Literary Genres: Cultural Studies
Exploring Foreign Film and Multicultural Literature
Instructor: Stacy Allen Webster
Contact Information: Room 172, 841-1943, english@thewebsterweb.com, swebster@austinisd.org
Website: www.thewebsterweb.weebly.com
Course Description: Through group and independent study of essays, short fiction, and film, students will
begin a dialogue with the many voices that make up not only our American mosaic, but an increasingly global
culture. While many multicultural literature courses focus on the writings of specific ethnic groups that make
up one nation, this course will rely on a broader definition of “multicultural” to include the issues of race,
gender, class, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, and nationality that impact our human experience.
Proposed Units of Study:
Developing Global Vision: basic film analysis techniques and an introduction to foreign film
Discovering Identity/Embracing Heritage: individual experiences
Coming to America/Crossing Borders: immigration (including Middle Passage experiences and Diaspora)
Culture Clash: opposing injustice
A Dream Deferred: tension/strife continued in the modern world
Beyond Borders: artistic techniques that capture the human experience
Grading: Please note that this elective course awards honors credit; expect an intensive writing component
and project-based assessment. Our grading system aligns with the English Dept. system of “levels.”
Online Class Forum: Each week, a question will be posed on our class blog (specific details and logon information for LiveJournal will be distributed in class; students without internet access at home may
log on from school computers or submit hand-written logs). You are required to post one entry that
addresses the main question and/or introduces new ideas and respond to two classmates’ entries each
week. The final forum grade is a Level 3 (counts 3x in the gradebook).
Book Club Journal: Within our larger class we will form several, smaller groups each grading period to
read/discuss a text of your choice. Keep a handwritten or typed journal (we’ll discuss details in class)
and turn it in at the end of the grading period. This is expected to be rough draft writing, so revision and
polish are not required, but depth of thought and sincere analysis are a must. Weekly checks will count
as Level 1 grades (counts 1x); the final product is a Level 2 (counts 2x).
Independent Study: During each grading period you will have the opportunity to design your own
Level 3 project/paper (options will be discussed in class) based on one ethnicity or group.
Participation/Discussion: This part of your grade will depend on your “Sensational Friday”
presentation (which will occur 1-2 times during the semester), your involvement in class and book club
discussions, and active viewing of the films. Participation grades are Level 1 grades.
Class Resources: As a whole class, we will focus on essays, short fiction, and poetry. These works have been
collected from a variety of sources, including the following texts:
Brown, W. and Ling, A. Imagining America: Stories from the Promised Land.
Mims, J. and Nollen, E. Mirror on America: Short Essays and Images from Popular Culture.
Multicultural Perspectives. (McDougal, Littell text)
Ramraj, V. Concert of Voices: An Anthology or World Writing.
Stubbs, M. and Barnet, S. The Little, Brown Reader.
Takaki, Ronald. A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America.
Films: The following list is a compilation of films that are being considered for use during this course.
Several films will be shown in their entirety, but many times we will only look at short clips. Due to the adult
nature of some foreign films, this course is designed for junior and seniors. Because some of these films have
an R rating, I am requesting a parent signature “signing off” that students may see excerpts from any of the
films below.
Like Water for Chocolate
4 Little Girls
Long Walk Home, The
400 Blows, The
Maria, Full of Grace
7 Up
Mi Familia
Africans in America
Mississippi Burning
Anna
Mississippi Masala
Amelie
Monsoon Wedding
Baraka
My Own Country
Baran
Nothing But a Man
Beloved
Nowhere in Africa
Bicycle Thief, The
Osama
Bread and Roses
Passion Fish
Central Station
Power of One
Children of Heaven, The
Raise the Red Lantern
Cinema Paradiso
Raisin in the Sun, A
City of Lost Children, The
Ran
Color of Paradise,The
Rashomon
Color Purple, The
Rosewood
Cry Freedom
Rules of the Game
Do the Right Thing
Run, Lola, Run
Eye of the Storm and A Class Divided
Secret of Roan Inish, The
Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner
Seven Samurai
Hero
Snow Falling on Cedars
Himalaya
Tortilla Soup
Il Postino
Turtles Can Fly
In America
The Visitor
Joy Luck Club
Whale Rider
Kandahar
White Man’s Burden
Koyaanisqatsi
When We Were Kings
Y Tu Mama Tambien
Lagaan
Parent/Guardian Signature: _____________________________________________ Date: ______________