COMM 395 - Special Topics in Communication

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An exploration of the moral implications of stories, focusing on narrative film and television, and with special attention to the moral psychology of engagement with narratives. Topics to be covered include the place of stories in human life, mass storytelling, identification, moral emotions, stereotypes, and the affective power of the moving-image media. The course is interdisciplinary in nature, with readings from film and literary theory, philosophy, and psychology. The course will be conducted as a seminar, and students will produce a significant research paper. Narratives to be examined include Breaking Bad, The Silence of the Lambs, and Tree of Life, among others. Designed for students from various majors. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. Not offered 2020-2021.