Course syllabus
Description
Semester 2 2017
This course will explore the ways that religious themes (eg, salvation, sin, faith, theodicy, prophecy), stories, characters, and imagery are given expression within the narratives of a number of classic and contemporary films and television dramas. Students will learn skills to identify the articulation of religious beliefs, narratives and the sacred or transcendent within the medium of film and television, and to comment critically and informatively on this cultural engagement with religion.
This course will be important for students interested in Theology and Religious Studies and who wish to develop their knowledge about the use of cultural themes and texts in the study of religion.
The films and TV programmes that we will study in 2017 will include Last Days in the Desert, A Serious Man, 'A Certain Samaritan' (Vera, season 2), Gattaca, Wadjda, and Angels in America. These will be screened during class time, with discussions taking place in weekly tutorials.
Your lecturer for this course is Dr Caroline Blyth (c.blyth@auckland.ac.nz)
The course outline can be found here: THEOREL 206 306 course outline final version.pdf
Weekly topics
Tuesday: Introductions - studying religion in film and television
Wednesday: Retelling sacred stories 1
Week 2: Retelling sacred stories
Tuesday: The parable of the Good Samaritan; the Book of Job; Wednesday: Jesus and the American Monomyth
Tuesday: Exodus: God and Kings screening; Wednesday: Tutorial discussion
Week 4: The Good Samaritan Retold
Tuesday: 'A Certain Samaritan' screening; Wednesday: tutorial discussion
Week 5: Religion, faith, and the Book of Job
Tuesday: ' A Serious Man screening; Wednesday: tutorial discussion
Week 6: From Norse gods to biblical messiahs
Tuesday: Thor screening; Wednesday: tutorial discussion
Week 7: A slice of religious life
Tuesday: Wadjda screening; Wednesday: tutorial discussion
Week 8: The search for life's meaning
Tuesday: Gattaca screening: Wednesday: Tutorial discussion
Tuesday and Wednesday: Introducing Angels in America
Weeks 10-12: Angels in America, part 1, part 2, part 3
Tuesdays: Screening Angels in America; Wednesdays: Tutorial discussions
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the course, students will:
- Have developed the skills necessary to identify and discuss in an informed way religious themes, myths and images within a number of classic and contemporary films and television dramas.
- Have developed an understanding of the ways that religious beliefs, myths and images are utilised in film and television drama narratives to engage with, critique, or affirm religious understandings of a number of themes, beliefs and issues.
- Show a knowledge of and ability to engage critically with different methodological approaches to researching film and television as a cultural medium within religious studies.
- Become familiar with some of the scholarly literature concerning religion and film/television that has been written by local, national and international scholars.
- Have been shown some of the skills required in academic writing and guided through the process of composing an engaging, well-written and well-argued essay.
Reading/Texts
We will be using a number of readings from John Lyden (ed.), Routledge Companion to Religion and Film (Abingdon: Routledge, 2010). This is available as an e-book on the library website. Other supplementary readings can be found on the Canvas reading list. Required readings should be done each week, while 'further readings' are there for your extra study and to help with assignments.
Assignments
THEOREL 206:
Weekly discussions - 20%
Worksheet - 30%
Final essay - 50%
THEOREL 306:
Weekly discussions - 20%
Short movie review essay - 30%
Final essay - 50%
Prerequisites
THEOREL 206: 30 points at Stage I in the BA schedule
THEOREL 306: 30 points at Stage II in the BA schedule
Restrictions
THEOREL 206 - restriction THEOREL 306
THEOREL 306 - restriction THEOREL 206
Workload:
The University of Auckland's expectation on 15-point courses, is that students spend 10 hours per week on the course. Students manage their academic workload and other commitments accordingly. Students attend two hours of lectures each week and participate in a one-hour tutorial from week 2 of semester. This leaves seven hours per week outside the classroom to prepare for tutorials, assignments and the exam.
Deadlines and submission of coursework:
Deadlines for coursework are non-negotiable. In extreme circumstances, such as illness, you may seek an extension but you will be required to provide a doctor's certificate before the assignment is due. All late assignments without a pre-approved extension will be penalised five marks for the first day late, and one mark per subsequent day late. Essays not submitted three weeks after the due date will automatically receive a 0 grade.
Course summary:
Date | Details | Due |
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