CHID 250 A: Special Topics: Introduction to the History of Ideas

"FILM AND THE POST APOCALYPTIC IMAGINATION" (VLPA) THIS CLASS WILL EXPLORE "THE POST- APOCALYPTIC IMAGINATION," FOCUSING PRIMARILY ON SECULAR IMAGININGS OF THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT IN FILM. WE WILL EXPLORE CULTURAL REPRESENTATIONS OF CATACLYSMIC EVENTS FROM ZOONOTIC DISEASE TO ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER TO CYBERNETIC REVOLT AND A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE! WE WILL EXPLORE HOW FILMIC REPRESENTATION OF DISASTER BOTH DISSEMINATE AND DISRUPT CULTURAL DEBATES AROUND SCIENCE, DISPLACEMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION, AND DOMINANT IDEAS ABOUT RACE, GENDER, SEXUALITY, CLASS, AGE, ABILITY, SPECIES, AND SO FORTH. WE WILL INTERROGATE HOW POST- APOCALYPTIC IMAGINATION CAN BOTH ENDORSE POLITICAL APATHY AND FOMENT RESISTANCE. WE WILL ALSO EXPLORE HOW IT IS REFRACTED THROUGH THE CURRENT CRISIS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. OFFERED VIA REMOTE LEARNING