Film 150 Multicultural America
Spring 2012
Portia Cobb, Associate Professor/Instructor
229-6015 film
pcobb@uwm.edu
Office-hours by appointment Tu/Thu between 1p and 2pm or following class
on Fridays.
Mitchell b73a
Film 150 Multicultural America is a cross-cultural and interdisciplinary study of U.S.
ethnic and racial identities and experiences shown through film, related media and
performance-based art.
This humanities and cultural diversity course is designed to fulfill part of your
general education (GER) requirements. You are required to complete a Service
Learning component as part of this course. Service learning will involve
approximately 1.5 to 3-hours a week for no less than 36-hours for the full the
semester in a placement with a partner organization coordinated through
agreement with me the course instructor and in compliance with UWM’s Institute
for Service.
Options for Service partners are available on the ISL website
http://www4.uwm.edu/isl/
The emphasis should be on learning in the placement environment. It is not
possible to pass this course if you do not register for or keep your agreed upon
commitment to participate and complete a service-learning assignment during the
full semester.
Course objective:
My aim in this course is to heighten your awareness of our collective role in the
construction of race, ethnicity and difference through the viewing of films, and
interactive engagement with media, media art and new genre. The end result that I
hope for is that the stories in these examples inspire the story or stories that you
will create and present at the end of this semester. These are stories will reveal the
experience you gained while learning about community.
Through social engagement, research, reflection and applied production, the desired
outcome is the development of a creative and collective body of works expressed by
each of you in the form of an artifact that might be a digital essay, artist book,
musical composition or video. In essence, a public-history document.
Each spring semester, I recommend that you take advantage of public programs on
campus through the Union Cinema Theater and Social-Cultural programming-which
reflect the celebration of a diverse student body and community. Please pick up
calendars in the Union, the film office (Mitchell B-70) or distributed on the event
table outside this classroom. You will be given .5 credits for every 3 events you
attend and write about. You are only required to attend 3 public screening events
and post a reflection about the experience in discussion on D2L.
Institute for Service Learning office is located in Holton Hall, G26. Their phone
is 229-2348 and email is islinfo@uwm.edu.
There are two forms that you will need to download from the ISL home page.
One is the Service Learning Agreement and the other is the actual Service
Learning Contract.
Please take time to read all of the information on their web site
http://www4.uwm.edu/isl/
so that you will be prepared to ask any questions when a representative from
that office visits our classroom next week on Feb 3rd.
Important Deadlines/ and dates to remember:
ISL Student assistance with placements: Feb 3 class presentation by ISL staff
Placement selections close February 24th
Final Time sheets due: Last day of this class Friday, May 4th, no later than May 11th.
Last day of Service Learning: May 11th
Recommended texts: The primary text for me is film, however, I will assign directed
reading from book chapter or essays I place on reserve for this course through the
UWM Golda Meir Library electronic reserves (found under my name and course
number). Some selections will be taken from these individual books.
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Beat of a Different Drum: The Untold Stories of African Americans Forging
Their Own Paths in Work and Life. By Dax-Devlon Ross
The Zinn Reader, Writings on Disobedience and Democracy, by Howard Zinn
Privilege, Power and Difference 2nd edition by Allan G. Johnson
A Different Mirror, Ronald Takaki
*Replenishing the Earth: Spiritual Values for Healing Ourselves and the
World, Wangari Maathai (Nobel Peace Prize Winner) we will be reading this
book during the semester-chapter by chapter and it chronicles the story of
the Green Belt Movement in East Africa.
(www.greenbeltmovement.org)
Media Tools:
The Film Department Equipment checkout is located here in Mitchell Hall and you
will be eligible to check out flip cameras and basic HD camcorders for this course.
You will have to comply by the rules of the department and will be liable for costs
associated with late returns, damage or loss of the equipment you borrow. Those
policies will be discussed in detail prior to your first production assignment.
You also have the option of borrowing equipment from The UWM Libraries
Equipment Checkout Program located in the west wing of the Golda Meir Library,
lower level. As a current UWM student, you are eligible to borrow equipment-on a
first come, first served basis. You can reserve equipment (flip cameras, laptops,
digital photo cameras, digital video cameras, etc): go to their web-site for specific
information: http://www.uwm.edu/Libraries/media/media.html
The goals of the Learning and Service experience for this course are:
 To gain a better knowledge of Milwaukee's distinct communities and
cultures.
 To grow one's capacity for working productively with people from diverse
backgrounds.
 To learn more about oneself by reflecting on the opportunities and
challenges provided by community engagement.
 To deepen one's understanding of the issues raised by film and media which
speak to or represent those who are marginalized in American
Culture/society-by engaging discussion and action toward cultivating diverse
human relationships.
 To expand powers of critical thinking by analyzing issues and problems from
unfamiliar points of view (i.e. putting yourself in someone else's shoes).
Other resources:
The Golda Meir Library has an extensive digital media archive that you may
access electronically from your computers. You will find information about
the collection at: http://www4.uwm.edu/libraries/digilib/
Grades:
Because this class meets once a week, 3 or more unexcused absences will result in
the loss of a full grade point. Grades are weighted.
20 points
 Co-operative and considerate and active engagement in the curricular
activities which make up this course (discussion, reflection, directed
reading, web research & film and video and media viewings).

Learning through service commitment and completion. Failure to
obtain and sign up for and complete the hours expected of you, will
result in a fail (F) grade in the course. Completed paper work (time sheet
and signed contract) must be returned to me or directly to the Institute
for Service learning by deadline (to be determined).
30pts
 The successful development and completion of a final public history
video, artist book, blog, digital diary, or digital story that examines
critiques or responds to your individual or collective service and
learning experience.
Changes will be made with ample notification to this timeline.
Week One: January 27 Who Are We?
In Class exercise:
With Paper and pen or pencil answer these questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Religious Practice: Then and Now
Class background (working class, middle class, poor) Then and Now
Number of parents (both parents, single parent, father or mother)
Number of siblings-your position (#1, 2, etc)
One thing you like about your family
One thing you found difficult about your family
Finish this sentence: In my family my role was/is…
How has this shaped your role as citizen in the community.
Film shown: Taking Root: The Vision of Maathai Wangari
We will not see it in its entirety. It is on 2-hour reserve for our class in the
Media area at the GM library on campus (lower level).
I recommend that you read her book “Replenishing the Earth: Spiritual Values for
Healing Ourselves and the World” by Wangari Maathai
Reading assignment for next week: “Privilege, Oppression and Difference.” (author
Allan Johnson) found on Electronic reserve through Golda Meir under my name and
course number.
 D2L discussion topic on this reading will be active following class today.
Discussion activity must be submitted 24-hours prior to each class.
Week Two: Friday, Feb 3rd
Screening of documentary: Freedom Riders
Power-point review of Allan essay on Privilege with discussion.
ISL visitor and process of selecting a venue.
Homework: View T.E.D. Presentation titled, The Danger of a Single Story.
Reflection about this topic in d2L due before class next week.
First production assignment given (recording of your own story).
Feb 10: screening of “You Can’t be Neutral on a Moving Train.” Biography of
radical historian, Howard Zinn
In class reflection and discussion to follow.
(Monday, Feb 13th Recommended screening in the Union: Black Power Mix
tape.” at 7pm)
Feb 17: Screening of “Weather Underground.”
Production assignment and prep
Feb 20, 7pm Union Cinema Screening recommendation: “Louder Than A Bomb,”
doc about Chicago Area Schools an its annual spoken word competition.
Feb 24: Screening of “Better This World.”
Begin “Actualities” project and framework for Public History Project
(recordings that touch on these themes: Memory, home, & community).
*Collaborative in-class assignment and workshop.
Recording and editing assignment given.
Feb. 27th 7pm-Recommended Union Cinema film: “Seven Songs for Malcolm X.” Dir.
Isaac Julien.
March 2 (Service Day)
Listen and respond to “Third-siders” NPR link to be posted on d2L
Reading assignment given.
March 9: Screening Reel Injuns. Discussion
Service Learning review.
March 16: Screening of I-Hotel about the brutal displacement of disenfranchised
residents of a low income hotel in San Francisco
Reading to be decided. First
-March 18 through 25 spring break*Special Recommended participation credit: Community event and Screening of
film Precious Knowledge. Filmmaker Eren McGinnis from Tucson, Arizona presentdetails to be announced.
March 30: Class presentations of works in progress (more details to come)
Reading assignment given
April 6: Film Taking Root about activist Wangari Maathai.
Planning & organizing final presentations.
In class reflection.
April 13: The Garden
*Latin American Film Festival in Union begins through the 15th
April 20: Work in progress reviews. Service-learning reviews.
April 27: Final project discussion/with possible community involvement
May 4: Last Day of Class Special presentation with invited guests
May 11 optional (last day I will accept any signed time sheets).
Policies:
PARTICIPATION BY STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
If you will need accommodations in order to meet any of the requirements of this
course, please contact me as soon as possible. Feel free to visit me at my office by
appointment to discuss assignments or any questions or requests you have.
The Department of Film follows UWM academic policies which are posted on the
departmental bulletin board or available online at
http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/SecU/SyllabusLinks.pdf
Religious observance:
http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/acad%2Badmin_policies/S1.5.htm
It is the policy of the board of regents that students' sincerely held religious beliefs
should be reasonably accommodated with respect to all examinations and other
academic requirements. The board of regents adopts this chapter in order to ensure
that all institutions of the university of Wisconsin system have in place appropriate
mechanisms for ensuring the reasonable accommodation of students' sincerely held
beliefs, and for appeals related to these matters.
Military: http://www4.uwm.edu/current_students/military_call_up.cfm
incompletes: http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/acad%2Badmin_policies/S31.pdf
Discriminatory conduct:
http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/acad%2Badmin_policies/S47.pdf
Academic misconduct:
http://www4.uwm.edu/acad_aff/policy/academicmisconduct.cfm
Grade appeal procedures:
http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/acad%2Badmin_policies/S28.htm
Complaint Procedures
http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/acad%2Badmin_policies/S49.7.htm