Sociology of Mass Media

Catalog description

An examination of American films dealing with the Jewish experience provides a most unusual perspective on the Twentieth century American Jew- the way the Jew sees him/herself and how others perceive Jews. Classic films will be used as text for understanding how, through the years, filmmakers have created and packaged their own unique concept of the American Jew - how this was filtered through their own consciousness and how we read and comprehend the cinematic text. In addition to examining the films, the class will reference historical and cultural studies of American Jewry together with insights into the Jewish film community of Hollywood.