Call for a Conversation: The "casual" use of film by historians (fwd)

Hannu Salmi (hansalmi@utu.fi)
Mon, 06 Feb 1995 06:14:00 -0800 (PST)


Date: Mon, 06 Feb 1995 06:14:00 -0800 (PST)
From: Hannu Salmi <hansalmi@utu.fi>
To: H-VERKKO@sara.cc.utu.fi
Subject: Call for a Conversation: The "casual" use of film by historians (fwd)

H-FILM-keskusteluryhmassa Steve Mintz on virittelemassa keskustelua elokuvan kaytosta historian opetuksessa. Jos kiinnostaa, liittykaa listalle.

Hannu

---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Sun, 05 Feb 1995 10:21:44 -0600 From: Steven Mintz, U. Houston <SMintz@UH.EDU> To: Multiple recipients of list H-FILM <H-FILM@UICVM.BITNET> Subject: Call for a Conversation: The "casual" use of film by historians

A subtext in many recent H-Film discussions--on propaganda, mass media, and ethnicity--has been a concern voiced by many film and communication specialists that historians too frequently use film casually in their courses, without an adequate appreciation of the extensive literature and critical debate surrounding these topics. Films, from this perspective, are introduced as "primary source" documents that are more or less assumed to speak for themselves.

I wonder if we might transform this subtext into a conversation: about how non-specialists can learn to use film (and other elements of mass culture) less casually in their teaching. Or to make the issue somewhat more controversial, can teachers without formal training in film and communication effectively use visual documents in their classes? I'm interested in your thoughts, Steve Mintz