Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2023 - CA 416 E100

Advanced Seminar in Cinema Studies (4)

Archive / Counter-Archive

Class Number: 7748

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 4 – Apr 11, 2023: Tue, 5:30–8:20 p.m.
    Vancouver

  • Prerequisites:

    CA (or FPA) 316 (or 337) or CA (or FPA) 318 (or 335).

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Features intensive study and analysis of selected topics in film theory, history, criticism and aesthetics. Examples include: work of specific directors or periods; theories of narrativity; particular aspects of national cinemas, etc. This course can be repeated once for credit if the topic is different. Students with credit for CA (or FPA) 436 may take this course for further credit if the topic is different.

COURSE DETAILS:

416: Archive / Counter-Archive

Archive/Counter-Archive is a project based at York University dedicated to activating and remediating audiovisual archives created by Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Métis, Inuit), Black communities and People of Colour, women, LGBT2Q+ and immigrant communities. Political, resistant, and community-based, counter-archives disrupt conventional narratives and enrich our histories. In this course students will examine the history, theory, and culture of film archives while focusing on the potential for counter-archives to emerge from within and without official institutions. Taking inspiration and examples from the Archive/Counter-Archive project, this course will examine home movies, ethnography, music videos, community-based projects, and other vernacular archival approaches to see how indigenous, racialized, and other marginalized groups use moving pictures to address historical and contemporary issues of identity, dislocation, and trauma as well as strength, survivance, and joy.


Students will undertake an original research project that will be conducted in several stages. Students will develop a project in conjunction with the instructor and based on the course content. Over the second half of the semester, students will write an abstract and preliminary bibliography, a draft of the essay and the final research paper. At each stage students will participate in a process of peer review and revision.

Grading

  • Discussion questions 15%
  • Discussion Participation 10%
  • Archive profile and curation project 25%
  • Research paper abstract and bibliography 10%
  • Research paper peer review 10%
  • Research paper draft 5%
  • Research paper 25%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

All required readings will be available through Canvas and/or on electronic reserve at the SFU Library.

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html