We are in such a unique, unprecedented time during this pandemic. There is A LOT going on in the media, especially with the strong #BlackLivesMatter movement (and its associated calls for change). Of course, I want to provide more space in this course. So, in lieu of taking a final exam over lectures, choose ONE of the following assignments and use the lecture information to inform your answers.
CHOICE 1:
Watch the following interview:”White folks are reading, but are they learning? with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi”
And answer the following questions:
1. Based upon your consumption of media, how are Black people or Black culture positively and/or negatively represented from your point-of-view? How could this representation be improved?
2. Dr. Kendi talks about: Black individual’s carrying the burden of representing all Black people, whether antiracism can be learned, and the meaning of #BLM. Choice any media effects theory (presented in lecture) and describe how media could be used to improve Black representation or antiracism instead of perpetuating negative stereotypes and politics.
3. Of all of the lecture content, what did you enjoy the most or learn from the most? What other content would you like to have learned more about in this course?
CHOICE 2:
Watch these two brief comedy show interviews.
The first is a Daily Show Interview by two mixed-race men (they talk specifically about this):
Bubba Wallace – The Noose Incident & Bringing BLM Into NASCAR | The Daily Social Distancing Show
The backlash of the noose incident was that Mr. Wallace (and Black people in general?) are over-reacting. Listen to story from the actual person who experienced it.
Then watch this comedy interview between two white men discussing race and racism:
Jon Stewart: The New Deal And GI Bill Explicitly Excluded Black People
Answer the following questions:
1. Choose one of the media theories (presented in lecture) and apply it to these two interviews. How do media add to or take away from race equality and racism? Did you see a difference between these interviews because the race of the speakers were different?
2. What does it mean that these comedy shows are getting serious about race and racism? How does this content compare to news reports?
3. Of all of the lecture content, what did you enjoy the most or learn from the most? What other content would you like to have learned more about in this course?
CHOICE 3:
Choose ANY race-related film or tv program (focussed on Black themes, please). There are lists all over the internet. Here is Netflix’s grouping (Links to an external site.). Choose whatever content you’d like. It can also be a television series featuring Black culture or Black characters. Then, answer the following questions:
1. What film or television series did you choose? Provide a synopsis of the film or program.
2. In “KILLING US SOFTLY” videos presented in lecture, Jill Killbourne asks us to take messages at face value. Believe EXACTLY what a message tells you. So, how were Black people portrayed (positive and/or negative)? How was Black culture presented? What were done or could have been done to improve these representation to make them more accurate and less stereotyped?
3. Of all of the lecture content, what did you enjoy the most or learn from the most? What other content would you like to have learned more about in this course?
