Disability in Film and Television

Investigating film and television representations of disability and disabled people, we will understand how these reflect prominent cultural ideas across US history. Various functions of disability in film and TV, and how disabled people have used these media to express their own lived experiences, will be considered. Key themes include: access, stereotype, spectacle, community, and activism. Our intersectional study involves, race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, class, and age. Through readings, screenings, and engaged discussions students will gain insights into ways film and television reflect and shape the understandings of disability in American history and culture. This class includes regular screenings. 3 hrs. lect.