Throughout the quarter, we will view and discuss ethnographic, documentary, and narrative media.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students will gain a deep understanding of the historical context and impact of Native American representations in film and TV, as well as the storytelling techniques and aesthetics employed by contemporary Indigenous filmmakers to challenge earlier paradigms.

Evaluation Method

This course is based on group discussion and a few short papers.

Class Notes

History Area(s) of Concentration: Americas

Class Attributes

WCAS College Seminar