ILS 2385: Visual Literacy and the Sociology of Perception
Tentative Course Schedule Spring 2021
MW 12:30-1:45
NOTE: This schedule may change as needed. Your presence in class ensures correct assignments
WEEK 1
HOMEWORK (DUE 9/12):
- Complete Syllabus Quiz in Ulearn; See Quizzes link
- Set Up Blog; email the Web address to your page (http://wordpress)
to Professor Harmon: kenny.harmon@jwu.edu by class time.
- Read "In Plato's Cave" in On Photography by Susan Sontag, pp. 1-19 (See Course Readings Link)
- Do Reader Response 1: What connections do you see between Plato's Allegory of the Cave and the Content of
- Sontag's essay? Why do you think she begins her essay with a reference to Plato?
- Do Reader Response 1: In a minimum of 300 words and no more than 400, respond to the following prompt:
How do photographs convey meaning? How do viewers contribute to constructing that meaning? You must reference a specific example from the allegory video and include one quote from Sontag's essay.
Image Response #3: Dorothea Lange, Migrant Mother;
Preview Social Justice Project
HOMEWORK (DUE 9/17):
- Read "Photography and Sociology by Howard Becker
- Reader Response 2: Referencing Mark's and Lange's photos from class today, and including one quote from Becker's essay, answer the following prompt: What role can photographs play in revealing injustice? What role can they play in encouraging people to take action against injustice? Your response must be a minimum of 300 words and no more than 400.
WEEK 2
W 1/27 Watch "Challenging Stereotypes about Aging and Dying" by Maja Daniels; Next, view, the
images from some of the photos from this collection by Daniels; Choose ONE of them and
then making use of the Strategies of Understanding Visuals argue what your image
reveals about the ideas of aging and/or dying. Begin your response by identifying the focal
point, the cast of characters, and argue what you see as the "story." Your initial response
must be a minimum of 600 words and must be posted to the discussion forum no later than
class time on Thursday. You must include one quote from the video and one quote from the
Becker article that we read last week.
HOMEWORK (DUE 9/19):
- Review Research Assignment; steps of research and writing process completed throughout
- Sign for presentation; first come, first served (3 or 4 students per topic; see list).
Discuss Social Justice Project (Midterm Exam)
HOMEWORK (DUE 9/24):
- Complete ONE of the visual literacy exercises from the list. This must be submitted to Ulearn by next class. Submit to: SUBMIT ESSAYS/ASSIGNMENTS > VISUAL LITERACY EXERCISES > VISUAL LITERACY EXERCISE #1
- Complete Step 1 of Social Justice Project; Submit Informal Response to Ulearn
- Complete Topic Proposal for Semester Research Project; Submit to Ulearn;
SUBMIT ESSAYS/ASSIGNMENTS > ESSAYS > TOPIC PROPOSAL, SEMESTER
RESEARCH PROJECT
WEEK 3
W 2/3 Semester Research Project Topic Proposal Due; Watch Codes of Gender (via Kanopy, 74
min.); blog post
HOMEWORK (DUE 9/26):
- Complete Discussion Board Post, Step 2 of Social Justice Project; post your photo and info to:
DISCUSSION FORUM > Social Justice in the Community Photo, Step 2 of Social Justice Project
M 2/8 Presentation: Subliminal Advertising Then and Now
HOMEWORK (DUE 10/1):
- Watch Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing (120 minutes)
- Do Response 3: In general, what is Lee's central message about racial stereotypes? Identify 2 visual symbols related to racial stereotype and discuss how Lee makes use of those within a particular scene or scenes. Remember that a symbol conveys a metaphorical meaning and association beyond the fact that it is a particular object only. Your response must be a minimum of 300 words and no more than 400 and posted to Ulearn before class time.
WEEK 4
W 2/10 Watch Ethnic Notions (via Kanopy, 58:12); blog post
HOMEWORK (DUE 10/8):
- Watch Black Mirror, Season 4, Episode 6, "Black Museum" (69 min.); Netflix
- Do Critical Thinking Exercise #2: Racial Stereotype and Film; not due until T 10/8
M 2/15 Presentation: Gender and Race Bias in Film and Television;
HOMEWORK (DUE 10/8):
- Final Social Justice Project Due with Reflection; Submit to Link to Ulearn in a MS Word file along with final reflection
- Critical Thinking Exercise #2 due next class
WEEK 5
W 2/17 Social Justice Project and Reflection Due; The Great White Hoax (via Kanopy, 1:12 & Blog
Post
HOMEWORK (DUE 10/10):
- Begin work on Annotated Bibliography for Semester Research Project (gather and read 8 sources that answer your research question
M 2/22 First Five Annotations Due; Presentation: History Manipulated: Propaganda, Image
Manipulation, and Fake Historical Photos
HOMEWORK (DUE 10/15):
WEEK 6
W 2/24 Watch "Generation Like" (54 minutes); blog post
HOMEWORK (DUE 10/17):
- Watch Black Mirror, Season 3, episode 1, "Nosedive" (63 min.)
- Do Response 4: How does the content of Pickersgill's images and the Black Mirror episode reinforce or reject the message of the Forbes article?
M 3/1 Presentation: Social Media's Visual Argument
HOMEWORK (DUE 10/22):
- ALL annotations due for semester research project
WEEK 7
W 3/3 Annotated Bibliography due for semester research project; Watch The Bro Code (via
Kanopy, 58 min); blog post
HOMEWORK (DUE 10/24):
- Begin working on Outline of Research Paper
- Watch Video: Understanding MLA format, part 1
- Watch Video: Understanding MLA format, part 2
- Complete Understanding MLA Quiz in Ulearn
M 3/8 Presentation: The Male Gaze – In Art, Film, and Video Games.
HOMEWORK (DUE 10/29)
- Research Paper Outline Due
- Watch Video: The Most Common MLA Citations & the Works Cited Page
- Complete MLA QUIZ, Most Common Citations in Ulearn
- Complete Academic Voice & MLA Citation Quiz in Ulearn
- Open this page in one window while working on the quiz in another.
WEEK 8
W 3/10 Research Paper Outline Due; Watch Frontline's "The Merchants of Cool" (58:26); blog post
HOMEWORK (DUE 10/31):
- Begin working on first draft of Research Paper
M 3/15 Presentation: The Power of Advertising in our Market-Structured Consciousness
HOMEWORK (DUE 11/5):
- First full draft of Research Paper due; submit to Ulearn AND submit to SmartThinking
WEEK 9
W 3/17 First full draft of Semester Research Project Due; Review MLA in Class; Opportunity for
Questions
HOMEWORK (DUE 11/5):
- Begin working on revisions of research paper
M 3/22 Presentation: Tough Guise – Boys to Men
Work on Group Project: Drafting
HOMEWORK (DUE 11/12):
- Final Draft of Semester Research Project due with Reflection
WEEK 10
Watch Class Dismissed (65 minutes); blog post
HOMEWORK (DUE 11/14):
- Watch Good Times, "Black Jesus" (26:14)
- Do Response 5: What connections, if any, do you see between the Class Dismissed
documentary and this episode of Good Times?
M 3/29 Presentation: The Portrayal of the Family in Film & Television
HOMEWORK (DUE 11/19):
- Complete Final Course Reflection
WEEK 11
W 3/31 Reading Day (no class meeting);
WEEK 12
W 4/7
M 4/12
WEEK 13
W 4/7
M 4/12
WEEK 14
W 4/14
M 4/19
WEEK 15
W 4/21
M 4/26
WEEK 16
W 4/28
M 5/3
